Ridden

In this case of "ridden with cliches," "ridden" is being used as a transitive verb with the meaning, "to tyrannize over or dominate."

I agree the more appropriate usage would be "riddled" and this is a case of phonetic confusion/semantic slippage. Of course a case can be made out for the usage of "ridden" (...it can for any word....) but unless the user is being poetic or witty, it more likely to be misselection.

Interesting discussion. For this situation, I personally can't see any case to be made for 'ridden with cliches'. But that's what's interesting about it. Infra made a case, which obviously seems real to him and holds meaning for him. I don't get it, I can't see anyway that I could use it, in the sense that it would hold a substantive meaning for me but that seems only because I haven't had exposure to that particular nuance.

Isn't this a perfect example of how idioms are born?

Is there any real difference between "cliche-ridden" and "ridden with cliches?"

I can't see that there is.

Maybe, but I don't like it. A riddle is a big gardening sieve, also with agricultural uses.

For that reason, and from that source, "riddled with holes" is the common metaphor.
What people do with it after that, is of course up to them.

I have no idea, McTag, because they are not of my world. I believe that I'm being accurate when I say that this is my first exposure to that collocation.

"riddled with [___]" , okay.

When something is widely spread or distributed in something else, you can use 'riddled' - an essay can be riddled with errors, a computer system can be riddled with security holes, and a person can be riddled with bullets (acceptable) or a disease, especially a malignant one such as cancer or HIV (this usage is considered somewhat tactless by many people).

There is also the expression hag-ridden which means tormented by or harassed by, usually referring to a woman, the "hag" meaning a witch. Ridden is, of course, the past participle of to ride, but it is also used as an adjective, and there the meaning is dominated by, harassed by or obsessed with.

Well, the past participle of 'ride', anyway.

Riddled with, rife with are the familiars. How about " cliche' raddled", so as to suggest the tiredness of the expression?

Thank you all for your replies. InfraBlue, I did not find any reference to the option of using ridden as a verb in any form when the context is something like "replete" as it is here, so it feels as though the author has simply chosen to take this liberty, as opposed to a choice based on any precedent. I appreciate that this is how usage develops and changes, but I was looking for a foundational citation.

He could have been meaning to say "dominated by cliches."

different based on the sentence