Substitution Clue Practice
Eight flashcard-style substitution puzzles arranged from easy to hard. Cryptic crossword setters regularly replace everyday words with abbreviations drawn from chess, music, chemistry, Roman numerals, and more. Recognising these substitutions quickly is a core solving skill. For each card, think of the abbreviation or symbol before revealing the answer.
“What does 'knight' become? (1)”
Reveal answer
Answer: N
- Source word: “knight”
- Becomes: N
- Domain: Chess
In chess notation, a knight is represented by N (K is reserved for the king). Setters use "knight" to indicate the letter N.
“What does 'doctor' become? (2)”
Reveal answer
Answer: DR
- Source word: “doctor”
- Becomes: DR
- Domain: Title abbreviation
"Doctor" is commonly abbreviated to DR. This is one of the most frequent substitutions in cryptic crosswords.
“What does 'love' become? (1)”
Reveal answer
Answer: O
- Source word: “love”
- Becomes: O
- Domain: Tennis scoring
In tennis, "love" means zero, which looks like the letter O. Setters use "love" to indicate O.
“What does 'sailor' become? (2)”
Reveal answer
Answer: AB
- Source word: “sailor”
- Becomes: AB
- Domain: Naval rank
An able-bodied seaman is abbreviated AB. "Sailor" frequently signals AB in cryptic crosswords. Other possibilities include TAR or SALT.
“What does 'gold' become? (2)”
Reveal answer
Answer: AU
- Source word: “gold”
- Becomes: AU
- Domain: Chemistry (periodic table)
Gold's chemical symbol is AU (from Latin "aurum"). Setters use "gold" to indicate AU, drawing on the periodic table.
“What does 'loud' become? (1)”
Reveal answer
Answer: F
- Source word: “loud”
- Becomes: F
- Domain: Music (dynamics)
In musical notation, "forte" (meaning loud) is abbreviated to F. Setters use "loud" or "loudly" to indicate the letter F.
“What does 'fifty' become? (1)”
Reveal answer
Answer: L
- Source word: “fifty”
- Becomes: L
- Domain: Roman numerals
The Roman numeral for fifty is L. Setters use number words to signal their Roman numeral equivalents: I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), M (1000).
“What does 'advertisement' become? (2)”
Reveal answer
Answer: AD
- Source word: “advertisement”
- Becomes: AD
- Domain: Common abbreviation
"Advertisement" is commonly shortened to AD. Setters may also use "notice" or "promotion" to signal AD in cryptic clues.
Learn more about substitution clues
If you want to understand substitution clues in depth, see the full teaching page. It covers the most common substitution categories, how setters signal them, and worked examples from real Parseword puzzles.
Substitution clues — full guide