Crossword-solving Tips

My series of Tips for solving cryptic crosswords will continue to be added here – watch this space!

The first three cover abbreviations used in the top national cryptic puzzles.  These are ordered from the solver’s perspective, so if you found the word ‘fifty’ in a clue then the first sheet would suggest that the setter might well have the letter ‘L’, the Roman numeral for fifty, in mind.

• TOP TIP 1 Abbreviations A-to-G
• TOP TIP 2 Abbreviations H-to-P
• TOP TIP 3 Abbreviations Q-to-Z

The next shares how the basic structure of a cryptic clue works and introduces definitions, linkwords & wordplay

• TOPTIP4 Intro to Clue Structure