Abbreviations

Sometimes the compiler needs one or more letters that don’t make an actual word. So he will resort to an abbreviation, or some other method to get the combination. If you look in the dictionary you will find each letter used alone as the official abbreviation for a number of words. ‘S’ for example includes (either in lower or upper case, which we ignore): second, shilling, singular, son, south, saxon, sulphur, sea, saturday, sunday, summer, society. Any of these could be used in a clue for the result ‘s’. There are also well known multiple letter abbreviations or acronyms that specify other words beginning with ‘s’ - SA = Salvation Army or sex appeal, asap (soon), CSIRO (scientific), etc. Only the ‘s’ word would appear in the clue. There was one compiler in The Age (can’t remember who) who acted as if every word could be abbreviated to to its initial letter. I found it annoying, but in these days of burgeoning acronyms he might be onto something. ‘S’ might also be defined by association, eg. bend. Another source of abbreviations is the NATO Alphabet. So Juliet for J and Romeo for R. Anytime you see one of these words - no matter how well disguised - you should immediately think of NATO. (A rhyme/rhythm to help remember this can be found at nosirrah.com/nosirrah-mnemonics/nato-radio-alphabet/). For combinations of letters there are also plenty of official abbreviations (chemical element symbols, roman numerals, states - both 2 and 3 letter in US, etc) and acronyms (UN, TU, COD) to use. Or multiple single letter abbreviations can be used. ‘1001 times prophet took arsenic. It’s infectious (7)’ for ‘miasmal’ = MI[As]Mal. (3 abbreviations) If that is not enough, abbreviations can be created in the clue: ‘a’ = 6th of February = 2nd of May = etc ‘t’ = head teacher ‘h’ = backlash ‘w’ = centre forward The same sort of thing can be done for multiple letters, and as a particular example ‘centre forward’ could be used to define ‘w’, ‘rwa’, or ‘orwar’. Remember, as in other instances, the result can be defined by what you keep, or what you get rid of. ‘sp’ = spit it out ‘ad’ = naked lady ‘sd’ = speed limits The reverse can apply. You will sometimes find a disguised abbreviation in the clue, which is required in its full form in the answer. You should always be given an indicator as to what type of abbreviation it is. ‘As elemental as poison (7)’ for ‘arsenic’ ‘Left number (5)’ for ‘fifty’. This is a double shuffle - you take the abbreviation for left and convert it as a roman numeral. About about. There are many common words used in a multiple of ways in cryptic clues, and the principle one is ‘about’. Here are some of the ways: . Anagram indicator . Inclusion indicator - either as includer or includee . Reversal indicator . Hidden indicator . Swap indicator . Truncation indicator . Sequence indicator . Of . On . Re or ‘In Re’ - in regard/reference to . C or ca - circa . any of its other longer definitions . as a convenient group of letters, in an anagram say ‘About! About! About, about, about! Idiot without! About! About! (10)’ for ‘concerning’. (I couldn’t resist.)[C (about) + ON (about) + C (about) + ERNI ('In Re' (about) reversed (about)) + NG (N{on}G (idiot) without (less) ON (about))]