Clue
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Add the artwork — all is utter rubbish (10) | ILLUSTRATE | Definition: Add the artwork
(ALL IS UTTER) |
Fellows chat endlessly — it's all in the mind (6) | MENTAL | Definition: all in the mind
MEN + TAL[K] |
Gave permission and reportedly went under, was ignored (10) | SANCTIONED | Definition: Gave permission
Homophone of "sank" + "shunned" – the "was" spoils the cryptic reading as "shunned" means "ignored", not "was ignored" |
Passing wind, single dad goes back inside (8) | ELAPSING | Definition: Passing
Reverse of PA in SINGLE* (with "wind" to rhyme with "kind") |
One awarded a degree put heads together mid-week (8) | CONFEREE | Definition: One awarded a degree
CONFER + the middle letters of wEEk |
State of wild exaggeration after Texan left (7) | GEORGIA | Definition: State
Anagram of EXAGGERATION less TEXAN – exactly repeating the definition of 12a |
English and French scientist joining F1 team (6) | ECURIE | Definition: F1 team
E + CURIE (probably Pierre, who was born in Paris, rather than Marie, who was born in Warsaw, although she took French nationality). Ecurie is French for a stable, so by extension (I learn) a motor-racing team |
Ends of branches regularly block the way (6) | SYSTEM | Definition: way
[branche]S [regularl]Y STEM (to block) |
Clothes which can be changed (4) | GEAR | Definition: Clothes
Double definition |
System of poetic correspondence I extracted from bobbing dinghy dance (10) | CYNGHANEDD | Definition: System of poetic correspondence
Anagram of (BOBBING DINGHY) less I – I needed almost all the crossing letters before I could get anywhere close to guessing this one |
Greeting that's international, accepted in company (4) | CIAO | Definition: Greeting
I[nternational] + A[ccepted] in CO |
Court decision (8) | PLACITUM | Definition: Court decision
The word to be clued for the competition |
Old seaman's cleared for action, heading for dhow in distress (5) | PREDY | Definition: Old seaman's cleared for action
D[how] in PREY (to distress, as in "prey on ones mind"); the rather long-winded definition is because it's an obsolete nautical word for "cleared for action" |
Citizen of sultanate, returning very soon? (5) | OMANI | Definition: Citizen of sultanate
reverse of IN A MO[ment] |
Marine invertebrates chippy's half rejected in a foreign street, sent back (7) | ECHIURA | Definition: Marine invertebrates
CHI (chippy with "half [the letters] rejected") in reverse of A RUE (French "street") |
Forge myths concocted with minimum of ingenuity (6) | SMITHY | Definition: Forge
Anagram of MYTHS + I[ngenuity] |
English engraved in tablet for Irish-born writer (6) | STEELE | Definition: Irish-born writer
E in STELE – Richard Steele is (I presume) the writer |
Street trader requiring accountant, might one assume? (6) | COSTER | Definition: Street trader
An accountant might be a "coster"; as a street trader "coster" is a shortening of "costermonger", with the "coster" part coming from "costard", a kind of apple |
Enzyme in time extracted from nettles, eastern (7) | URICASE | Definition: Enzyme
URTICA (the nettle genus) less T, plus E |
Form of tiling, I see, between vegetable and mineral? (8) | LIGNITIC | Definition: between vegetable and mineral
TILING* + I C |
Distraught, being left in flat (5) | ELVEN | Definition: Distraught
L in EVEN; "distraught" is the third meaning given in Chambers: I'm not sure what the association with elves is. The full OED doesn't give this meaning |
Song name: 'Born when it's springtime in Britain' (5) | ARIAN | Definition: Born when it's springtime in Britain
ARIA + N; born under the sign of Aries, 20 March — 19 April, so in (the first month of) Spring (in Britain and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere) |
Lad excited with bust shown round for all to see, not quite fully developed (8) | SUBADULT | Definition: not quite fully developed
U (for all to see, as in film classifications) in (LAD BUST) |
XI gutted with victory likewise treated as grudge? (4) | ENVY | Definition: grudge
E[leve]N + V[ictor]Y |
Buteas of a kind? Leaf's unusually round measure (10) | FLAME‑TREES | Definition: Buteas of a kind
METRE (measure) in LEAFS*; the name "flame-tree" applies to various trees, including a particular species of Butea, hence the question mark and "of a kind" |
Carp, last in fishery – bother (4) | YIRK | Definition: Carp
[fisher]Y + IRK; for the definition, carp in the sense of find fault |
About last of Scotch, neat gin's drunk? It means nowt to Jock (8) | NAETHING | Definition: It means nowt to Jock
[scotc]H in (NEAT GIN) |
Bird arranged twig to tidy up nesting (6) | GODWIT | Definition: Bird
Reverse of DO (tidy) "nesting" in TWIG |
Lord Mayor occupying lofty perch, safe (6) | ALMERY | Definition: safe
LM in AERY (alternative spelling of eyrie) |
Drains on each side going into hospital that's erected (6) | NALLAS | Definition: Drains
ALL ("on each side" – Chambers has "on all sides") in reverse of SAN (hospital) |
Glen, David or Jonathan dropping by? (6) | DIMBLE | Definition: Glen
DIMBLE[by] (broadcasters D & J, sons of Richard) |
Projection in lute that's off-key – making it so? (7) | TUNABLE | Definition: so
NAB in LUTE; nab here is a hilltop, promotory or projection, found in the names of some hills, including Nab Hill near Bradford, making it (presumably) a tautological name |
Smash witnessed – hassle separating parts (10) | SMITHEREEN | Definition: Smash
MITHER (annoy, hasle) in SEEN; as a noun smithereens can only be plural, but in this form it can be a verb ("rare", says Chambers) |
Like a flower part one's planted in favourite row (8) | PETALINE | Definition: Like a flower part
A in PET LINE |
I'm served in the manner of the bargeman's wife, mustily dressed (7) | MYTILUS | Definition: I'm served in the manner of the bargeman's wife
MUSTILY; the common mussel genus: they can be served as *moules [à la] marinière*, meaning cooked "in the manner of the bargeman's wife" |
Like a chunky shoe maybe, French one secured by knotted lace (6) | CUNEAL | Definition: Like a chunky shoe maybe
UN (French "one") in LACE* – it means "wedge-shaped", which I suppose a chunky shoe could be |
Keep quiet about debt settlement in historical bailment (6) | MUTUUM | Definition: historical bailment
UTU (Maori word for a debt settlement) in MUM (keep quiet!) |
Ride bicycle when damaged: dicey and thus punctured (6) | CRIBLÉ | Definition: punctured
Another composite anagram: (RIDE BICYCLE)* = DICEY + CRIBLE |
One keeps a tally, increasingly irritated when about 100 (6) | SCORER | Definition: One keeps a tally
C (100) in SORER |
Appearing in pink in dance that's a bit informal (5) | KINDA | Definition: a bit informal
Hidden in pinK IN DAnce – the definition means "an informal way of saying 'a bit'" |
Loud greeting preferred in 'yoofspeak' (4) | FAVE | Definition: preferred in 'yoofspeak'
F + AVE – informal form of "favourite", though I wouldn't call it particularly "yoofy" myself |
A bicycle for travel? Not having it (8) | CELIBACY | Definition: Not having it
(A BICYCLE) |
This castle is on a sort of rock (6) | GLAMIS | Definition: castle
GLAM (rock, as in music) + IS. Glamis castle was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Macbeth is Thane of Glamis (among other titles) in the play |
Pilot programme, its result fixed (4,5) | SHOW TRIAL | Definition: its result fixed
A pilot programme is a TRIAL of a SHOW |
One hides face as guest loses it (5) | VISOR | Definition: One hides face
VISITOR less IT |
Glowing report dispatched after I left hot sweets (12) | INCANDESCENT | Definition: Glowing
IN (fashionable, hot) + CAND[I]ES (sweets) + CENT ("report" of "sent") |
Listen, lightweight — you shut up! (4) | OYEZ | Definition: Listen
YE in OZ (ounce, a small weight) |
Lone Ranger without emotion failed to crack puzzle soon (6,4) | BEFORE LONG | Definition: soon
Anagram ("failed") of LONE RANGER less ANGER (emotion) in BEFOG (to puzzle) |
Feature of restaurant came first on bill: a pound off lodging (5,5) | TABLE D’HOTE | Definition: Feature of restaurant
TAB (bill) + LED (came first) + HOTE[L] |
Scheme Aussie natives announced (4) | RUSE | Definition: Scheme
Homophone of [kanga]ROOS |
King's present unfeigned anger (12) | FRANKINCENSE | Definition: King's present
FRANK (unfeigned) + INCENSE (to anger). One of the gifts of the Magi or "three kings". The story doesn't actually say that each "king" brought one gift, so (IMHO) it would be better as "Kings' present" |
Joint of deer not available, needing replacing (5) | ANKLE | Definition: Joint
This is a reversal of ELK (deer) N/A; "replacing" suggests an anagram (which it also is, of course) – can it also mean reversing, or is this an indirect anagram? |
Put down flags, turning to speak, and vanish (9) | EVAPORATE | Definition: vanish
Reverse of PAVE (put down flag[stone]s) + ORATE |
Teachers of French you sort out (6) | TUTORS | Definition: Teachers
TU (French "you") + SORT |
Drug adulterated? That's a blow (8) | UPPERCUT | Definition: a blow
UPPER (drug) + CUT (adulterated) |
Part of tooth finally falls into mug (4) | CUSP | Definition: Part of tooth
[fall]S in CUP |
Game's up for contraceptive (4) | LOOP | Definition: contraceptive
Reverse of POOL – a form of IUD or coil |
Impersonate Blair, making a mint (6) | BETONY | Definition: a mint
BE TONY (ex-PM). Betony is a member of the mint family, much used in herbal medicine |
Mat crawling with lice, suggesting a worrying trend? (7,6) | CLIMATE CHANGE | Definition: a worrying trend
A "reverse anagram" of MAT LICE |
Generously offered ladies one drop (8) | LAVISHED | Definition: Generously offered
LAV (lavatory, e.g. ladies') + I SHED |
Where we all leave service book (4,6) | MASS EXODUS | Definition: Where we all leave
MASS (church service) + EXODUS (biblical book) |
Plans to bring up pastries, breaking siege (10) | STRATEGIES | Definition: Plans
Reverse of TARTS + SIEGE |
Nurse person entitled regularly to have assistance round in the morning (4,2,3,4) | LADY OF THE LAMP | Definition: Nurse
LADY (a "titled" person) + OFT (regularly) + A.M. in HELP. Lady of the lamp was Florence Nightingale's sobriquet |
Town's new poet, struggling, drilled soundly (10) | PONTEFRACT | Definition: Town
(N POET)* + homophone of "fracked" |
Feeble type felt regularly full of expressionless misery (3,7) | WET BLANKET | Definition: misery
BLANK (expressionless) in WET (a feeble type) + [f]E[l]T |
Tie from end of November week can get rearranged (8) | NECKWEAR | Definition: Tie
Anagram of [Novembe]R WEEK CAN |
Like to run, not on the flat (6) | ASLOPE | Definition: not on the flat
AS (like) + LOPE |
Drier used in hospital constantly (4) | TALC | Definition: Drier
Hidden in hospiTAL Constantly |
Fresh water essentially where it may breed (4) | NEWT | Definition: it
NEW (fresh) + [wa]T[er], with a kind of inverted definition |
Impersonate Little John, brother (9) | DOMINICAN | Definition: brother
DO (to impersonate) + MINI CAN (toilet, john) |
Itinerant forgetting piano at end of two dances (4) | HOBO | Definition: Itinerant
HOP + BOP (two dances), both without P[iano] |
Cop punching old dog, grass … (8) | CANNABIS | Definition: grass
NAB (to arrest, cop) in CANIS (Latin "dog") |
… that's bad arrested by police (6) | MILLET | … that's bad arrested by police (6)
ILL (bad) in MET (Metropolitan police), with the definition "grass" borrowed from the previous clue |
Particular dock? (6) | DETAIL | Definition: Particular
To dock an animal is to DE-TAIL it |
Freshly papered walls in rectory originally … (8) | PREPARED | Freshly papered walls in rectory originally … (8)
R[ectory] "walled in" by PAPERED* – this time the definition "fabricated" comes from the next clue |
… fabricated — very pleased (4,2) | MADE UP | Definition: fabricated
Double definition |
Author dunking bread in drink (8) | TROLLOPE | Definition: Author
ROLL in TOPE |
State again reviewing repeated notes in paper (8) | REAFFIRM | Definition: State again
Reverse of RIFF (repeated musical phrase) in REAM (measure of paper) |
Conclusion somewhat lacking heart again! (6) | ENCORE | Definition: again!
EN[D] + CORE |
Capital: family has wasted it (8) | KINSHASA | Definition: Capital
KIN (family) + HAS* + SA (sex appeal, "it") |
Boat netting five carp (6) | KVETCH | Definition: carp
V in KETCH |
Stick on bottom, wounding (6) | BARBED | Definition: wounding
BAR (a stick) + BED (bottom) |
Setter's dropping weight initially, so I hope that's shifted (8) | WHOOPSIE | Definition: Setter's dropping
W[eight] + (SO I HOPE)* – as in (Frank Spencer voice) "the dog's done a whoopsie" |
Urge for fizzy drinks, reportedly (4) | COAX | Definition: Urge
Homophone of "cokes" (Coca Colas) |
Native of central America in rare shower (3,6) | RED PEPPER | Definition: Native of central America
RED (rare, as in steak) + PEPPER (to shower). The Capsicums seem to be native to the Americas generally, not just CA |
Opener in difficulty to collect duck (5) | DRAKE | Definition: duck
D[ifficulty] + RAKE (to collect – e.g. leaves at this time of year) |
Potty covered in hair, as an artefact (3-4) | MAN-MADE | Definition: as an artefact
MAD (potty) in MANE (hair); intersecting with the MADE in 12a |
Swedish chemist knocking up supermodel once (5) | NOBEL | Definition: Swedish chemist
Reverse of [Yasmin] LE BON, 1980s model |
Dumping grounds dry up, one of those filled with sewage (7) | CESSPIT | Definition: one of those filled with sewage
Reverse of ~~PITS~~ TIPS (rubbish dumps) + SEC |
Yours truly hit (6,3) | NUMBER ONE | Definition: Yours truly
Double definition – phrase for "myself", and a hit record |
Bag antique chamber pots (7) | HOLDALL | Definition: Bag
OLD in ("potted by") HALL (chamber) |
Yikes, buzzer has caught its owner? (9) | BEEKEEPER | Definition: its owner
EEK (yikes) in BEEPER (buzzer), and a bee is also a "buzzer" |
A sovereign I preserve in instant coffee (9) | AMERICANO | Definition: coffee
A + ER (Sovereign) I CAN in MO (moment, instant) |
Royal couple aren't faithful (9) | PHILANDER | Definition: aren't faithful
PHIL (i.e. Prince Philip) AND ER (the Queen) – a familiar joke (I think I first saw it in an Araucaria puzzle) but worthy of the occasional outing |
Switch unit to join fight (4,3) | FUSE BOX | Definition: Switch unit
FUSE (join) + BOX (to fight) |
Girl expecting bread called for milk, perhaps? (7) | MIAOWED | Definition: called for milk, perhaps
MIA (girl's name) + OWED (expecting bread=money) |
Threaten youngster on reservation? (5,2) | CREEP UP | Definition: Threaten
CREE (native American) + PUP |
Money turning up in Copenhagen or Kolding (5) | KRONE | Definition: Money
Hidden in reverse of copenhagEN OR Kolding – appropriately, Kolding is also in Denmark |
Official announcer in Cork I hear regularly (5) | CRIER | Definition: Official announcer
Alternate letters of CoRk I hEaR |
Not eating a little butter? Well remembered (3,3) | OFF PAT | Definition: Well remembered
OFF (not eating) + PAT (piece of butter) |
Subsets and Splits