Agent Nouns In Crosswords

In cryptic crosswords, words have unexpected meanings.

A typical trick involves words ending in '-er'. One interpretation of this form of word is as an agent noun, i.e. a noun obtained by adding an '-er' suffix to a verb (action) to denote someone/something that does that action. This is generally the oblique interpretation of that word, which the surface reading skillfully hides.

Take this double-definition clue from The Hindu 9366:
Butter in computer memory (3)

Your first thought is of "butter" as in the fatty thing you put on bread, but you need to actually think of it as "one that butts" to get the solution.

Here's a collection of words that work as agent nouns, or can pass off as agent nouns in a cryptic sense, with examples of how that is woven into cryptic clues.

Word	Straight Meaning	Cryptic Meaning	Clue Examples
BANKER	One who works in a bank	One that has banks (river) One you can rely upon	Guardian 24224: Trendy Italian banker boxes celebrated doctor (11) HIP PO CRATES Guardian 24120: See a fast scramble to be an MP’s banker (4, 4) SAFE SEAT*
BETTER	Good in comparison	One who bets	Guardian 24317: It’s preferable to be a speculator (6) BETTER [2]
BLOOMER	Blunder Item of clothing	Flower Loaf	ET 3067: Pleas for reform might be a bit of a bloomer (5) SEPAL* Guardian 24317: This could make a bloomer, say (5) FLOUR [CD]
BUTTER	Dairy product	One that butts (ram/goat)	Times 23849: Butter bread, notably omitting filling, and try with a starter of tomatoes (5,4) NAN N{-otabl}Y GO A T
DENIER	One who denies	Silk fiber weight Old coin	FT 12743: One rejecting sheer quality (6) DENIER [2]
FLOWER	Blossom of a plant	One that flows (river)	NIE 9849: Pakistan flower business lacks go (5) INDUS{-try}
JABBER	Chatter	One that pricks or punches	NIE 9697: Jabber and annoy (6) NEEDLE [2]
MISTER	Form of address for a man	One that produces mist	Times 24038: Mister, a shilling! - heartfelt plea (7) S PRAYER
NUMBER	Symbol for counting (1, 2, …)	One that causes numbness	Times 24055: A number having a stylistic principle(11) AN AESTHETIC
PUTTER	Golf club	One that puts Move aimlessly	They lay in irons (7) PUTTERS [2]
SEWER	Drain	One that sews (tailor)	Guardian 24470: Sewer joint takes strain (10) SEAM STRESS
SKIER	One who skis	High ball	Guardian 24376: One going up in the air or along the snow (5) SKIER [2]
SUMMER	The warm season	One that sums	Times 24068: Frames for summer's activities? (5) ABACI [CD]

Caution! 

Sometimes crossword compilers use the double-bluff. You read "flower" in the clue and begin thinking of rivers, when actually it referred to a regular flower all along. 

A few examples where the agent noun ploy was not used:

THC 2622: Sewer, initially dry, before the wet weather (5) D RAIN
NIE 9737: A flower came up (5) A ROSE
THC 8189: Mister, admit the princess for deportment (6) M{ANNE}R

Further Reading:

• Cryptic Abbreviations
• Cryptic Crossword Guide
• Surface Reading, Cryptic Reading

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