Parseword - for those who would like to be better at cryptic crosswords!

[UnaOfStormhold]

I am definitely not good at cryptic crosswords but feel this is both fun and a good way to get better

www.parseword.com/

Does anyone know of a scratchpad type app that shuffles letters like in Minute Cryptic?
I don't want a solver, just an equivalent to a piece of paper and a pencil!

@drspouse
To turn off learn mode, go into settings and click on ‘play’ mode - you won’t get told the definition word.
After many attempts in play mode, I’ve gone back to learn mode as I’m still rubbish at this 😊

xParseword #185
⏱️ 2m17s
⭐️ No Assists
🥚 Learn Mode

Parseword #185
⚡️ 27s
💎 Perfect

Parseword #186
⚡️ 56s
💎 Perfect

Minute Cryptic - 2 August, 2026
"Tinkle all over the place after surprise entry... Maybe knock first?" (6,1)
⚪️⚪️🟡🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🤝 3 hints – matched the community par (57,988 solvers so far).
www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share

Struggled with both today!

Minute Cryptic - 2 August, 2026
"Tinkle all over the place after surprise entry... Maybe knock first?" (6,1)
⚪️⚪️⚪️🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🤝 3 hints – matched the community par (72,483 solvers so far).
https://www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share

Parseword #186
⏱️ 8m40s
✅ 9 Assists

Oh my goodness I struggled with that!
And it took me ages to work out that clue 😆

Parseword #186
⏱️ 4m10s
✅ 6 Assists
🥚 Learn Mode

Both pretty quick today!
Minute Cryptic - 3 August, 2026
"Nothing in vault where gold should be - it's a bit of a shock" (4)
🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🏆 0 hints – 1 under the community par (82,368 solvers so far).
https://www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share

Parseword #187
⏱️ 1m36s
✅ 1 Assist

Parseword #187
⚡️ 17s
💎 Perfect

Minute Cryptic - 3 August, 2026
"Nothing in vault where gold should be - it's a bit of a shock" (4)
🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🏆 0 hints – 1 under the community par (82,368 solvers so far).
www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share

Parseword #187
⚡️ 21s
💎 Perfect
🥚 Learn Mode

easier today, thank goodness

Minute Cryptic - 3 August, 2026
"Nothing in vault where gold should be - it's a bit of a shock" (4)
🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🏆 0 hints – 1 under the community par (97,665 solvers so far).
https://www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share

Parseword #187
⚡️ 33s
💎 Perfect

Parseword #188
⚡️ 18s
💎 Perfect

Minute Cryptic - 4 August, 2026
"Halfway across Europe, backpacking 500 miles from Nice?" (4)
⚪️🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🏆 1 hints – 1 under the community par (64,895 solvers so far).
www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share

Parseword #188
⏱️ 2m49s
✅ 6 Assists
🥚 Learn Mode

Just when I thought I was getting the hang of Parseword - struggled with that (& then realised it was obvious 😊)

Parseword #188
⏱️ 6m16s
✅ 6 Assists

Really bad at this one and totally stuck on Minute Cryptic as well!
Any tips @Twasasurprise?

I wish I had tips. I often just click random combinations of words and hope something jumps out at me...

It leads me down the wrong route too. I remember one the other day about an Army character. I was convinced it was Colonel as I had CO. Eventually, thanks to Minute Cryptic, I spotted there was a reversal clue and it became OC for 🐙 .

That's why I appreciate Minute Cryptic; I'm now learning how to actually do it.

My best tip for today, hopefully without giving it away, is remembering how numbers are often used to represent a letter or letters. Once I had that, I could spot the rest of the word from the other clues.

Good luck!

I did get the numbers for letters and I think I'm looking for the 3 other letters backwards in another word but I'm struggling with the other letters, which ones and in which order!
I may have to try the (IMO cheating) anagram solver app I have.

Nope, I've tried the number-letter and every possible combo of three more letters... aargh.

OK now I feel very daft - I had the wrong number-letter. Gah. Better get the DCs to teach me the correct substitutions. Writing today off as a failure.

Have you definitely got the right letter? I initially was using the letter for 50 rather 500😆.

Edit. Cross-post.

I was doing 100

Parseword #188
⏱️ 1m34s
💎 Perfect
🎭 Secret Found

Parseword #189
⚡️ 1m0s
💎 Perfect

Minute Cryptic - 5 August, 2026
"Big fans of bananas eat "boring grapes"" (5,4)
⚪️🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣
🏆 1 hints – 1 under the community par (79,903 solvers so far).
www.minutecryptic.com/?utm_source=share