crypticcryp‧tic /ˈkrɪptɪk/ adjective 
a cryptic note at the end of the letter—cryptically /-kli/ adverb
WORD ORIGINcryptic
Origin:
1600-1700 Late Latin crypticus, from Greek, from kryptos; ➔ CRYPTO-EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Indovina's lyrics are mostly cryptic and obscure.
- But there is one story which, in a cryptic and covert way, does.
- Darby was a cheerfully relaxed young man who compiled cryptic crosswords for a monthly magazine in his spare time.
- He did not find the question cryptic or bizarre.
- My journal is confused, almost cryptic on these matters.
- Rather, what she was saying with her cryptic scriptural reference was that I might not be asking the right question.
- These variations appear cryptic to most westerners, and require some explanation.
- Write down any error messages you see, no matter how cryptic.
THESAURUS
difficult to explain or understand, and often strange or slightly frightening: · the mysterious disappearance of ships in the waters of the Bermuda Triangle· What’s that mysterious noise?
difficult to explain or understand: · At first this must seem a puzzling question.· I found her attitude deeply puzzling.
impossible to understand, so that you feel very confused: · It was a baffling case.· Like many people, I find theoretical physics baffling.
formal impossible to explain: · For some inexplicable reason her mind went completely blank.· Some things in life are inexplicable.
formal mysterious and difficult to understand, but also often attractive or interesting – used especially about people, their expressions, or things they say: · She gave him an enigmatic smile.· an enigmatic remark
formal having a meaning that is difficult to understand, and is not expressed in a clear direct way – used especially about things that people say or write: · I got a rather cryptic message from him.· cryptic comments
if something is a mystery, you cannot understand how or why it happens: · Four years later, his death remains a complete mystery.· It’s all a mystery to me.
if an event or a situation, especially one that happened a long time ago, is shrouded in mystery, it is mysterious because no one knows exactly what happened: · Stone age civilization, veiled in mystery as it is, has provided the greatest challenge to historians.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a cryptic note at the end of the letterCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
having a meaning that is mysterious or not easily understoodcryptic remark/comment/statement etc a cryptic note at the end of the letter· A novel of international intrigue in which Grace goes to Stockholm in response to a cryptic message from her sister, Willa.· Better to lose face and be open about not understanding the cryptic message, than to lose sleep at night over it.· Manville perused the cryptic message with satisfaction.· As described in Chapter Five, the manager may use cryptic messages to reinforce this impression.· And was his cryptic message supposed to imply forgiveness for her own error - or some kind of apology for his own?· And because, somehow, Luke Hunter had caught her off balance with his flowers and cryptic messages.
a cryptic note at the end of the letter—cryptically /-kli/ adverb