A B Cryptics -3 – Cool Charade Clues

Each of these posts are intended to provide simple explanations / introduction to cryptic crosswords. Each post would have A – an answer to a general question on cryptics, B – an explanation of a clue type and C – A Sample clue.

A – What are barred and blocked crossword grids?

A blocked grid is a typical grid that you see in newspaper puzzles like the Hindu, where you will see black and white squares usually with a layout of 15 x 15.

A barred grid, on the other hand has only white squares with word separation indicated with dark lines – This is the solution grid for a puzzle by Bud Tangerina (Brian Dungate) that was featured in this blog.

One main difference between the two types of grids is that Barred grids have more intersecting letters (also called “crossings” that let you have more “checking” of whether your answers are correct. Due to this reason, barred grids are often used by “Advanced” cryptic setters and tend to have answers that are more obscure or use difficult vocabulary than those in blocked grids.

B Cryptic technique – Charades

“Charades” a term that possibly originated from the popular games is also commonly used in cryptic clues. In such clues, the answer is basically broken into separate bits and clued and you would need to combine these bits for the answer. So, how do you solve charade clues?

1. Once again look for the  “definition” – which would be at one end of the clue – either the beginning or the end. The answer has to be a synonym of the “definition”
2. Look for the Enumeration in brackets – This tells you the number of letters in the answer.
3. Look at the surface of the clue. The charade is usually broken into 2 or 3 separate components. It can be more but generally too many small components is considered inelegant.
4. Each component part can be clued using either a synonym for that part or an abbreviation.
5. The smaller parts would have to be sequenced together in the right order. Sometimes there may be words like “before” or “after” which are called “link” words and are instructions on how the charade components need to be assembled together.
6. Do bear in mind that Charades can be a catch-all phrase and sometimes used in combination with some of the other techniques you will be learning about.

C Examples of Charade clues

• Fast or strike without a purpose (7)  (By Hypatia, THC)
  • The answer is RAPIDLY
  • The definition here is “Fast”. While reading the clue,  it appears to a type of protest (a noun) but is in fact used here as an adverb.
  • “Or” is a connector / link word that links the definition and the wordplay.
  • The two components here are RAP and IDLY. Strike is used to clue “RAP” and “Without a purpose” is used for “IDLY”.

Can you solve these?

Congrats to Samit Kallianpur, Ranjani Srikanth and Sabitha Satchi . You got all the answers right to our previous set of questions.

Now that you have learnt the ABCs of Charade clues – see if you can solve these.

1. Perhaps monitor Elizabeth on a road (6) (Incognito, Flat Earth Theory )
2. God entered secretly (2,6) (Avatar, Manpasand)
3. Jimmy’s about to fight at the pub (7) (Samurai Pony, Bogus Poems)
4. Yesterday’s lover’s tie? (9) (Gussalufz, 2 and 2)

Leave your responses in the comments section below. The names of those who get it right will be in our next post.

If you have a question on cryptic crosswords that you would like me answer, do let me know in the comments. You can Subscribe to the blog if you liked this post and don’t want to miss the series.