Clue
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stringlengths 3
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stringlengths 5
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|---|---|---|
Form splinter group for foreign holiday (5,4) | BREAK AWAY | Definition: Form splinter group
Double definition |
Sort of day saved for, that is something of a come down (5) | RAINY | Definition: Sort of day saved for
Just about a double definition |
Support the unusual seer (7) | PROPHET | Definition: seer
PROP (support) + THE |
One away from hedge on tarmac, squashed by this inconsiderate type (4,3) | ROAD HOG | Definition: inconsiderate type
I'm afraid I can't work this out: presumably ROAD = tarmac; do the H and G of HOG come from "hedge"? No doubt I'm missing something obvious |
Four regulars in pub having a joke (2,3) | IN FUN | Definition: having a joke
Alternate letters of FoUr in INN |
Criticise rhythmic chanting (3) | RAP | Definition: Criticise
Double definition |
Scatter round record store (5) | DEPOT | Definition: store
E.P. in DOT |
Non-acceptance of absurd earfuls (7) | REFUSAL | Definition: Non-acceptance
EARFULS |
Stressful feelings that may be on the surface (7) | TENSION | Definition: Stressful feelings
Double definition – reference to surface tension for the second |
Small ringing sound is a pain (5) | STING | Definition: a pain
S + TING |
Swimmer deploying green arms (9) | MERGANSER | Definition: Swimmer
(GREEN ARMS)* – the Mergansers are a genus of ducks |
Tropical country's price has one fuming aloud (5,4) | COSTA RICA | Definition: Tropical country
COST (price) + homophone of "a reeker" (one smoking) |
A little animal taken in island (5) | MALTA | Definition: island
Hidden in aniMAL TAken |
Wonderful to maintain large rolls of flesh (4) | FLAB | Definition: rolls of flesh
L in FAB |
Monster our team encounters upriver (8) | WEREWOLF | Definition: Monster
WE (our team) + reverse of FLOWER (i.e. an "up river") |
Make coffee an extra benefit (4) | PERK | Definition: Make coffee
Double definition – short for "percolate" for coffee-making |
Having trouble in this sort of bottle (3,5) | HOT WATER | Definition: Having trouble in this
Double definition |
Wife in bed: she may need briefs (6) | LAWYER | Definition: she may need briefs
W in LAYER |
Disorderly scene may come to be arranged (4,6) | BEAR GARDEN | Definition: Disorderly scene
(BE ARRANGED) |
Like a loo to be luxurious? (6) | LAVISH | Definition: luxurious
LAV-ISH |
Raise tax (4) | LEVY | Definition: Raise
Double definition – though really just the same word as a verb and noun |
Inquisitive-sounding monk (5) | PRIOR | Definition: monk
Homophone of "pryer" (one who pries) |
Worker, striking, giving a wave (4,6) | HAND SIGNAL | Definition: a wave
HAND (worker) + SIGNAL (unusual, striking) |
Advance fare to board (3,2) | GET ON | Definition: Advance
Triple definition |
Perpetual child's play (5,3) | PETER PAN | Definition: Perpetual child
Double definition (just about), referring to the character and the play |
A line of footwear (8) | PLIMSOLL | Definition: line
Double definition |
Thin female, horribly slimy (6) | FLIMSY | Definition: Thin
F + SLIMY |
Awkward gait I had, it's clear (6) | LIMPID | Definition: clear
LIMP + I'D |
Seeing old car kaput, initially one goes on foot (4) | SOCK | Definition: one goes on foot
First letters of Seeing Old Car Kaput |
Top of bill, moi! (4) | ACME | Definition: Top
AC (account, bill) + ME |
Phone from abroad: somewhere in Italy, say (4) | ROAM | Definition: Phone from abroad
Homophone of "Rome" |
King has a change of heart initially, having to trample over crusader (6,7) | KNIGHT TEMPLAR | Definition: crusader
KING with its heart, i.e. middle letters, reversed, + first letters of Having To, + TRAMPLE |
Frustrating skin defect in article (9) | THWARTING | Definition: Frustrating
WART in THING |
Stand in line to hear writer die as such (5) | CUBIC | Definition: die as such
Homophone of "queue" plus BIC (pen, writer). A die is usually in the shape of a cube. |
Religion is a bit of a growth industry (5) | HINDU | Definition: Religion
Hidden in growtH INDUstry. Chambers only defines Hindu as a follower of Hinduism, not the religion itself. |
Plenty in support of amalgamation (9) | PROFUSION | Definition: Plenty
PRO (for, in support of) FUSION |
From the East, an aroma is emerging (7) | NASCENT | Definition: emerging
Reverse of AN + SCENT |
In France, you read Italian (6) | TUSCAN | Definition: Italian
TU (French "you") + SCAN (read) |
Tour Iran, plus half the planet (6) | URANUS | Definition: the planet
The last halves of toUR irAN plUS |
Request tree-lined square borders (7) | BESEECH | Definition: Request
S[quar]E in BEECH – I'm not sure that "tree-lined" can mean "contained in a tree" |
They say solver had dinner late to lose strength (9) | ATTENUATE | Definition: to lose strength
Homophone of "at ten you ate" |
Turned up really loud, music essentially is pants (5) | PUFFS | Definition: pants
Reverse of UP + FF (fortissimo, very loud) + [mu]S[ic] |
A number are into computers (5) | DIGIT | Definition: A number
DIG (like, are into) + IT (Information Technology, computers) |
Right fuss after outrageous speed: it's criminal (9) | DESPERADO | Definition: criminal
SPEED* + R + ADO |
Extremely undemocratic to interrupt the development of nearly green power generation (7,6) | NUCLEAR ENERGY | Definition: power generation
U[ndemocrati]C in (NEARLY POWER) |
Keen to welcome both long and terribly grand plot for production (7,6) | KITCHEN GARDEN | Definition: plot for production
ITCH and GRAND* inserted into KEEN in different places |
Here Ryde is an American (5) | IOWAN | Definition: American
IOW (Isle of Wight, where the town of Ryde is) + AN |
Strong as Poirot? (9) | HERCULEAN | Definition: Strong
Double definition – a very easy clue, as long as know Poirot's first name is Hercule |
Vessel manoeuvre: starting to go about (7) | TUGBOAT | Definition: Vessel
Anagram of T[o] G[o] ABOUT |
Once an island bird losing half its tail? (5) | MACAU | Definition: Once an island
MACAW (bird) with its final double-U becoming a single U. According to the Wikipedia article on Macau, 'The peninsula was originally a separate island with hilly terrain, which gradually became a tombolo as a connecting sandbar formed over time'. |
Car built to run on the ultimate in engine oil (9) | LUBRICATE | Definition: oil
(CAR BUILT)* + [engin]E |
Isn't he wrong breaking into minister's residence not long ago? (6,7) | RECENT HISTORY | Definition: not long ago
(ISN'T HE)* in RECTORY |
Sticker permitted troublemaker to enter (6) | LIMPET | Definition: Sticker
IMP in LET |
Calculated harm to banning e-cigarettes (9) | STRATEGIC | Definition: Calculated
Anagram of CIGARETTES less E |
He sips any cocktail that's hard and fruitless (9) | SISYPHEAN | Definition: hard and fruitless
(HE SIPS ANY)* – from Sisyphus in Greek mythology, who was punished by having to push a huge boulder up a hill every day, only for it to fall down again at the end. I had to check which way round the I and Y came in the word. |
Speak ill of topless Lesbian? (7) | SLANDER | Definition: Speak ill of
ISLANDER (of which a Lesbian – from the island of Lesbos – is an example), less its first letter |
Bristol sounds like a French port (6) | BREAST | Definition: Bristol
Homophone of the French port Brest. Bristol (usually in the plural) is rhyming slang for breast, from "Bristol City" |
Inverting upside-down explosive (5) | NITRE | Definition: explosive
Hidden in reverse of vERTINg – I got to this one late on, and was thinking I hadn't seen any of Philistine's trademark "lift-and-separate" clues.. |
Natural ability to pick up a distress signal (5) | FLAIR | Definition: Natural ability
Homophone of "flare" |
Predestined, as curate was (8) | ORDAINED | Definition: Predestined
Double definition |
Princess in the Emirates briefly inspiring sister (6) | URANIA | Definition: inspiring sister
RANI (Indian princess) in UA[E]. Urania was the Muse of astronomy, one of the (many) daughters of Zeus |
Mawkishness from son in returning embrace (4) | GUSH | Definition: Mawkishness
S in reverse of HUG |
Rich patron from Benin found by police in south of France (5,5) | SUGAR DADDY | Definition: Rich patron
GARDA (Irish police) in SUD (French "south") + DY (code for Benin, formerly Dahomey) |
Pop group lodged in Cotswold mansion (3,3) | OLD MAN | Definition: Pop
A "group" of letters hidden in cotswOLD MANsion, with the definition Pop = father |
Old grottos bordering lake cut off areas of country (8) | EXCLAVES | Definition: cut off areas of country
L in EX CAVES |
Very large card bringing comfort in hard times (6) | SOLACE | Definition: comfort in hard times
SO L[arge] + ACE |
Unobtrusive moves by Liberal in party succeeded (6) | SLIDES | Definition: Unobtrusive moves
L in SIDE (party) + S[ucceeded] |
Besides catching plenty, Evans ultimately conceded bye (6-2) | TOODLE-OO | Definition: bye
OODLES less the last letter of evanS, in TOO |
Contrary forces rapidly covering a huge distance (6) | PARSEC | Definition: a huge distance
Hidden in reverse of forCES RAPidly |
Good-looking six-footer foolishly married short lady (3,7) | RED ADMIRAL | Definition: Good-looking six-footer
Anagram of MARRIED LAD[y]. Six-footer for insect is a regular setter's trick |
Britten primarily a children's composer? (4) | BACH | Definition: composer
B[ritten] + A CH[ildren] |
A female halting, deeply aroused (6) | AFLAME | Definition: deeply aroused
A F LAME (halt = to limp or be lame) |
Prominent Victorian dancing ladies, one entertaining Queen (8) | DISRAELI | Definition: Prominent Victorian
R in LADIES* + I |
Pesters travellers on vacation touring Russian capital (8) | TROUBLES | Definition: Pesters
ROUBLE (Russian money = "capital") in "vacated" T[raveller]S |
Cruel Romeo's jilted Mary Jane (4) | HASH | Definition: Mary Jane
HARSH less R – Mary Jane is slang for marijuana |
Blameless conduct arising under universal agreement? (6) | UNISON | Definition: agreement
U + reverse of NO SIN |
RC burial conducted as per official rites (8) | RUBRICAL | Definition: as per official rites
(RC BURIAL)* – coincidentally following RUBRIC in yesterday's Imogen |
Monk with smoother cloak, allegedly survivor of fire (10) | SALAMANDER | Definition: allegedly survivor of fire
LAMA (monk) in SANDER (a "smoother") – salamanders were once believed to be able to survive and extinguish fire |
Overcharge to spend a penny (old currency not new) (6) | DIDDLE | Definition: Overcharge
PIDDLE (urinate, spend a penny) with the new penny P changed to the old D |
Level for one river entering north-western estuary (6) | DEGREE | Definition: Level
EG (for one) + R in DEE (river & estuary in NW England) |
Plays sensationalised madam's role perhaps (10) | MELODRAMAS | Definition: Plays sensationalised
(MADAM'S ROLE) |
Mark boards to form a West Country speciality (5,3) | CREAM TEA | Definition: West Country speciality
M[ark] in (i.e. "boarding") CREATE A |
Curb coterie from which specialised units develop (4,4) | STEM CELL | Definition: from which specialised units develop
STEM (curb) + CELL (coterie) |
Passionate little Dickensian changes ends (6) | TORRID | Definition: Passionate
[Little] DORRIT with the outer letters interchanged |
Special person leaving? (3-3) | ONE-OFF | Definition: Special
ONE (person) + OFF (leaving, as in "I'm off") |
European buff (6) | POLISH | Definition: European
Double definition |
Drop live commercial (4) | BEAD | Definition: Drop
BE (to live) + AD |
Scary witch characters regularly avoided – one may be bowed (5) | CRWTH | Definition: one may be bowed
Alternate letters of sCaRy WiTch – an easy clue for what would be an implausible spelling except for it being a Welsh word |
Married CEO consuming high tea? (5) | MATED | Definition: Married
TEA* in MD (managing director – perhaps not exactly the same as a CEO, but close enough?) |
Nurse with copper put in sticky stuff, medicinal resin (8) | GUAIACUM | Definition: medicinal resin
AIA (Indian nursemaid – more usually seen as "ayah") + CU in GUM |
A cart – with it trundled around like steppe-dwellers (7) | TATARIC | Definition: like steppe-dwellers
Anagram of A CART + IT – the steppe-dwellers are Tatars |
Chairman from Spain accepted by Fleet Street? (6) | PRESES | Definition: Chairman
E in PRESS – preses for chairman is related to "preside" |
College head admits out-and-out tendency to flip (9) | CRANKNESS | Definition: tendency to flip
RANK (out-and-out) in C[ollege] + NESS (head, geographically) – this is from crank (adj.) = "liable to capsize", so not, as I thought at first, a variant of "crankiness" |
It's central to one's policy, and nothing else (5) | HINGE | Definition: It's central to one's policy
Central letters of notHIN GElse |
Cast that's peevish given attention (8) | CROSS-EYE | Definition: Cast
CROSS + EYE |
Moles deviously trapped in garden? That was sound (8) | HOLESOME | Definition: That was sound
MOLES* in HOE – Spenserian spelling of "wholesome" |
Jimmy given regular space to measure casual wear (5) | JEANS | Definition: casual wear
EN (space, in typography) inserted regularly into JAS (James = Jimmy) |
Small bouncer showing huff in awkward matter (9) | TRAMPETTE | Definition: Small bouncer
PET (temper, huff) in MATTER. It's a small trampoline |
Wine container can, almost open but not closed (6) | TINAJA | Definition: Wine container
TIN (can) + AJA[R] |
Wider eddies circling running water lost energy (7) | WEARIED | Definition: lost energy
EA (a river( in WIDER |
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