Word.ws English Dictionary

cryptic definition

cryptic definition noun: a cryptic crossword clue with no wordplay element.

Noun

cryptic definition (plural cryptic definitions)

  1. (crosswording) A cryptic crossword clue with no wordplay element.
    • Cryptic definitions are the clues you see with question marks in American puzzles, denoting Burns and Allen-style puns.2013 May 1, T. Campbell, On Crosswords: Thoughts, Studies, Facts and Snark About a 100-Year-Old Pastime, Morgan James Publishing, →ISBN, page 150
    • Cryptic definition clues lack the structure, logic and format of the other types of clue, but they can be aesthetically pleasing and are a type of clue particularly enjoyed by many solvers.2014, Henry Howarth, Learn How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords: A Course for Beginners, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 89

Forms of cryptic definition

pluralcryptic definitions

Questions about cryptic definition

What does cryptic definition mean?
Cryptic definition means a cryptic crossword clue with no wordplay element.
What part of speech is cryptic definition?
Cryptic definition is a noun.
What is the plural of cryptic definition?
The plural of cryptic definition is cryptic definitions.

Words near cryptic definition in the dictionary

  1. cryptex
  2. cryptexes
  3. cryptic
  4. cryptic crossword
  5. cryptic crosswords
  6. cryptic definition
  7. cryptic definitions
  8. cryptic ovulation
  9. cryptic species
  10. cryptical
  11. cryptically

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: cryptic definition (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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