What is Today's Cryptic Clue?
Welcome to our daily cryptic clue answer page! Every day, we feature a carefully crafted cryptic crossword clue with progressive hints to help you learn and improve your solving skills. Cryptic clues are the hallmark of British-style crosswords, combining wordplay with definitions in clever, puzzle-like constructions.
Unlike regular crossword clues that simply define a word, cryptic clues contain two parts: a definition and wordplay that leads to the same answer. Learning to recognize and decode these elements is key to mastering cryptic crosswords.
How to Solve Today's Cryptic Clue
Every cryptic clue follows a formula, though the exact structure varies:
- Find the Definition: The definition is always at the start OR end of the clue, never in the middle
- Identify the Wordplay: The rest of the clue contains wordplay leading to the answer
- Recognize Indicator Words: Words that signal anagrams, reversals, hidden words, etc.
- Check Your Answer: The answer must satisfy BOTH the definition AND the wordplay
Understanding Cryptic Clue Types
Today's cryptic clue could be any of these common types:
- Anagram: Letters rearranged to form the answer. Look for indicator words like "mixed," "scrambled," "rearranged"
- Hidden Word: The answer is hidden within the clue text. Indicators: "in," "part of," "within"
- Reversal: A word spelled backwards. Indicators: "back," "returning," "reversed"
- Double Definition: Two definitions of the same word side by side
- Charade: Parts of words combined to form the answer
- Container: One word inside another. Indicators: "around," "holding," "containing"
- Homophone: Words that sound alike. Indicators: "heard," "sounds like," "reportedly"
Tips for Solving Today's Cryptic Clue Faster
Apply these strategies to crack today's clue:
- Check the letter count: This immediately narrows your possibilities
- Look at both ends: The definition is at the start or end
- Spot indicator words: These reveal the clue type
- Ignore punctuation: It's usually there to mislead
- Trust the wordplay: Once you solve it, the answer is definitive
Why Practice Daily Cryptic Clues?
Solving a cryptic clue every day offers numerous benefits:
- Vocabulary Building: Learn new words and their multiple meanings
- Pattern Recognition: Become faster at spotting clue structures
- Mental Exercise: Keep your brain sharp with daily puzzles
- Satisfying Challenge: The "aha!" moment when a clue clicks is uniquely rewarding
- Progressive Learning: Each clue teaches you something new
Frequently Asked Questions
Our daily cryptic clue updates at midnight Eastern Time. Check back each day for a new challenge! We also offer unlimited mode if you want to practice more.
We provide 4 progressive hints for each clue. Try to solve it with as few hints as possible - this is how you'll improve fastest. Each hint reveals more about the clue structure.
That's okay! Use the hints progressively, then reveal the answer and read the full explanation. Understanding HOW the clue works is just as valuable as solving it yourself.
Yes! Our Unlimited Mode lets you practice with hundreds of cryptic clues at any time. We also have archives of past daily clues with their explanations.
We rate clues as Easy, Medium, or Hard based on vocabulary difficulty, complexity of wordplay, and how obscure the indicators are. Beginners should start with Easy clues.
Yes, we maintain an archive of all past daily clues with their answers and explanations. This is a great resource for studying different clue types and techniques.