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A type of clue where the WHOLE clue defines the answer, and the WHOLE clue also is the wordplay (a mechanism to derive the answer through various cryptic devices). "&lit" is short for "and literally".
To qualify as an &lit, a clue must have no unused components either in the definition or the wordplay - it must be readable one way as a definition, and another as the wordplay.
The answer is a jumbling of letters except for the initial or final letter of the anagram fodder. An anagram indicator and truncation indicator will be present.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
The answer is found by removing a letter, letters, or a word (either found directly in the clue or derived) from a word or words (or their synonyms). Subtractions involving synonyms must be done with contiguous letters, that is, a word will subtract directly unless specifically indicated. A subtraction indicator is present to initiate the action.
A question mark has been used to indicate "language abuse", that is, a word or words in a clue are used in a technically incorrect way, but the meaning can be still inferred.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
There is only one part to this clue, a definition, and it's usually a play on words. There aren't any indicators.
The answer is found by using the sound of a word or phrase. Sounds-like indicators point the way.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A question mark has been used to indicate "language abuse", that is, a word or words in a clue are used in a technically incorrect way, but the meaning can be still inferred.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A word or series of words that signify the turning around (across & down clues), or overturning (down clues only) of letters.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.
A word or series of words that signify the position of wordplay elements in the answer.
Examples: before, after, leading, in the middle of, under (down only) etc.
You may have heard of the term “crosswordese” which is the stuff that is only used in crosswords (normal and cryptic). It ranges from the use of a question mark to indicate “word abuse” to terms like “perhaps” which gets used as an anagram indicator. A subset of crosswordese is “cryptic cliches” which comprises terms that are almost always instantly recognisable for what they represent. Some examples: “Learner” = L; “revolutionary” = CHE; “(religious) book(s)” = OT/NT etc. In some ways they are boring, but totally necessary. The hardest part of solving a cryptic is at the start where there’s no/minimal help from crossing answers. Cryptic cliches help solvers get starts in clues, and I have no doubt solvers look for, and to some extent, rely on, these cryptic keywords. Of course setters should be aware of this and can control how much help they provide across the entire crossword by judicious use of these footholds.
There are a number of elements to any cryptic clue including:
