Sarah Lolley
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The "Second Verse, Same As The First" Clue

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This is a new type of clue that has only just popped up from my favourite cryptic crossword setter, Fraser Simpson. That’s right: something new, even after all these years. Impressive, no?

The clue is a cross between an anagram and a composed clue. It involves repeating almost all the letters from a single word several times, then scrambling them to give you the answer.

There doesn’t seem to be a particular trigger word; it’s just a description of the process.

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In this example, the definition portion of the clue is “has no meaning.” The riddle involves repeating various pieces of the word “lens” several times over and scrambling it into a word that means “has no meaning”. It takes a little thinking but eventually you get to: SENSELESS

Because I’m still mastering it myself, I haven’t included any of this type of clue in my practice puzzles.


Got it. Take me back to the list of riddles. I want to try some more.

You know what? I think I’m ready to try a practice puzzle!

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