This guide teaches the skills of cryptic crossword solving, with a chapter and a crossword to complete for all the most common forms of clue, from anagrams to palindromes. Each chapter contains expert tips and "hands-on" puzzles concentrating on specific types of clues. The author offers unique reference lists, such as her own list of anagram indicators. Ruth Crisp is a weekly contributor of "The Guardian", "Independent", "FT", "Times", "The Sunday Times", and "The Daily Telegraph" under pseudonyms which include "Marcy", "Vixen" and "Crispa". She also compiles crosswords for Book Tokens Ltd. and the National Crosswords Championships.