Cryptic crossword reference lists > Gramograms

Gramograms

Words that sound like letters.

Simple one- and two-letter gramograms are often used in cryptic crossword clues without any homophone indication, e.g. you see = uc. 

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1001 Cryptic letters

Sly looks?

are - r
array - ra
arrestee - rst
arty - rt
aye - i
aye-aye - ii
ayes - ii, is
be - b
beady - bd
Beatty - bt
bee -b
Bee Gee - bg
Bee Gees - bgg, bgs
bees - bb, bs
cagey - kg
cave - kv
cayenne - kn
cue -q
cues - qq,qs
cutie - qt
decay - dk
Dee - d
Didi - dd

ease - ee, es
Effie - fe
eighty - at
ell - l
Elle - l
ells - ll, ls
Elly - le
Elsie - lc
em - m
Emily - mle
Emmy - me
ems - mm, ms
en -n
enemy - nme
ens -nn, ns
entity - ntt
envy - nv
escapee - skp
essay - sa
Essen - sn
Essex - sx
ewe - u
ewes - uu, us

excess - xs
expediency - xpdnc
eye- i
eyes - ii, is
gee - g
gee-gee - gg
I owe you - iou
icy - ic
ivy- iv
jail- jl
jay - j
jays - jj, js
kale - kl
Katie - kt
Kay - k
kewpie - qp
ogee - og
oh - o
okay - ok
owe - o
owes - oo, os
pea - p
peas - pp, ps

pease - pp, ps
peaty - pt
pee - p
pees - pp, ps
queue - q
queues - qq, qs
sea - c
seas - cc, cs
see - c
seedy - cd
sees - cc, cs
tea - t
tease - ts, tt
tee - t
tees - ts, tt
tepee - tp
use - us, uu
why - y
wise - ys, yy
yew - u
yews - us, uu
you - u

Gramograms are sometimes extended to numerals.

ate - 8: also used in combination with letters, e.g. w8 - wait
for - 4
to, too - 2
won - 1 

Gramogram puzzle

Find gramograms with two letters to match the definitions.
1.   Attractive one
2.  Bitter longing
3.  Cabbage
4.  Doll
5.  English county
6.  German city
7.  Improper degree
8.  Shrewd
9.  Small and bright
10. S-shape

Answers
1. QT, 2. NV, 3. KL, 4. QP, 5. SX, 6. SN, 7. XS, 8. KG, 9. BD, 10. OG.

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