CRYPTIC CLUES

Remember our example?

Anatomy of a cryptic clue :

eg. Free India votes for changes. (10)

Free India votes for changes. (10)

INDICATOR FODDER CONNECTOR DEFINITION ENUMERATION

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

WORDPLAY

Good that you recall. Having already talked about clues that involve Anagrams, we’ll look at two new types of

clues today.

• Telescopic clue

• Charade clue

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

• Telescopic clue

eg. Language found in North India (5)

Answer : HINDI (“NortH INDIa”)Definition : “Language”

Indicator : “found in” (You can find a list of common telescopic indicators here)

Fodder : “North India”

As we can see, the answer is hidden between two words. In a typical telescopic clue, the answer may be hidden within two or more words.

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

Here’s a practice set :

• A tool used for hammering found in Indian villages (5)

• Princess in Indian attire (5)

• Want letters from Sachin Tendulkar? (6)

• Cure some of the allergies (4)

• Metal found in West Indies (3)

• Hidden message sent to wise men (5)

• Warm, inexpensive houses owned by me (4)

• Scolds Prachi Desai secretly (6)

• Manchester United has to hurry (3)

• Localities in Ghatkopar East (5)

Answers follow.

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

Answers

• ANVIL – IndiAN VILlages

• DIANA – InDIAN Attire

• INTEND – SachIN TENDulkar

• HEAL – tHE ALlergies

• TIN – WesT INdies

• SAGES – mesSAGE Sent

• MINE – warM INExpensive

• CHIDES – PraCHI DESai

• RUN – ManchesteR UNited

• AREAS – GhatkopAR EASt

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

• Charade clue

eg. Mercy for average criminal (6)

Answer : PARDON = PAR + DONDefinition : “Mercy”

Connector : “for”Indicator : <none>

(Not needed in a charade clue)Fodder : “average criminal”

As we see, ‘average’ gives PAR and ‘criminal’ gives DON, and we simply combine the two to get our answer. In a typical charade clue,

different words/phrases in the clue give different parts of the answer, and combining all of them gives us the answer itself.

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

Here’s a practice set :

• Dangerously obese friend (7)

• Merciful and in favour of donating (9)

• Demonstration for an exam (7)

• Continue to bully (4)

• Dad’s attempt to make a dessert (6)

• Lean ruler meditating (8)

• Place of work away from frozen water (6)

• Deficiency for brief period of time (8)

• Brings back remnant natural resources (8)

• One of us became old and ruled (7)

Answers follow.

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

Answers

• FATALLY – FAT (obese) + ALLY (friend)

• FORGIVING - FOR (in favour of) + GIVING (donating)

• PROTEST – PRO (for) + TEST (an exam)

• GOON – GO ON (continue)

• PASTRY – PA’S (Dad’s) + TRY (attempt)

• THINKING – THIN (lean) + KING (ruler)

• OFFICE – OFF (away from) + ICE (frozen water)

• SHORTAGE – SHORT (brief) + AGE (period of time)

• RESTORES – REST (remnant) + ORES (natural resources)

• MANAGED – MAN (one of us) + AGED (became old)

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014

More types of wordplay coming up!

Hope you enjoyed this one.

You can follow us at litwar.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/groups/iitbwordgamesclub.

Anybody Can Wrestle With Words : Cryptic Clues Literati, IIT-Bombay | 2014