Daily Puzzle Breakdowns
Each Minute Cryptic clue uses a specific wordplay technique. Our daily breakdowns identify the clue type, walk through the solving logic step by step, and explain how definition, indicator, and fodder work together to produce the answer.
“Raised resounding toast, long before dark?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'toast, long before dark?', and our answer will be a word that describes that!" points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Initial word from monarchy: "Troubled after the disappearance of Charles II”?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Initial word', and our answer will be a word for that (in a manner of speaking...)" points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Dictator's hasty, ranting from time to time?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Dictator', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Party leader backtracked, opening parts of the Strait of Hormuz?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Party leader'. Our answer will be a word that describes a kind of party leader, and the question mark on the end suggests that we might need to think slightly out of the box." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Heavy sculpture of Jesus, facing out across Brazilian city?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Heavy', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Ordinary guy from Istanbul dared to assassinate inaugural emperor?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Ordinary', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“She’s pregnant with octuplets! Various heads to push”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'push', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Twice-cooked meat for partner”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'partner', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“WALL-E, Monsters Inc., Cars… poorly made?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Cars… poorly made', and our answer will be a word that refers to poorly made cars." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“City block shared by women and gnomes beyond Middle Earth”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'City', and our answer will be a well-known city." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Suffering from Gran’s back-splitting yoga twist”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Suffering', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Homebody cut short island-hopping?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Homebody', and the question mark on our clue is flagging that we should consider a pun. Our answer will be a homebody, of sorts." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Great Britain’s currency bracing for recession”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Great', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Liam releases answer, declaring "Oh, it's rather stretchy?"”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'it's rather stretchy?', and the question mark is a small tip-off that the definition might be... well... rather stretchy (or punny). In this case, our answer will be something that's known to stretch, in a manner of speaking." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Fraud by chairman swapping locks for organisation’s banks”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Fraud', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Most of rapper’s remixed beats rock?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'beats rock?' and the question mark indicates a little stretch in our definition. Our answer will be something that famously beats rock." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Old Yeller shot at the end by owner - biting starts to cause rabies infection”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Old Yeller', and while the surface references the movie 'Old Yeller' and its titular canine, our answer will be a different kind of old yeller." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Affordable government housing blocks… that are surprisingly expensive?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'blocks… that are surprisingly expensive?', and our answer will be a term that captures that idea." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Notice couples in less happy moods. Better to be single?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Notice', and our answer will be another word for that." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown“Raising agent for pear crumble - not egg free?”
Identify the definition: "Our definition here is 'Raising agent', and here the question mark at the end of clue is a small tip that this definition is stretchy or punny. Our answer will be a kind of raising agent." points to the meaning of the answer.
Read breakdown