Cryptic Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. Which answer solves “Vehicle from CHAIR oddly (3),” using the odd-positioned letters of CHAIR?
CAR
BUS
VAN
CAB
2. What is the main purpose of a cryptic clue’s natural-sounding “surface reading”?
To provide a second answer with the same score
To disguise the underlying wordplay as an ordinary phrase or sentence
To specify whether the answer is a noun or a verb
To show that every word belongs to the direct definition
3. Which word is most likely to indicate a homophone in a cryptic clue?
Around
Headless
Mixed
Reportedly
4. What does the enumeration “(3,5)” normally tell a cryptic solver?
The answer has two words containing three and five letters
The answer appears in the third and fifth clues
The answer contains either three or five letters
The clue uses three operations and five indicators
5. If a clue describes TIGER as “headless,” what should a solver normally do first?
Remove the final letter
Remove the middle letter
Remove the first letter
Keep only alternating letters
6. In the phrase “broken SILENT,” what operation does “broken” most likely indicate?
Remove the final letter of SILENT
Rearrange the letters of SILENT
Place another word inside SILENT
Replace SILENT with a word that sounds similar
7. What is the usual name for a clue in which the entire clue serves as both the definition and the wordplay?
An all-in-one or “&lit” clue
A hidden-answer clue
A charade clue
A double definition
8. In a Down clue, “returned” is being used as a wordplay indicator. Which operation is most likely?
Put one set of letters inside another
Choose a word with the same pronunciation
Remove the outside letters
Reverse the indicated sequence of letters
9. Which answer solves “Flower from vehicle and country (9)”?
MARIGOLD
DAFFODIL
PRIMROSE
CARNATION
10. Which answer solves “Sparkling decoration from SILENT disturbed (6)”?
SEQUIN
TINSEL
BAUBLE
RIBBON
11. What type of cryptic clue is “Fine penalty (4),” where FINE satisfies both parts?
Charade
Hidden answer
Double definition
Anagram
12. Which answer solves the clue “Fruit found in graPE ARound (4)”?
PLUM
LIME
DATE
PEAR
13. Which answer solves “Bird from CANE holding R (5)”?
RAVEN
HERON
CRANE
ROBIN
14. Which answer solves “Daring, initially: Brave Owls Learn Daily (4)”?
BOLD
BALD
BOND
BOWL
15. Which answer solves “Permitted, reportedly, to speak audibly (7)”?
ACCEPTED
ALLOWED
LICENSED
LAWFUL
16. In a standard cryptic crossword clue, where is the direct definition most commonly placed?
Only in the middle of the clue
Always immediately before the enumeration
At the beginning or the end of the clue
Outside the clue, as part of the puzzle title