cryptic
KRIP-tik · adjective
Mysterious or difficult to understand because its meaning is hidden.
Memory connection
Picture “crypt tick”
A ticking map beneath a crypt shows symbols instead of directions. Its message remains hidden until the code is solved.
The sound cue helps you reach the scene; the action in the scene carries you from the scene to the definition.
Use it accurately
Meaning in context
The note contained only a cryptic reference to ‘the second door.’
His cryptic smile suggested that he knew more than he intended to reveal.
Cryptic describes messages, remarks, clues, or behavior whose meaning is concealed or puzzling. It does not necessarily imply specialized knowledge.
Common patterns
- a cryptic message
- cryptic clue
- deliberately cryptic
Quick check
Can you retrieve the meaning?
What makes a clue cryptic?
Choose an answer, then explain it in your own words.