Clue
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|---|---|---|
Bride hung about in Scotland (9) | EDINBURGH | Definition: in Scotland
(BRIDE HUNG)* – it wouldn't be a Chifonie without the idiom of "in X" = "place in X" |
Representative in power in disorder (6) | RUMPLE | Definition: disorder
MP (representative) in RULE |
Continue to play in London (5) | ACTON | Definition: in London
ACT (play) ON – another one! |
Stopped king interrupting a challenge (2,4) | AT REST | Definition: Stopped
R in A TEST |
Go along with law restricting fungal growth (6) | ACCEPT | Definition: Go along with
CEP (fungus) in ACT (another ACT, but this time it's a law) |
Get involved with priest's charity giving fruit trees (4,5) | DATE PALMS | Definition: fruit trees
DATE (get involved with) + P + ALMS |
Maintained parking's booked (9) | PRESERVED | Definition: Maintained
P + RESERVED |
Longs to inhabit street that's most exclusive (8) | SWISHEST | Definition: most exclusive
WISHES in ST – does "swish" really mean "exclusive"? Chambers defines it as "smart, stylish" |
Medic terminated farm worker (6) | DROVER | Definition: farm worker
DR + OVER |
News of the French trial (6) | LATEST | Definition: News
LA (French "the") + TEST (trial – very close to its use in 7d) |
Run into fish in Channel (6) | TRENCH | Definition: Channel
R in TENCH |
His or her model beneficiary (5) | THEIR | Definition: His or her
T (model, as in the early Ford car) + HEIR – "their" as the possessive for of "singular they", used when the gender of the possessor is unknown or unimportant |
More nervous to get pitcher (5) | SHYER | Definition: More nervous
Double definition (pitch = shy = throw) |
He obtains favours for doctor (8) | PROCURER | Definition: He obtains favours
PRO (for) CURER |
In which to find a drop of red in eatery? (6) | CARAFE | Definition: In which to find a drop of red in eatery
A R[ed] in CAFE, &lit |
What Syrinx refused to do, but Selene did, in hospital vessel (6) | BEDPAN | Definition: hospital vessel
In Greek mythology, Syrinx was amorously pursued by Pan, but was transformed into hollow reeds before he could catch her. On the other hand, Pan was one of Selene's lovers, so she was happy to BED PAN |
Sports event's reportedly why MK Dons land in Africa (8) | GYMKHANA | Definition: Sports event
Y (why) + MK in ("donning") GHANA |
Lack forerunner of lengthy winter in New York? (9) | SHORTFALL | Definition: Lack
A long American winter might be preceded by a SHORT FALL |
Slip drug behind drinks (5) | LAPSE | Definition: Slip
LAPS (drinks) + E[cstasy] |
Quibbler longed to displace editor (6) | PEDANT | Definition: Quibbler
PANTED (longed) with the ED displaced |
Kids behind head of town crier may want one (6) | TISSUE | Definition: crier may want one
T[own] + ISSUE (children) |
To some extent, resemble mathematical symbol (6) | EMBLEM | Definition: symbol
Hidden in resEMBLE Mathematical |
Old satellite TV company has party (6) | SKYLAB | Definition: Old satellite
SKY (TV company) + LAB[our] |
Bitchy? Yes and no (5) | CATTY | Definition: Bitchy? Yes and no
Sort of of double definition: to be catty is to be bitchy, but a cat is not like a bitch (female dog). I wondered about RATTY here, which almost works, for the same reasons; rather an unsatisfactory clue, I think, with only _A_T_ as crossers to help |
Like the Barbican's kind of bubbly celebrities (9) | BRUTALIST | Definition: Like the Barbican
BRUT (type of champagne) + A-LIST (celebriries). The Barbican Centre in London is in the brutalist style |
Feted song keeps touching lives (8) | LIONISED | Definition: Feted
ON (touching) + IS (lives) in (kept by) LIED (song) |
Foot in this person's vehicle (6) | IAMBUS | Definition: Foot
I AM (this person is) + BUS – the iambus is a metrical foot, as in e.g. iambic pentameter |
Queen defends old extension (6) | ANNEXE | Definition: extension
EX (old) in ANNE |
Payment's received over info for physicist (8) | ROENTGEN | Definition: physicist
O (over) in RENT (payment) + GEN (information). Wilhelm Roentgen gave his name to a unit of radiation |
Port or whiskey (3) | RYE | Definition: Port
Double definition – Rye is on of the Cinque Ports, and also a type of American whiskey |
What Batman puts on Robin's head in jest (5) | CAPER | Definition: jest
CAPE (what Batman puts on) + R[obin] |
Digit between numbers three and five? (4,6) | RING FINGER | Definition: Digit between numbers three and five
Cryptic definition |
Wine and dine with what's on plate and beer (6) | REGALE | Definition: Wine and dine
REG (car registration, as on a numberplate) + ALE |
Doctor upholds firm means of treating shock (4) | COMB | Definition: means of treating shock
CO (company, firm) + MB (doctor) – the "shock" is hair |
Tries to interrupt Spanish team's practice (9) | REHEARSAL | Definition: practice
HEARS in REAL (Real Madrid, football team) |
Lots of sweet powder in brandy's flavouring (5,6) | FINES HERBES | Definition: flavouring
SHERBE[t] (sweet powder) in FINE'S (Fine is a type of brandy) |
Adding a dash of PR puff about hot country (11) | HYPHENATION | Definition: Adding a dash
H in HYPE + NATION |
Choose snippet of film dialogue for demo (6,4) | PICKET LINE | Definition: demo
PICK (choose) + ET (film) + LINE (piece of dialogue) |
One coming out of underground uprising captured by poet (9) | DEBUTANTE | Definition: One coming out
Reverse of TUBE (London Underground) in DANTE |
City worker rejected socialist realism, say (6) | TRADER | Definition: City worker
Reverse of RED ART |
Maybe borderline books with note written in (5) | LIMIT | Definition: Maybe borderline
MI (note, as in do re mi) in LIT. (literature) |
Court winner remains for hearing (4) | ASHE | Definition: Court winner
Arthur Ashe, tennis champion, and a homophone of "ash" (remains) |
Value of American English (3) | USE | Definition: Value
US + E |
Pause during race to turn top on damaged post (3,4) | PIT STOP | Definition: Pause during race
Reverse of TIP (top) + POST |
Dutch woman is Utrecht's ultimate 20th-century artist (7) | DADAIST | Definition: 20th-century artist
D[utch] + ADA + IS + [Utrech]T |
Faulty satnav restricted parcel courier (5) | SANTA | Definition: parcel courier
Anagram of SATNA[v] |
Time to request stuff for working party (4,5) | TASK FORCE | Definition: working party
T + ASK + FORCE (to stuff) |
Ambassadors from Spain fail to spot sign (10) | EMISSARIES | Definition: Ambassadors
E (spain) + MISS (fail to spot) + ARIES (astrological sign) |
Plant found mostly in decaying vegetable matter (3) | PEA | Definition: Plant
Most of PEA[t] |
Top people act differently to this prominent Mexican feature (12) | POPOCATEPETL | Definition: prominent Mexican feature
(TOP PEOPLE ACT)* – I knew this Mexican volcano, but getting the vowels in the right places was tricky: fortunately they could all be confirmed by crossing answers |
Priest leaving church leader a true tale translated for Alfred, Lord Tennyson once (4,8) | POET LAUREATE | Definition: Alfred, Lord Tennyson once
POPE less P + (A TRUE TALE)* – the "once" indicates that this is a definition by example. Tennyson was Poet Laureate from 1850 to 1892 |
Essentially miserable time? (3) | ERA | Definition: time
Central letters of misERAble |
Bones intended, it's said, for special religious ceremonies (10) | SACRAMENTS | Definition: religious ceremonies
SACRA (plural of sacrum, a bone of the lower spine) + MENT (homophone of "meant") + S (special) |
Great and good tucked into alcoholic beverage found in grass (9) | SWINGEING | Definition: Great
G in WINE, all in SING (to grass, betray), Not the most obvious definition, but it can mean "huge, immense" |
Roman magistrate dismissing a French race (5) | TRIBE | Definition: race
TRIBUNE less UN (French "a") |
Mafia boss hiding gun parts and drug in prison (7) | DUNGEON | Definition: prison
GUN* + E in DON (Mafia boss) |
Male in nude dancing in the centre of wood (7) | DURAMEN | Definition: centre of wood
RAM (male) in NUDE* – duramen, also called heartwood, in contrast to sapwood, the growing part of a tree |
Instagram contribution covering points for spiced drink (6) | POSSET | Definition: spiced drink
S E (compass points) in POST |
Colour in comic book character (6) | TINTIN | Definition: comic book character
TINT + IN |
Fox eating a waste product in fungi (10) | TOADSTOOLS | Definition: fungi
A in TOD (dialect name for a fox) + STOOLS (waste product) |
Treasure about to be returned to safe (5) | PETER | Definition: safe
PET (treasure, affectionate name) + reverse of RE (about); peter is a slang name for a safe |
Drastic extra power for Queen in court (9) | DESPERATE | Definition: Drastic
ESP (an "extra power") + ER in DATE (to court) |
Silly fashion upset head of textiles (4) | DAFT | Definition: Silly
Reverse of FAD + T[extiles] |
Republican rabble leaders put mobile into roadside bomb that's exploded (8) | IRRUPTED | Definition: exploded
First letters of Republican Rabble + PUT* in IED (improvised explosive device); irrupt is properly "to enter suddenly or forcibly, to burst in, to break in", but sometimes confused with "erupt", which would give the sense of "explode" |
Sit alone twiddling lower extremities (8) | TOENAILS | Definition: lower extremities
(SIT ALONE) |
Exercise books on American tree rewritten as part of 18's work? (10) | PENTAMETER | Definition: part of 18's work
PE (exercise) + NT (books) + AM + TREE |
University lecturer interrupting enthusiastic reception for part of cycle (9) | OVULATION | Definition: part of cycle
U L in OVATION |
Animal full of vegetables died satisfied (8) | APPEASED | Definition: satisfied
PEAS in APE + D; a pity we've already had PEA as the answer to 12a |
Arms trade leaders entertained by numerous delegates (8) | LEGATION | Definition: delegates
A[rms] T[rade] in LEGION (numerous) |
Popular company's not in good shape (6) | INFIRM | Definition: not in good shape
IN + FIRM |
New seat given to sailors behind (6) | ASTERN | Definition: behind
SEAT* + R[oyal] N[avy] |
Inflexible soldier breaking free (5) | RIGID | Definition: Inflexible
GI (soldier) in RID (to free) |
Sickness from epidemic 18 got rid of (4) | AGUE | Definition: Sickness
PLAGUE (epidemic) less P[oet] L[aureate] |
Bone in a truss, tight, a girl's broken (10) | ASTRAGALUS | Definition: Bone
A GAL in (A TRUSS)*; googling the word mostly gives information about a plant, but it's also an alternative name for the talus bone in the foot |
Identify with Corbynite strike vigorously (8) | BELABOUR | Definition: strike vigorously
BE [a member of the] LABOUR [party] |
Shelled eggs in sauce, too liquid? (5) | SOGGY | Definition: too liquid
[e]GG[s] in SOY |
Went for madame's article (5) | CHOSE | Definition: Went for
Double definition – CHOSE is French for "thing", or "article" |
Lively little piece tutee played with behind library? (7) | BLUETTE | Definition: Lively little piece
B[ritish] L[ibrary] + TUTEE. Bluette is a French word meaning a spark or flash, and by extension a short playful piece of music. It doesn't seem to be related to the colour blue, or the Blues as in music, (though there's a jazz piece by Dave Brubeck that uses the name); it's actually from a root meaning "white", cognate to beluga (as in the white whale) and the first part of the name Belarus (= "White Russia") |
River landing that's nearer when river's diverted (5) | HITHE | Definition: River landing
HITHER (nearer) less R. Found in placenames such as Rotherhithe |
Aussie purloins small amounts when about to arrive in Paris (9) | SOUVENIRS | Definition: Aussie purloins
VENIR (French to come, arrive) in SOUS (small amounts: also French); to souvenir is Australian slang for purloin or steal |
Geyser deposit consisting of sulphur to treat as landfill? (6) | SINTER | Definition: Geyser deposit
S + INTER (bury, treat as landfill) |
Creature protected in India? Some sterilize bullocks (4) | ZEBU | Definition: Creature protected in India
Hidden in steriliZE BUllocks – it's a kind of Asian cattle, so presumably treated as a sacred cow in India |
Currency piece from Italy in basic decimal unit (4) | TEIN | Definition: Currency piece
I in TEN – minor currency unit of Kazakhstan |
Delivery of a kind, a scare when batting (6) | CAESAR | Definition: Delivery of a kind
(A SCARE)* – as in Caesarean section |
Driving force that gets pitman moving about a yard and a bit (9) | IMPELLANT | Definition: Driving force
ELL (unit of length, about 45 inches) in PITMAN |
Holiday wandering in Far East (not Arabia) (5) | FESTA | Definition: Holiday
Anagram of FAR EAST less AR. It seems a pity that the anagram is of FEAST, which is essentially the same word |
Potential energy holding fungus back, from which plant growth starts (7) | PLEROME | Definition: from which plant growth starts
Reverse of MOREL in PE |
Bird population of a county, not trapped by children (5) | ORNIS | Definition: Bird population
[c]ORNIS[h] |
Endless danger, tyre half gone from rear, no tread (5) | RISER | Definition: no tread
RIS[k] + reverse of [ty]RE – riser and tread are contrasting parts of a staircase |
A pie of suet protected by solid form of inoculation (10) | PASTEURISM | Definition: form of inoculation
A + SUET* in PRISM |
SA hoodlum cheers stretcher (7) | SKOLLIE | Definition: SA hoodlum
SKOL (toast – cheers) + TIE |
Lizard skin half shed (4) | TEGU | Definition: Lizard
Half of TEGUment |
Early record from Queen brought up former romance (6) | REGEST | Definition: Early record
Reverse of ER + GEST – Miltonian word for a register |
Like a physical signal, a mixture of rage and lust (8) | GESTURAL | Definition: Like a physical signal
(RAGE LUST) |
Dancer Ida dismissed by London theatre (4) | ALME | Definition: Dancer
ALME[ida] |
Legal negligence ending in funeral is painful (6) | LACHES | Definition: Legal negligence
[funera]L + ACHES |
Muddy tootsies, dirtier than the rest (8) | SOOTIEST | Definition: dirtier than the rest
TOOTSIES |
Drunk a little red (not opening barrels) (4) | LUSH | Definition: Drunk
BLUSH less B[arrels] |
Foam bits're crumbling round square of discredited insulation (11) | ASBESTIFORM | Definition: of discredited insulation
S (square) in (FOAM BITS'RE) |
Quick chat and drinks during break in card game (8) | SNIP-SNAP | Definition: Quick chat
NIPS (drinks) in SNAP (card game) |
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