Types of cryptic crossword clues

### Acronyms

Triggers including initially, start, leading, original, first, head, primarily, etc, tell you to look at the first letter of each word.

Highly exciting and dramatic? Yes, initially (5) HEADY

Leading jam and relish container (3) JAR

Lion's abode initially. Really! (4) LAIR

Original Easter gift given (3) EGG

Primarily snivel or bawl (3) SOB

The place to start generating your muscles (3) GYM

### Anagrams

Triggers include about, around, out, off, perhaps, maybe, somehow, confused, mad, strange, different, letters, characters, at sea, cocktail, etc.

Cook a chop another way (8) POACH

Criminal can hide a large estate in South America! (8) HACIENDA

For a change, Aaron, say goodbye in Japanese! (8) SAYONARA

For a change, son, I'm a simple man who met a pieman (5) SIMON

Hens to become truthful? (6) HONEST

His patter confused analyst (9) THERAPIST

I hunt down characters for detective story (9) WHODUNNIT

Light bubbly sorbet (6) STROBE

Lisa mistaken to travel to sea (4) SAIL

Maybe our spice is dear (8) PRECIOUS

Ms Reagan is upset by the executives (8) MANAGERS

Reversed out and got booked! (8) RESERVED

Stinging insect damaged paws (4) WASP

Strange thing appears in darkest hours (5) NIGHT

Teach about swindler (5) CHEAT

Who's shaken up the display? (4) SHOW

### Bits and pieces

Parts of a word are clued separately in some clues.

Actually concerning friend in war (6) REALLY

"Crime not good," explained sailor (6) SINBAD

Fellow became old but coped (7) MANAGED

Odd pledge to get laundry pin (3) PEG

Orange food makes automobile decay (6) CARROT

Payment for service offered every second (3) FEE

Pizza topping with capsicum on half of it (9) PEPPERONI

Sam has degree in Brazilian dance (5) SAMBA

Submissive thanks to me! (4) TAME

### Companions

These clues are often indicated by with, goes with, found by, seen with, before, following, etc.

Annoyed to be seen with swords (5) CROSS

Insignificant player seen with broker (4) PAWN

Intense madness sometimes follows good (5) GRIEF

Kitty goes before burglar calls (3) CAT

She often goes with a dash (3) DOT

Wild horse found by Sally (7) MUSTANG

### Containers

The answer is contained within a word in the clue. Triggers include keep, kept, hold, held, ring, wrap, embrace, about, around.

A number in mittens (3) TEN

Admire lie about end of week (4) LIKE

Beckham, use men to provide a bit of entertainment (9) AMUSEMENT

Beer keeps four breathing (5) ALIVE

Bouncer holds a little weight (5) OUNCE

Curse about the Maori jumper (7) SWEATER

Failure to contain trouble (3) AIL

Interior of dinners (5) INNER

Jumped up and sang about public relations (6) SPRANG

Large jug kept in brewery (4) EWER

Propensity to hold launches (5) OPENS

### Double meanings

These are often shorter clues, with no triggers.

Autographs posters (5) SIGNS

Darling is expensive (4) DEAR

Doc's mate is ready for bed (6) SLEEPY

Genuine old Spanish coin (4) REAL

Leaves room for doors (5) EXITS

Pleasant French resort (4) NICE

Radio band heard in the morning? (1,1) A.M.

Sketch a one-all score (4) DRAW

Small matter of sponge dessert (6) TRIFLE

Still interferes with the reception (6) STATIC

Uses axe on meat cutlets (5) CHOPS

### Going to extremes

These clues tell you to use the outside extremities of a word or words in the clues. Triggers include extremely, outside, outskirts.

Also on the outskirts of Toledo (3) TOO

Bought escargot tail (3) GOT

Extremely handsome residence (4) HOME

Jubilant feeling outside Galilee (4) GLEE

Outside Indian hotel (3) INN

Stylish but extremely chaotic (4) CHIC

Turned up on the outskirts of Cambridge (4) CAME

### Hidden words

The answer is sitting between two or more adjacent words of the clue. Triggers include in, hide, include, part, piece, some, little, etc.

A number in mittens (3) TEN

Among the world’s severest challenges (7) EVEREST

Everyone allowed a piece (5) ALL

Formerly of some concern (4) ONCE

Hail! Oscar's hiding singers (5) ALTOS

Install a barrier to conceal scientist's workplace (3) LAB

Jane was hiding again (4) ANEW

Mislaid in Buffalo State (4) LOST

Nursery has some mediocre cherries (6) CRECHE

Time to take part in flower arranging (3) ERA

When masse exits hold together (2,5) EN MASSE

Yours truly has little cameo (2) ME

### Odds and evens

Triggers including odd, even, alternate, every other or every second, tell you to look at every second letter in the clue or part of the clue.

Every other character in the Middle East has a theory (4) IDEA

Have a meal with every other tenant (3) EAT

Location could even assist me (4) SITE

Odd eggs, for example (2) E.G.

Odd pledge to get laundry pin (3) PEG

Payment for service offered every second (3) FEE

Take the odd snowshoe - it's only fair (2-2) SO-SO

Sprout evenly in plant container (3) POT

### Phonetic clues/homophones

Triggers for these clues include sounds, hear, call, say, said, told, speak, reportedly, apparently, etc.

Acute hearing in tents (7) INTENSE

Announced tax on drawing pins (5) TACKS

Bound to sound like the tide (4) TIED

By the sound of it, I'll row (5) AISLE

Discuss car key colour (5) KHAKI

First course requested on tray (6) ENTREE

Heard one saying ‘cheers’ somewhere in East Midlands (9) TOWCESTER

Heard tiny insect rush off (4) FLEE

Pop sounded more distant (6) FATHER

Said I'd watch (4) EYED

Sounds of soul are from the sun (5) SOLAR

This planet whirled, I hear (5) WORLD

Walt's mentioned a dance (5) WALTZ

### Reversals

These clues tell you to look at words backwards. Triggers include: back, return, reverse, turning up, turning back; these can be hidden as well.

Ardent diva returns (4) AVID

Figure gives net return (3) TEN

Mistake that puts school children back (4-2) SLIP-UP

Overwrought when desserts were sent back (8) STRESSED

Pans back for a photograph (4) SNAP

Signs that slang is back (7) SIGNALS

Space to moor in reverse (4) ROOM

Spot reversible shirts (4) TOPS

Wicked to live backwards (4) EVIL

### Spoonerisms

When you see the word Spooner in a clue, you need to switch the first sounds of two words around to find the answer. Spelling is not relevant, because it only goes by sounds.

A mid-day meal Spooner said lacked punch (6,5) PACKED LUNCH

Dad bets Spooner he'll get money troubles (3,5) BAD DEBTS

Emerges when Spooner shakes tape (5,5) TAKES SHAPE

Plane landing in Spooner's Dutch town (9) TOUCHDOWN

Spooner bore look of legal reference (3,4) LAW BOOK

Spooner laced wine - it's a vital statistic (9) WAISTLINE

Stooge for Spooner's staffing lock (8,5) LAUGHING STOCK

### Subtractions

Triggers including leave, left, lose, drop, remove, ignore, gone, without or missing, tell you to take letters out of a word.

Abe left Gabriel for confused lass (4) GIRL

Bee leaves branch for cattle station (5) RANCH

Encourage surgeon to drop off son (4) URGE

I leave waiter to get a drink (5) WATER

It leaves trivial problems to a challenger (5) RIVAL

Might many miss the point? (3) MAY

Mr Gibson discarded fish himself (3) MEL

Swimmer in underwear abandoning the lake (4) LING

Stylish mechanic is a name-dropper (4) CHIC

The reason a son left that place (5) THERE

Thought Hugh was missing toddler (3) TOT

Vet tubing drew out fin (3) TUB

Weary moan, with no tea in sight (4) SIGH

### Wordplay

These clues usually require some lateral thinking.

British prime minister approaches the quarrel at the airport (8) HEATHROW

They battle to make a living (8) SOLDIERS

They come out periodically (9) MAGAZINES

They went in order to worship (4) NUNS

Very attractive bars? (7) MAGNETS

You shouldn't lie under it! (4) OATH

You will be blessed if you do (6) SNEEZE