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Take in various keys, say, and polish roughly (6-3) | ISLAND-HOP | Definition: Take in various keys, say
A0(… roughly) AND POLISH.
Defn: To take in/to tour, going from one key/a low-lying island to another. |
Gaudy little skirts are popular with consumers (8) | TINSELLY | Definition: Gaudy
TINY(little in size) containing(skirts) SELL(describing items that are popular with consumers/customers, as in "iPhones sell". |
One nameless dreamer with a bouquet (8) | AROMATIC | Definition: with a bouquet
A(one/a single) + "romantic"(a dreamer/one with idealised views of reality) **minus**(…less) "n"(abbrev. for "name").
Defn: …/having the characteristic scent/aroma of wine or perfume. |
Revolutionary Communist wears brown, without exception (2,1,3) | TO A MAN | Definition: without exception
**Reversal of**(Revolutionary) MAO(Zedong, Chinese Communist) **contained in**(wears) TAN(a brownish colour). |
Banking centre, say, raised what's held in Russian banks (6) | GENEVA | Definition: Banking centre
**Reversal of**(…, raised, in a down clue) EG(abbrev. for "exempli gratia"/for example/say) + NEVA(a river in Russia/what is held within river banks in Russia).
Defn: …/a financial centre in Switzerland. |
Son has ice cream or small cake (5) | SCONE | Definition: small cake
S(abbrev. for "son") **plus**(has) CONE(short for an ice cone). |
Mike and Heather enthralled by an advanced style of country music? (9) | AMERICANA | Definition: style of country music
[ M(letter represented by "Mike" in the phonetic alphabet) **plus**(and) ERICA(the genus of shrubs, including heather) ] **contained in**(enthralled by) [AN + A(abbrev. for "advanced") ].
Defn: …, aka American roots music, combining styles such as country and western, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues. |
Fast vehicle ditched by Shell? (5) | APACE | Definition: Fast
"car"(a motorised vehicle) **deleted from**(ditched by) "carapace"(the hard upper shell of, say, a tortoise). |
Knitter knitted knick-knack (7) | TRINKET | Definition: knick-knack
**Anagram of**(… knitted) KNITTER. |
Excel is almost certain to change (7) | SURPASS | Definition: Excel
**Last letter deleted from**(almost) "sure"(certain/doubtless) + PASS(to change from one state to another, as in "he can pass from being docile to being disobedient in a moment"). |
Force trainee to execute 'duck and cover', primarily when retreating (5) | CADET | Definition: Force trainee
**Reversal of**(… when retreating) **1st letters, respectively, of**(…, primarily) "to execute 'duck and cover'".
Defn: Trainee in a force, such as the army. |
Old New Zealand admiral on manoeuvres (9) | MAORILAND | Definition: Old New Zealand
**Anagram of**(… manoeuvres) ADMIRAL ON.
Defn: An obsolete/old name for New Zealand. |
Literary adventurer disturbed lingerer grabbing tool for opening letter (9,6) | PEREGRINE PICKLE | Definition: Literary adventurer
[ **Anagram of**(disturbed) LINGERER **containing**(grabbing) PICK(a tool for breaking up ground or stone) ] **contained in**(for opening) PEE(the letter "P").
Defn: …, protagonist in "The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle", first published in mid-18th C. |
Condition may seem poor around edges of pitch (9) | EMPHYSEMA | Definition: Condition
**Anagram of**(… poor) MAY SEEM **containing**(around) **1st and last letters of**(edges of) "pitch".
Defn: …, specifically an irreversible disease affecting the lungs. |
Nine divine females married pursuers off and on (5) | MUSES | Definition: Nine divine females
M(abbrev. for "married") + **2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th letters of**(… off and on) "pursuers".
Defn: …, viz. the nine sister goddesses in Greek and Roman mythology each of whom oversee a different branch of the arts and sciences. |
Notice call to work (5-2) | HEAVE-HO | Definition: Notice,call to work
Double defn: 1st: …/a dismissal from, say, employment, as in "he was given the heave-ho after his major screw-up"; and 2nd: An expression calling for exertion/a call to work, as when sailors are manually raising an anchor. |
Handcuff a salt arrested by setter (7) | MANACLE | Definition: Handcuff
[ A + NACL(the symbol for the chemical compound, sodium chloride, a salt formed from sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid) ] **contained in**(arrested by) ME(self-referential pronoun for the setter of this crossword). |
Wrestler returned inside box-like zone (5) | OZEKI | Definition: Wrestler
**Hidden in**(inside) **reversal of**(returned) "box-like zone".
Defn: …/a sumo wrestling champion. |
Mobile meters, say — one way to repay debt (4,5) | EASY TERMS | Definition: one way to repay debt
**Anagram of**(Mobile) METERS, SAY.
Defn: A way of paying money owed/repaying a debt, viz. in multiple instalments instead of one lumpsum. |
Tiny piece about centrally stripped grammatical form (10) | PARTICIPLE | Definition: grammatical form
PARTICLE(a tiny piece/a very small portion of matter) **containing**(about) **middle 2 letters of**(centrally) "stripped".
Defn: …, specifically a word formed from a verb that can function as a verb as well as an adjective. |
Confuse order to let one's hair down? (8) | BEWILDER | Definition: Confuse
["BE WILDER!"](an order/exhortation to be less restrained and more excited/let one's hair down). |
Mostly wonderful, tense batter's innings (6) | WICKET | Definition: batter's innings
**Last letter ****deleted from**(Mostly) "wicked"(informal term for "wonderful!"/excellent!) + T(abbrev. for "tense").
Defn: …/in cricket, the time during which a batsman/batter is at bat, and that represents his innings. |
Engineer, eh? So it's said (4) | WATT | Definition: Engineer
**Homophone of**(… So it's said) "what?"(like "eh?" an expression asking for clarification of what was said, as "Eh?"/"What (did you just say)?".
Defn: Scottish mechanical …, after whom the unit of power was named. |
Character in Othello reported noble group of stars (10) | CASSIOPEIA | Definition: group of stars
CASSIO(a character in the Shakespearean tragedy, "Othello") + **homophone of**(reported) "peer"(a nobleman). |
Damn shower beginning to irritate Gulf national (8) | BAHRAINI | Definition: Gulf national
BAH!(like "damn!", an expression of annoyance) + RAIN(a shower/a large quantity of things that fall or descend) + **1st letter of**(beginning to) "irritate".
Defn: …, specifically from the Gulf State of Bahrain. |
Covering of slate on a dam (6) | PANAMA | Definition: Covering
PAN(to slate/to criticise severely) **placed above**(on, in a down clue) A + MA(a familiar term for "mother"/a female parent/a dam, in reference to an animal).
Defn: … for one's head. |
Extremely fickle twin sons own up (4) | FESS | Definition: own up
**1st and last letters of**(Extremely) "fickle" + **2x**(twin) S(abbrev. for "son").
Defn: Short for "confess"/to …. |
Spell in which nobody gets the runs (6,4) | MAIDEN OVER | Definition: Spell in which nobody gets the runs
Cryptic defn: In cricket, an over/a spell or period of six consecutive correctly bowled balls in which no runs are scored. |
Style doctor introducing several points (5,5) | DRESS SENSE | Definition: Style
DR(abbrev. for "doctor") + **1st letters, retrospectively, of**(introducing) "east, south, south, south, east, north, south, east"(several compass points). |
Alcohol clergy bottled at home (8) | GLYCERIN | Definition: Alcohol
**Anagram of**(… bottled/hit, as with a bottle?) CLERGY + IN(at home/not outdoors).
Answer: … or glycerine or glycerol, one of the class of chemical compounds called the alcohols. |
Lock web address after X linked to copyright (4-4) | KISS CURL | Definition: Lock
URL(abbrev. for "Uniform Resource Locator", the address of a webpage on the Internet) **placed below**(after, in a down clue) [ KISS(in written form, represented by "X") **plus**(linked to) C(abbrev. for "copyright", as in ©) ].
Defn: … of hair … sported by both sexes: |
Beggar's right to stop one who'll cough up (6) | PRAYER | Definition: Beggar
R(abbrev. for "right") **contained in**(to stop) PAYER(one who'll cough up/pay the bill).
Defn: One who prays/begs would be a "beg-ger", or ungrammatically, a "beg-gar".
The clue could have done with a homophone indicator. |
Tiny setter's amphibian is caught (6) | MINUTE | Definition: Tiny
**Homophone of**(… is caught/overheard) [ "my"(self-referential possessive pronoun for the setter of this crossword/setter's) + "newt"(a lizard-like amphibious creature) ]. |
Catch punch (4) | HOOK | Definition: Catch,punch
Double defn: 1st: … with, well, a hook; and 2nd: A short swinging blow/… made with the elbow bent. |
Bible book briefly picked up before end of religious service (4) | MASS | Definition: service
**Reversal of**(… picked up, in a down clue) SAM(abbrev. for /briefly "Samuel", a book in the Hebrew Bible) **plus**(before) **last letter of**(end of) "religious".
Defn: A religious …. |
Clubs worker's sacked, caught breaking bottle opener (9) | CORKSCREW | Definition: bottle opener
C(abbrev. for "clubs", one of the 4 suits in a deck of playing cards) + **anagram of**(… sacked) WORKER'S **containing**(… breaking) C(abbrev. for "caught" in cricket scores).
Zany (or screwy) ones: |
Natural gemstones not right for rings (5) | PEALS | Definition: rings
"pearls"(natural gemstones formed within the shell of the oyster) **minus**(not) "r"(abbrev. for "right").
Defn: …/makes a sound that bells make or like that of bells ringing. |
Detective managed to retire without getting to rock bottom (5) | NADIR | Definition: rock bottom
DI(abbrev. for "detective inspector") **contained in**(… without) **reversal of**(… to retire) RAN(managed, say, an organisation). |
Carpeting tripped tot heading off toddling inside (7-2) | TALKING-TO | Definition: Carpeting
**Anagram of**(tripped) TOT **containing**(… inside) **1st letter deleted from**(heading off) "walking"("toddling", describing a young child/tot learning to walk with unsteady steps).
Defn: …/a scolding face to face. |
Dislikes trapping poor mouse for co-residents (10) | HOUSEMATES | Definition: co-residents
HATES(dislikes/loathes) **containing**(trapping) **anagram of**(poor) MOUSE. |
Wally's quick rejoinder partly backfired (4) | JERK | Definition: Wally
**Hidden in**(… partly) **reversal of**(… backfired) "quick rejoinder".
Defn: …/a silly person. |
Large number of British having trouble at home with nothing coming in (7) | BILLION | Definition: Large number
B(abbrev. for "British") **plus**(having) ILL(trouble/misfortune) + IN(at home/not outdoors) **containing**(with … coming in) O(letter shaped like 0/nothing). |
So distant up to now (4,3) | THUS FAR | Definition: up to now
THUS(so/in this way) + FAR(distant/being some distance away). |
Let's go travelling, tour's beginning on your bike (3,4) | GET LOST | Definition: on your bike
**Anagram of**(… travelling) LET'S GO + **1st letter of**(…'s beginning) "tour".
Defn: …!/"Shoo!" |
Almost everything eaten by sea creature's foul! (7) | SQUALID | Definition: foul
**Last letter deleted from**(Almost) "all"(everything) **contained in**(eaten by) SQUID(sea creature with an elongated body and many tentacles).
Defn: …/filthy. |
Thin line moving between English and American style (4) | ELAN | Definition: style
LEAN(thin/spare) **with** "L"(abbrev. for "line") **moving to between ****the** E(abbrev. for "English") **and the** "A"(abbrev. for "American") **in the word**. |
Team weakens, stuffed with southern hotel's extra food (4,6) | SIDE DISHES | Definition: extra food
SIDE(team in a competitive match) + DIES(weakens/fades) **containing**(stuffed with) S(abbrev. for "southern") + H(letter represented by "hotel" in the phonetic alphabet). |
One with no hope of French act winning (9) | DEFEATIST | Definition: One with no hope
DE(French for "of") + FEAT(a very brave or difficult act/deed) + IST("1st"/first/winning, with the Roman numeral substitution).
Defn: …/one who has given up hope and is ready to accept failure. |
Letter from Greece is first of hundreds in Tate collection (5) | THETA | Definition: Letter from Greece
**1st letter of**(first of) "hundreds" **contained in**(in) **anagram of**(… collection) TATE.
Defn: Letter in the Greek alphabet. |
Hang around with dopehead's mate (5) | DALLY | Definition: Hang around
**1st letter of**(…head) "dope" **plus**(…'s/indicating possession) ALLY(mate/one you can depend on). |
Endure, long after date that's absolutely final (4-5) | LAST-DITCH | Definition: absolutely final
LAST(to endure/survive) + [ ITCH(to long for/to feel a strong desire) **placed after**(after) D(abbrev. for "date") ]. |
Church gathering incorporated piece of cake (5) | CINCH | Definition: piece of cake
CH(abbrev. for "church") **containing**(gathering) INC(abbrev. for "Incorporated", as used in a business corporation's name).
Defn: …/something that is easily done. |
Redo short haircut for swimmer (3,6) | RED MULLET | Definition: swimmer
"Redo" **minus ****its last letter**(short) + MULLET(a particular haircut/hairstyle).
A non-swimming red mullet: |
Film star rocks party, wearing nothing (6,4) | SCREEN IDOL | Definition: Film star
SCREE(rocks/a mass of loose stones covering a mountain slope) + [ DO(a party/a social function) **contained in**(wearing) NIL(0/nothing) ].
… not exactly nothing. |
Teach new skills online (7) | RETRAIN | Definition: Teach new skills
RE(with reference to/"on") + TRAIN("line"/a group of vehicles moving in a line/column). |
Most desolate quarter has listed building (7) | WILDEST | Definition: Most desolate
W(abbrev. for "west", one of the four main compass points/quarter) **plus**(has) **anagram of**(… building) LISTED. |
Brace for party leader broadcast (4) | PAIR | Definition: Brace
**1st letter of**(… leader) "party" + AIR(to broadcast over the radio or TV). |
Regular guest is host for debate (5) | ARGUE | Definition: debate
**Hidden in**(… is host) "Regular guest". |
Day before American artist's retrospective, it's blocked (9) | SNOOKERED | Definition: blocked
**Reversal of**(…'s retrospective) [ D(abbrev. for "day") + ERE(before in time) + KOONS(Jeff, American artist) ].
Defn: …/thwarted. |
Indulged by wearing uniforms I'd later bother keeping (10) | LUXURIATED | Definition: Indulged
[ X(symbol for multiplication/by) **contained in**(wearing) U,U(twice abbrev. for "uniform") ] **contained in**(… keeping) **anagram of**(… bother) I'D LATER. |
Falsely superior large loaf has seeds occasionally (9) | BIGHEADED | Definition: Falsely superior
BIG(large) + HEAD(in slang, "loaf"/a person's head) **plus**(has) **2nd and 4th letters of**(… occasionally) "seeds". |
The lift is out of order, being most dirty (9) | FILTHIEST | Definition: most dirty
**Anagram of**(… out of order) THE LIFT IS. |
Time opponent's taken over me is not significant (7) | TRIVIAL | Definition: not significant
T(abbrev. for "time") + RIVAL(one's opponent/competitor) **containing**(…'s taken over) I(me, with the setter using the self-referential pronoun). |
Detectives in violent tussle seizing drug (7) | SLEUTHS | Definition: Detectives
**Anagram of**(violent) TUSSLE **containing**(seizing) H(abbrev. for the drug, heroin). |
Terrible fellow you reportedly left after a week (5) | AWFUL | Definition: Terrible
[ F(abbrev. for "fellow") + **homophone of**(… reportedly) "you" + L(abbrev. for "left") ] **placed after**(after) [ A + W(abbrev. for "week") ]. |
Mum's quiet after son in car accident (5) | SMASH | Definition: car accident
[ MA(mum/one's mother) + SH!(exclamation demanding "silence!"/quiet!) ] **placed after**(after) S(abbrev. for "son"). |
Rejected new street map that's variable and eccentric (4) | ZANY | Definition: eccentric
**Reversal of**(Rejected) [ N(abbrev. for "new") + AZ("A-Z", any of a range of street maps of a particular area published by the Geographers' A–Z Map Company, UK) ] **plus**(that's) Y(symbol for a variable quantity in mathematics). |
Got made well again by non-amateur (8) | PROCURED | Definition: Got
CURED(made well again/healed) **placed after**(by) PRO(short for "professional"/non-amateur); alternatively "healed by a professional". |
Dad handles fruit (6) | PAPAWS | Definition: fruit
PA(like "dad", an informal term for one's father) + PAWS(handles/touches clumsily with one's paws/hands).
The North American fruit:
… and the tropical "papaya" for which "pawpaw" is another name: |
Sailors from Dover region having the last word (6) | SEAMEN | Definition: Sailors
SE(abbrev. for "South-east", the region of England in which Dover is located) + AMEN(the last word in a prayer or hymn). |
Lewdness unfortunately returning to conurbation (8) | SALACITY | Definition: Lewdness
**Reversal of**(… returning) ALAS!(unfortunately/"sad to say") **plus**(to) CITY(a conurbation/an extended urban area). |
Small room to dispose of commercially, we hear (4) | CELL | Definition: Small room
**Homophone of**(…, we hear) "sell"(to dispose of commercially/to hand over in exchange for money). |
Aggressive types in row at odds with Germans (10) | WARMONGERS | Definition: Aggressive types
**Anagram of**(… at odds …) [ROW **plus**(with) GERMANS]. |
Cold plant location providing stuff for meal (8) | CROCKERY | Definition: stuff for meal
C(abbrev. for "cold") + ROCKERY(plant location, viz. part of a garden with soil and small plants growing between rocks).
Defn: …/utensils for eating with. |
Cleaner sort of drama? (4) | SOAP | Definition: Cleaner,sort of drama
Double defn: 1st: Substance for washing and cleaning; and 2nd: Short for "soap opera", a continuing serial about the lives of the same group of characters. |
An objection from neighbour? (4) | ABUT | Definition: neighbour
A(like "an", an article in grammar) + BUT(an objection/an argument against something, as in "no ifs and buts about it".
Defn: …/to be situated next to. |
No jolly fighters needing friendly help in the usual way of things (8) | NORMALLY | Definition: in the usual way of things
NO + RM(abbrev. for the Royal Marines, a fighting unit consisting of sailors/jollies, informally) **plus**(needing) ALLY(a friendly help/one that supports). |
Bird handler endlessly excited Pope (10) | HILDEBRAND | Definition: Pope
**Anagram of**(… excited) [BIRD + "handler" **minus ****its last letter**(endlessly) ].
Defn: Birth name of Pope Gregory VII. |
This writer's joining holy warriors (4) | IMPI | Definition: warriors
I'M("I am"/the setter is, using the self-referential first person pronoun) **plus**(joining) PI(short for "pious"/holy, in a sanctimonious way). |
King that is wanting alcoholic drink, a type of wine (8) | RIESLING | Definition: a type of wine
R(abbrev. for "Rex"/King) + IE(abbrev. for "id est"/that is) **plus**(wanting) SLING(an alcoholic drink, viz. a cocktail of spirits with water and sweetened).
Defn: …, viz. a dry white wine from a grape variety grown in Germany, Austria and elsewhere. |
Talk about knight being decorated! (6) | ORNATE | Definition: decorated
ORATE(to talk/to make a speech) **containing**(about) N(abbrev. for "knight", in chess notation).
Defn: …/adorned. |
Startled ruler meeting saint (6) | AGHAST | Definition: Startled
AGHA(or "aga", a ruler, or, an honorific title from the Turkish for "master") **plus**(meeting) ST(abbrev. for "Saint"). |
Policy by US magazine — a help for survival (8) | LIFELINE | Definition: a help for survival
LINE(a policy/an agreed approach towards doing or thinking something, as in "the official line on privatisation" **placed after**(by) LIFE(a US magazine); alternatively, "a policy of LIFE magazine"). |
Female bird always soaring round middle of lea (5) | REEVE | Definition: Female bird
**Reversal of**(… soaring, in a down clue) EVER(always/at all times) **containing**(round) **middle letter of**(middle of) "lea".
Defn: A female ruff.
Two ruffed ruffs ready to court reeves: |
Agreed to cooperate, keeping puss inside — not that easy? (11) | COMPLICATED | Definition: not that easy
COMPLIED(agreed to cooperate/acted in accordance with) **containing**(keeping … inside) CAT(a feline/pussycat, or, puss in short). |
Cut in money to be paid had to be acknowledged (8) | RENOWNED | Definition: acknowledged
**Last letter deleted from**(Cut in) "rent"(money to be paid by the tenant to the landlord) + OWNED(had/possessed). |
Something poisonous — oily danger gents dispersed (10,5) | DESTROYING ANGEL | Definition: Something poisonous
**Anagram of**(… dispersed) OILY DANGER GENTS. |
Prisoner, sick inside, getting support (6) | PILLOW | Definition: support
POW(abbrev. for "prisoner of war") **containing**(… inside) ILL(sick/unwell).
Defn: … for one's head when lying down or sleeping.
One you might lose sleep over if it gets lost: |
Illustration put up in municipality (3) | PIC | Definition: Illustration
**Hidden in**(in) **reversal of**(put up …) "municipality".
Defn: Short for "picture". |
Cascade after breaking into barrier (9) | WATERFALL | Definition: Cascade
**Anagram of**(… breaking) AFTER **contained in**(into) WALL(a barrier/a restriction). |
Gale blowing round railway establishment in waiting period (11) | GESTATIONAL | Definition: in waiting period
**Anagram of**(… blowing) GALE **containing**(round) STATION(a railway establishment/a passenger stop along a railway line).
Defn: …/during the period between conception and birth inside the mother's womb. |
Teacher smart, doing away with initial chattering (9) | RABBITING | Definition: chattering
RABBI(a teacher of Judaism) + "sting"(to smart/to feel a sharp or burning pain) **minus ****its 1st letter**(doing away with initial). |
Business not going well — compromise? (5-3) | TRADE-OFF | Definition: compromise
TRADE(business/buy and sell transactions) OFF(not going well/doing poorly).
Defn: …/to give and take. |
Old boy given 'eave up — one going from bar to bar? (6) | OBOIST | Definition: one going from bar to bar
OB(abbrev. for "old boy" of, say, a school or university) **plus**(given) 'OIST("hoist"/to haul up** minus its 1st letter, similar to** "heave"/to haul up **minus its 1st letter**).
Defn: One playing/going from bar to bar, a bar being one of the sections into which a piece of music is divided. |
Plate is plain, slightly chipped (5) | PATEN | Definition: Plate
"patent"(plain/glaringly obvious) **minus ****its last letter**(slightly chipped). |
Music request, the first to be put down (3) | SKA | Definition: Music
ASK(to request/make a plea for something or for something to be done) **with its 1st letter**(the first) **moved down to the bottom**(to be put down, in a down clue).
Defn: … originating in Jamaica in the 60s. |
Nice here in secretive island (6) | SICILY | Definition: island
ICI("here" in the language of Nice, France) **contained in**(in) SLY(secretive/sneaky).
Defn: … in Italy. |
Exciting to return 50% of wealth (8) | ELECTRIC | Definition: Exciting
ELECT(to return a candidate in an election) + **1st 3 out of 6 letters of**(50% of) "riches"(wealth/valuables). |
Bridge odds on two queens (7) | SPANNER | Definition: Bridge
SP(abbrev. for "starting prices", indicating the odds of winning in a horse race) **plus**(on) [ ANNE(English queen once) + R(abbrev. for "Regina"/Queen) ](two queens).
Defn: A structure that bridges/spans across, say, a river, valley, gorge:
… or canal even: |
Dawn insures building (7) | SUNRISE | Definition: Dawn
**Anagram of**(… building) INSURES. |
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