Container indicator

bear

“bear” is a container indicator in cryptic crosswords.

One piece of wordplay is wrapped around or inserted into another. Containers use the imagery of holding, enclosing, or swallowing.

Clue types: Container
Forms: bears, bearing
Subtlety: subtle
Part of speech: participle, verb
Themes: containment

Worked example

“Leading hand bearing right (5)”

Answer: FIRST

Definition: "Leading". "hand" gives a synonym FIST. "right" abbreviates to R. "bearing" tells us to put R inside FIST. FIST around R = FIRST, meaning leading.

Related indicators

about
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accommodate
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amidst
among
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around
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break
bury
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Anagram Hidden word Container Reversal Deletion Homophone Charade Acrostic

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