Crossword abbreviations
327803
216366379
2008-06-01T09:08:30Z
Oochabeastie
7223465
/* Clues beginning with F */ Added 'Sire' to list associated with Father
[[Cryptic crossword]]s often use [[abbreviation]]s to clue individual letters or short fragments of the overall solution. These include:
*Any conventional abbreviations found in a standard dictionary, such as:
**"current": <small>AC</small> (for "alternating current"); less commonly, <small>DC</small> (for "direct current"); or even <small>I</small> (the symbol used in physics and electronics)
*[[Roman numerals]]: for example the word "six" in the clue might be used to indicate the letters <small>VI</small>
*The name of a [[chemical element]] may be used to signify its symbol; e.g., Tungsten for <small>W</small>
*[[Country codes]]: "Switzerland" can indicate the letters <small>CH</small>
*Conventional abbreviations for US cities and states: for example, New York can indicate <small>NY</small> and "California" <small>CAL</small>.
**"church": <small>CH</small> or <small>CE</small> ([[Church of England]])
**"time": <small>T</small>
The abbreviation is not always a short form of the word used in the clue. For example:
*"Knight" for <small>N</small> (the symbol used in chess notation)
Taking this one stage further, the clue word can hint at the word or words to be abbreviated rather than giving the word itself. For example:
*"About" for <small>C</small> or <small>CA</small>, abbreviations of "circa", meaning "about". "About" can also be abbreviated to <small>RE</small>, for "regarding".
*"Say" for <small>EG</small>, used to mean "for example".
More obscure clue words of this variety include:
*"Model" for <small>T</small>, referring to the [[Model T]].
*"Beginner" or synonyms such as "novice" or "student" for <small>L</small>, as in [[L-plate]].
*"Bend" for <small>S</small> or <small>U</small> (as in "S-bend" and "U-bend")
*"Books" for <small>OT</small> or <small>NT</small>, as in Old Testament or New Testament.
*"Sailor" for <small>AB</small>, abbreviation of able-bodied.
*"Take" for <small>R</small>, abbreviation of the Latin word ''recipe'', meaning "take".
==Clues beginning with A==
*About - '''c''' or '''ca''' (circa) or '''re'''
*Abroad - '''out'''
*Account - '''ac'''
*Accountant - '''ca''' ([[chartered accountant]])
*Ace - '''a'''
*Advert - '''ad'''
*Afternoon - '''pm'''
*Against - '''v''' or '''vs''' (versus)
*Agent - '''rep''' (representative)
*Agricultural - '''ag'''
*Air conditioning - '''ac'''
*Alien - '''et''' ([[Extraterrestrial life|extra-terrestrial]])
*Also known as - '''aka'''
*[[Aluminium]] - '''al''' (chemical symbol)
*America - '''am''', '''us''' or '''usa''' ([[United States of America]])
*Amnesty - '''ai''' ([[Amnesty International]])
*Arbiter - '''ref'''([[referee]])
*Army cop - '''mp''' (Military Policeman)
*[[Arsenic]] - '''as''' (chemical symbol)
*[[Artificial intelligence]] - '''ai'''
*[[Artillery]] - '''ra''' ([[Royal Artillery]])
*Artists - '''ra''' ([[Royal Academy]])
*At home - '''in'''
*Attorney - '''da''' ([[District Attorney]]) or '''pa''' (Practicing Attorney)
*[[Australia]] - '''aus''' or '''oz''' (slang name for Australia)
*Avenue - '''ave'''
==Clues beginning with B==
*[[Bachelor of Arts]] - '''ba'''
*[[Bachelor of Medicine]] - '''bm'''
*Ball - '''o''' (the letter O is round, like a ball)
*[[Basque nationalists]] - '''eta'''
*Bearing - '''n''', '''e''', '''s''', '''w''', '''ne''', '''nw''' etc. ([[compass]] points)
*Beginner - '''l''' (for Learner)
*Bend - '''s''' or '''u''' ([[Trap (plumbing)|U-bend]] and [[Trap (plumbing)|S-bend]])
*Bill - '''ac''' (account) or '''iou'''
*[[Bishop]] - '''b''' or '''rr''' (Right Reverend)
*Bob - '''s''' ([[shilling]])
*Book (or books) - '''nt''' ([[New Testament]]), '''ot''' ([[Old Testament]])
*Boy - '''b'''
*Byte - '''b'''
==Clues beginning with C==
*[[Calcium]] - '''ca'''
*[[California]] - '''ca'''
*Car - '''t''' ([[Model T]]), '''rr''' ([[Rolls-Royce car|Rolls-Royce]])
*Care of - '''co'''
*Caught - '''c''' or '''ct'''
*[[Celsius]] - '''c'''
*Cent - '''c'''
*[[Centigrade]] - '''c'''
*Century - '''c'''
*Certificate - '''x''', '''u''', '''pg''', '''r''', '''g''' (from the film certificates)
*Chartered accountant - '''ca'''
*Chief - '''ch'''
*[[Chlorine]] - '''cl''' (chemical symbol)
*[[Chromosome]] - '''x''' or '''y'''
*Church - '''ch''' or '''ce''' ([[Church of England]])or '''rc'''([[Roman Catholic]])
*Circa - '''c'''
*Circle - '''o''' (the letter O is a circle)
*City - '''ny''' ([[New York]]), '''la''' ([[Los Angeles]]), or '''ec''' ([[postcode]] for City of London)
*Coin - '''p''' (penny), '''d''' (from the [[Latin]] ''denarius'') or '''c''' (cent) - d or c would usually have "old" or "American" as well as "coin".
*Colonel - '''col'''
*Colt - '''c'''
*Company - '''co'''
*Compare - '''cf''' (abbreviation of the Latin ''confer'')
*Compass point - '''n''', '''e''', '''s''', '''w''' (and other bearings)
*Conservationists - '''nt''' ([[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]])
*Conservative - '''c''', '''con''' or '''tory'''
*Constable - '''pc''' ([[police constable]])
*Copper - '''p''' (penny), '''d''' (denarius), '''cu''' (chemical symbol), '''pc''' (police constable)
*Court - '''ct'''
*Credit - '''cr'''
*Cross - '''x'''
*Current - '''ac''' (alternating current), '''dc''' (direct current), '''ad''' ([[Anno Domini]]) or '''amp'''
*Current account - '''ca'''
*[[Cystic fibrosis]] - '''cf'''
==Clues beginning with D==
*Date - '''d'''
*Daughter - '''d'''
*Dead - '''d''', '''dec''' (deceased), '''ex'''
*Deceased - '''d''', '''dec''', '''ex'''
*Decoration - '''vc''' ([[Victoria Cross]]), '''gc''' (George Cross)
*Degree - '''deg''', '''c''' (Celsius or Centigrade), '''f''' (Fahrenheit), '''ba''' ([[Bachelor of Arts]]), '''ma''' ([[Master of Arts (postgraduate)|Master of Arts]]).
*Detectives - '''cid'''
*Detective inspector - '''di'''
*Deutschmark - '''dm'''
*Direction - '''n''', '''e''', '''s''', '''w''' (and other compass bearings)
*Disc - '''o''' (the letter O is round, like a disc), '''ep''' (extended play record), '''lp''' (long play record), '''cd''' (compact disc)
*Doctor of Divinity - '''dd'''
*Doctor - '''doc''', '''bm''' (Bachelor of Medicine), '''mb''' (''Medicinae Baccalaureus''), '''md''' (''Medicinae Doctor''), '''mo''' (medical officer), '''gp''' (General Practitioner), '''dr'''
*Drip - '''iv''' (intravenous drip)
*Drug - '''c''' ([[cocaine]]), '''e''', '''x''' (both short for [[ecstasy (drug)|ecstasy]]) or '''h''' (heroin)
*Dry - '''tt''' (teetotal) or '''aa''' ([[Alcoholics Anonymous]])
*Duck - '''o''' (from the [[cricket]] score of 0)
==Clues beginning with E==
*Each - '''ea'''
*East - '''e'''
*East Germany - '''gdr''' (German Democratic Republic)
*Ecstasy - '''e''' or '''x''' (slang names for the drug)
*Editor - '''ed'''
*Egg - '''o''' (the letter O loosely resembles the shape of an egg)
*Electricity - '''ac''' (alternating current), '''dc''' (direct current)
*Eleven - '''ii''' (II looks similar to 11), or '''xi''' ([[Roman numerals]])
*Engineer - '''ce''' (civil engineer) or '''re''' (Royal Engineer)
*English - '''e'''
*Escape - '''esc'''
*Estimated time of arrival - '''eta'''
*Europe - '''eu''' ([[European Union]]), '''ec''' (European Community)
*Exercise - '''pe''' (physical education), '''pt''' (physical training)
*Extra - '''w''' (from the extra runs in cricket for a wide ball)
*Extra large - '''xl'''
*Extra terrestrial - '''et'''
==Clues beginning with F==
*Fahrenheit - '''f'''
*Fashionable - '''in'''
*Father - '''da''', '''fr''', '''pa''', '''sire'''
*Female - '''f'''
*Fighter plane - '''mig''' (type of plane)
*Firm - '''co''' (company)
*Fifty - '''l''' (Roman numeral (lower case L))
*Five - '''v''' (Roman numeral)
*Fleet - '''rn''' ([[Royal Navy]])
*Flying bomb - '''vi''' (looks like [[V-1 flying bomb|V1]])
*[[Football association]] - '''fa'''
*A follower - '''b''' (The letter that follows a in the alphabet)
*Football club - '''fc'''
*For example - '''eg''' (short for the Latin ''exempli gratia'')
*Former - '''ex'''
*Four - '''iv''' (Roman Numeral)
*[[France]] - '''f'''
<!--This is not an abbreviation. *A French ... - '''un''' or '''une'''-->
*Frenchman - '''m''' (Monsieur)
==Clues beginning with G==
*[[Game]] - '''ru'''(Rugby Union)
*[[Gas]] - '''h''' (hydrogen), '''o''' (oxygen), '''n''' (nitrogen), '''cs''' (tear gas)
*German submarine - '''u''' ([[U-boat]])
*[[Germany]] - '''ger''', '''d''' (Deutschland)
*[[Gold]] - '''au''' (chemical symbol), '''or''' (in heraldry)
*Good - '''pi''' (pious)
*Good Man - '''st''' (abbreviation for Saint)
*Graduate - '''ba''', '''ma''' (university degrees)
*Gram - '''g'''
*Grand prix - '''gp'''
*Grand - '''g''', '''m''' (Roman numeral for 1000), '''k''' (kilo-)
*Group - '''gp'''
*Gunners - '''ra''' (Royal Artillery)
==Clues beginning with H==
*[[Hectare]] - '''ha'''
*[[Helium]] - '''he'''
*Heroin - '''h'''
*Hire purchase - '''hp'''
*Holy man - '''st''' (saint)
*Honours - '''ba''' or '''ma''' (see Degree)
*[[Home counties]] - '''se''' (South-east of England)
*[[Horse]] - '''g''', '''gg''' (slang)
*[[Hospital]] - '''h'''
*Hour - '''h'''
*Houses of Parliament - '''hp'''
*Hundred - '''c''' (Roman numeral)
==Clues beginning with I==
*[[Iceland]] - '''is''' (country code)
*Inch - '''in'''
*Information - '''gen'''
*Information technology - '''it'''
*Intelligence - '''iq'''
*[[Iodine]] - '''i''' (chemical symbol)
*[[Ireland]] - '''ire'''
*Irish Republican Army - '''ira'''
*[[Iron]] - '''fe''' (chemical symbol)
==Clues beginning with J==
*Jack - '''j''', '''tar''', '''ab''' (sailor)
*Jet - '''mig''' (type of plane)
*Jolly - '''rm''' ([[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]])
*Judge - '''j'''
*Junction - '''t''' (T-junction)
*Junior - '''jr'''
==Clues beginning with K==
*[[Kelvin]] - '''k'''
*[[Kentucky]] - '''ky'''
*Key - '''a''', '''b''', '''c''', '''d''', '''e''', '''f''' or '''g''' (musical keys)
*Kick off - '''ko'''
*Kilo - '''k'''
*King - '''k''', '''r''' (from the Latin ''rex''), '''hm''' (His Majesty), or '''hrh''' (His Royal Highness), or '''gr''' (King George (rex))
*Kiss - '''x''' (the symbol for a kiss)
*[[Boy|Knave]] - '''j''' (Jack)
*Knight - '''k''', '''kt''', '''kbe''' (Knight Commander of the British Empire) or '''kg''' (Knight of the Garter) or '''n'''(The symbol for a knight on a chessboard)
*Knock out - '''ko'''
*Knot - '''kt'''
*Knowledge - '''ken'''
==Clues beginning with L==
*Labour - '''lab'''
*Lake - '''l''' or '''la'''
*Large number - '''c''', '''d''', '''m''' (Roman numerals) or '''k''' (kilo-)
*Last month - '''ult''' (ultimo)
*Lawrence - '''dh''' ([[D. H. Lawrence]]) or '''te''' ([[T. E. Lawrence]])
*Lead - '''pb''' (chemical symbol)
*Learner - '''l'''
*Left - '''l'''
*Liberal '''l''' or '''lib'''
*Lieutenant - '''lt'''
*Listener - '''ear'''
*[[Litre]] - '''l'''
*Local area network - '''lan'''
*Long playing record - '''lp'''
*Long wave - '''lw'''
*Loud - '''f''' (forte), or '''ff''' (fortissimo)
*Los Angeles - '''la'''
*Love - '''o''' (zero score in tennis)
==Clues beginning with M==
*Maiden - '''m''' (cricket terminology for no runs in an over)
*Male - '''m''', '''he''' or '''pa'''
*Map-makers - '''os''' ([[Ordnance Survey]])
*Marines - '''rm''' ([[Royal Marines]])
*Married - '''m'''
*Master of ceremonies - '''mc'''
*Medal - '''vc''' ([[Victoria Cross]]), '''gc''' ([[George Cross]]), '''obe''' ([[Order of the British Empire]]), '''om''' ([[Order of merit]])
*Medic - '''doc''' (short for doctor), '''bm''' (Bachelor of Medicine), '''mb''' (''Medicinae Baccalaureus''), '''md''' (''Medicinae Doctor''), '''mo''' (medical officer), '''gp''' (General Practitioner), '''dr''' (short for doctor)
*Master of Arts - '''ma'''
*Master's - '''ma''' (Master of Arts degree)
*Megabyte - '''mb'''
*Member - '''mp''' (same as Member of Parliament (below))
*Member of Parliament - '''mp'''
*Messerschmitt - '''me'''
*Middle East - '''me'''
*Midfielder - '''l''' (the 'mid' letter of 'fielder')
*Military Police - '''mp'''
*[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] - '''mod'''
*Minute - '''m'''
*Model - '''t''' (Model T Ford)
*Monarch - '''er''' (Elizabeth Regina), '''gr''' (George Rex), '''q''' (queen), '''k''' (king) or '''r''' (rex/regina)
*Monsieur - '''m'''
*Morning - '''am'''
*Mother - '''ma'''
*Motorway - '''m''' or '''mi''' (looks like [[M1 motorway|M1]])
==Clues beginning with N==
*National Trust - '''nt'''
*Navy - '''rn''' (Royal Navy), '''abs''' (able-bodied seamen) or '''tars''' (slang for seamen)
*Nazis - '''ss''' ([[Schutzstaffel]])
*[[Neon]] - '''ne''' (chemical symbol)
*Never-never - '''hp''' (synonym for hire purchase)
*New - '''n'''
*New Testament - '''nt'''
*Nitrogen - '''n'''
*No ball - '''nb''' (cricket terminology)
*North - '''n'''
*Not applicable - '''na'''
*Note - '''nb''' (from the Latin '''nota bene''') or '''a,b,c,d,e,f,g''' (musical notes)
*Nothing - '''o''' (the letter O looks like the number 0)
*Now - '''ad''' (from the Latin [[Anno Domini]])
==Clues beginning with O==
*Odds - '''sp''' (starting price)
*Officer - '''oc''' (Officer Corps)
*Old - '''o'''
*Old City - '''ur''' (name of city of Ur, not cryptic)
*Old person - '''oap'''
*Old Testament - '''ot'''
*One - '''i''' (the letter I looks like 1) or rarely '''a''', '''an''' (not normally used in British crosswords)
*Operating system - '''os'''
*Operation - '''op'''
*Oriental - '''e''' (East)
*[[Ounce]] - '''oz''' (abbreviation)
*Outsized - '''os'''
*Over the top - '''ott'''
*Overdose - '''od'''
*Oxygen - '''o'''
==Clues beginning with P==
*Page - '''p'''
*Painters - '''ra''' (Royal Academy)
*Paramilitaries - '''eta''' (Basque Nationalists), '''ira''' ([[Irish Republican Army]]), '''uff''' ([[Ulster Freedom Fighters]]), '''uda''' ([[Ulster Defence Association]])
*Parking - '''p'''
*Party - '''do''' (slang) or '''lab, lib, con''' (Political Parties)
*Peacekeepers - '''un''' ([[United Nations]])
*Pencil - '''hb'''
*Penny - '''p''', '''d''' (old penny), '''cu''' (copper)
*Physical education - '''pe'''
*Physical training - '''pt'''
*Piano - '''p'''
*Plane - '''mig''' (type of plane)
*Point - '''n''', '''e''', '''s''', '''w''' (and other compass bearings)
*Pole - '''n''' (north) or '''s''' (south)
*Policeman/men - '''pc''' (Police Constable), '''di''' (Detective Inspector), '''met''' ([[Metropolitan Police]]), '''cid''' ([[Criminal Investigation Department]])
*Politician - '''mp'''
*Posh - '''u''' (short for upper class)
*Post office - '''po'''
*Potassium - '''k''' (chemical symbol)
*Priest - '''rev''' (reverend), '''rr''' (Right Reverend), '''dd''' (Doctor of Divinity), '''fr''' (Father)
*Prime Minister - '''pm'''
*Prisoner of war - '''pow'''
*Pound - '''lb''' (weight)
==Clues beginning with Q==
*Queen - '''q''', '''er''' (Elizabeth Regina), '''hm''' (Her Majesty)
*Quiet/quietly - '''p''' (piano), '''sh'''
==Clues beginning with R==
*Railway - '''r''', '''ry''' or '''br''' ([[British Rail]])
*Record - '''ep''' (extended play record), '''lp''' (long playing record)
*Regina - '''r'''
*Retired - '''ret'''
*Reverend - '''rr''' (Right Reverend), '''dd''' (Doctor of Divinity), '''rev'''
*Rex - '''r'''
*Right Reverend - '''rr'''
*Right - '''r'''
*Ring - '''o''' (the letter O looks like a ring)
*River - '''r'''
*Road - '''rd''' or '''ai''' (looks like [[A1 road|A1]])
*Rolls Royce - '''rr'''
*Rook - '''r'''
*Royal Academy - '''ra'''
*Royal Artillery - '''ra'''
*Royal Engineers - '''re'''
*Royal Marines - '''rm'''
*Royal Navy - '''rn'''
*Run - '''r'''
==Clues beginning with S==
*Sailor - '''ab''' (able-bodied seaman), '''tar''' (slang), '''rn''', '''salt'''
*Saint - '''st'''
*Sappers - '''re''' (the Royal Engineers equivalent of "private")
*Say - '''eg''' (short for the Latin ''exempli gratia'')
*Seaman - '''ab''' (able-bodied seaman)
*Secret service - '''ss'''
*Setter - '''i''' or '''me''' (meaning the setter of the crossword)
*Shilling - '''s'''
*Significant other - '''so'''
*Ship - '''ss''' (steam ship)
*Short wave - '''sw'''
*[[Silver]] - '''ag''' (chemical symbol)
*[[Sodium]] - '''na''' (chemical symbol)
*Softly - '''p''' (musical notation)
*Soldier - '''rm''' (Royal Marine), '''re''' (Royal Engineer), '''gi''' (Government Issue)
*Soldiers - '''men''', '''or''' (Other Ranks)
*Son - '''s'''
*South - '''s'''
*Sportsman - '''blue'''(From Oxford - Cambridge Face-Offs)
*State - any abbreviation of an American State (eg CA, FL ..)
*Street - '''st'''
*Student - '''l''' (learner) or '''nus''' ([[National Union of Students of the United Kingdom|National Union of Students]])
*Submarine - '''u''' (U-boat) or '''sub'''
*Sweetheart - '''e''' (the middle letter or 'heart' of 'sweet')
==Clues beginning with T==
*Tar - '''ab''' (able-bodied seaman)
*Tax - '''vat''' ([[Value added tax]])
*Teachers - '''nut''' (National Union of Teachers)
*Team - '''xi''' (Roman numerals for eleven players in a football or cricket team)
*Teetotal - '''tt''' or '''aa''' (from [[Alcoholics Anonymous]])
*Ten - '''x''' (Roman numerals) or '''io''' (IO looks like 10)
*[[Territorial Army]] - '''ta'''
*Terrorists - '''eta''' (Basque Nationalists), '''ira''' ([[Irish Republican Army]]), '''uff''' ([[Ulster Freedom Fighters]]), '''uda''' ([[Ulster Defence Association]])
*That is - '''ie''' (from the Latin ''id est'')
*Theologian - '''dd''' (Doctor of Divinity)
*This month - '''inst''' (from the Latin ''[[List of Latin abbreviations|instante mense]]'')
*Thousand - '''g''' (grand), '''m''' (Roman numeral), or '''k''' (kilo-)
*Thus - '''ie''' (short for the Latin ''id est'')
*Time - '''t''', '''s''', '''m'''
*Times - '''x''' (multiplication symbol)
*Toilet - '''wc''' (water closet)
*Tory - '''con''' (slang for Conservative)
*Trendy - '''in''' (euphemism)
*Tripod - '''Y''' (shape of a Tripod)
*Tyro - '''l''' (for learner)
==Clues beginning with U==
*Ulster - '''ni''' (Northern Ireland)
*Ulster Defence Association - '''uda'''
*Ulster Freedom Fighters - '''uff'''
*United Nations - '''un'''
*Unknown - '''x''', '''y''' or '''z''' (Mathematical [[variable]])
*University - '''u''' or '''ou''' (Open University) or '''up''' (in the UK one goes up to university)
==Clues beginning with V==
*Value added tax - '''vat'''
*Variable - '''x''', '''y''' or '''z''' (Mathematical unknown)
*Versus - '''v''' or '''vs'''
*Very - '''v'''
*Volunteers - '''ta''' ([[Territorial Army]])
==Clues beginning with W==
*Way - '''rd''' (road), '''st''' (street), '''ave''' (avenue)
*Weight - '''g''' (gram), '''lb''' (pound)
*Whistle-blower - '''ref'''([[referee]])
*Wide - '''w''' (cricket)
*With - '''w'''
*Without - '''wo'''
*Work - '''op''' (operation), '''opus''' (classical music)
*Worker - '''ant,''' '''bee''' or '''temp'''
*Working - '''on'''
==Clues beginning with X==
==Clues beginning with Y==
*Yard - '''yd''' or '''y'''
*Year - '''y''' or '''yr'''
==Clues beginning with Z==
*Zero - '''o''' (the letter O looks like the number 0)
== External links ==
*[http://www.btinternet.com/~ed.xword/AbbrevA_C.html Reverse A-Z list of abbreviations]
[[Category:Word puzzles]]
[[Category:Abbreviations]]