Minute Cryptic: Over 160 Wordplay Puzzles to Decipher, Unlock, and Untangle

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER - The Worldwide Hit, Now in Print

Welcome to your brand-new wordplay obsession.

From the creators of the popular daily online game Minute Cryptic comes a step-by-step guide to an original and mind-bending word challenge. Prepare to unlock the secrets of cryptic crosswords, one clue at a time.

Minute Cryptic puzzles are brain-teasers packed with sneaky wordplay: each clue is a miniature riddle that uses techniques like anagrams, hidden words, and sound-alikes. Working them out can be tricky. And solving them is seriously satisfying.

In Minute Cryptic, each puzzle consists of just one clue; to solve it, you'll learn how to recognize common types of wordplay to come up with a one-word solution. You'll get easy-to-follow explanations and practice (more than 160 puzzles!) to really get the hang of things. Start simple and work your way up, learning how to mix techniques and tackle the tougher stuff. By the end, you'll be able to take on a full cryptic crossword puzzle with total confidence.

Get ready for a mental workout that's seriously fun--and enjoy that ultimate "aha!" moment when you crack that killer clue.

Author: Angas Tiernan,Liam Runnalls
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: 12/30/2025
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.38w x 1.00d
ISBN13: 9781250421517
ISBN10: 1250421519
BISAC Categories:
- Games & Activities | Crosswords | General
- Games & Activities | Logic & Brain Teasers

About the Author

Angas Tiernan lives in Melbourne with his partner, combined five children, and a cat named Mouse. He finds joy in sharing a great cryptic crossword clue--that's why he started Minute Cryptic. Now he spends his time explaining the beauty of cryptics to hundreds of thousands of people and building the Minute Cryptic platform to help new generations of budding solvers.

Liam Runnalls is an Australian crossword setter and has been crafting cryptic crosswords professionally since 2012. He loves clues that feature clever, amusing and deceptive wordplay--clues that deliver a delightful "aha moment" to solvers. He lives in an old schoolhouse in a forgotten little country town called Elphinstone with his wife, two kids and dog.