Starting Cryptic Crosswords with Puns and Anagram

In her post titled "Variety: Puns and Anagrams" posted on Wordplay, the crossword blog of The New York Times, Deb Amlen explains how if you’re not used to doing cryptic crossword puzzles then a great way to get started is by solving Puns and Anagrams. However, unlike cryptic crosswords which are solved using a set of fairly standard or strict "rules", anything is fair game in Puns and Anagrams. While this is true, this explanation by Mel Taub on solving Puns and Anagrams and some of the devices used in them may be helpful.

Guidelines for Solving The Nation's Cryptic Crosswords

If you're new to solving cryptic puzzles then check out the guidelines by Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto for Solving The Nation's Cryptic Crosswords. It describe the common types of wordplay (e.g. Anagrams, Charades and Homophonesas) as well as hints on how to spot them.