Deletion indicator
cut short
“cut short” is a deletion indicator in cryptic crosswords.
You remove part of a word — its head, tail, heart, or ends — before using what remains. Deletions use the imagery of loss, cutting, or being incomplete.
- Clue types
- Deletion
- Subtlety
- moderate
- Part of speech
- phrase
“Concern when a calling is cut short by hesitation (4)”
Answer: CARE
Definition: "Concern" — means CARE. "calling" → CAREER (a vocation or profession). "hesitation" → ER (the sound of a verbal stumble). "cut short" signals a deletion — lop ER off the end. CAREER minus ER gives CARE.
Related indicators
- abbreviate
- abridge
- after the first
- almost
- bare
- behead
- borderless
- boundless
- brief
- briefly
- centreless
- clip
- clipped at both ends
- core
- coreless
- crop
Explore indicator types
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