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Cryptic crosswords, explained in the margins

Get an inkling, then the answer. Every clue gets three hand-drawn hints, so you learn the trick instead of just being told it.

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A crossword fragment: CRYPTIC across and INKLING down, crossing at the shared I.1CRYPT2ICNKLINGthat’s us!
one clue, three hints, no jargon

How an inkling works

Every cryptic clue is a definition plus a bit of wordplay. Here’s one worked through: Motor with favourite floor covering (6).

  1. Hint 1 · the split

    Find the definition.

    It’s nearly always at one end. Highlight it: floor covering.

  2. Hint 2 · the meaning

    Words become pictures.

    Motor is a CAR. Your favourite is your PET.

  3. Hint 3 · the mechanics

    The letters move.

    With means “stick them together”: CAR + PET.

  4. Solved

    Fill it in. Feel clever.

    CARPET is a floor covering. That’s a charade.

New to cryptics? The beginner’s guide Learn all 12 clue types

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Guardian Cryptic 30,126

by Harpo · Thursday 1 October 2026

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