Clue
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Indian language? See this cant I'd translated for a dictionary (5) | ORIYA | Definition: Indian language
Composite anagram: (A DICTIONARY)* = ORIYA CANT I'D |
Bit of money that's short in a payment for land measure (6) | ARPENT | Definition: land measure
P (abbreviation penny) in A RENT (payment); "land" could be attached to either "payment for" or "measure": I think "land measure" is the intended definition |
Revels? Disorderly sort limiting lives (6) | ROISTS | Definition: Revels
IS (lives) in SORT |
Mineral was smashed with end of sledge (7) | GÖTHITE | Definition: Mineral
GOT HIT + [sledg]E – an alternative spelling of the mineral Goethite, which is named after the poet Goethe |
An Asian tree alongside English poplar (5) | ABELE | Definition: poplar
A BEL (Asian tree) + E |
Ache being denied wine, making the old smirk (4) | GREN | Definition: the old smirk
GRENACHE (wine) less ACHE – old form of "grin" |
A gun cast in e.g. bronze, mature? See set of linguistic symbols (12) | METALANGUAGE | Definition: set of linguistic symbols
(A GUN)* in METAL + AGE |
Clever? It shows dash when you do (4) | CUTE | Definition: Clever
If you CUT the E from CUTE, you get CUT, one of whose definitions in Chambers is "to dash, go quickly" (as in "cut along!") |
Points on the board, we hear? Low points (5) | SCAWS | Definition: Low points
Homophone (for non-rhotic speakers) of "scores"; a scaw is a low headland |
You may see some lad excited by me (7) | DAMOSEL | Definition: You may see some lad excited by me
(SOME LAD)* &lit |
Seed coverings air buffeted around badly (6) | ARILLI | Definition: Seed coverings
ILL in AIR |
Milton wrote this of marsh plants (6) | REEDEN | Definition: of marsh plants
Milton wrote RE (about) [the garden of] EDEN in *Paradise Lost |
Its contents are arranged for printing, in the writer's opinion? (5) | FORME | Definition: Its contents are arranged for printing
FOR ME (in my opinion) |
Sheila's irritable, still rebuffed about love (4) | TOEY | Definition: Sheila's irritable
O in reverse of YET (still) – Australian slang for "irritable" |
Local watercourse in Britain, one revealing pike-like fish (9) | GREEN-BONE | Definition: pike-like fish
REEN (dialect word for a ditch or watercourse) in GB + ONE |
Fruit cocktail and sandwich (requiring short time to open it)? (5) | SHRUB | Definition: Fruit cocktail
HR (abbreviated "hour") in SUB (sandwich); this shrub is "a mixed drink of lemon or other citrus fruit.." |
Delay once getting under lid for pill (6) | CAPLET | Definition: pill
CAP (lid) + LET (delay, marked as "archaic", but in the same sense as found in "let or hindrance") |
A stopper (4) | BUNG | Definition: A stopper
The competition word, or what should have been… |
Otic area pest, possibly a flea? (12) | ECTOPARASITE | Definition: possibly a flea
(OTIC AREA PEST) |
Sydney harbour feature, note, in papier-mâché? (12) | CARTON‑PIERRE | Definition: papier-mâché
CARTON (Sydney, as in *A Tale of Two Cities*) + PIER (harbour feature) |
Outsiders going for shoot that creates a carry-on (5) | HOO-HA | Definition: carry-on
sHOOt tHAt minus the outer letters of each word |
What makes an Isis rite – i.e. in these being rattled? (6) | SISTRA | Definition: What makes an Isis rite – i.e. in these being rattled
Another composite anagram, and also and &lit. (AN ISIS RITE)* = I.E. IN SISTRA; plural of "sistrum", which is "an ancient Egyptian rattle, used in Isis-worship" |
Bairn that's good, yet spoilt (4) | GYTE | Definition: Bairn
G + YET |
Dread Shakespearean blather and tortured tenses (9) | GASTNESSE | Definition: Dread Shakespearean
GAS (blather) + TENSES |
Dejected when damn rings puncture (7) | DEFLATE | Definition: Dejected
FLAT (a puncture) "ringed by" DEE (i.e. D, euphemism for "damn"), though the definition surely points to DEFLATED. *Thanks to Dansar for the correction: it's FLAT (dejected) in DEE, with "puncture" as the definition. |
What Baden Powell encouraged affected clubs, a large number (9) | CAMPCRAFT | Definition: What Baden Powell encouraged
CAMP (affected) + C[lubs] + RAFT (large number) |
Hatch limitless wealth kept in pot (7) | GUICHET | Definition: Hatch
[r]ICHE[s] in GUT (pot[-belly]) – familiar as the French word for a ticket-office |
One among heavenly bodies in flight (6) | STAIRS | Definition: flight
I in STARS |
Nutritious fern, number fringing neglected road (6) | NARDOO | Definition: Nutritious fern
ROAD in NO (number) |
Idle Aussie, very nippy by the sound of it (5) | POLER | Definition: Idle Aussie
Homophone of "polar", very cold; Australian slang for a shirker |
Eyesore? He admitted there's not so many in Scotland (5) | WHEEN | Definition: not so many in Scotland
HE in WEN (eyesore, as in "The Great Wen" for London); it's a Scots word for a few |
Smur in Glasgow or Dundee coming up (4) | DROW | Definition: Smur
Hidden in reverse of glasgoW OR Dundee; Chambers gives "fine misty rain" for "smur" and " drizzling mist" for DROW: there may be a subtle distinction between the two: in any case, both are familiar to those of us who regularly visit Scotland (for obvious reasons I have had to cancel my next visit, which was due in May) |
Sprat (male) goes for this, a line that's loaded I cast (4) | LEAN | Definition: Sprat (male) goes for this
(A LINE)* less I, with a reference to the nursery rhyme: "Jack Sprat would eat no fat" (unlike his wife, hence the "(male)") |
Time to attack endlessly unfair work conditions (4,4) | ZERO HOUR | Definition: Time to attack
A ZERO HOURS contract is where one is tied to an employer but with no guarantee of work; truncate that and you get the military expression |
Express's quiet about Conservative power grab (6) | PUTSCH | Definition: power grab
PUT (express – as in "put it this way") + C in SH |
They reward theatrics from the likes of Blair? (6) | TONIES | Definition: They reward theatrics
Double definition – the Tony Awards (more often pluralised as Tonys, I think) are for excellence in live Broadway theatre |
In charge in any pub, moving stock up frantically (5,3) | PANIC BUY | Definition: stock up frantically
IC in (ANY PUB)* – this clue is the nearest reference I've seen to the current situation in a daily puzzle: maybe just a coincidence, though there was some panic buying, particularly of toilet rolls, for some time before the lockdown |
Put up with someone hard to put up with (4) | BORE | Definition: Put up with
Double definition: I originally guessed BEAR, but the first "put up" in the clue is in the past tense |
One in the balance on horse almost balances (10) | EQUILIBRIA | Definition: balances
EQUI[ne] *(or more likely EQUI[d])* (horse) + I in LIBRA (scales, balance) |
Effortless adoption thus returned second sibling (7) | OSMOSIS | Definition: Effortless adoption
Revere of SO (thus) + MO (moment, second) + SIS |
Hygiene issue not even in town (7) | BOROUGH | Definition: town
BO (body odour) + ROUGH (uneven) |
Condition of lush sauces by Arab American (10) | DIPSOMANIA | Definition: Condition of lush
DIPS (sauces) + OMANI (Arab) + A[merican] – a lush is a drunkard |
Desire heterosexual embraces (4) | EROS | Definition: Desire
Hidden in hetEROSexual |
Stylish and posh, favourite clothing brand (8) | UPMARKET | Definition: Stylish
U (upper-class, posh) + MARK (brand) in PET (favourite) |
Setter and setter drinking drink and drink (6) | IMBIBE | Definition: drink
I (the setter) + BIB (drink) in ME (the setter again) |
Deer's back, lassoed by worker's chain (6) | ANKLET | Definition: chain
Reverse of ELK in ANT |
Covers no more songs (8) | OVERLAYS | Definition: Covers
OVER (no more – as in "trips to the pub are no more") + LAYS (songs) |
Adoring hip-hop singer in pieces without awful noise (4-11) | HERO‑WORSHIPPING | Definition: Adoring
~~Reverse of~~ ROW (noise) in (HIP HOP SINGER) |
Bobby Charlton's header, running fast after cut back by reserve (6,9) | POLICE CONSTABLE | Definition: Bobby
This took me a while to parse: it's POL (reverse of LOP, cut) + ICE (reserve) + C[harlton] + ON (running) + STABLE (fast, as in firm, fixed) |
Disapproval for Mister Barking's promotional activity (10) | BOOSTERISM | Definition: promotional activity
BOOS + MISTER |
One with no degree of theatre work in Tudor plays (7) | DROPOUT | Definition: One with no degree
OP (work in an operating theatre) in TUDOR |
Paper bags quietly turned around (4) | SPUN | Definition: turned around
P in SUN (newspaper) |
Where people are both in and out of capital? (11,4) | STOCKBROKER BELT | Definition: Where people are both in and out of capital
Double/cryptic definition: the stockbroker belt is outside of London, and stockbrokers work in capital (i.e. money) |
Moralising work of Corbyn is trashed with gusto (8,3,4) | SCOUTING FOR BOYS | Definition: Moralising work
(OF CORBYN IS GUSTO) |
Appear with the greatest film doubles (10) | LOOKALIKES | Definition: doubles
LOOK (appear) + ALI (The Greatest) + KES (film) |
Jack ejected from meeting for insincere emotion (7) | UNCTION | Definition: insincere emotion
JUNCTION (meeting) less J |
Strip and remove shell of jet plane (4) | KITE | Definition: plane
KIT (strip – as in sportswear) + [j]E[t] |
How bird might attack pig in London? (7) | PECKHAM | Definition: in London
PECK HAM |
Where to worship American actress (6) | TEMPLE | Definition: Where to worship
Double definition: I took the actress to be child star Shirley Temple, but no doubt there are others to choose from |
Figure skater's endlessly upset to hide Queen's disease from sheep (5,3) | LIVER ROT | Definition: disease from sheep
ER in reverse of [Jayne] TORVIL[L] |
He's a wizard craftsman (6) | POTTER | Definition: He's a wizard
Double definition; no doubt about the name this time: it's Harry POTTER |
Deregulation left big airlines in trouble (12) | LIBERALISING | Definition: Deregulation
L + (BIG AIRLINES) |
Gerrard's dribbling around United's area for defensive players (10) | REARGUARDS | Definition: defensive players
U + A in (GERRARDS) |
Unit expresses surprise with onset of march (3) | OHM | Definition: Unit
OH! (expression of surprise) + M[arch]. The ohm is the unit of electrical resistance |
Goes without outer garments when it's this? (3) | HOT | Definition: Goes without outer garments when it's this
SHOTS (tries, goes) without its outer letters, &lit |
Ruthless king invades? Had a little trap recalled (4-6) | HARD-BITTEN | Definition: Ruthless
R (king) in HAD BIT + reverse of NET |
Doctor: ' … er, you're still lacking determination' (12) | IRRESOLUTELY | Definition: lacking determination
(ER YOU'RE STILL) |
Properties of 19 rivers (6) | HOUSES | Definition: Properties
H[ot] + OUSES; normally it would be odd to have a plural of a river name, but there are several OUSES in England |
Crack, Viagra, injecting cocaine and ecstasy at church residence … (8) | VICARAGE | Definition: church residence
C[ocaine] in VIAGRA* + E[cstasy] |
… begging rector to quit coughing up (6) | PAYING | Definition: coughing up
PRAYING less R |
Those searching find M is his and ____ (7) | FISHERS | Definition: Those searching
In contrast to M[ale] is his, F[emale] IS HERS |
European cry at a bullfight under pressure (4) | POLE | Definition: European
P[ressure] + OLÉ |
50% off Royalist's wine (4) | CAVA | Definition: wine
Half of CAVAlier |
Husband's mistake at home? Gutting ginormous fish! (8) | HERRINGS | Definition: fish
H + ERR (to mistake) + IN (at home) + G[inormou]S |
Sculptor, extraordinary inside? (5) | MOORE | Definition: Sculptor
The answer (Henry Moore) was clear from the crossing letters, but the parsing to me a little longer: we have to "lift-and-separate" "extraordinary" to get MORE (extra) with O (ordinary) inside |
Foreign state finally caps toxic waste (6) | EXOTIC | Definition: Foreign
[stat]E + TOXIC |
Cat tiptoes around in underwear (10) | PETTICOATS | Definition: underwear
(CAT TIPTOES) |
Feeling of anger from pledge to marry? Run for good (10) | ENRAGEMENT | Definition: Feeling of anger
ENGAGEMENT (pledge to marry) with G[ood] replaced by R[un] |
Praised twin somersaulting over short boy (6) | LAUDED | Definition: Praised
Reverse of DUAL (twin) + ED |
Mischievous piece on man of the cloth (10) | ARCHBISHOP | Mischievous piece on man of the cloth (10)
ARCH (mischievous) + BISHOP (chess piece) |
Unable to toss buyer over river in Kent (10) | CANTERBURY | Definition: in Kent
CAN'T ([is] unable) + R[iver] in BUYER* – the second instance of using "in X" to mean "a place in X" – see also 1a: not my favourite device |
Productive story needs no introduction (6) | ARABLE | Definition: Productive
[P]ARABLE |
Maybe Venus shall aim poorly on first serve (8) | WILLIAMS | Definition: Maybe Venus
WILL (shall) + AIM* + S[erve] – the definition refers to the tennis player |
Moving east, the navy is behind (6) | ASTERN | Definition: behind
EAST* + R[oyal] N[avy] |
Article about one following crook (5) | THIEF | Definition: crook
I in THE + F[ollowing] |
Feeble, energy dropping? Become animate (4) | WAKE | Definition: Become animate
WEAK with the E "dropping" to the end |
During flights, we push back seats (4) | PEWS | Definition: seats
Hidden in reverse of flightS, WE Push |
Meet South African model returning before start of fashion year (7) | SATISFY | Definition: Meet
SA + reverse of SIT (to model) + F[ashion] + Y |
Try getting place in athletic 23 (4,3) | SHOT PUT | Definition: athletic 23
SHOT (a try, as in "give it a shot") + PUT (to place) |
Join university side, leaving in the morning (5) | UNITE | Definition: Join
UNI + TEAM less A.M. |
Charm hostage over a time (9) | CAPTIVATE | Definition: Charm
A T in CAPTIVE |
Party has a politician that's informative (10) | REVELATORY | Definition: informative
REVEL (party) + A TORY |
Heat black fossil fuel (4) | BOIL | Definition: Heat
B + OIL |
Remaining excellent (11) | OUTSTANDING | Definition: Remaining
Double definition |
Firework in love story about foreign land (5,6) | ROMAN CANDLE | Definition: Firework
LAND* in ROMANCE |
Works a treat, reversing to include charge (4) | TASK | Definition: charge
Hidden in reverse of worKS A Treat |
No pay rise, as few agree arrangement before final letter to Europe (4,6) | WAGE FREEZE | Definition: No pay rise
(FEW AGREE)* + Z (final letter) + E[urope] |
Feature sensible dinner service (9) | CHINAWARE | Definition: dinner service
CHIN (feature) + AWARE (sensible, in an older sense of the word) |
Old first to be present (5) | EXIST | Old first to be present (5)
EX (old, former) + 1ST |
Left top off groups of bananas as meals (7) | LUNCHES | Definition: meals
L + [B]UNCHES |
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