This page is an archive of my daily cryptic clues on Twitter. I post a clue each day with solutions and provide the explanation the next day. You can also get more clarifications on clues that you do not understand.
If you are interested you can follow me on @somsram and look for #crackingcryptics
These are from my Grids published in The Hindu under the pseudonym Hypatia.
August 2020
| Date | Clue | Solution | Link |
| 31st | Heading out, woman danced in festival (4) | Tweet | |
| 30th | Slip away, unwinding in the spa, leisurely (6) THC 12947 | Tweet | |
| 29th | See Grant’s acting prowess (9) THC 12946 | Tweet | |
| 28th | 50 odd band joining Raman set for extraordinary player (6,7) | Tweet | |
| 27th | More than one spoke by wireless, say calling India for nothing (5) THC 12978 | Tweet | |
| 26th | They raise many girls? (8,5) THC 12659 | Tweet | |
| 25th | Tie pet outside grave essentially (6) THC 12914 | Tweet | |
| 24th | Exercise after solvers cried (4) THC 12978 | Tweet | |
| 23rd | Faces Doctor Who in secondary performance, say (8) THC 12947 | Tweet | |
| 22nd | E-book criticizes guts, perhaps (8) THC 12880 | Tweet | |
| 21st | English baron wearing Indian shirt (7) THC 13015 | Tweet | |
| 20th | Speaker distorting echoes around posh igloo, perhaps (3-5) THC 12947 | Tweet | |
| 19th | Spice and flavour from reddish orange natural sources (7) THC 12723 | Tweet | |
| 18th | Silent comedian captivates a minister (8) THC 13015 | Tweet | |
| 17th | Hot seafood sandwiches at any time (8) THC 12881 | Tweet | |
| 16th | What violinists do during and after a show? (4, 1,3) THC 13010 | Tweet | |
| 15th | Exchanging rupee for primary needs is reasonable, countrywide (8) THC 13015 | Tweet | |
| 14th | Free diamonds in card game (4) THC 12946 | Tweet | |
| 13th | Study about trapping rodents? Forget It! (5,4) THC 12880 | Tweet | |
| 12th | Read big novel to summarize (7) THC 12946 | Tweet | |
| 11th | Malai roti dexterously rolled in piece of newspaper (9) THC 12692 | Tweet | |
| 10th | Paint bird eating small animal (8) THC 13010 | Tweet | |
| 9th | A dad or mom drinks them extremely flat (9) THC 12628 | Tweet | |
| 8th | Former scheme to preserve dairy (essentially milk) (7) THC 12594 | Tweet | |
| 7th | It’s transmitted genetically by woman receiving correct male chromosome (8) THC 12566 | Tweet | |
| 6th | No actor got this kind of movie (8,7) THC 12927 | Tweet | |
| 5th | Aimed to get different channels for advertising (5-5) THC 12914 | Tweet | |
| 4th | Little animal cuddling the girl — a sweet kid (6) THC 12978 | Tweet | |
| 3rd | He turns 80, then remains active (6, 5) | Tweet | |
| 2nd | Give her a ring, then elope, perhaps (9) TH – Setter unknown | Tweet | |
| 1st | Director seems damn new (3,6) | Tweet |
July 2020
| Date | Clue | Solution | Link |
| 31st | Crazy wizard chokes you at regular intervals (5) THC12913 | Tweet | |
| 30th | Spooner’s kick-ass drink (4,4) THC12914 | Tweet | |
| 29th | Like those who raise sheep aren’t alongside wolves (8) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 28th | Tone down regularly after seconds (6) THC12946 | Tweet | |
| 27th | Mark it! Chennai showcases area for food (7) THC12880 | Tweet | |
| 26th | Save second professor at Hogwarts? Not quite! (8) THC12826 | Tweet | |
| 25th | How to make bats sell down the river? (8) THC12880 | Tweet | |
| 24th | Group of singers cheerfully evacuated chief monk’s office (6) THC12914 | Tweet | |
| 23rd | Supplement article complete in two pages (9) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 22nd | According to Spooner, married gambler who is incontinent (9) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 21st | Warning from ladies only? (4) THC12979 | Tweet | |
| 20th | Vice president given a new punishment (7) THC12913 | Tweet | |
| 19th | 1. Relatively well known person in nineties novel? (8) THC12627 2. Cricket expert’s stern article on blog he edited (6,6) |
Tweet 2 |
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| 18th | Can idiot be fired after missing a delivery? (7) | Tweet | |
| 17th | Perhaps a younger Tony Stark, felt cold in metal clothing? (8)) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 16th | Start to suddenly turn direction and veer (6) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 15th | Ecstatic when bowled out from behind (6) THC12849 | Tweet | |
| 14th | Being different, I typically hid (6) THC12693 | Tweet | |
| 13th | Start to stick tongue out eating river fish (8) THC12978 | Tweet | |
| 12th | Hot tips from reality shows (5) THC12979 | Tweet | |
| 11th | Not a single argument for what you hate in the newspaper (5,1,9) THC12979 | Tweet | |
| 10th | Novel I get in Kindle (6) THC12978 | Tweet | |
| 9th | Breed of cat transforming say, Wolverine from head to toe? (4) THC12979 | Tweet |
June 2020
| Date | Clue | Solution | Link |
| 27th | Push back, relax and shower (8) THC12947 | Tweet | |
| 26th | Meeting holder’s torn attire (7) | Tweet | |
| 25th | Mother and grandmother rock! (5) THC12785 | Tweet | |
| 24th | Pretty tidy and mostly organised (6) THC12914 | Tweet | |
| 23rd | Judge wore a clean suit (6) THC12785 | Tweet | |
| 22nd | Spooner’s bookie, say improves (4,6) THC12659 | Tweet | |
| 21st | It may be near couch potatoes or far? (6) THC12660 | Tweet | |
| 20th | Enjoyed King’s introduction to fiction with daughter (5) | Tweet | |
| 19th | Central help in managing lobby! (7) THC12755 | Tweet | |
| 18th | Breather taken by European in spring? (5) THC12913 | Tweet | |
| 17th | Dull Persian poet (4) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 16th | People stop exchanging tips between iOS and Android (7) THC12880 | Tweet | |
| 15th | It’s astringent, causing internal damage, primarily (4) THC12913 | Tweet | |
| 14th | Released what was concealed (8) THC12880 | Tweet | |
| 13th | Promote a varnam, inititally depicted in Bharatanatyam, say (7) THC12880 | Tweet | |
| 12th | Everyone stayed all right? (4,4) THC12913 | Tweet | |
| 11th | Tax dispute involves charge, essentially (6) THC12566 | Tweet | |
| 10th | PR does this, we hear — doesn’t wait for one’s turn? (5,3,5) THC12848 | Tweet | |
| 9th | Community : closer to locality? (6) THC12595 | Tweet | |
| 8th | Awkwardly lift hubby’s coat that’s dirty (6) THC12785 | Tweet | |
| 7th | Online partner’s advocate (7) THC12566 | Tweet | |
| 6th | Dapper pal sent snaps in black and white, say (4-3-6) THC12914 | Tweet | |
| 5th | Cursory anniversary songs loved by kids? (7,6) THC12786 | Tweet | |
| 4th | Mark Twain’s plot changed show (7) THC12827 | Tweet | |
| 3rd | Fail to pay when due and flat broke! (7) THC12723 | Tweet | |
| 2nd | Without closure, many forfeit love – it sucks (8) THC12826 | Tweet | |
| 1st | Broadcast Elvis dancing in graphic shirt (8) THC12881 | Tweet |
May 2020
| Date | Clue | Solution | Link |
| 30th | So a rebel partied where studs hang out? (3,5) THC12914 | Tweet | |
| 29th | She advises anxious patients to lose weight (6) THC12594 | Tweet |
Huge thanks @Sowmya Ramkumar for this tutorial on cryptic crosswords …. . trying out your cracking cryptic clue everyday..and noticing some progress there. !!!
You’re welcome Priya. Glad to know that you find it useful 🙂