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Specifically on solving one. I started looking at these on CP every day when I retired ~3 years ago. Every once in great while I actually succeed. Although by the time I read the clue it's late afternoon in the UK so the game is long over. (South Dakota resident in the central US.)
The rules state that the definition is at the beginning or end of the clue. Is there a trick to knowing which it is? Or do you attempt both until you hit upon the solution?
Take today's clue for instance:
Quote: Rules that is mixed liberty (7)
Did the "is" denote that the definition was 'liberty'?
In other words was the clue really 'Rules that' is an anagram (after morphing 'that') of a word that means 'liberty'?
This just occurred to me as I was writing this post. But, I have seen other clues where words were just thrown in to make a 'proper' sentence, so I'm not sure about this either.
My reasoning went as:
I noticed that 'liberty' has 7 letters as does the answer. So, I reasoned that 'mixed' meant the answer was an anagram of 'liberty' whose definition/synonym would be 'rules'. I was unable to come up with a solution. So, I read the other responses until I found the solution offered by OriginalGriff. I completely understood the explanation given and thought it quite clever. I nearly always get the reasoning when it's spelled out and can often reverse engineer the thought process if not. But, this isn't the first time I've wondered how it was determined which end had the definition, hence my question.
Thank you in advance for any enlightenment forthcoming.
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If one end isn't working, try the other! 
No, seriously - the clues deliberately try to misdirect you, so what you think you are reading may not be what you should see. Anagram indicators are a case in point: sometimes they are just there to head you off in the wrong direction.
Enigmatic stew is a gumbo and the final item in menu! (9)
AMBIGUOUS
Enigmatic could be an anagram indicator, but so can stew - so is ENIGMATIC the word to find an anagram from, or should STEW GUMBO be looked at? Should some "final" and "item" be in "menu"?
And sometimes ... sometimes the whole clue is a misdirection: "Gegs! (9, 4)" for example!
It's like any other skill - the more you try, the better you get. Good luck!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Thank you for your response! Assuming either end is how I've been attacking them but I became curious as to whether or not there was a 'trick' involved. At first I went about 6 or 8 months without getting a single one and was about to give up on the whole idea when I actually solved one on my own. I thought, "Well, I may be an idiot, but I'm not complete idiot!" So, I have vowed to endeavor to persevere.
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I'm only smart enough not to play, so you got me beat.
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Go for it! What's the worst that can happen?
Fresh minds are always welcome. 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I'm in the same boat.
I only started attempting the clues about 12-18 months ago and am still very much at the beginner level. Remember some of these guys having bee doing cryptics for 20+ years.
There are a lot of resources out there to help you along. For example
Intro[^]
Setting an _solving aids[^]
Good luck and keep at it , they can be a lot of fun.
// TODO: Insert something here Top ten reasons why I'm lazy
1.
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Thank you for the links. They'll come in handy I think (hope).
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I've been doing them 50+ years
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
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Catching up on old posts?
// TODO: Insert something here Top ten reasons why I'm lazy
1.
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Should I look for work or not in IT?
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You won't find "work" in "IT" - it would need at least four letters rather than 2.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Similarly, they won't find "not".
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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Good point!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Original Griff: You won't find "work" in "IT" - it would need at least four letters rather than 2.
neither will you find "in"... 
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It sucks.
End users - arg.
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IT does not suck... It sucks but not IT...
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🎱 Magic 8-ball - Wikipedia
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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Why not? The canonical training course is here:
Basic (up to 2000): BOFH ARCHIVE
Advanced (from 2001 on): BOFH Archive • The Register
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.
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Depends. Is it late at night where you are and are you feeling sleepy?
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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My initial reaction as well…😂
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If your tires are old, yes. It's for your safety.
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If you have too much energy from the caffeine you had from being tired... yes.
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