Hidden word indicator

central to

“central to” is a hidden word indicator in cryptic crosswords.

The answer sits unbroken across the letters of consecutive words. A hidden-word indicator points to something held, buried, or partly visible.

Clue types
Hidden word
Subtlety
subtle
Part of speech
phrase
Themes
concealment

Note: Implies the answer is centrally located in the words.

Worked example

Reputation central to urban America (4)

Answer: NAME

Hidden-word clue. Definition: "Reputation" = NAME (one's name/reputation). Wordplay: NAME is concealed as consecutive letters spanning two words in the carrier "urban America" — urba(N AME)rica. The indicator "central to" signals the buried answer and reads naturally as part of the surface statement that reputation is central to urban America. Surface misdirects toward a social observation rather than a concealed word. Enumeration (4) matches NAME.


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