David Tossman’s Crossword Webskite
You will find a wealth of books about cryptic crosswords out there, most of them replate will lists of indicators and abbreviations, and some consisting of nothing else.
My list is not meant to compete with or supplant any of them. It is merely a quick reference guide intended mainly for the cryptic crossword novice.
For more guidance, Wikipedia's writeup on the subject is a good place to start and does include leads to further reading. Not mentioned there are Chambers XWD – a Dictionary of Crossword Abbreviations and the remarkable Bradford's Solver's Dictionary, the result of over thirty five years' analysis by Anne R Bradford of some 300,000 crossword clues. Both might prove invaluable however it must be said that most cryptic enthusiasts, after a little guidance and practice, manage perfectly well by dint of their own insights and imagination.
My cheatsheet clearly pales by comparison with the above efforts but I hope it might prove useful for the novice. What's more it is infinitely cheaper than any book.
Stephen Sondheim, famous American composer and lyricist, less famous cryptic crossword enthusiast and setter for New York magazine.
