Homophone indicators tell the solver that the solution sounds like a word or words suggested by the wordplay, but is spelt differently eg ‘Broadcast obscene programme’ for COURSE (sounds like ‘coarse’). Setters should be careful to ensure that in clues involving two words of the same length it is clear to which element the homophone indicator applies – so ‘Animal reportedly naked’ could lead to either BARE or BEAR; this should be reworded as ‘Animal naked, reportedly’ (for BEAR) or ‘Naked animal reported’ (for BARE).
There is an argument for any word or phrase which indicates vocalization being valid as a homophone indicator, even if it carries additional information relating to volume or tone which might be seen as an unfair distraction to the solver. Setters are advised to avoid those which suggest incorrect or unclear pronunciation, such as ‘barked’ or ‘muttered’; ‘shouted’ and ‘sung’ are regularly encountered, and they have been included here, but there are many others which could be chosen at the setter’s discretion.
Date last modified: 25/10/24
Recent changes: (07/03/24) added escaping from trap/released from trap, (13/08) added sounds/sounds like/sounding/sounded, (04/09) added according to hearsay, (21/10) added comes across as/coming across as, perceived as, (25/10) added declared, shouted, spouted, sung, voiced.
| Indicator | Alternative form(s) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| according to hearsay | Standard | |
| aloud | Standard | |
| announced | Standard | |
| articulated | Standard | |
| audible | audibly | Standard |
| broadcast | Standard | |
| caught | Standard | |
| comes across as | coming across as | Standard |
| declared | Standard | |
| delivered | Standard | |
| detected by auditors | for auditors | Standard |
| escaping from trap | released from trap | Standard |
| for audience | Standard | |
| for listener | Standard | |
| gathered | we gather | Standard |
| heard | we hear | Standard |
| in audition | Standard | |
| in conversation | Standard | |
| in speech | Standard | |
| made out | Standard | |
| on the radio | Standard | |
| on the telephone | Standard | |
| oral | orally | Standard |
| overheard | Standard | |
| perceived as | Standard | |
| picked up | Standard | |
| pronounced | Standard | |
| read out | read aloud | Standard |
| reported | reportedly/in report | Standard |
| said | so it's said | Standard |
| shouted | Standard | |
| sound of | by the sound of it | Standard |
| sounded | sounding | Standard |
| sounds | sounds like | Standard |
| spoken | Standard | |
| spouted | Standard | |
| stated | as stated | Standard |
| sung | Standard | |
| told | Standard | |
| uttered | Standard | |
| verbal | verbally | Standard |
| voiced | Standard |