Cryptic crossword reference lists > Subtraction indicators
Subtraction indicators
The different types of subtraction in cryptic crossword clues, and how to recognise them.
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Solve cryptic clues by recognising indicators for:
These lists include base words. Change the form of base words to find more indicators. |
Almost does
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General subtraction indicators
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abandon
abolish abridge absent all but aside avoid away ban bar brief but cancel cast censor chop chuck clip contract cut deficit delete depart deport depose deprive desert diminish diminutive disappear discard discharge discount dislodge dismiss displace dispose |
disregard
distant from ditch drawn drop dump efface eject emigrate erase escape eschew evade evict except expel export express extract exude filter flee fly forfeit forget forgo fraction free from get shot of give away go going out hasn't ignore inadequate jilt |
kick
lack leave left less let off lift lose minus miss missing most no no longer associated not not getting not half off offload omit oust out overlook partial percentage pinch pluck put out quell reduce reject release relinquish remove renounce repel retreat from |
revoke
rid sacrifice scrap scratch scrub semi sequester shave shed short shun shut out skip spew spurn stolen strike strip subtract suppress surrender take throw away toss aside trimmed unobserved unseen unwelcome vanish want wasting wipe withdraw withhold without |
Subtract first letter
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after the first
after the start bareheaded behead blow roof off blowing top cap off decapitate depose leader dismiss opener don’t start except for leader fail at first fail to start |
first cut
first off guillotine head away head off headless ignore leader initially down initially going initially rejected initially un- lead away left wing lost lift the lid |
lose head
mouth off need no introduction no opening non-starter not initially not originally not primarily not starting oust leader pollard refuse starter remove lid remove top |
scratch head
shave head skip preliminaries start off strike head tip off top off topless topped topping unopened without opening won't start |
Use first letter only
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apex
base beginning bonnet debut entrance first first letter first signs |
fore
front head heading inaugural incipient initial initiate introduction |
leader
leading left maiden mouth onset opener opening origin |
originally
primarily prime principal source start starter top western border |
Subtract last letter
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almost
backless brief curtail cut off detail dock drop behind endless finish off |
footloose
for the most part frayed inconclusive interminable kicking heels limited Manx mostly no end |
non stop
not entirely not quite not wholly outlast remove cap right wing lost sawn-off scratch bottom scrub back |
short
snub spineless trim ultimately wanting unfinished virtually want closure wipe bottom |
Use last letter only
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back
by all conclusions close conclude eastern border |
end
final final signs finale finish |
hem
last last bit of nether right |
terminal
terminus tip |
Subtract outside letters
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avoid extremes
banks withdraw bare bilateral erosion bones case dismissed centre clipped content to be left contents core (noun) discover disrobe edges away |
ends cut off
essence essentially extremely deficient filling guts heart heartily innards insides interior interminable internal parts mid |
middle
naked no frills no margins not extreme nucleus nude off limits out of bounds peel (verb) remove clothes remove outer layers shed skin skinned |
stomach
stripped stuffing take off coat unconfined uncover undressed unlimited unrestricted unwrap wings off without cover |
Subtract centre letters
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after vacation
banks borders boundaries case coat content to leave core (verb) covering crusts curtains discontented disembowelled disheartened edges empty |
ends
evacuate eviscerate excavate exterior extreme extreme elements flanks fringes gutless gutted half-hearted heartless hollow in extremis inside out |
left and right
less stuffing limits lips lose heart marginal margins outlying outside outsiders outskirts peel (noun) periphery pitted remove filling rim |
rind
shell shoulders sides skin skirts stuffing knocked out surface tips vacant vacation vacuous vacuum void walls wings |
Subtract alternate letters
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alternate
even every other |
every so often
ignore the odds now and then |
occasionally
odd odd pieces |
periodically
regular regularly ignored |
Subtract specific letter
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a - get rid of a
a - give up a a - not top grade a - missing a a - want a a - withhold a a - without a b - black b - leave behind b - no boy c - about to leave c - cold deserts c - less cold c - lost cape c - not about c - not cold c - reportedly seagoing d - drop Latin d - miss date d - no daughter d - not dead d - stolen diamond e - drug-free e - exude energy e - going east e - lose energy e - out east e - point taken e - pointless e - take drug f - without force g - no girl g - not good |
g - waste $1000
h - ditch husband h - drug-free i - I dropped i - I leave i - I quit i - iodine deficient i - lack interest i - not on i - one leaves i - one missing i - one's excused i - revoke independence i - selfless i - without one l - drop Latin l - left off l - left out l - lose weight l - losing side l - release line m - distance from m - maiden flight m - man refused m - not married m - no man n - going north n - name-dropping n - nameless n - point taken n - pointless n - put any number off n - unnamed |
o - dropout
o - exude love o - lost round o - love to escape o - loveless o - nonetheless o - not old o - nothing going o - nothing left o - nothing less o - nothing missing o - unloved o - wipeout p - cede power p - go quietly p - lose pressure p - missing page p - no power p - no pressure p - penniless p - powerless r - lack of resistance r - losing side r - no right r - not right r - right away r - run away r - run off r - run out r - drop resistance s - abandon society s - avoid double bend s - going south |
s - lose shilling
s - no son s - point taken s - pointless t - knock time off t - lose time t - no time t - short of time t - spend time t - square off t - take tea t - temperature dropping t - time off t - timeless t - waste time u - leave university u - university dropout v - not very w - ditch wife w - going west w - lose weight w - no woman w - non-Western w - not with w - point taken w - pointless w - wife leaves w - without w - woman refused x - no mark y - not unknown y - why not z - not unknown |
