✂️ Deletion
A letter or letters are removed from a word to give the answer. Watch for indicators like "losing", "without", "dropping", or "headless".
Look through these examples — you'll start spotting the pattern after just a few. When you're ready, try the practice mode. — Cordelia
Spots litter leader’s left
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Spots
litter
leader
s
left
Answer:
RASH
Definition:
Spots = RASH
Summary:
litter → TRASH (synonym) + (single letter) → T (abbreviation) [deletion]
Nobody is forgetting an old date
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Nobody
is
forgetting
an
old
date
Answer:
NONES
Definition:
an old date = NONES
Wordplay:
Nobody
minus ? =
NONES
old
minus ? =
Summary:
NONES(deletion from "Nobody") + (deletion from "old") [deletion]; definition: "an old date"
Be confronted by heartless travesty
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Be
confronted
by
heartless
travesty
Answer:
FACE
Definition:
confront = FACE
Summary:
travesty → FARCE (synonym) + (single letter) → R (abbreviation) [deletion]
Run out of fortress, free in wild areas
(7)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Run
out
of
fortress
free
in
wild
areas
Answer:
FORESTS
Definition:
free in wild areas = FORESTS
Wordplay:
fortress
minus ? =
FORESTS
Summary:
FORESTS(deletion from "fortress") [deletion]; definition: "free in wild areas"
Casual job rejected by great old buffoon
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Casual
job
rejected
by
great
old
buffoon
Answer:
ANTIC
Definition:
buffoon = ANTIC
Summary:
ANTIC(GIGANTIC minus GIG, "great") [deletion]; definition: "buffoon"
Seek further use for components within grey vehicle
(7)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Seek
further
use
for
components
within
grey
vehicle
Answer:
RECYCLE
Definition:
Seek further use for = RECYCLE
Wordplay:
vehicle
=
CYCLE
(synonym)
GREY
(literal)
Assembly:
outer_deletion:
RECYCLE
Summary:
strip outer letters from GREY(grey) + CYCLE(synonym of "vehicle")
Revolutionary from Left periodically being elected
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Revolutionary
from
Left
periodically
being
elected
Answer:
LENIN
Definition:
Revolutionary = LENIN
Wordplay:
left
minus T =
LE
elected
=
IN
(synonym)
being
alternate letters =
EN
Assembly:
Remove
E
from
LE
Summary:
delete E from LE(LET minus T, "left") + EN(alternate letters of "being") + IN(synonym of "elected") [periodically]
Community has charging point finally switched on
(8)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Community
has
charging
point
finally
switched
on
Answer:
TOWNSHIP
Definition:
Community = TOWNSHIP
Wordplay:
has
=
OWNS
(synonym)
point
=
TOP
(synonym)
switched
=
HIP
(synonym)
Assembly:
Remove
OP
from
TOP
Summary:
delete OP from TOP(synonym of "point") + OWNS(synonym of "has") + HIP(synonym of "switched")
Dignified Roman leader ignores us
(6)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Dignified
Roman
leader
ignores
us
Answer:
AUGUST
Definition:
Dignified = AUGUST
Assembly:
Remove
US
from
AUGUSTUS
Summary:
delete US from AUGUSTUS
Recent resurgence from one side
(9)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Recent
resurgence
from
one
side
Answer:
LATERALLY
Definition:
from one side = LATERALLY
Wordplay:
Recent
=
LATELY
(synonym)
resurgence
=
RALLY
(synonym)
Assembly:
Remove
LY
from
LATELY
Summary:
delete LY from LATELY(Recent) + RALLY(resurgence)
Celebrity, female, arrived topless
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Celebrity
female
arrived
topless
Answer:
FAME
Definition:
Celebrity = FAME
Wordplay:
female
=
F
(abbreviation)
Assembly:
Remove
C
from
CAME
Summary:
F(female) + delete C from CAME
Unsuitable to sleep with stripped covers
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Unsuitable
to
sleep
with
stripped
covers
Answer:
INAPT
Definition:
Unsuitable = INAPT
Wordplay:
with
=
IN
(synonym)
to
first letter =
T
sleep
=
NAP
(synonym)
Assembly:
Remove
N
from
IN
Summary:
delete N from IN(with) + NAP(sleep) + T(to)
Cheaper looking Scottish spud set before king
(7)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Cheaper
looking
Scottish
spud
set
before
king
Answer:
TATTIER
Definition:
Cheaper = TATTIER
Wordplay:
spud
=
TATER
(synonym)
set
=
TIER
(synonym)
Assembly:
Remove
ER
from
TATER
Summary:
Scottish spud = TATTIE + R (king)
Unsafe, rickety garden house with peeling walls
(9)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Unsafe
rickety
garden
house
with
peeling
walls
Answer:
DANGEROUS
Definition:
Unsafe = DANGEROUS
Wordplay:
HOUSE
(literal)
walls
=
DANGER
(synonym)
Assembly:
outer_deletion:
DANGEROUS
Summary:
DANGER(walls) + strip outer letters from HOUSE(house)
Clutch pot son knocked off piano
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Clutch
pot
son
knocked
off
piano
Answer:
GRASP
Definition:
Clutch = GRASP
Wordplay:
pot
=
GRASS
(synonym)
piano
=
P
(abbreviation)
Assembly:
Remove
S
from
GRASS
Summary:
delete S from GRASS(pot) + P(piano)
Barely modest lyric poems
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Barely
modest
lyric
poems
Answer:
ODES
Definition:
lyric poems = ODES
Summary:
Delete (barely) outer letters of mODESt
Tense leader ignoring papers
(7)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Tense
leader
ignoring
papers
Answer:
PRESENT
Definition:
Tense = PRESENT
Summary:
Leader = PRESidENT papers = ID ignored (deleted)
Unwilling to forgo large bond
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Unwilling
to
forgo
large
bond
Answer:
OATH
Definition:
bond = OATH
Summary:
delete L from LOATH
World map eventually detailed
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
World
map
eventually
detailed
Answer:
ATLAS
Definition:
world map = ATLAS
Summary:
Eventually = ATLAS(t) de-tailed means last letter deletion
Taking name of aggressive woman
(6)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Taking
name
of
aggressive
woman
Answer:
VIOLET
Definition:
Woman = VIOLET
Summary:
Taking (removing) name (n) aggressive VIOLEnt remove n from violent
Cut short shady European venture
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Cut
short
shady
European
venture
Answer:
DARE
Definition:
Venture = DARE
Summary:
Dark cut short = DAR + E(uropean)
8 Down no rudely brief complaint
(7)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Down
no
rudely
brief
complaint
Answer:
AILMENT
Definition:
Complaint = AILMENT
Summary:
A synonym of 8d with Rudely brief (curt) removed
Relative wasting American's money
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Relative
wasting
American's
money
Answer:
COIN
Definition:
money = COIN
Summary:
delete US from COUSIN(synonym of "relative")
Glides using paddle on board ship
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Glides
using
paddle
on
board
ship
Answer:
SOARS
Definition:
Glides = SOARS
Summary:
delete O from SO(on) + OAR(paddle) + S(ship)
Public secret initially suppressed
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Public
secret
initially
suppressed
Answer:
OVERT
Definition:
Public = OVERT
Summary:
Initial letter of secret cOVERT suppressed
A Christmas Carol — heartless story
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
A
Christmas
Carol
heartless
story
Answer:
NOEL
Definition:
A Christmas Carol = NOEL
Summary:
delete (heartless) V from NOVEL
Boss in workplace having ten leaving
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Boss
in
workplace
having
ten
leaving
Answer:
STUD
Definition:
Boss = STUD
Summary:
delete Y from STUDY
Walked solemnly and bowed after Mass
(7)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Walked
solemnly
and
bowed
after
Mass
Answer:
MARCHED
Definition:
Walked solemnly = MARCHED
Summary:
MARCH(after) + delete BOW from BOWED(bowed)
Tutorial cut by a third? Not so much
(4)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
Tutorial
cut
by
a
third
Not
so
much
Answer:
LESS
Definition:
Not so much = LESS
Summary:
Remove a third of LESS(on)
A large number of birds without beak
(5)
Try it: click any word above to look it up. Or try the Pattern finder (top right).
Colour map:
A
large
number
of
birds
without
beak
Answer:
GROSS
Definition:
A large number = GROSS
Summary:
A Grosbeak is a type of bird