{"id":4278,"date":"2024-02-10T18:22:15","date_gmt":"2024-02-10T18:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.clueclinic.com\/?page_id=4278"},"modified":"2026-07-25T12:24:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:24:32","slug":"intermittent-indicators","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/intermittent-indicators\/","title":{"rendered":"Intermittent Selection Indicators"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Intermittent selection<\/em>\u00a0indicators tell the solver to select letters at regular intervals from a word or series of words within the clue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Examples<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Notice odd bits of swede (3) = SEE, where the odd-numbered letters from the word SWEDE are selected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canny golfer regularly cut dogleg (5) = ANGLE, with alternate letters in CANNY GOLFER deleted to produce the answer..<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-2&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-2\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Using the List<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-2\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The list can be sorted by &#8216;Indicator&#8217;, &#8216;Selection&#8217; or &#8216;Validity&#8217;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The list can be filtered using the drop-downs on &#8216;Selection&#8217; and &#8216;Validity&#8217;. To reset a filter, select &#8216;Selection&#8217; or &#8216;Validity&#8217; from the top of the drop-down list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The indicators can dictate either selection or deletion of letters. With a &#8216;regular&#8217; selection indicator, the effect for the solver is unaffected, so &#8216;regularly&#8217; and &#8216;regularly cut&#8217; come to the same thing. With &#8216;even&#8217; and &#8216;odd&#8217; indicators, the effect of deletion is the opposite of selection, so &#8216;odd pieces from truant&#8217; gives TUN but &#8216;truant ignoring odds&#8217; gives RAT (ie the even-numbered letters).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-3&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-3\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Notes for Setters<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-3\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>With indicators such as &#8216;regularly&#8217;, the solver must determine both the first letter to be selected and the sampling frequency &#8211; typically every second letter is to be extracted, but every third or even fourth letter could legitimately be required. Many setters take the view that at least three letters in total must be selected when an indicator such as &#8216;regularly&#8217; is used, as just about any combination of two letters could be considered &#8216;regular&#8217;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are very few intermittent selection indicators which stand up to close scrutiny, but some are certainly better than others. In this list, indicators are rated A or B for validity. Those in first group I would consider relatively sound, while those in the second group are ones which I have seen used in puzzles but would consider highly questionable. Indicators which involved the words &#8216;evens&#8217; and &#8216;odds&#8217; have been downgraded to &#8216;B&#8217; status because although &#8216;evens&#8217; and &#8216;odds&#8217; are nouns, they have nothing to do with even or odd numbers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-4&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-4\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Recent Changes<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-4\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Date last modified: 10\/09\/25<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-20\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-20 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Indicator<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Alternative form(s)<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Selection<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Validity<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">alternate bits of<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">alternate parts of<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">alternate letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">alternately<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">alternate letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">at intervals<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">dropping every second<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">wanting seconds, seconds out<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">odd letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">even bits of<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">even letters from, even pieces of<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">even letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">evenly<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">even letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">evens out<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">odd letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">every other piece<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">leaving every other piece<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">alternate letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">every second<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">even letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">every so often<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">from time to time<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">ignoring the odds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">even letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">intermittently<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">now and again<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">every now and again<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">now and then<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">every now and then<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-17\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">occasionally<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-18\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">odd bits of<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">odd letters from, odd pieces of<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">odd letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-19\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">oddly<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">oddly chosen<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">odd letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-20\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">odds  of<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">odd letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-21\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">odds cut<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">even letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-22\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">on and off<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">off and on<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-23\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">periodically<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-24\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">prime selection from<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">prime bits of<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">letters 2,3,5,7 etc<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-25\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">regular letters from<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-26\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">regularly<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">regularly ignored<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">regular letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-27\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">regulars in<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">alternate letters<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">B<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-20 from cache -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Intermittent selection\u00a0indicators tell the solver to select letters at regular intervals from a word or series of words within the clue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4278","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4278"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7271,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4278\/revisions\/7271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}