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1/? Being asked this question a fair bit... so... personally, I think the best way is to just try and do them - and look up the answers for the ones you can't do and try and work out why they are what they are. That doesn't mean there aren't some really useful resources https://twitter.com/jonwash1/status/1283302770800504832
2/? Start from the position that (almost) every clue has two elements: a definition and some wordplay that should help to guide you, completely fairly, to the answer. They can be in either order.
3/? You can solve clues in lots of ways. Sometimes you unpick the wordplay & build up the answer, sometimes you guess as to which bit might be the definition, guess at an answer based on the letters already in & then see if you can make the wordplay work to confirm it. All valid
4/? @alanconnor writes a great weekly blog about crosswords in the Guardian. Some of which act as how-to guides to particular sorts of clues. Those particular blogs are collected together here: http://www.alanconnor.com/log/2020/how-to-solve-cryptic-crosswords-during-coronavirus/
5/? If you're looking at crosswords from the Independent, Guardian or FT, there's a blog - http://www.fifteensquared.net/ that goes through each one, each day and parses the clues.
6/? As a rule, the Guardian gets harder through the week. Monday is great for beginners and there's also what they call the Quiptic. Friday's normally very challenging and might put off a complete novice. (My sweet spot is normally Wednesday, as it happens)
7/? @bupk_es & @archelina do a solve-along #CrypticSunday on Twitch. But don't let hearing people solve faster than your brain is doing it make it feel like magic. https://www.twitch.tv/CrypticSunday
8/8 Remember that the setter is not trying to outfox you. They want you to solve it. The wordplay is there to entertain and help you. And now, I'm sure there will be replies from far more qualified people than me with more and better tips...
