Clue
stringlengths 6
133
| Answer
stringlengths 3
46
| Explanation
stringlengths 5
888
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|---|---|---|
Shape being mature, zip coming undone (9)
|
TRAPEZIUM
|
Definition: Shape
(MATURE ZIP)
|
Club gets tennis champion further (7)
|
EVERTON
|
Definition: Club
[Chris] EVERT (tennis champion of the 70s and 80s) + ON (further)
|
Dowdy female having only half the sex? (6)
|
FRUMPY
|
Definition: Dowdy
F + half of RUMPY-pumpy
|
Stupid Spectator has lies for news, primarily (7)
|
WITLESS
|
Definition: Stupid
WITNESS (spectator) with L[ies] replacing N[ews]
|
Fat: apparently good to be inside a covering (5)
|
LIPID
|
Definition: Fat
PI (apparenty good) in LID
|
Stew spooned up without demur (9)
|
UNOPPOSED
|
Definition: without demur
(SPOONED UP)
|
Without note, go with the others to make speech to Filipinos (7)
|
TAGALOG
|
Definition: speech to Filipinos
TAG ALONG (go with others) less N[ote]. Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines
|
A Nazi group interrupts sexually ambivalent singers (5)
|
BASSI
|
Definition: singers
A + SS (Nazi group) in BI[-sexual]
|
Most stylish relative I joke about (9)
|
JAUNTIEST
|
Definition: Most stylish
AUNT I in JEST
|
Withdraw permission to pick up taxi after golf (2,4)
|
GO BACK
|
Definition: Withdraw
G (golf) reverse of CAB in OK (permission)
|
Students keep a little storage in the cloud (6)
|
NIMBUS
|
Definition: cloud
1 MB (a little [computer] storage, at least by today's standards) in NUS (National Union of Students)
|
Hammer this, or use axes to chop and polish (9)
|
XYLOPHONE
|
Definition: Hammer this
XY (axes, plural of axis, as in coordinate geometry) + LOP (chop) + HONE (polish)
|
Browsing the web, taken in by visionary poet (9)
|
SONNETEER
|
Definition: poet
ON NET ("browsing the web") in SEER
|
Securing boat, ready for Chinese peninsula (7)
|
YUCATAN
|
Definition: peninsula
CAT[amaran] in YUAN (Chinese currency, hence "ready [money] for Chinese")
|
Buck up everyone in staff (6)
|
DOLLAR
|
Definition: Buck
Reverse of ALL in ROD
|
Alcohol in pack, partly empty (7)
|
SCRUMPY
|
Definition: Alcohol
SCRUM (pack, as in Rugby) + P[artl]Y
|
Danger: people shot in court (6)
|
MENACE
|
Definition: Danger
MEN (people) + ACE (a service or shot in a tennis court)
|
Bravo, smashing the basis for one threatening your job? (5)
|
ROBOT
|
Definition: one threatening your job
B (Bravo) in ROOT (basis)
|
Serious about married brothers (5)
|
GRIMM
|
Definition: brothers
M in GRIM (serious). Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, famous for their collections of folk tales. Jacob is also remembered in linguistics for Grimm's Law
|
Sibyl follows bag painter (8)
|
LANDSEER
|
Definition: painter
LAND (to "bag", as in a prize or a fish) + SEER (Sibyl – oracle in GReek mythology)
|
Cool sort of record Henry and Tom cover (6)
|
HEPCAT
|
Definition: Cool sort
EP (a sort of record) in H (Henry) + CAT (could be a tom)
|
Ruth's mine and yours, at first (4)
|
PITY
|
Definition: Ruth
PIT (a mine) + Y[ours]
|
Sally's in class, penning Latin (10)
|
PLEASANTRY
|
Definition: Sally
L[atin] in PEASANTRY
|
Clingy type left Mike, taken by current favourite (6)
|
LIMPET
|
Definition: Clingy type
I (electric current) in L M + PET (favourite). "Taken by" would seem to indicate inclusion the other way round
|
Oscar regularly pulls in money for luxury (8)
|
OPULENCE
|
Definition: luxury
O[scar] + alternate letters of pUlLs in PENCE
|
For Dirk, pedant's out of line (7)
|
STICKER
|
Definition: Dirk
STICKLER (pedant) less L. A dirk is a dagger, which I suppose you might stick someone with
|
What Victor will do, a bit charming (7)
|
WINSOME
|
Definition: charming
WIN (what victor will do) + SOME (a bit)
|
Track plugged by Kelvin that is more unsettling (8)
|
SPOOKIER
|
Definition: more unsettling
K[elvin] + I.E. (that is) in SPOOR (track or scent of an animal)
|
Norman's bird providing fake news (6)
|
CANARD
|
Definition: Norman's bird
Double definition – canard is French (e.g. Norman) for duck. The origin of the "fake news" meaning seems uncertain, though it's probably from the "duck" sense – some ideas here
|
Amazed to play Viola, line's forgotten in Cliff's place (6,4)
|
BOWLED OVER
|
Definition: Amazed
BOW (to play a viola, for example) + LINE less IN + DOVER (site of the famous white cliffs)
|
Grant's a court favourite, according to hearsay (4)
|
CEDE
|
Definition: Grant
Homophone of "seed", a favourite in (e.g.) tennis
|
One travelling late, a shade before Amber picked up yours truly (3-3)
|
RED-EYE
|
Definition: One travelling late
RED (a "shade before amber" in traffic lights) + EYE (homophone of "I" = yours truly)
|
Nancy's really with Carol, making a coiffure (8)
|
TRESSING
|
Definition: making a coiffure
TRES (French "very", as someone from Nancy might say) + SING (to carol)
|
One in dire straits could be Horace (8)
|
SATIRIST
|
Definition: could be Horace
I in STRAITS
|
Guy in spin (4)
|
EDDY
|
Definition: Guy
Double definition
|
Two lots of Mary Jane's brewing equipment (6)
|
TEAPOT
|
Definition: brewing equipment
TEA + POT – both slang words for marijuana = Mary Jane
|
Harry Potter taking drug a high point for Rowan (7)
|
TREETOP
|
Definition: a high point for Rowan
E (drug) in POTTER*, with Rowan referring to the tree, aka Mountain Ash
|
Hit works about Jacob's relative with right vocabulary in these (8)
|
THESAURI
|
Definition: vocabulary in these
ESAU (Jacob's brother in Genesis) + R in HIT
|
The main youth supporting Frank in free time (4,6)
|
OPEN SEASON
|
Definition: free time
OPEN (rank) "supported by" SEA (main) + SON (youth)
|
Terry's very good fortune? Not half (6)
|
FABRIC
|
Definition: Terry
FAB (very good) + half of RIChes
|
Bull where Jack's found round rushes (4,2,4)
|
PACK OF LIES
|
Definition: Bull
PACK (.. of cards, which includes jacks) + O (round) + FLIES (rushes)
|
He should be in Nick's wild revel, one engaging cook (8)
|
EVILDOER
|
Definition: He should be in Nick
DO (to cook) in anagram of (REVEL + I). Nick = prison
|
Mary drops a name introducing artist and player (8)
|
MARADONA
|
Definition: player
RA in MADONNA less one N – this 'player', of course
|
Tommy's revealing little (7)
|
PRIVATE
|
Definition: Tommy
Double definition
|
Guy in spin? That's correct (6)
|
PROPER
|
Definition: correct
ROPE (guy) in PR (public relations, spin)
|
Morgan, say, and Paddy dress down (6)
|
CARPET
|
Definition: dress down
CAR (Morgan is an example) + PET (temper, paddy)
|
Chuck Norris finally punching Leo, for one (4)
|
CAST
|
Definition: Chuck
[Norri]S in CAT (e.g. Leo)
|
Lads grabbing twisted tabs securing lines (8)
|
BOBSTAYS
|
Definition: securing lines
TABS* in BOYS
|
Party William's cutting (4)
|
SECT
|
Definition: Party
Double definition – the William here is Shakespeare, for whom SECT is "a cutting"
|
Soft-rayed little fish: best cut pub's got in (9)
|
TOPMINNOW
|
Definition: Soft-rayed little fish
INN in TOP MOW
|
Bass doubling, creating some distortion on soundtrack (5)
|
BLOOP
|
Definition: some distortion on soundtrack
B[ass] + LOOP (".. doubling in the shape or structure of anything")
|
Twelve heading east – uninhabited spot contains ——? (5)
|
NO-ONE
|
Definition: ——
NOON (twelve o'clock) + E, with a "fill in the blank" definition
|
Fishes, oily, swimming round foreign sea (7)
|
LYOMERI
|
Definition: Fishes
MER (French "sea") in OILY
|
Aquatic umbellifer, red mostly, found in margin (7)
|
SKIRRET
|
Definition: Aquatic umbellifer
RE[D] in SKIRT – skirret is also known as the water-parsnip, a popular food in Tudor times. here's a story of an attempt at reviving it
|
Prepared in e.g. sewing group, tinted antique? (6)
|
BEDIDE
|
Definition: tinted antique
DID (prepared) in BEE (as in "sewing bee"); a Spenserian ("antique") form of "dyed"
|
Getting a lift maybe 'Arry does this protein (5)
|
OPSIN
|
Definition: protein
Cockney version of "hops in"
|
Rotten bit of tangerine I found in sweet (5)
|
PUTID
|
Definition: Rotten
T[angerine] I in PUD (pudding, sweet) – presumably related to "putrid"
|
Busts arranged round centre of belvedere, part of larger group together (6)
|
SUBSET
|
Definition: part of larger group together
[belv]E[dere] in BUSTS
|
Help! I eat terribly spicy kebab (7)
|
SOSATIE
|
Definition: spicy kebab
SOS (help!) + (I EAT)
|
A wisp, me? Wrong – OS-style, more like (7)
|
MAPWISE
|
Definition: OS-style
(A WISP ME)* – OS being the Ordnance Survey
|
Organic compound got from major artery in fish (5)
|
IMIDE
|
Definition: Organic compound
M1 (motorway, major artery) in IDE
|
Light ring on side of can releasing extinguisher's content? (5)
|
HALON
|
Definition: extinguisher's content
HALO (ring of light) + [ca]N
|
Office stuff, unavoidable (9)
|
NECESSARY
|
Definition: Office
Three definitions, one for each word of the clue: the first two are slang terms for toilet and money, both of which are meanings of "necessary", and the third is the obvious adjectival meaning
|
One learning in school label for type of rock (4)
|
GLAM
|
Definition: type of rock
L in GAM (school of whales)
|
End of race and lads dry off in stable room (8)
|
SADDLERY
|
Definition: stable room
Anagram of [rac]E + LADS DRY
|
I'm off drinking, the French party included – strong words from the vicar (12)
|
BIBLE-BASHING
|
Definition: strong words from the vicar
LE (French "the") + BASH (party) in IMBIBING less I'M
|
After regular dismissals, jovially unctuous (4)
|
OILY
|
Definition: unctuous
Alternate letters of jOvIaLlY
|
Particular stuff in the veins, look, strange occurring in the chest (9)
|
BLOOD-DUST
|
Definition: Particular stuff in the veins
LO ODD in BUST. Blood-dust is haemoconia, or "small colourless granules in the blood", so "particular" in the definition means "consisting of particles" (not explicitly given in Chambers)
|
Early jazz piece to plug? There's little money in it (5)
|
STOMP
|
Definition: Early jazz piece
M[oney] in STOP (to plug a hole, etc)
|
One cloth that's blue or bluish – it's uniquely excellent (6)
|
A-PER-SE
|
Definition: it's uniquely excellent
A + PERSE (blue cloth)
|
Punic struggles – be seated round for head's prominent feature (8)
|
SINCIPUT
|
Punic struggles – be seated round for head's prominent feature (8)
PUNIC* in SIT – the sinciput is part of the skull
|
Neat Scotch fellows upended (4)
|
SNOD
|
Definition: Neat Scotch
Reverse of DONS
|
Akin (8)
|
CONGENER
|
Definition: Akin
The competition word
|
Like a good looker, with parts amounting to XL? (12)
|
TWENTY-TWENTY
|
Definition: Like a good looker
Twenty plus twenty is 40, or XL in Roman numerals
|
Fair, I am brought up as one training to be an escort (5)
|
MAIKO
|
Definition: one training to be an escort
Reverse of OK (fair) + I AM – maiko is a trainee geisha
|
Style of painting I exhibited in galleries bizarrely East rejected (9)
|
GRISAILLE
|
Definition: Style of painting
I in anagram of GALLERIES less E
|
Whack ancient S. Asian tree with foreign apple in it (8)
|
BEPOMMEL
|
Definition: Whack
POMME (French "apple") in BEL (an Indian tree)
|
First to exploit indefinable quality in garment, leading figure in rag trade? (8)
|
EDITRESS
|
Definition: leading figure in rag trade
E[xploit] + IT (undefinable quality) in DRESS, with "rag" meaning a newspaper
|
In Maryland I'm estimating what can be spent there (5)
|
DIME
|
Definition: what can be spent there
Hidden in marylanD I'M Estimating
|
Some EU members given a lift round Austria, arriving at upper house (6)
|
SEANAD
|
Definition: upper house
A (Austria) in reverse of DANES. The Seanad ("Senate") is the upper house of the Irish parliament
|
Local gutter to divert left (5)
|
SWAYL
|
Definition: Local gutter
SWAY (divert) + L – a dialect word meaning, among other things, to gutter (as a candle)
|
TV etc mostly coming up the same (4)
|
IDEM
|
Definition: the same
Reverse of "most of" MEDIA
|
Cocktail or swig of Scotch clubs left out (4)
|
SOUR
|
Definition: Cocktail
SCOUR (Scots "swig of liquor") less C
|
Uncovering deceit? Not difficult! (9)
|
DETECTION
|
Definition: Uncovering
(DECEIT NOT)
|
Pottery expert drinks port (5)
|
DELFT
|
Definition: Pottery
L (left – port) in DEFT (expert)
|
Charlie's discourteous and rough (5)
|
CRUDE
|
Definition: rough
C + RUDE
|
Prepare sentence for when the audience is best (5,4)
|
PRIME TIME
|
Definition: when the audience is best
PRIME (prepare) + TIME (prison sentence)
|
Pit of despair (10)
|
DEPRESSION
|
Definition: Pit
Double definition
|
Remains calm (4)
|
REST
|
Definition: Remains
Double definition
|
Object endlessly to the French style (7)
|
ENTITLE
|
Definition: style
ENTITY (object) less its last letter + LE (French "the")
|
Rascal learning to appeal (7)
|
IMPLORE
|
Definition: to appeal
IMP (rascal) + LORE (learning)
|
Score runs in a series (7)
|
ARRANGE
|
Definition: Score
R[uns] in A RANGE – to score/arrange as in music
|
Push off about now in Arctic vehicle (7)
|
SNOWCAT
|
Definition: Arctic vehicle
NOW in SCAT. Chambers only gives the trade name Sno-cat, but this version is in Wikipedia as a generic name
|
Finest English drink (4)
|
TOPE
|
Definition: drink
TOP + E
|
Donkey attendants in deer molestation (10)
|
HARASSMENT
|
Definition: molestation
ASS MEN ("donkey attendants") in HART (deer)
|
Joy about English victory and promotion (9)
|
ELEVATION
|
Definition: promotion
E V in ELATION
|
Illuminated note in volume (5)
|
LITRE
|
Definition: volume
LIT + RE (note, as in do-re-mi)
|
Small border plant (5)
|
SEDGE
|
Definition: plant
S + EDGE
|
Book Ian's sheep for treatment (9)
|
EPHESIANS
|
Definition: Book
(IAN'S SHEEP)* – Ephesians is a book of the New Testament
|
Risked getting daughter murdered (5)
|
DICED
|
Definition: Risked
D + ICED (murdered)
|
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