Just to recap, every Cryptic Crossword clue will contain a 'definition' or the 'key-word' of the answer (usually at the beginning or the end), or the whole clue will be the definition.

I had talked about ANAGRAMS or a re-arrangement of the letters last month.

This month, I shall explain 'CHARADES, which are the bread and butter of Cryptic crosswords. Almost any word can be clued with a charade, and you may find that more than half the clues in a standard cryptic crossword are pure or partial charades. The name comes from the parlour game where you try to convey a phrase like the name of a film, by giving clues to each word or syllable. Similarly a charade clue just breaks up the answer into two or more manageable parts and provides a clue for each part, usually in the same order. The elements may be defined directly or by the use of equivalents. A few simple examples will illustrate this.

Agriculture in remote Chinese dynasty(7)
The solution is FARMING (Key-word is 'Agriculture') - remote is FAR and Chinese dynasty is MING

American assent follows a cleaner for this adviser(7)
The solution is ACHARYA (Key-word is 'Adviser') - A CLEANER is A CHAR and American assent is YA

Boxer follows mixed drink for this top man(6)
The solution is MURALI (Key-word is 'top man') - Drink is RUM and mixed drink is MUR and boxer is ALI

The wordplay in these examples may seem quite ... well, cryptic; but a little practice will reveal recurring schemes for encoding letters. For example: "Head of ..."/"Leading ..." will mean the first letter, "piece of ..."/"bit of ..." will mean a few letters, "Back of ..." will mean the last letter(s) etc.

Automobile Association initially holds a friend for this lady officer(5) will lead to the solution 'APALA' - AA being 'Automobile Association initially' which combines with PAL (friend) and the lady officer is ... APALA

A number of abbreviations are also commonly used by Crossword composers everywhere. Some of the common ones can be seen by clicking here

The clues given last month were very easy. Well, the first lesson is always easy. I hope this time they are not. At the same time, I don't want them so tough as to drive away prople. The clues this time are either anagrams or charades. Being a lesson, I have given the hint ( C is for Charade and A is for Anagram.) and have also underlined the components. Get cracking....

Study about publicity (4)(C)

Point has a need to be put differently (6)(A)

Guy to leave tropical fruit (5)(C)

A music troupe on leave (7)(C)

Rise late, perhaps, but still be the first (8)(A)

We shall shortly join firm (4,4)(C)

South American girl's study (7)(C)

Pitch raincoat to asphalt (6)(C)

Floods one sister withappointments(9)(C)

Aunt Mabel when wild is uncontrollable(9)(A)

Lagaan Captain confuses one washer for this IRAS officer (13)(C)