Crossword abbreviations

Cryptic crosswords often use abbreviations to clue individual letters or short fragments of the overall solution. These include:

Any conventional abbreviations found in a standard dictionary, such as:
* "current": AC ; less commonly, DC ; or even I
Roman numerals: for example the word "six" in the clue might be used to indicate the letters VI
The name of a chemical element may be used to signify its symbol; e.g., W for tungsten
The days of the week; e.g., TH for Thursday
Country codes; e.g., "Switzerland" can indicate the letters CH
ICAO spelling alphabet: where Mike signifies M and Romeo R
Conventional abbreviations for US cities and states: for example, "New York" can indicate NY and "California" CA or CAL.

The abbreviation is not always a short form of the word used in the clue. For example:

"Knight" for N

Taking this one stage further, the clue word can hint at the word or words to be abbreviated rather than giving the word itself. For example:

"About" for C or CA, or RE.
"Say" for EG, used to mean "for example".

More obscure clue words of this variety include:

"Model" for T, referring to the Model T.
"Beginner" or synonyms such as "novice" or "student" for L, as in L-plate.
"Bend" for S or U
"Books" for OT or NT, as in Old Testament or New Testament.
"Sailor" for AB, abbreviation of able seaman.
"Take" for R, abbreviation of the Latin word recipe, meaning "take".

Most abbreviations can be found in the Chambers Dictionary as this is the dictionary primarily used by crossword setters. However, some abbreviations may be found in other dictionaries, such as the Collins English Dictionary and Oxford English Dictionary.

A

Aboard – SS, or a word inside the letters SS
About – C or CA or RE
Abstainer – TT
Academic – DD or PROF
Acceleration – G
Accepted – A
Account – AC
Accountant – CA
Ace – A or AI
Advert – AD
African organisation – ANC
Afternoon – PM
Against – V or VS
Agent – REP
Agricultural – AG
Air conditioning – AC
Airman – AC, LAC or PO
Airmen – RAF
Alien – ET
Also known as – AKA
Aluminium – AL
Alumnus – OB or OG
Ambassador – HE
America – A, AM, US or USA
American – GI
American ship – USS
Amnesty – AI
Anglican – CE
Answer – A
Arbiter – REF
Archdeacon – VEN
Area – A
Army cop – MP
Army corps – REME or RE
Arsenic – AS
Article - A, AN or THE
Artificial intelligence – AI
Artillery – RA
Artist – RA
At – A
At home – IN
Atmosphere – AT
Attorney – DA or PA
Australia – A, AUS or OZ
Avenue – AVE
Award – OM

B

Bachelor of Arts – BA
Bachelor of Medicine – BM, MB
Base – E or TEN
Basque nationalists – ETA
Bearing – N, E, S, W, NE, NW, etc.
Beginner – L
Bend – S or U
Bible – AV
Bill – AC, IOU, TAB
Bishop – B or RR or DD
Boat – SS
Bob – S
Book – B, NT, OT, MS, GEN, AV
Bowled – B
Boy – B
Bridge player – N, E, S, W
British – B
Broadcaster – BBC
By – X
Byte – B

C

Calcium – CA
California – CA
Cape – C
Car – T, RR
Cardinal – N, E, S, W, RED
Care of – CO
Caught – C or CT
Celsius – C
Cent – C
Centigrade – C
Century – C
Certificate – X, U, PG, R, G
Champion – CH
Charge – Q
Charged – ION
Charlie – C
Chartered accountant – CA
Check or Checkmark – V
Chief – CH
Chlorine – CL
Chromosome – X or Y
Church – CH or CE or RC
Circa – C
Circle – O
City – NY, LA, or EC
Closed - TO
Club – Y
Coin – P, D or C – D or C would usually have "old" or "American" as well as "coin".
College – C
Cold – C
Colonel – COL
Colt – C
Commander-In-Chief – CINC, CIC
Commercial – AD
Committee – COM
Communist – RED, CHE
Companion – CH
Company – CO
Compare – CF
Compass point – N, E, S, W
Computer – PC
Concerning – RE
Conservationists – NT
Conservative – C, CON, TORY, BLUE
Constable – PC
Constant – E, PI, K, C or G
Contralto – C
Copper – P, D, CU, PC
Corner –.SE, NW, NE, SW
Councillor – CL, CLR, CLLR
Court – CT
Credit – CR
Criminal – CON
Cross – X
Current – AC, DC, I, AD or AMP
Current account – CA
Cystic fibrosis – CF

D

Date – D
Daughter – D
Dead or Died – D, DEC, EX, OB
Debts – IOUS
Deceased – D, DEC, EX
Decoration – VC, GC, MM
Degree – DEG, C, F, BA, MA.
Democrat – D
Departs – D
Detective – DC, DS, DI or PI
Detective inspector – DI
Detectives – CID, YARD
Deutschmark – DM
Dial - O
Dictionary - OED
Dinner jacket – DJ
Direction – N, E, S, W
Director – D
Disc – O, EP, LP, CD
Disease – TB, ME
Doctor – DOC, BM, MB, MD, MO, NO, GP, DR, WHO
Doctor of Divinity – DD
Donut – O
Drama – NOH
Drama Company – REP
Drip – IV
Drug – C, E, X or H
Drunk/Drunkard - sot
Dry – TT or AA
Duck – O
Ducks – OO
Duke – D

E

Each – EA
Earl – E
East – E
East Germany – GDR
Echo – E
Economists – LSE
Ecstasy – E or X
Editor – ED
Egg – O
Elected – IN
Electricity – AC, DC
Eleven – II, or XI
End of war – VE
Energy – E, J
Engagement - GIG
Engineer – CE, RE, REME or ME
English – E, EN, ENG
Escape – ESC
Established – EST
Estimated time of arrival – ETA
Europe – EU, EC
European - E
Everyone - U
Excellent – AI
Exercise – PE, PT, TRAIN
Extra – W
Extra large – XL
Extra terrestrial – ET

F

Fahrenheit – F
Father – DA, DAD, FR, PA
Fellow – F
Female – F
Fifty – L
Fighter – MIG
Fine – F
Firm – CO
Fish - Ling
Five – V
Five hundred – D
Fleet – RN
Fliers – RAF
Flying bomb – VI
Following – F
Football association – FA
Football club – FC
For example – EG
Force – F, G, N
Former – EX
Four – IV
France – F
Frenchman – M
Friend - PAL

G

Game – RU
Gangster/gang leader – AL
Gas – H, O, N, CS
Genetic code – DNA or RNA
Georgia - GA
German submarine – U
Germany – GER, D
Glasses – OO
Gold – AU, OR
Good – PI
Good Man – S or ST
Graduate – BA, MA, BED
Gram – G
Grand – G, M, K
Grand prix – GP
Group – GP
Grunt – GI
Gunners/Gunmen – RA
Gym – PE or PT

H

Hand – N, E, S, W or L, R
Hard – H
Hear – T
Hectare – HA
Helium – HE
Henry – H
Heroin – H
Hesitation – ER
Hire purchase – HP
Hole – O
Holy man – ST
Home - IN
Home counties – SE
Honour – A, J, Q, K
Honours – BA or MA
Horse – G, GG, H
Hospital – H, SAN
Hospital Department – AE, ENT
Hour – H, HR
House – HO
Houses of Parliament – HP
Hug - O
Hundred – C, TON
Husband – H
Hydrogen – H

I

Iceland – IS
Image – PIC
Inch – IN
Independent – I or IND
Information technology – IT
Initials – inits.
Inspector – DI
Intelligence – IQ
Internet/internet provider – ISP
Iodine – I
Ireland – IRE
Irish Republican Army – IRA
Iron – FE
Island – IS or I
Israel - IL
Isle of Man – IOM

J

Jack – J, TAR, AB
Jet – MIG
Jolly – RM
Journalist – ED
Judge – J, REF
Junction – T
Junior – JR
Japan – YEN

K

Kelvin – K
Kentucky – KY
Key – A, B, C, D, E, F or G, ALT, ESC, DEL
Kick off – KO
Kilo – K
King – K, R, HM, or GR, or CR. Also BB
Kiss – X
Knave – J
Knight – K, KT, KBE or KG or N
Knock out – KO
Knot – KT

L

Labour – LAB
Lake – L or LA
Landlord - LETTER
Large – L, OS
Large number – C, D, M or K
Last – Z
Last month – ULT
Latin – L or LAT
Lawrence – DH or TE
Lawyer – DA
Lead – PB
Learner – L
Lecturer – L
Left – L
Leg – ON
Liberal – L or LIB
Lieutenant – LT
Line – L
Lines – LL, RY, BR
Literary/Literature – LIT
Litre – L
local – PH or PUB
Local area network – LAN
London Philharmonic Orchestra – LPO
London police – MET
Long playing record – LP
Long wave – LW
Look – LO
Lord – LD
Los Angeles – LA
Loud – F or FF
Love – O

M

Madame – MME
Maiden – M
Male – M, HE or PA
Manager – MIC
Many – Any Roman numeral of considerable size
Map-makers – OS
Marines – RM
Married – M
Master – M
Master of Arts – MA
Master of ceremonies – MC
Master's – MA
Medal – VC, GC, OBE, OM
Medic – DOC, BM, MB, MD, MO, GP, DR
Mediterranean Sea – MED
Mega – M
Megabyte – MB
Member – MP, ARM, LEG, words for male genitals
Member of Parliament – MP
Men – OR
Messerschmitt – ME
Metre – M
Middle East – ME
Midfielder – L
Military Police – MP
Million – M
Miners – NUM
Minister - MP, Rev
Ministry of Defence – MOD
Minute – M
Model – T
Monarch – CR, ER, GR, Q, K or R
Monsieur – M
Morning or Half Day – AM
Mother – MA
Motor racing – FI
Motorists – AA, RAC
Motorway – M or MI
Murderer - CAIN
Museum - VA

N

Namely – SC, SS, alternative to IE
National Trust – NT
Navy – RN, ABS or TARS
Nazis – SS
Neon – NE
Never-never – HP
New – N
New Testament – NT
News – NN
Newspaper – RAG, FT
Newton – N
Nil – O
Nitrogen – N
No – N or X
No ball – NB
Noon – M, N
North – N
Not applicable – NA
Note – NB, PS or A, B, C, D, E, F, G or DO, RE, MI, FA, SO/SOH, LA, TE/TI. LA is most commonly referenced.
Nothing – O, FA
Notice – D
Now – AD
Number – NO, V, X, C, D, M, L
Nurse – EN, SEN or RN

O

Odds – SP
Officer – OC or CO
Old – O, OL
Old man – PA, DAD
Old person – OAP
Old Testament – OT
One – I or rarely A, AN, ACE, UNIT
Operating system – OS
Operation – OP
Order – OM
Ordinary Seaman – OS, Rating
Oriental – E
Other Ranks – OR
Ounce – OZ
Outside broadcasting – OB
Outsized – OS
Outstanding – OS
Over – O
Over the top – OTT
Overdose – OD
Oversize – OS
Oxygen – O

P

Page – P
Painters – RA
Pair – PR
Papers – ID
Paramilitaries – ETA, IRA, UFF, UDA
Paratrooper – PARA
Parking – P
Party – LAB, LIB or LD, CON or C or TORY, DO
Peacekeepers – UN
Pencil – HB
Penny – P, D, CU
Phone company – BT or EE
Physical education – PE
Physical training – PT
Physicists – CERN
Piano – P
Pig - SOW
Pint – PT
Place – PL, SET, SITE, SPOT
Plane – MIG
Plate – L or P
Please – O
Poem – IF
Poet – PO, TS
Point – N, E, S, W
Pole – N or S
Policeman/men – PC, DI, MET, CID
Politician – MP
Posh – U
Post office – PO
Potassium – K
Pound – LB, L
Presenter – DJ or MC
Priest – PR, REV, RR, DD, FR, ELI
Prime Minister – PM
Prisoner – CON
Prisoner of war – POW
Promises – IOUS
Promotion – AD
Province – NI
Pub – PH
Pudding – PUD

Q

Quarter – N, S, E, W
Quartet – IV
Queen – Q, ER, HM
Quiet/quietly – P, SH

R

Race – TT
Railway – R, RY, BR, EL
Rated – X
Rechabite – TT
Record – EP, LP
Ref – UMP
Regina – R
Religious – PI
Religious education – RE
Republican – R, REP, GOP
Resistance – R
Retired – RET
Reverend – RR, DD, REV
Revolutionary — CHE
Rex – R
Right – R
Right Reverend – RR
Ring – O
River – R, MA, PO, OB, DEE, URE,
Road – RD or AI
Rolls-Royce – RR
Roman Catholic – RC
Rook – R
Round – O
Royal Academy – RA
Royal Artillery – RA
Royal Engineers – RE
Royal Marines – RM
Royal Navy – RN
Rugby – RU
Run – R
Rural Dean – RD

S

Sailor – AB, TAR, RN, SALT, JACK, HAND, OS
Saint – ST or S
Same – DO
Sappers – RE
Satisfactory – S
Say – EG
Seaman – AB
Second – S or MO
Secret service – SS
Secretary – PA
Section – OR
See – LO
Senior Service – RN
Sergeant Major - SM
Serial or Series – SER
Service - RAF
Setter – I, ME, ONE
Setter's – MY
Sex appeal – IT or SA
Shilling – S
Ship – SS
Ship's officer – PO
Shirt – T
Short wave – SW
Side – LEG, OFF, ON
Significant other – SO
Silk – QC or KC
Silver – AG
Singer – RAT
Sixth sense – ESP
Sleep, Snooze or Asleep - Z or ZZ
Small – S
Snake - S
Socialite – DEB
Socially acceptable – U
Society - S or SOC
Sodium – NA
Softly – P
Soldier – RM, RE, GI, OR, ANT, VET
Soldiers – MEN, OR
Son – S
South – S
Spade – S
Spain – E
Special – S, SP
Spectacles – OO
Spies – CIA, MI
Sport – RL, RU
State – any abbreviation of an American State
Steam Ship – SS
Stone – ST
Street – ST
Student – L or NUS
Study – CON, DEN, READ
Stumped – ST
Submarine – U or SUB
Succeeded – S
for all — U
Superintendent – SUPT
Sweat – BO

T

Tabloid – SUN, RAG
Take — R
Tar – AB
Tax – VAT
Teacher – DON, B ED
Teachers – NUT
Team – XI
Teetotal – TT or AA
Ten – X or IO
Tense – T
Territorial Army – TA
Terrorists – ETA, IRA, UFF, UDA
Thanks – TA
That is – IE or SC, SS
Theatre – REP
Theologian – DD
This month – INST
Thousand – G, M, or K
Thus – IE, SO, SIC
Time – T, S, M, AGE
Times – BY, X, TT
Toilet – WC
Tory – CON
Trendy – IN
Tripod – Y
Troop – RM
Tungsten – W
Tyro – L

U

Ulster – NI
Ulster Defence Association – UDA
Ulster Freedom Fighters – UFF
Ultimate – Z
United – U
United Nations – UN
University – U or OU or UP
Unknown – X, Y or Z
Up or Upper – U or N

V

Value added tax – VAT
Variable – X, Y or Z
Vermouth – IT
Version – V
Versus – V or VS
Very – V
Vessel – SS
Viscount – VIS
Volunteers – TA
Vote – X

W

Way – RD, ST, AVE
Weekend - SS
Weight – G, LB
Westminster - HP
Wheel – O
Whistle-blower – REF
Wide – W
Wife – W
With – W
Without – WO
Work – W, OP, OPUS
Worker – ANT, BEE, ARM, HAND
Workers – TU
Writing – MS

X

X – IO

Y

Yard – YD or Y
Year – Y or YR
Yen - Y
Yes – Y
Yours truly – ID or I

Z

Zero – O or Z