In today’s post, we shall look at the &lit type of clue. This symbol stands for “and literally so”. What makes this clue unusual (and challenging) is that the entire clue is the definition, and the entire clue, at the same time, is the wordplay. Sometimes (not always!) the setter will indicate this type of clue with an exclamation mark. These clues are usually short and frequently use an anagram or an “embedding” in its wordplay.

Let us understand this type of clue with a few examples:
1) Spoil vote! (4)
Looking at the entire clue as a definition, we can see that the answer can spoil a vote. Looking at the entire clue as a wordplay, we can see that the answer is an anagram of vote (spoil being the anagram indicator). And so we have VETO. Is your head spinning yet?? Let us look at another example.
2) I’m a leader of Muslims (4)
If we look at the entire clue as a definition, we can see that IMAM is a possible answer. If we parse the entire clue as a word play, we can see a charade: IM + A + M (leader of Muslims) = IMAM.
3) A soup goes here initially to be digested? (10)
This is a tough one. Taking the entire clue as the definition, we can see that the answer (of 10 letters) is the entrance to our digestive system. The wordplay tells us that there is an anagram to be solved here (‘to be digested’ is the anagram indicator) of A, SOUP, GOES and H (here, initially). And so we have OESOPHAGUS.

Here are a few for you to try on your own:
1) Terribly evil! (4)
2) Dogs in wild! (6)
3) Some herbal medicine? (4)
4) Primarily, refreshment using molasses? (3)
5) Where you find some heresy? No; dogma! (5)
6) What’s displayed by keener gymnasts, in part? (6)
7) No fellow for mixing (4,4)
Hint: The wordplay here involves an anagram.
8) What can be seen in book of maps? Not this island, for starters! (8)
This can seem daunting but you can do it if you look at the whole clue as a definition and once again at the whole clue as a wordplay. 🙂