Direct-Answer Crypts

[Otis]

Keepsake ruined at Fir, indeed! (8) ?


Artifact is so cracked, I've run! (8) ?


Retain wine souvenir! (8) ?


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[Dr.Peterson]

Cute cyclical relationship.

 

[LCKurtz]

Someone want to clue me in what this is about?

 

[Romsek]

Someone want to clue me in what this is about?

cryptic crossword definitions

 

[Harry_the_cat]

Nice Otis!

 

[Otis]

Someone want to clue me in what this is about?

Welcome to the boards, Professor Kurtz! You can google cryptic clues tutorial, to find sites like this one.

Answers to cryptic clues fill in a grid (like a conventional crossword puzzle), but here we post individual clues as stand-alone puzzles.

A cryptic clue contains both a direct clue to the answer (eg: 8-letter word for felon) and additional words forming various types of wordplay that also clue the answer. That is, there's two parts to each clue: direct and wordplay. For example:

Lock up Phoenix felon (8)

In that clue, the direct is 'felon'. The number of letters comprising the answer is always shown within grouping symbols, at the end of the clue.

Properly parsing the clue (to identify the direct) is part of the challenge. The direct may be more than one word, and it always appears at one end or the other (never in between).

The phrase 'Lock up Phoenix' is the wordplay. In this clue, the wordplay type is charades. We build the answer by concatenating synonyms. Here's the answer.

Answer = JAILBIRD
Direct = felon
Lock up = JAIL
Phoenix = BIRD

Here's another example. This clue uses a homophone indicator; it tells us that some words sound out the answer.

Sounds like bubbles help a scientist (9)

Answer = PHYSICIST
Direct = a scientist
Sounds like = homophone indicator
bubbles = fizz
help = assist

Cheers!

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[LCKurtz]

Thanks for the explanation Otis.

 

[Otis]

Whoops. I forgot to post the answers.

Keepsake ruined at Fir, indeed! (8)

Spoiler

Answer = ARTIFACT
Keepsake = Direct
ruined = anagram indicator
at Fir = RTIFA
in = insertion indicator
deed = ACT

Artifact is so cracked, I've run! (8)

Spoiler

Answer = SOUVENIR
Artifact = Direct
is = surface word
so = SO
cracked = anagram indicator
Ive run = UVENIR

Retain wine souvenir! (8)

Spoiler

Answer = KEEPSAKE
Retain = KEEP
wine = SAKE
souvenir = Direct

In the thread title, I referred to these as direct-answer crypts because the direct in one is the answer to another!

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