&lit
A cryptic crossword clue that can be interpreted in its entirety as either a definition or wordplay; for example, "God incarnate, essentially" for "Odin", a Norse god whose name is hidden in "God incarnate".
Noun
- A cryptic crossword clue that can be interpreted in its entirety as either a definition or wordplay; for example, "God incarnate, essentially" for "Odin", a Norse god whose name is hidden in "God incarnate".
- Perfect &lits are hard to create.
- &Lit: This word play means "and take it literally." In these clues, the word play and literal definition are one and the same. &Lit clues are marked with an exclamation point at the end. - 2006, Nikki Katz, Zen and the...
Origin
From & + clipping of literal or literally, referring to the fact that the clue both forms a traditional cryptic clue and can be read literally as a straight clue. Coined by "Ximenes" (Derrick Somerset Macnutt) in his 1966 book Ximenes on the Art of the Crossword.