Anagram clues
The letters of some words in the clue are rearranged to make the answer.
Anagrams are the most common device in cryptic crosswords and usually the best place for a newcomer to start. The clue gives you the letters you need, an indicator tells you to shuffle them, and the definition tells you what you're aiming for.
The letters to rearrange (the 'fodder') must appear in the clue exactly. If you're counting letters and they don't match the enumeration, either you've picked the wrong fodder or part of it comes from an abbreviation elsewhere in the clue.
Examples
Newspaper boss rioted wildly (6)
EDITOR: 'Wildly' tells you to rearrange RIOTED, giving EDITOR, defined by 'newspaper boss'.
Listen, out of order, is quiet (6)
SILENT: LISTEN rearranged ('out of order') gives SILENT, defined by 'quiet'.
Common indicators
See indicators for every clue type
Solving tips
- Write the fodder letters in a circle; it breaks the pattern of the original word.
- Look for an unusual word in the clue that has exactly the right number of letters.