How do you learn to do cryptic crosswords?

[donovanhat]

They make no sense but I’d like to learn!

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/may/03/how-to-solve-cryptic-crossword

Have you got any friends that do them? It’s easier to learn with someone else.

This book is good: www.amazon.co.uk/Times-How-Crack-Cryptic-Crosswords/dp/0008285578?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

PurpleDaisies is right, it's easier to learn with someone who knows how to do them, so they can show you how the question structure tells you you're looking for an anagram, or to take the first letters of the word etc
Start with Quick Cryptics as these are easier and don't be afraid to guess.

To add to all of the above - puzzler magazine do a double puzzle that can be answered using either cryptic or straightforward clues. Good for beginners to get the hang of the cryptics.

There's also a site fifteensquared.net which blogs the solutions to all the major newspaper cryptics. It's a dedicated community of solvers - they've all been at it for years, so if you're stuck on a puzzle, you can look it up and see how it's done.

So glad you asked the question OP! I want to do them so but am usually left completely flummoxed. My 90yo mum can do them and it would be fun to give her a (gentle) run for her money (even though she's light years ahead of me!)
The book suggestions are very useful.

Yes, the book and website look great! I don’t know anyone who does them so I’m on my own.

I do the NYT ones. It starts off easy on Monday and gets progressively tougher. I can do upto the Wed ones. It has an autocheck function and you can see your answers. Its fun!

Oh that sounds good! Is it an app?

I got into the habit of doing the same one in a newspaper every day. That way I could see the answers and look back at the questions to work them out.
I got to learn the styles of question used and got much better at seeing similarities.