Tricky Cryptics Trivia Quiz

Answer: Teens

Anagram of "tense" (teens).

Answer: Tremendous

Homophones. Literal clue is "great", and the wordplay is "oak"=tree, "darn"=mend and "me and you"=us. (tree-mend-us)!

Answer: Release

This is a double meaning: "free"=release and "rent again"=re-lease. Get it?!

Answer: Expression

Another anagram: "wild"(indicating an anagram)of "sex is prone" to mean "utterance", you get "expression"!

Answer: Afar

This is a homophone: Literal: "long way off"; wordplay: "One Jamie"(sounds like "A Farr"). See, it's easy when you,ok, maybe it's not easy!

Answer: Seminar

This is a "container". The letters to the correct answer are right there in the question! "Lecture" is the literal clue and the last letter of "puts" start the answer "seminar"!

Answer: Defended

Double meaning here. Represented can mean "defended" and fought can mean "defended". See? Double meaning!

Answer: Besides

Another container(with a simple crossword clue): The literal clue is "moreover". The wordplay is Mr. Caeser(Sid) in Queens(bees). Put "sid" into "bees" and you get "besides"(moreover).

Answer: Open

This is what cryptic lovers call an "and lit". It means that the literal clue is also part of the wordplay clue("unwrap" means "open")and also indicates an anagram(of "nope"); Hence the answer "open"! Fun, huh?

Answer: Indians

The word "obviously" leads solvers to look for something that is right there!(which it is!); it's another container. "Natives" is the literal clue, and contained within the clue appears the letters "Indians"(meaning "natives").

Answer: Residence

As in all cryptic clues, there is one literal clue and one wordplay clue. In this one the literal is "dwelling" and the wordplay is "needs rice"(anagrammed, as eluded to by "tossed") gaining "residence". (The best part of cryptic puzzles is determining which part is which!)

Answer: Ended

Simply another container; the answer is right there! "Ceased"(literal), thEN DEDuced(wordplay). Answer "ended"!

Answer: Left ear

This clue is a combination of categories: 1)Literal(VanGogh's loss),2)"L"(means "left") and 3)"listener"(means "ear"). The question mark usually indicates that there is some kind of a pun. When you see that, you better be willing to explore ALL possibilities of pronunciation and usage. These are the toughest. The answer...."left ear".

Answer: Telescope

This should be easy to you by now...Perplexed denotes some sort of scrambling: Scramble "Poe elects" and you get "telescope"(meaning "stargazer").

Answer: Placebo

Simple crossword clues arranged cryptically: "Ms. Derek"(=Bo), placed "after" "site"(=place) gets you "placebo",(false medication).

Answer: Moonshine

...but still...(is a good hint!) Another double meaning: "Night light(moonshine) and "liquor"(moonshine).

Answer: Sabre

This is the first cryptic clue I ever produced! It is a homophone: "Utter" indicates "sound", so the meaning of "utter chilly word" is "say Brr", hence "sabre", meaning "sword".

Answer: Reads

Double meaning: "peruses"(literal),and oboes' sounds(reeds)=reads.

Answer: Smudge

Great clue! Once again a container! The answer is right in front of you!(hiS MUD GEt it)....Smudge!(meaning "smear").

Answer: Susan

This is another "and lit". "Lazy follower"=Susan(lazy Susan)and St. James=(Susan).

Answer: Sheath

Hmmm...."secreting"?....(a good hint). "Secreting" should lead you to look inside the letters. There you will find SHE AT Home(sheath), meaning "sword case".

Answer: Stretch

Armstrong?(Another cool hint!). This is a double meaning with a pun: "Morning activity"=stretch, and "a limo"=stretch!(Funny?)!

Answer: Northerns

This is a toughie. It is two crossword clues attached to a cryptic clue! "Cold winds" is the literal clue; The play is "sea eagles"(erns) follow(meaning after), "Ollie"(North);You get "Northerns".

Answer: Newspaper

A simple anagram."Daily" is the literal clue, and "distribution" implies "spreading out" of "warns Pepe". Giving "newspaper".

Answer: Piloting

Same as Q24: "Steering"(literal), "wild"(anagram)of "pig in lot"; You get "piloting"! Thanks for playing my quiz. Hope you enjoyed it! Bwebster.