OK, there's nothing left (3,5)

I’ve become really hooked to cryptic crosswords again after coming here thanks to some like-minded friends. It’s a really awesome thing to have as a hobby, it’s fun, always refreshingly different and it is creative and all as it improves your vocab and what not. For the uninitiated, I can’t tell you how the whole thing works, it’s really long. If you’re interested, go to this page.

Here I’m going to write some of my favourite clues to show you how awesome cryptic crosswords are. Play along!

String Roman swayed as a weapon (7,4)

This one is my current favourite. It’s a triple clue, the answer is an anagram of ‘string roman’, it is a weapon and it means the whole clue as well(as in, it is a weapon on a ‘string’ that a Roman would swing). The answer is MORNING STAR.

Forcibly remove half a dozen in shock treatment (5)

This one is really tricky but equally awesome. Half a dozen is six or VI. Shock treatment is ECT(Electro convulsive therapy). Put them together and you get the answer, which is EVICT.

Soldier, worker and father go around animal (5,5)

This one came in The Hindu. You have to be familiar with the conventions they use for this. Soldier is GI, worker is ANT and father is PA. Put them all together and you get GIANT PANDA. This type of a clue makes you feel really awesome if you get it, but can really put off a beginner as it is kinda unfair if you’re not used to it(how are you SUPPOSED to know that soldier will be GI, for example?).

Charge ahead with metal clue (4)

A nice triple definition clue we made, the answer means ‘charge ahead’, it means ‘clue’ and it is a metal. The word is LEAD.

A letter and its successors from an Indian leader (6)

This one is too good. The letters in the clue refer to alphabets so basically you have an alphabet, you have the word ‘and’ and you have the succeeding two letters, as the clue is 6 letters. The whole thing means an Indian leader. Got it yet? This is one of those clues that really amazes you at how creative the clue-setters can get. Our Indian leader is GANDHI.

So good it will give you brain tumour (4,7)

An original clue, basically it means something which is really good. The brain tumour part must be thought of in a cryptic way. Do you see the connection? Answer here: MIND BLOWING.

Guy with headgear gets a tan in New York (9)

A nice charade clue, think of a word for ‘guy’, a word for ‘headgear’ and join them with the word ‘tan’ and you should get New York. In these clues, thinking for the answer directly is a much better idea than trying to construct it. Once you have thought of a word that fits, you can verify whether it’s right or not by putting it together like the clue suggests. Here is the answer: MANHATTAN.

All right, the final clue is way up in the title. Another one of my favourites. The answer to that comes once in this particular blog. Post it if you get it :)