It's time to take off the training wheels and put that cryptic crossword knowledge to use to crack some (very tricky) real world clues. Mail Plus puzzle masters Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful puzzle and brain training books

Solving techniques: What to do first when cracking a cryptic crossword

Jun 26th, 2020 16m 2s

When you first open the paper and flip to the cryptic crossword, do you start at the top, or the bottom... or do you go through the clues looking for one that catches your eye? Mail Plus puzzle masters Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 s

Deletions: Dealing with clues where you have to ditch some letters

Jun 19th, 2020 12m 11s

If you spot phrases like 'a bit short' or 'half of' in a crossword clue, it could mean you'll have to delete letters in order to get to the final answer. Bamboozled? Don't despair, Mail Plus puzzle overlords Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than

How to spot, unravel and solve ‘&lit’ clues (and why they’re called that)

Jun 12th, 2020 15m 45s

So called '&lit' clues are the pinnacle of the crwossword clue writer's art, according to our puzzle experts, where the whole clue works as a cryptic clue and a 'straight' clue at the same time. Puzzling? That's the idea, say Mail Plus’s puzzle

Cryptic definition clues: Where the whole clue is a definition of the answer

Jun 5th, 2020 14m 44s

Could you work out that the answer to ‘This cylinder is jammed’ is actually ‘Swiss roll’ (a cylinder with jam inside)? If not, Mail Plus’s puzzle kings Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful puzzle and brain training books, and cro

Homophones: How to handle crossword clues where you have to say words out loud

May 26th, 2020 15m 43s

Most cryptic crosswords will have one of two 'homophone' clues, where puzzlers have to find words which sound similar to ones in the clue. Puzzled? You won't be, with help from puzzle masters Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful

Specified letters: How to unravel clues which point out letters to use

May 22nd, 2020 16m 46s

How do you grapple with crossword clues which point out specific letters you have to use in your answer? Naturally, these tricky clues are child's play to Mail Plus's resident crossword masters, Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successf

Deletions: How to spot tough cryptic clues where you have to delete some letters

May 5th, 2020 15m 34s

They’re some of the most mind-bending cryptic clues out there, ones where you have to delete letters in order to get to the correct answer. Helping you solve deletion clues without making your head explode is Mail Plus puzzle setter Dr Gareth M

Containers: How to crack clues where one word is crammed inside another

May 5th, 2020 14m 18s

They’re some of the trickiest cryptic clues out there, clues where one word is wrapped around by another one. How do you spot them - and how do you unravel them? Mail Plus puzzle setter Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful puzzle

How to handle cryptic clues which try to misdirect puzzle solvers

Apr 24th, 2020 15m 6s

Some cryptic clues can just seem unfair, with double meanings used to distract and bamboozle puzzle solvers. But there are techniques which can help you unravel even the trickiest clues, reveal our crossword experts, Mail Plus puzzle setter Dr

The abbreviations you need to know to crack crosswords quicker (Part Two)

Apr 16th, 2020 14m 28s

Mastering abbreviations is a crucial step for anyone who wants to shine at cryptic crosswords (and the good news is they're not quite as baffling as they seem). Mail Plus puzzle setter Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful puzzle

Front to back? How to spot crossword clues you have to read the wrong way

Apr 7th, 2020 15m 8s

Upwards, downwards, backwards - why do some cryptic clues require you to read them the wrong way round (and how can you spot them?) All will be revealed this week as crossword-cracking titans Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful

Clues Brothers Ep3 EDIT

Apr 7th, 2020 14m 28s

How to read a cryptic crossword clue, the basics

Apr 3rd, 2020 17m 36s

This week, Mail Plus puzzle setter Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful puzzle and brain training books, delves into the structure of cryptic crossword clues, and how you identify what sort of clue you’re dealing with. With help

New today: The Clues Brothers help YOU solve our Mail+ Puzzles

Mar 26th, 2020 18m 16s

In the first of a new weekly podcast, Mail Plus puzzle setter Dr Gareth Moore, author of more than 100 successful puzzle and brain training books, teams up with Mark Goodliffe, crossword champion (and fellow puzzle fiend) to offer insider tips

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