Cryptic Clue Helper

How to use the Cryptic Clue Helper

The helper has two tabs. Use Parseword for Parseword-style puzzles, where a sentence splits into a keyword and some wordplay. Use Crossword clue for a clue from a cryptic crossword, with the answer length in brackets.

Solving a Parseword puzzle

A Parseword sentence has two parts: a keyword, usually the first or last word, and the rest of the sentence, which you reduce until it turns into a word that means the keyword.

• Type the keyword (for example, Believes) and the rest of the sentence (time corrodes) into their boxes.
• If you know how many letters the answer has, add the answer length. It’s optional, but it narrows the options a lot.
• Press Help me crack it. Each word of the sentence becomes a box on the board, next to the keyword.

Using the board

• Tap a box to see what it could become. Time could become T, AGE or ERA, for example. Short forms are shown in yellow.
• Tap an option to swap it in. The box changes to show the new letters.
• A signal word also works on the box next to it. In backwards dog, tapping dog offers GOD, and once it’s swapped, backwards has done its job and is left out of the answer.
• Highlight several boxes together by tapping a box and then the box next to it. Keep tapping neighbouring boxes to add more, or tap an end box again to drop it. The options then apply to the whole group.
• Options with a tick could still lead to a word that means the keyword, so try those first. As you swap more boxes, the ticks narrow down.
• Can’t see the swap you want? Press More for the full list, or type it into the Or type your own box.
• Changed your mind? Tap a box you’ve changed and choose Back to to put the original words back, or press Start again.

When everything joins up into a word that means the keyword, the keyword lights up and the helper says Solved!

For example, with Believes / time corrodes: swap time for T and corrodes for RUSTS. Then highlight both boxes and choose TRUSTS, which means believes.

What a highlighted group can become

When you highlight boxes together, the helper looks for a signal word among them and offers the matching wordplay:

• Join. Swapped boxes joined into one word: T + RUSTS becomes TRUSTS.
• Anagram. Words like badly, broken or wild mean rearrange the letters: listen badly gives SILENT.
• Backwards. Words like returns or back mean reverse the letters: sailor returns (TAR backwards) gives RAT.
• Hidden word. Words like some or part of mean the answer is hiding in the letters: some trumpeters hides RUM.
• One inside another. Words like in, inside or within put the part before inside the part after. Words like around or holding work the other way round. R inside a vet gives AVERT.
• First or last letters. Words like initially or leaders take first letters: initially old lady dances gives OLD.
• Letters off. Phrases like headless remove the first letter, without a tail or endless remove the last, and heartless removes the middle: god without a tail gives GO.
• Short forms of phrases. Some phrases have their own short forms: the French can become LE, LA or LES.

Solving a crossword clue

On the Crossword clue tab, type the whole clue, for example Believes time corrodes (6). The length box fills itself in from the number in brackets. If you already know some letters from crossing answers, type them in the Letters you know box with ? for each gap, such as T?U??S.

The helper then shows signal words, short forms, likely definitions, anagrams, hidden words and first letters. Each hint stays folded away until you open it.

Reveal the answer

Both tabs have a Reveal the answer button. It shows the most likely answer and explains the working, for example Put R from “right” inside A from “a” + VET from “screen”. Only press it when you’re ready.

Tips and strategy

• Look for the signal words first. They tell you which kind of wordplay to try, and which boxes to highlight together.
• Swap the easy words first. Short forms like time → T, sailor → AB or TAR and about → C or RE turn up again and again.
• Read each word on its own. The sentence often seems to mean one thing while the wordplay means another.
• Use the answer length. It cuts the options down sharply, especially for anagrams and hidden words.

Frequently asked questions

Will it always find the answer? Not always. It handles pieces joined together, anagrams, reversals, hidden words, one part inside another, letters taken off and first or last letters. It can’t yet solve “sounds like” clues, though it points out their signal words.

Why isn’t the swap I need listed? No list is complete. Press More, or type the swap into the Or type your own box.

Can I use it on my phone? Yes. The Cryptic Clue Helper works on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to download.

Want more word puzzles? Try a themed Crossword, crack a coded quote in Cipher Puzzle, or sharpen your anagram skills in Anagram Challenge. Our guide How to Spot an Anagram in Seconds will help with anagram clues too.