If you’re new to cryptics - or if you’ve dabbled but felt stuck - this guide (and this game) is for you.
Minute Cryptic is here to make cryptic crosswords less intimidating and a lot more fun. Instead of dumping 30 cryptic clues on you with no help, we give you just one a day — with hints, video explanations, and space to get the hang of things at your own pace.
We think the best way to learn is to dive into our courses which help you learn as you solve. But if you’d rather read our full guide, you’ll find it below.
Read the guide
Every cryptic clue is a tiny puzzle with two parts:
- a definition - a direct hint at the answer.
- and wordplay - a clever way to build the answer using some mix of letterplay and language tricks.
The wordplay usually involves two ingredients:
- Fodder - the letters and words you’ll be messing with.
- Indicators - words that tell you what to do with the fodder (like mix it up, reverse it, take initials...)
And then there’s the surface - how the clue reads at first glance. It often forms a strange, clever, or even poetic phrase that disguises what’s really going on. A good surface can completely mislead you - and that’s half the fun.
Once you start spotting the patterns, cryptic clues become a lot more crackable - and kind of addictive.
Tap one of the indicator types below to read a short overview of how that technique works.