Cryptic Crossword Dictionary : B

BACHELOR

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B or BA.

Sample clue:

American uncle taking bachelor to dance (5)

BACK

1. Possibly a reversal indicator.

Sample clues:

Composer taking taxi back to hospital (4)

They keep together but may be cut back (4)

Verbose professional beginning to lead team back (6)

2. Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the final letter of a word, for example:

BACKED

Possibly a reversal indicator.

Sample clues:

Father backed a horse - he's a heathen (5)

Swimmer backed by party leader or prime minister (4)

BACK END

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter K.

BACKING

Possibly a reversal indicator.

Sample clues:

Commendable attempt to get party backing (4)

Collection I'm backing for little children (5)

Middle east country is backing king (6)

BACK OFF

Possibly a subtraction indicator signifying the removal of a final letter.

BACK TO FRONT

Possibly a reversal indicator.

Alternatively, it may be be an instruction to move the last letter of a word to the front - for example, "cars back to front" would give "scar".

BACKWARD

Possibly a reversal indicator.

BAD

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clues:

Bad man a girl found frightening (8)

Hear Nick mock bad Indian meal (7,5)

BADLY

1. Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clues:

Badly aligned in front (7)

Witness cops treat badly (9)

2. Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ILL.

BANANAS

Possibly an anagram indicator: ('bananas' = 'crazy').

Sample clue:

Get out of bed for our top bananas? (6)

BANKER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the name (usually short) of a river - frequently DEE, DON or EXE. (For other names of rivers, see Rivers of the British Isles and Rivers of the World.)

BARRIER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters DAM.

BASTARD

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Untidy bastard reads diary (10)

BATS

Possibly an anagram indicator: ('bats' = 'crazy').

Sample clue:

Bats need ears for the evening air (8)

BATTERED

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Gin with battered fish (7)

BATTING

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters IN.

BATTY

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Nora Batty, flower of Italy! (4)

BEARING

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter N or E or S or W or a group of letters such as NE or SW or SSE.

Sample clue:

Father bearing fruit (5)

BEATEN

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Confer with beaten player (6)

BEATEN UP

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Rent man beaten up in scrap (7)

BECOME

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Has Colin become a saint for Christmas? (8)

BECOMES

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Aunt Sal becomes an eastern ruler's wife (7)

BECOMING

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Let us admit becoming aroused (10)

BED

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters COT.

BEER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ALE.

BEFORE

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ERE or PRE or ANTE.

BEGINNER

1, May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter L.

2. May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the initial letter of a word, e.g. raw beginner = R.

BEGINNING

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the inital letter of a word.

BEGINNING TO GO

Possibly a subtraction indicator signifying the removal of an initial letter.

BEHEAD

May be a subtraction indicator indicating that the initial letter is to be removed from a word.

Sample clue:

Eager to behead king of Israel (4)

BEHEADED

May be a subtraction indicator indicating that the initial letter is to be removed from a word.

Sample clue:

National prime minister beheaded (7)

BEHEADING

May be a subtraction indicator indicating that the initial letter is to be removed from a word.

Sample clue:

Egyptian god beheading singers (5)

BEND

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Doc wants to bend low (8)

BENDER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter S.

BENT

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Fix bent rapier (6)

BESIEGE

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

Sample clue:

Decree to besiege island with artillery (9)

BESIEGED

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BESIEGES

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BESIEGING

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BIGHEAD

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

BISHOP

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

BIZARRE

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Bizarre growth in seaside resort (8)

BLACK

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B (as in pencil grade) or the letters JET.

BLAME

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters RAP.

BLEND

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Fully developed blend of tea and rum (6)

BLENDED

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

What's been fresh is blended for use in cooking (5,6)

BLOCKHEAD

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

BLUE

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters SAD.

BLUNDER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ERR.

BOARDING

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BOIL

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Marines get to boil sprouts (10)

BOILED

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Boiled rice needs a home (9)

BOILING

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Boiling raw rice for jet set (7)

BOLT

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter U.

BOND'S BOSS

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter M.

BONE

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter T.

BOOK

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

BORN

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B or the letters NEE.

BOTTLE OPENER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

BOWLED

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

BOX

1. Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters SPAR.

Sample clue:

Old Greek box, light brown (7)

2. Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BOXED

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BOXER

Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ALI or DOG.

BOXES

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BOXING

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BRAVO

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B.

(See NATO Phonetic Alphabet).

Sample clue:

Restraint for scoundrel? Bravo! (4)

BREAK

1. Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clues:

Woman left before break of day (4)

Come after break for stuffing (9)

2. Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters REST.

Sample clues:

Quickly taking break in river (6)

First lady taking break on mountain (7)

BREAKING

1. Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clues:

Recall breaking into wine store (6)

A bone can keep breaking (7)

2. Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

Sample clue:

Unyielding soldier breaking free (5)

BREW

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

As much as one can take of such malt brew? (10)

BREWED

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Green tea brewed for a youngster (8)

BREWING

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Grain as used for brewing drink (7)

BRIDGE

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BRIDGED

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BRIDGE OPPONENTS

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters NE, NW, SE, SW, EN, ES, WN or WS.

BRIDGE PARTNERS

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters NS, SN, EW or WE.

Sample clue:

River always bridged by bridge partners (6)

BRIDGE PLAYER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating N or S or E or W.

BRIDGES

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BRIDGING

Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.

BRITAIN

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters GB or UK.

BRITISH

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter B or the letters BR or UK.

BROADCAST

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

A news broadcast with right to reply (7)

BROKEN

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Transport needed by Santa - his leg is broken (6)

BROTHER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters BR or BRO.

BROUGHT ABOUT

Possibly a reversal indicator.

BROUGHT UP

Possibly a reversal indicator (in a Down clue).

BROWN

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters TAN.

BUDDHISM

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ZEN.

BUILD

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Got a hundred to build a ship? (11)

BUILDING

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Stone that's great in building (7)

BUILT

Possibly an anagram indicator.

Sample clue:

Nice organ got built for those in church (12)

BUTTER

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters RAM.

BY

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter X.

BY ARRANGEMENT

Possibly an anagram indicator.

BY MISTAKE

Possibly an anagram indicator.

BY THE SOUND OF IT

Possibly a homophone indicator.

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