Cryptic Clues - Puzzle Submission Guide

🎯 How to Submit a Puzzle

We welcome puzzle submissions from the community! Follow these steps to contribute:

Method 1: GitHub Issues (Automated)

1. Create a New Issue

   • Go to the Issues tab
   • Click "New Issue"
   • Select "Submit New Puzzle" template

2. Fill Out the Form

   • Enter all required fields:
     • Puzzle ID (unique number)
     • Date
     • Author name
     • Difficulty level
     • Puzzle type(s)
     • Clue text
     • Answer
     • Definition
     • Fodder
     • Indicator
   • Check the submission agreement boxes

3. Submit the Issue

   • A maintainer will review your puzzle
   • Once approved, they'll add the approved label
   • The automation will automatically:
     • Create a JSON file in /puzzles/{id}.json
     • Update index.html with your puzzle
     • Close the issue with a confirmation comment

4. Your Puzzle is Live! 🎉

   • The puzzle will appear on the main page
   • Users can solve it immediately

Method 2: Manual Pull Request

If you prefer to create the JSON file yourself:

1. Fork the Repository

2. Create a JSON File

   • Create a new file in /puzzles/ folder
   • Name it with the next available number: {id}.json
   • Use this structure:

{
  "id": 24,
  "date": "February 2, 2026",
  "author": "Your Name",
  "difficulty": "medium",
  "clue": "Your cryptic clue text (number)",
  "answer": "ANSWER",
  "definition": "definition part",
  "fodder": "fodder part",
  "indicator": "indicator word(s)"
}

3. Update index.html
   • Add your puzzle to the clues array at the top:

{
  id: 24,
  clue: "Your cryptic clue text (number)",
  answer: "ANSWER",
  type: "hidden",
  difficulty: "Medium",
  date: "2026-02-02"
}

4. Submit a Pull Request
   • Describe your puzzle
   • Wait for review and approval

📋 Puzzle Guidelines

Clue Requirements

• Must be a valid cryptic crossword clue
• Include letter count in parentheses: (5) or (5,4) for multi-word answers
• Should have clear definition and wordplay parts
• Must be solvable and fair

Field Specifications

Field	Type	Example	Notes
id	number	24	Must be unique
date	string	"February 2, 2026"	Publication date
author	string	"Andrew Veda"	Creator's name
difficulty	string	"medium"	easy, medium, or hard
clue	string	"Clue text (5)"	Include letter count
answer	string	"ANSWER"	Uppercase, no spaces
definition	string	"definition part"	The straight definition
fodder	string	"wordplay part"	Letters used in wordplay
indicator	string	"anagram indicator"	Words that signal the technique

Puzzle Types

• anagram - Letters rearranged
• acrostic - First letters form answer
• charade - Word parts combined
• hidden - Answer hidden in clue
• homophone - Sounds like another word
• double - Double definition
• mixed - Combination of types

✅ Review Process

1. Submission - Issue or PR created
2. Review - Maintainer checks quality and correctness
3. Approval - approved label added (for issues)
4. Automation - Files created automatically
5. Live - Puzzle appears on website

🤝 Code of Conduct

• Submit only original content or puzzles you have permission to share
• Be respectful in all interactions
• Accept feedback graciously
• Ensure puzzles are appropriate for all audiences

🐛 Issues or Questions?

• Open an issue for technical problems
• Tag maintainers for urgent matters
• Check existing issues before creating new ones

📜 License

By submitting a puzzle, you agree to license it under the same terms as this repository.

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Happy puzzling! 🧩✨