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Cryptic Crossword Dictionary : A
A dictionary of words and phrases often encountered in cryptic crossword clues - words that may mean something more, or something other, than is indicated by their surface meaning.
ABNORMAL
Possibly an anagram indicator.
ABOARD
1. Possibly a container-and-contents indicator indicating that letters or words are to be placed inside SS.
- Sample clues:
- Food taken aboard in large quantites (6)
- Shopping area aboard ship supplies underwear (6)
2. May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters ON.
ABOUT
1. Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator for C or CA or RE.
- Sample clues:
- Explicit about king in play (5)
- Young creature with about fifty feet (4)
- Picture puzzle about public transport (5)
2. Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Care about size of field? (4)
- Float about on high (5)
3. Possibly a reversal indicator.
- Sample clues:
- American soldier right about outfit (3)
- Long story about a form of heating (4)
4. Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Vessel about right for wine (4)
- A poem about baby's first home (5)
- Recommend about five new ideas (6)
ABRIDGED
Possibly a subtraction indicator signifying the removal of a final letter.
ABSTEMIOUS
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters TT.
ABSURD
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Disapprove strongly of absurd old peer (7)
ACADEMICIAN
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters RA (for Royal Academician).
ACCELERATION
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter G.
ACCEPTABLE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter U.
ACCOUNT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AC.
- Sample clue:
- True account by clergyman (8)
ACCOUNTANT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters CA.
ACE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter A.
- Sample clue:
- Matches for ace in underwear (6)
ACTOR
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters HAM.
ADAPT
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Adapt recipe requiring skewer (6)
ADAPTED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- A cistern adapted as a container for food (8)
- Show adapted to modern taste? (11)
ADDLED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- It's lovely having our egg so addled (8)
ADJUST
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Just adjust my reel (6)
ADJUSTED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- A solid form once adjusted (4)
ADJUSTMENT
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- A small adjustment for animals (6)
ADMIT
Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Happy to admit copper is a metal (7)
ADMITS
Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Unidentified girl admits nothing (4)
ADMITTED
Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Greed is a weakness, a redhead admitted (7)
ADMITTING
Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Swiss community against admitting worker (6)
ADRIFT
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Get cast adrift in boat (6)
- Concealed nets Iceland cast adrift (11)
ADULT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter A.
AFRESH
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Being most dilatory, I started afresh (8)
AFTER A FASHION
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Dance in Burma, after a fashion (5)
- Wild party for Australian, after a fashion (10)
AFTER COMMENCEMENT
Possibly a subtraction indicator signifying the removal of an initial letter.
AFTERNOON
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters PM.
AGAINST
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter V or the letters VS or CON.
AGE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters EON or ERA.
AGENCY
Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters CIA.
AGENT
Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters REP or SPY.
AGITATED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- He's too agitated to calm down (6)
- Tom and Anna, agitated, in a state (7)
AGREEMENT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters YES or AY or AYE.
French agreement may indicate OUI; German agreement may indicate JA; Italian or Spanish agreement may indicate SI.
AIRLINE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters BA.
ALL OVER
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Indians chase pa all over (7)
- Jumbo - the plane that's seen all over (8)
- Soup made in Rome, sent all over? (10)
ALLOW
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters LET.
ALL RIGHT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters OK.
ALMOST
Possibly a subtraction indicator signifying the removal of a final letter.
ALPHA
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter A.
(See NATO Phonetic Alphabet).
ALTER
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Alter altar for gay refrain (3-2)
- Thing to alter between today and tomorrow (7)
ALTERATION
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Country noble with an alteration (7)
- Trace alteration made by girl with a free hand (5,7)
ALTERED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- These are dark times - things must be altered (6)
- Star seer altered claim again (8)
ALTERING
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Cast worth altering (5)
- Musician altering suit in apartment (8)
ALTERNATELY
Possibly a subtraction indicator signifying the selection of alternate letters from a word.
ALTERNATIVELY
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters OR.
ALUMINIUM
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AL.
(See Symbols for Chemical Elements).
- Sample clue:
- Where boats may be seen made of tin and aluminium (5)
ALWAYS
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AY or AYE or EER.
AMERICA
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters US or USA.
AMERICAN
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters US.
AMERICAN LAWYER
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters DA.
AMIDST
Possibly a container-and-contents indicator.
AMISS
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Girl for hire, taken amiss (9)
AMOUNT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters SUM.
ANCIENT CITY
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters UR.
- Sample clues:
- Ancient city knocked over by a stone (4)
- Bore stopped outside ancient city (7)
ANEW
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Some called anew for proportional representation (5,5)
ANGER
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters IRE or RAGE.
ANGLO-SAXON
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AS.
ANNOUNCED
Possibly a homophone indicator.
ANNOY
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters IRK.
ANOTHER WAY
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- More than one knave travels another way (7)
ANSWER
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter A or the letters ANS.
ANTEPENULTIMATE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter X.
ANYHOW
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Have a rest, being idle now anyhow (3,4)
APPEAL
Possibly a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters SA (sex appeal).
APPEARANCE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AIR or MIEN.
APPLE CORE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter P.
APPROVAL
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters OK.
APPROVE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters OK.
AREA
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter A.
ARGON
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AR.
(See Symbols for Chemical Elements).
- Sample clue:
- Get close to neon and argon (4)
AROUND
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Follow headless queens around (5)
- Santa sits around, requiring a helper (9)
- They may be seen around in transport site! (5,8)
ARRANGE
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Begin to arrange a spree (5)
- Arrange roster for holiday location (6)
ARRANGED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Bats are arranged side by side (7)
- Flowers Lisa had arranged (7)
- Break arranged in travel (7)
ARRANGEMENT
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Standard arrangement of tidy racks (9)
- I decline no arrangement for a singer (6,4)
ARRANGING
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Sea-lord arranging trials (7)
- I go nuts arranging trips (7)
ARSENIC
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AS.
(See Symbols for Chemical Elements).
- Sample clue:
- These snakes are venomous and arsenic's extemely poisonous (4)
ARTICLE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters A or AN or THE.
French article may indicate the letters UN or UNE or LA or LE or LES.
German article may indicate the letters EIN or EINE or DER or DAS or DIE.
Italian article may indicate the letters IL.
Spanish article may indicate the letters EL.
Foreign article, article from abroad, etc may indicate any of the foregoing.
ARTILLERY
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters RA.
ARTIST
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters RA (for Royal Academician).
ASCENDING
Possibly a reversal indicator (in a Down clue).
- Sample clues:
- An insect, say, not very bright, ascending (5)
- Stop artist ascending with others (6)
ASKEW
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Appearance of cap set askew (6)
ASPIRATE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter H.
ASPIRATION
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letter H.
ASSEMBLE
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- It's bad luck when mechanics assemble (9)
ASSEMBLED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Had keen side assembled for game? (4-3-4)
ASSEMBLING
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Pirates assembling store of beer (11)
ASSEMBLY
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- See UN Assembly follow (5)
- Metal lamp unit needing assembly (8)
ASSENT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters YES or AY or AYE.
French assent may indicate OUI; German assent may indicate JA; Italian or Spanish assent may indicate SI.
ASSORTED
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- One who samples assorted treats? (6)
ASSORTMENT
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- No huge assortment is sufficient (6)
ASTRAY
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Is led astray and doesn't work (5)
- Silver seal going astray in French palace (10)
AS WE HEAR
Possibly a homophone indicator.
- Sample clues:
- A lord, as we hear, is to show up (6)
- The team, as we hear, expressed discontent (6)
AT HOME
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters IN.
AT ODDS
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Europeans at odds in Sedan (5)
AT SEA
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Altering navy rig at sea (7)
- It's truly deep at sea, so they say (9)
AT SIXES AND SEVENS
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clue:
- Game with first of threes and nines at sixes and sevens (6)
ATTEMPT
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters TRY.
AUDIBLE
Possibly a homophone indicator.
- Sample clue:
- A lord, according to hearsay, is to show up (6)
AUDIBLY
Possibly a homophone indicator.
AUDIENCE
Phrases such as for the audience or to the audience may be homophone indicators.
AUDITION
Phrases such as in audition may be homophone indicators.
AUDITOR
Auditor's or phrases such as for the auditor or to the auditor may be homophone indicators.
AURALLY
Possibly a homophone indicator.
AUSTRALIA
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AUS or OZ.
AUTHORISED VERSION
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AV.
AVENUE
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters AVE.
AWFUL
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Potato, for example, for an awful brute (5)
- What thief might do - and how thief ends in awful peril (6)
AWFULLY
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Awfully eager to assent (5)
- Awfully versatile members of the family (9)
AWKWARD
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Tie up an awkward flower (7)
- A complaint or awkward announcement (12)
AWKWARDLY
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Clergymen dance so awkwardly (7)
- Averse to labour, lie on bed awkwardly (4-4)
AWRY
Possibly an anagram indicator.
- Sample clues:
- Difference of opinion sends it awry (7)
- Flag or sail hung awry (8)
AXES
May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters XY.
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