A very basic clue type is the “double definition.”  As implied by the name, double-definition clues are made up of two definitions for the answer.   These clues are usually used to define “homographs” — words that are spelled the same way, but have different meanings.   In cryptic design, this type of clue comes in especially handy for answers that can be two different parts of speech — noun and verb, noun and adjective, etc.   Obviously, double definitions also work with two of the same part of speech – noun/noun, verb/verb and even proper noun/noun.

There are usually two parts to a double-definition clue:

1.  First definition

2.  Second definition

Sometimes, but certainly not always, the definitions are connected by linking words.  Double-definition clues may legitimately use linking words like is, becomes, was, are, etc., among others.

Some Simple Examples:

Mug Gertrude (5)

Answer: “stein”

Envision proposal (7)

Answer: “project”

Practice surgery (9)

Answer: “operation”

Spoil corruption (5)

Answer: “decay”

Identifying Double Definition Clues

1.  The clue is often short

2.  There may be an obvious separation between the two definitions

Keep in mind that, in double definition clues, there typically is no “indicator.”