Container cryptic clue
Put one word inside another. The indicator names the insertion.
How it works
One word goes inside another, and the indicator names the hugging: holding, swallowing, clutching, around. The outer word and the inner word, interleaved in order, spell the answer.
Mark both pieces, then physically write the shorter one inside the longer and read the result straight through — your ear will catch the word.
Worked example
A single letter slipped inside TAP turns a tap into a trap.
Snare: a strike, holding the rat’s head (4)
AnswerTRAP
- Definition: snare — a TRAP.
- A strike = TAP; the rat’s head = R, the first letter of RAT.
- TAP holds R: T-R-A-P. TRAP (4).
Spotting it in the wild
- Indicators: in, inside, holding, around, clutching, swallowing, enclosing.
- Inner pieces are short — a letter or two, often an abbreviation.
- Read the interleaved letters aloud; the ear beats the eye here.