Clue
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Answer
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Explanation
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888
Give birth with assistance (5)
WHELP
Definition: Give birth W(abbrev. for "with") + HELP(assistance/services or resources offered to ease someone's efforts). Defn: Of a dog, to …
Playing piano, Ute Lemper's intro is rich, earthy, fluid (6,3)
PEANUT OIL
Definition: rich, earthy, fluid **Anagram of**(Playing) [ PIANO, UTE ] + **1st letter of**(…'s intro) "Lemper") .
Imperial unit capturing European vessel (7)
GALLEON
Definition: vessel GALLON(an Imperial unit of liquid or dry volume) **containing**(capturing) E(abbrev. for "European").
The German raid injured Francophone philosopher (7)
DERRIDA
Definition: Francophone philosopher DER(the article, "the" in German) + **anagram of**(… injured) RAID. Answer: …, Jacques, Algerian-born French philosopher.
When flying, don't be taking British Airways — it's only reasonable (3,3)
NOT BAD
Definition: reasonable **Anagram of**(When flying) DON'T **containing**(be taking) BA(abbrev. for British Airways).
Liqueur established during a 13 in America? (8)
ANISETTE
Definition: Liqueur SET(established/instituted) **contained in**(during) [A + NITE("night"/answer to 13 across, as spelled in America) ].
Fine food store McCartney regularly sampled (8)
DELICATE
Definition: Fine DELI(short for "delicatessen"/store selling ready-to-eat foods) + **2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th letters of**(… regularly sampled) "McCartney".
Bemused solvers' call for help Julius has answered 32 times? (4,2,1,4)
GIVE US A CLUE
Definition: Bemused solvers' call for help Julius has answered 32 times Cryptic defn: Call by puzzled solvers and duly answered by Julius with 32 clues in this crossword.
Last station announcement? (3,6)
ALL CHANGE
Definition: Last station announcement Cryptic defn: An announcement to remaining passengers at the station at the end of a train route.
Spain claiming penny in tax upset economic migrant (5)
EXPAT
Definition: economic migrant E(International Vehicle Registration code for Spanish-registered vehicles) **plus**(claiming) [ P(abbrev. for "penny", unit of English currency) **contained in**(in) **reversal of**(… upset, in a down clue) TAX]. Defn: An example of which is an "economic migrant", one who resides outside his/her native country to work in another country.
Mature nurse sustaining tear (5)
RIPEN
Definition: Mature EN(abbrev. for "enrolled nurse", a grade of nursing assistants) **placed below**(sustaining/supporting, in a down clue) RIP(a tear/split).
Electronic vehicle drained the night before the festival (3)
EVE
Definition: the night before the festival E-(prefix for things electronic) + "vehicle" **minus all its inner letters**(drained/emptied).
Box Victor in upcoming challenge (2,3)
TV SET
Definition: Box V(letter represented by "Victor" in the phonetic alphabet) **contained in**(in) **reversal of**(upcoming, in a down clue) TEST(to challenge/strain).
Old soldiers check trap which has been set up (8)
VETERANS
Definition: Old soldiers VET(to check/to screen) + **reversal of**(… which has been set up, in a down clue) SNARE(a trap to catch birds or mammals).
Family history buff got lineages wrong (11)
GENEALOGIST
Definition: Family history buff **Anagram of**(… wrong) GOT LINEAGES.
Wholesale store's opening certain branches like this? (8)
SWEEPING
Definition: Wholesale **1st letter of**(…'s opening) "store" + WEEPING(describing a tree with drooping branches). Defn: …, as with a statement, not taking into account any exceptions or particular cases.
Groups at the front cycling round the back of 15 perhaps (9)
VANGUARDS
Definition: Groups at the front [ GUARD'S VAN ](a carriage at the back of a train/answer to 15 across in which the guard travels) **with the 2nd word moved to the front**(cycling round …).
Cost of training? (4,4)
RAIL FARE
Definition: Cost of training Cryptic defn: What you pay for riding on the train/training.
Coach women's American golf organisation discharged (5)
WAGON
Definition: Coach W(abbrev. for "women's") + A(abbrev. for "American") + G(letter represented by "golf" in the phonetic alphabet) + "organisation" **minus all its inner letters**(discharged/emptied). Defn: …, a type of four-wheeled vehicle.
Masterpiece debut of artist (after Mondrian) (5)
PIETA
Definition: Masterpiece **1st letter of**(debut of) "artist" **placed below**(after, in a down clue) PIET(Mondrian, the Dutch painter). Defn: … of sculpture by Michelangelo.
Poet's adult nude sculpture (5)
AUDEN
Definition: Poet A(abbrev. for "adult") + **anagram of**(… sculpture) NUDE. Answer: …, W.H.
Drunk subaltern going round island (3)
LIT
Definition: Drunk LT(abbrev. for "lieutenant", an officer in the British Army below the rank of captain) **containing**(going round) I(abbrev. for "island").
Relative laughter and wit mostly confused (8-2-3)
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
Definition: Relative **Anagram of**(… confused) [LAUGHTER AND + "wit" **minus ****its last letter**(mostly) ].
Belt everyone gets in Mississippi shopping centres (5,5)
STRIP MALLS
Definition: shopping centres STRIP(a belt/a long narrow piece of material such as leather or cloth) + [ ALL(everyone) **contained in**(gets in) MS(abbrev. for the US state of Mississippi) ]. Defn: In North America, … located on a busy main road.
A man with first sign of mould-induced cough (4)
AHEM
Definition: induced cough A + HE(third-person pronoun for a man) **plus**(with) **1st letter of**(first sign of) "mould". Defn: Noise similar to a cough produced/induced to attract attention.
American kills posh people without right ultimately (4)
OFFS
Definition: American kills "toffs"(posh people/upper-class persons) **minus ****last letter of**(without … ultimately) "right". Defn: American slang to eliminate someone.
Out-of-control rabbit mauled a horologer (10)
LOGORRHOEA
Definition: Out-of-control rabbit **Anagram of**(mauled) A HOROLOGER. Defn: …/incessant talk about trivial things, aka "verbal diarrhoea".
Connoisseurs swallowing large lies (6)
BLUFFS
Definition: lies BUFFS(connoisseurs/appreciators of) **containing**(swallowing) L(abbrev. for "large").
Nurse goes off to collect old implants (7)
ENROOTS
Definition: implants EN(abbrev. for "enrolled nurse", a grade of nursing assistant) + ROTS(goes off/decays) **containing**(to collect) O(abbrev. for "old").
Fruit of month not entirely firm, having touch of tenderness (7)
APRICOT
Definition: Fruit "Aril"(the 4th month in the calendar year) **minus ****its last letter**(not entirely) + CO(abbrev. for "company", a commercial firm) **plus**(having) **1st letter of**(touch of) "tenderness".
Information gathered by a vacuous city bureau (6)
AGENCY
Definition: bureau GEN(informal term for "information") **contained in**(gathered by) [ A + "city" **minus all its inner letters**(vacuous …) ].
Doctor cries out to green holidaymaker (3-7)
ECO-TOURIST
Definition: green holidaymaker **Anagram of**(Doctor) CRIES OUT TO. Defn: …, one who goes on a holiday designed to damage the environment as little as possible.
British express disapproval about gaffe (4)
BOOB
Definition: gaffe B(abbrev. for "British") + **reversal of**(… about) BOO(to express disapproval/make a sound showing disapproval). Defn: …/an embarrassing mistake.
Indian Melody Maker paper article (4)
RAGA
Definition: Indian Melody Maker RAG(paper, specifically a newspaper considered of poor quality) + A(article in grammar). Defn: In Indian classical music, a melodic framework for improvisation.
Support city welcoming Republican movement a swimmer might start? (10)
BACKSTROKE
Definition: movement a swimmer might start BACK(to support/to champion) + STOKE(short for Stoke-on-Trent, city in Staffordshire, England) **containing**(welcoming) R(abbrev. for "Republican", a member of the Republican Party). Start of a backstroke event:
Awfully old idea Met man's run by men? (4-9)
MALE-DOMINATED
Definition: run by men **Anagram of**(Awfully) OLD IDEA MET MAN.
Obedient duke you almost argue with close to Malibu lake (7)
DUTIFUL
Definition: Obedient D(abbrev. for "duke") + U(abbrev. for "you" in texting) + "tiff"(to argue/to have a alight disagreement with) **minus ****its last letter**(almost …) **plus**(with) **last letter of**(close to) "Malibu" + L(abbrev. for "lake").
Parasite infecting American military groups (5)
UNITS
Definition: military groups NIT(a young form of a parasitic insect) **contained in**(infecting) US(abbrev. for things American).
Unusual bush elm makes appear small? (7)
HUMBLES
Anagram of**(Unusual) BUSH ELM.
Poem primarily evoking country life of good utopian existence? (7)
ECLOGUE
Definition: Poem **1st letters, respectively, of**(primarily) "evoking country life of good utopian existence". Defn: … on a pastoral subject/about country life, as the clue says.
Underwriter certain to be taken on by hip head of recruitment (7)
INSURER
Definition: Underwriter SURE(certain/doubtless) **contained in**(to be taken on by) [ IN(hip/in fashion) + **1st letter of**(head of) "recruitment" ].
Odious bunch around a house eating seconds (9)
LOATHSOME
Definition: Odious LOT(a bunch/a set of similar things) **containing**(around) A + HOME(house/one's residence) **containing**(eating) S(abbrev. for "seconds" in time notation).
Footballer dropping head could make folk tearful! (7)
WEEPERS
Definition: folk tearful SWEEPER(footballer positioned behind the main defenders but in front of the goalkeeper) **with its 1st letter sent to its end**(dropping head, in a down clue).
Soldiers in new airlift will get access to blaze in Oz? (4,5)
FIRE TRAIL
Definition: access to blaze in Oz RE(abbrev. for the Royal Engineers, a unit of soldiers in the British military) **contained in**(in) **anagram of**(new) AIRLIFT. Defn: In Oz/Australia, a track through the bush used by firefighters to get to fires.
A conservative assertion gets much praise (7)
ACCLAIM
Definition: praise A + C(abbrev. for a Conservative, a member of the Conservative Party) + CLAIM(an assertion that something is true).
Nightspot with live band at last hit with staff? (7)
CLUBBED
Definition: hit with staff CLUB(a nightspot/an establishment playing dance music) **plus**(with) BE(to live/to exist) + **last letter of**(… at last) "band". Defn: …/club.
Type of engine in Ford model Triumph briefly advanced (4-3)
TWIN-CAM
Definition: Type of engine T(former model of a car made by Ford) + WIN(a triumph/a success) + "came"(advanced/approached) **minus ****its last letter**(briefly …). Defn: … with two camshafts.
Craftsperson is prejudiced, having dismissed Penny (7)
ARTISAN
Definition: Craftsperson "partisan"(prejudiced/biased in support of one party/side versus another) **minus**(having dismissed) "p"(abbrev. for "penny" a unit of English currency).
Republican gets roasted about being corrupt (7)
CROOKED
Definition: corrupt R(abbrev. for a Republican, a member of the Republican Party) **contained in**(gets … about) COOKED(roasted/cooked in an oven or over a fire).
Pop hit from America covering Queen (5)
BURST
Definition: Pop BUST(in America, to hit/strike violently) **containing**(covering) R(abbrev. for "Regina"/Queen). Defn: …/break open suddenly and violently, as a balloon might.
14 down's financial advice given years after one in rest-home perished (5,2,2,5)
THERE IS NO MONEY
14 down's financial advice given years after one in rest-home perished (5,2,2,5) *(one in rest-home) Y(years).  (When the Conservatives won the General Election in 2010, Liam Byrne famously left a note to his successor which read, "Dear Chief Secretary, I'm afraid **there is no money**. Kind regards – and good luck! Liam.")
Franco-German affirmations for board (5)
OUIJA
Franco-German affirmations for board (5) French and German words for YES
Electra stirred the syrup (7)
TREACLE
Electra stirred the syrup (7) *(electra)
Goddess found in A&E (7)
ASTARTE
Goddess found in A&E (7) A(START)E – the Greek name for the Mesoptomanian goddess Ishtar.
Place for single animal – that's hedge (5)
STALL
Place for single animal – that's hedge (5) Double definition
Drunken boss one in scrum (5,4)
TIGHT HEAD
Drunken boss one in scrum (5,4) TIGHT (drunken) HEAD (boss). (The tight head prop is a rugby player – a forward who normally wears the number 3)
Good riddance to contented, stable employee (3)
LAD
Good riddance to contented, stable employee (3) G (good) removed from GLAD
Rev is playing on piano, having introduced giants' musical style (11)
PROGRESSIVE
Rev is playing on piano, having introduced giants' musical style (11) P(piano) OGRES in *(rev is). "playing" is the anagrind.
Reasonable to fill pipe again broken as uninspected purchase (1,3,2,1,4)
A PIG IN A POKE
Reasonable to fill pipe again broken as uninspected purchase (1,3,2,1,4) OK in *(pipe again)
Aeroplane prank gets son ejected (3)
JET
Aeroplane prank gets son ejected (3) JEST (prank) with S (son) removed.
Bill enters revamped BBC home to forage (9)
BEACHCOMB
Bill enters revamped BBC home to forage (9) AC (bill) enters *(BBC home)
Amenhotep, so mighty, captures Derby town (5)
EPSOM
Amenhotep, so mighty, captures Derby town (5) EPSOM (home of the Derby horse racing classic) is hidden in Amenhot**EP SO M**ighty.
God in London district creates atmospheric effect (7)
RAINBOW
God in London district creates atmospheric effect (7) RA (Egyptian god) IN BOW (London district)
University type, in love with Scotsman, stays overnight in Rome? (7)
OXONIAN
University type, in love with Scotsman, stays overnight in Rome? (7) O (love) NOX (night in Rome, reversed ("over")) IAN (Scotsman). Nox was the Roman goddess of the night.
Still time to ride competitively (5)
EVENT
Still time to ride competitively (5) EVEN (still) T
Truly evil bank entertains heartless crime (9)
SINCERELY
Truly evil bank entertains heartless crime (9) SIN (evil) C(rim)E RELY (bank)
Square it with American emperor (5)
TITUS
Square it with American emperor (5) T-square it U.S.
Neo in time left old Penny for Beryl (7)
EMERALD
Neo in time left old Penny for Beryl (7) E(ME)RA (Neo, ie the setter, therefore ME, in ERA (time)) L(left) D (old penny). (*I don't like using capitalized names as definitions unless they are the first word in a sentence, but others don't mind it*)
European Cup, Italy's ground, and some trees (9)
EUCALYPTI
European Cup, Italy's ground, and some trees (9) E(European) *(cup Italy) ("ground" is the anagrind).
Charming Prince Otto gorged on a root vegetable (5-6)
SWEET POTATO
Charming Prince Otto gorged on a root vegetable (5-6) SWEET (charming) P(rince) OT(A)TO (gorged on – container indicator)
Eggs tossed around in Benfica v Osasuna (3)
OVA
Eggs tossed around in Benfica v Osasuna (3) Hidden in reversal of Benfic**A V O**sasuna (Not sure about this surface, but in any case, Barcelona may have been better as they play in the same league as Osasuna?)
Maybe G8 leaders to end talks after month (5)
OCTET
Maybe G8 leaders to end talks after month (5) OCT ET(leaders of End Talks)
National PM twice denied Democrat (7)
ISRAELI
National PM twice denied Democrat (7) (D)israeli. (Benjamin Disraeli (who was Prime Minister twice in the 19th century))
Moving about meant carrying correct change (9)
AMENDMENT
Moving about meant carrying correct change (9) MEND (correct) in *(meant).
Retiring chap has drunken drongo on toast (6,5)
GORDON BROWN
Retiring chap has drunken drongo on toast (6,5) *(drongo) BROWN (toast). (Ex-PM, Gordon Brown, is due to stand down at the next General Election)
Post returned by British sailors, ashore at last for realistic treasury man (4,5)
LIAM BYRNE
Post returned by British sailors, ashore at last for realistic treasury man (4,5) LIAM (MAIL returned) BY RN (British sailors – Royal Navy) (ashor)E. (Liam Byrne was Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown – *not sure why "realistic" is there*?)
Worker in dock – first wife died in shop (9)
STEVEDORE
Worker in dock – first wife died in shop (9) EVE D (first wife died) in STORE (shop).
Having diamonds only shows integrity (7)
JUSTICE
Having diamonds only shows integrity (7) JUST ICE (diamonds only)
Husband's somewhat loose garment (5)
HABIT
Husband's somewhat loose garment (5) H(husband) A BIT(somewhat)
Montgomery the jazzer in stitch- up (3)
WES
Montgomery the jazzer in stitch- up (3)
New gun called ball out at this sporting venue (3-7,4)
ALL-ENGLAND CLUB
New gun called ball out at this sporting venue (3-7,4) *(N gun called ball). The All-England Club is of course the venue of the Wimbledon tennis championships.
Explosive can reverse radioactive outflow initially (5)
NITRO
Explosive can reverse radioactive outflow initially (5) <=TIN initials of **R**adioactive **O**utflow
Examination of sari torn during outrage (9)
APPRAISAL
Examination of sari torn during outrage (9) APP (*(sari)) AL
Oblivious to a series of battles in a French . . . . (7)
UNAWARE
Oblivious to a series of battles in a French . . . . (7) UN (A WAR) E
. . . . symbol for an official oil company (7)
CHEVRON
. . . . symbol for an official oil company (7) Double definition. Chevron is the third largest company int he world, according to *Forbes* magazine.
Scram warranted (5)
LEGIT
Scram warranted (5) Leg it!
Unfair tie arouses anger (9)
INFURIATE
Unfair tie arouses anger (9) *(unfair tie)
Never once upset by what Vera Lynn said we'll do (9)
RECONVENE
Never once upset by what Vera Lynn said we'll do (9) *(never once). "We'll Meet Aagin…"
Flat-nosed French writer (5)
CAMUS
Flat-nosed French writer (5)
Go across a Georgian corridor (7)
PASSAGE
Go across a Georgian corridor (7) Not sure of the parsing of this. PASS A GE (does GE = Georgian?)
Bandage within rider's seat (7)
SWADDLE
Bandage within rider's seat (7) S(W)ADDLE – with in rather than "within" – some people don't like this sort of device. I'm neutral on it.
Money retained by rake's only 50% on a regular basis (9)
ROUTINELY
Money retained by rake's only 50% on a regular basis (9) ROU(TIN)E (on)LY (50% of only)
Instruction to cast candies to tiger (wild) (5,9)
STAGE DIRECTION
Instruction to cast candies to tiger (wild) (5,9) *(candies to tiger)
Allow hot cigar to be crushed lifeless (9)
LETHARGIC
Allow hot cigar to be crushed lifeless (9) Let H = *(cigar)
Contagion in a part of the ear's back (5)
EBOLA
Contagion in a part of the ear's back (5) <=A LOBE. Topical!
A Green VIP fabricated the rumour (9)
GRAPEVINE
A Green VIP fabricated the rumour (9) *(a green VIP)
A clear jelly of a snake (5)
ASPIC
A clear jelly of a snake (5) ASPIC ~ "like an asp" (sort of)
No say in Armistice Day programme? Just the opposite (9)
DIAMETRIC
No say in Armistice Day programme? Just the opposite (9) *(Armistice Day – SAY). Don't think I've seen "programme" as an anagrind before.
Acronym that sheds light for drunken earls (5)
LASER
Acronym that sheds light for drunken earls (5) *(earls) – LASER stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". Can an acronym shed light?
Parts of 9,19 enable the chartered accountant's second analysis (7,6)
BALANCE SHEETS
Parts of 9,19 enable the chartered accountant's second analysis (7,6) *(enable the CA's) S