How to Solve: A Follower Starts to Lose Faith About UFO Crop Circle Hoax

This cryptic clue demonstrates three essential wordplay techniques working together: deletion, selection, and containment. Let's break down each component and reveal how BLUFF emerges as the answer.

Understanding the Structure

Every cryptic clue contains three parts:

• Definition: 'hoax' (the direct synonym for our answer)
• Indicators: 'starts to', 'about', and 'crop' (instructions for manipulation)
• Fodder: 'A follower', 'lose faith', 'UFO', and 'circle' (the raw material)

Decoding the Indicators

The three indicators guide us through different operations:

1. Selection Indicator: "starts to"
This tells us to take the first letter of a word. "Starts to" focuses on the beginning of 'lose faith'—giving us L.

2. Selection Indicator: "about"
Similarly, this indicator points to the first letter of 'UFO', which is U.

3. Deletion Indicator: "crop"
To crop means to trim or remove. We take 'circle' and crop it (remove letters) to get E.

Building the Answer

Now we have our substitutes: L, U, and E.

For the fourth component, "A follower" refers to a person who follows—a B (the letter that comes after A in the alphabet, making it a follower of A).

Arrange these elements in the right order:

• B (from 'A follower')
• L (from 'lose faith')
• U (from 'UFO')
• F (from 'circle' cropped)
• F (another F from 'circle')

This spells BLUFF—another word for a hoax or deception.

The Surface Reading

The surface of the clue reads like a straightforward phrase about UFOs and crop circles, but it's carefully constructed to mislead you. This misdirection is what makes cryptic crosswords challenging and satisfying to solve.

Key Takeaway

When solving cryptic clues, always:

• Identify the definition (your target)
• Spot the indicators (your instructions)
• Separate the fodder (your building blocks)
• Apply wordplay techniques systematically

With practice, recognizing these patterns becomes second nature, and you'll crack even the trickiest clues with confidence.