ALL-IN-ONE CLUE: Heads of the several amalgamated Russian states (5)
This clue relies on the letter selection indicator heads (see page 31) to provide the solution. Most of the clueing techniques outlined earlier can be used to make an all-in-one clue (see examples in Chapter 8), always providing that the definition and wordplay are one and the same.
Probably the commonest type is an all-in-one anagram, with an anagram as part or all of the wordplay and no extra definition needed because it has been provided by the wordplay. Here is an example:
ALL-IN-ONE ANAGRAM CLUE: A pot’s stirred with one? (8)
Incidentally, this clue demonstrates how punctuation can give you some help with a clue. The question mark is telling you that a pot isn’t necessarily stirred with a spoon but it may be. For examples of when punctuation is not so helpful, see Chapter 4 (page 40–41).
The remaining four types
Now we will focus on the remaining four clue types. Remember that these four normally do not include indicators within the clue sentence. Here they are together in one chart from which we will proceed to examine each one in turn, starting at the top and going clockwise.
How do we recognize these when no indicator is normally included?
Punctuation may occasionally be helpful in some of these clues but it’s mainly intelligent guesswork that’s needed. Are these types therefore harder? You can judge for yourself but I’d say not necessarily.
9. The double definition clue
This is simply two, or very occasionally more, definitions of the solution side by side. There may be a linking word, as in the second example, such as is or ’s, but most frequently there is none, as in this clue.
DOUBLE DEFINITION CLUE 1: Shoots game (5)
DOUBLE DEFINITION CLUE 2: Pools entries making one a rich man (5)
Indicators for double definition clues:
To repeat, no specific indicator is ever given. It can nonetheless often be guessed by its shortness, or by two or more words, lacking an obvious linkword. With only two or three words in a clue, there’s a good chance it’s a double definition. One way of spotting this type of clue is an and in a short clue, e.g. Bit of butter and jam (6) for scrape:
DOUBLE DEFINITION CLUE 3: Bit of butter and jam (6)
10. The additive clue
As we saw at the very beginning of this book, an additive clue consists of the solution word being split into parts to form the solution. Sometimes known as a charade (from the game of charades, rather than its more modern meaning of ‘absurd pretence’), it may be helpful to describe it as a simple algebraic expression A + B = solution C. Here is one with several misleading aspects. Note the use of the linking phrase employed ahead of, telling you to join part A to part B:
ADDITIVE CLUE: Pole employed ahead of young local worker (8)
Indicators for additive clues:
With no specific indicator, it’s a question rather of spotting that A + B can give C, the solution. Sometimes this is made easier by linkwords such as employed ahead of (as in the earlier clue), facing, alongside, with, next to, indicating that the parts A and B have to be set alongside each other. In the case of down clues, the corresponding linkwords would be on top of, looking down on and similar expressions reflecting the grid position of letters to be entered.
11. The cryptic definition clue
There are no component parts at all to this clue, which consists simply of a misleading, usually one-dimensional, way to describe the solution. Depending on how much information is imparted by the clue, it can be very easy or very tough. The best of these clues have an amusing or whimsical air, as in both these examples:
CRYPTIC DEFINITION CLUE 1: Women can’t stand going there (6)
CRYPTIC DEFINITION CLUE 1: He’s been known to pot the white (8)
Indicators for cryptic definitions:
The nature of this clue type is such that no indicator is ever given. It can be identified either from the fact that nothing in the clue looks like an indicator, and/or from the presence of a question mark. A tip is to look hard at words which have more than one meaning and then think below the surface. Otherwise, wait until some intersecting letters are available.
12. The novelty clue
From the inception of crypticity in crosswords, there have been innovative clues conforming to no single pattern which defy categorization into any of the preceding groups. These clues are often solved with extra pleasure.
The setter has found it possible to exploit coincidences or special features of a word. As with the cryptic definition type, the solver is asked to think laterally and throw away any misleading images created by the clue. In some rare circumstances when an especially novel idea is used, there may not even be a proper definition. There are more examples of the novelty clue in Chapter 8 but, as a taster, here is one:
NOVELTY CLUE: Eccentric as three-quarters of the characters in Fiji? (5)
TOP TIP – CLUE FREQUENCY
Given the twelve clue types identified, which are the most commonly found? The answer to this is that frequency patterns vary according to setter and newspaper but that the additive, anagram, cryptic definition and sandwich types are the most common; they may indeed account for more than half the clues in many crosswords. It may help you to know that there are rarely more than two or three of the following types in any one puzzle: hidden, homophone, all-in-one, novelty, letter switch. As we shall see later, setters make use of more than one type of wordplay within any one clue so that, for example, a sandwich clue can include a reversal, a takeaway or an anagram element within it.