Cryptic Clue


 * Mysterious vault in first century...

Don’t be fooled: it’s not what it seems. These are clues that deviously conceal their real meaning behind wacky wordplay and strange rules.

Fundamentally, the structure of a cryptic clue is that it has


 * a definition part — kinda like a standard crossword clue, but often more vague/more ambiguous; and
 * a wordplay part — looks like a sentence but actually contains instructions on how to manipulate words or letters.

The definition part is always at the start or end. However, the clue doesn’t tell you where one part ends and the other begins!

This example puzzle only showcases a small selection of the vast variety of wordplay mechanics.

Note that the concept of cryptic clues need not be limited to crosswords. Cryptic clues can be used to simply clue a list of words required by a puzzle.

Example Puzzles
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