&lit

See also: Appendix:Variations of "lit" and Template:&lit

English

Alternative forms

  • & lit.

Etymology

From & + clipping of literal or literally.

Coined[note 1] by "Ximenes" (Derrick Somerset Macnutt) in his 1966 book Ximenes on the Art of the Crossword.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ænd lɪt/, enPR: ănd lĭt

Noun

&lit (plural &lits)

  1. (crosswording, sometimes attributive) 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.
    • 2006, Nikki Katz, Zen and the Art of Crossword Puzzles: A Journey Down and Across, page 63:
      &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.

Derived terms

Further reading

Notes

  1. ^ " […] the name I have given it for the sake of brevity is not self-explanatory […] "

Anagrams

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