Combination

Many of the more-advanced clues in cryptics employ multiple levels of wordplay. Combination clues can include any combination of the other forms of wordplay featured in Learn Cryptic.

Examples

Boosting not nearly all of a musical sound (5)

  • The definition is of a musical sound
  • A clue like this would be used in a Down crossword clue. Boosting instructs us to write not upward (a reversal), giving us ton
  • nearly indicates a deletion on all, giving us al

ton + al = tonal

tonal

Caressed, Don excitedly bolted outside (7)

  • The definition is Caressed
  • bolted can be fled
  • outside indicates a container on fled
  • excitedly indicates an anagram on don, giving us ond

f(ond)led = fondled

fondled