Continuing our series for those tempted or daunted by cryptics, we look at cold hard cash
In the example clues below, I explain the two parts of each: the definition of the answer, given in bold type and the wordplay – the recipe for assembling its letters. In a genuine puzzle environment, of course, you also have the crossing letters, which greatly alleviate your solving load. The explanations contain links to previous entries in this series on such matters as spelling one word backwards to reveal another. And setters’ names tend to link to interviews, in case you feel like getting to know these people better.
When an area of everyday life is so everyday that we can use abbreviations and everyone will know what we mean, those abbreviations are fair game in every cryptic crossword going. So it is with money.
4a Penny finished with favourite doll (6)
[ wordplay: abbrev. for ‘penny’ + synonyms for ‘finished with’ & ‘favourite’ ]
[ P + UP + PET ]
[ definition: doll]
26a Looks after Pence’s mates (5)
[ wordplay: synonym for ‘looks’ (as a noun) after abbrev. for ‘Pence’ ]
[ AIRS after P ]
[ definition: mates (as a verb) ]
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