Crossword blog badge  Cryptic crosswords for beginners:
containers  Alan Connor demystifies the devices used in cryptic
crosswords for beginners and asks experienced solvers to share
their favourite examples. This week: putting one thing inside
another Crossword blog: Start by noticing the container... Start
by noticing the container ... Photograph: Christopher Thomond
for the Guardian  Hello again to cryptic newcomers. Are you
ready to have fun? This time, we're looking at clues which ask
you to find one bunch of letters, then put that bunch inside
another bunch and finally realise you have the answer. And then
you write it in the grid.  And a reminder for nervous newcomers
before we begin: here we're looking at clues in isolation; in a
genuine puzzle environment, you'd have some letters from other
clues to work with, considerably lightening the solving load. In
other words, everything you see below is easier than it might
appear.  How does it work?  A cryptic clue typically gives you
two chances to get the