Daily Cryptic - Solve & Learn

A cryptic clue is two clues in one: a plain definition and a piece of wordplay that spell the same answer. Daily Cryptic gives you two such clues each day, shown as Clue 1 of 2 and Clue 2 of 2. You type the answer into the letter boxes, and if you are stuck you can open a hint, which tells you a little more each time: where the definition is, what kind of wordplay is at work, and how the parts fit together. A Letter button reveals a single letter.

Once a clue is solved, the explainer walks through how the answer is built, for example how "central to" points at letters hidden inside urb(ANAME)rica. Around the daily clues there is a learning series on the main clue types, such as anagrams, hidden words, containers, reversals, deletions and homophones, and a free directory of more than 1,600 indicator words on the website. For a longer solve there is a weekly crossword and a monthly prize crossword, with the entry rules shown before you enter.

The daily clues are free in the browser at dailycryptic.co and in the iPhone app, with no account. Daily Cryptic Plus, a subscription with a seven-day free trial, unlocks the archive of past daily clues, the weekly crosswords, every lesson series and the explainer. Signing in keeps your streak, XP and solves in step between the app and the website. The app is made by TF Daily Ltd. It suits anyone who has bounced off cryptic crosswords and wants to learn the rules a few minutes a day.