Anagrams and Other Devious Devices |
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All Change! Although every Cryptic Clue must contain a definition, however baffling and obscure, a very common type of clue extends this by giving some information about the letters that make up the target word. One of the most basic of these is the anagram, in which the letters are presented in a different order. Obviously it would be far too boring if the clue read something like:
We expect, and will get, something far more sophisticated than that in a decent Cryptic Crossword. The letters in question will be re-arranged to make a new word or words. There will be an instruction present indicating that we have to re-arrange the letters, but it will be a cryptic instruction. The definition part may well be a more cryptic definition than “household pet” as well.
Consider that. Well? Getting anywhere? An experienced crossword hand will see that word “changes” and say “Hah! have we an anagram somewhere here?” He will probably interpret the clue as being of the form “change X for Y” and decide that “storers in cheeks” is probably a definition and that “trams she” is the raw material for the anagram. A count of the letters in “trams she” will produce 8 - the same length as the target word. A few attempts at making something else out of those letters will produce “hamsters” which are, indeed, animals that store food in pouches in their cheeks. It was a hard journey from bafflement to enlightenment, but once you get there you are certain you have arrived. Click here now for more examples of clues of this type.
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