Clue
stringlengths 7
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stringlengths 0
46
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stringlengths 5
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|---|---|---|
Extremely cheerful and always bright (6) | CLEVER | Definition: bright
C[heerfu]L + EVER (always) |
Caught by communist, this gives one respect on street (4) | CRED | Definition: this gives one respect on street
C + RED |
In hurry, sweeper missing header (4) | RUSH | Definition: hurry
BRUSH less its first letter |
I don't care where TV actor originally worked (8) | WHATEVER | Definition: I don't care
Anagram of WHERE TV A[ctor] |
Refuse to get secretaries drink (4,2) | PASS UP | Definition: Refuse
PAS (secretaries) +SUP. Perhaps the definition is "refuse to get", for added elegance |
Queen always surrounded by a lot of old money (9) | GUINEVERE | Definition: Queen
EVER (always) in GUINE[a] |
Right to live in the city though it did have strings attached (5) | REBEC | Definition: it did have strings attached
R + BE (live) in EC (City of London postcode) – the rebec is an old stringed instrument |
Watch it! He's angling for trouble (12) | NIGHTINGALES | Definition: Watch
(IT HE'S ANGLING)* – a watch (I learned today) is a group of nightingales |
Hairy bloke in middle of the sauna (4) | ESAU | Definition: Hairy bloke
Hidden in the middle of thE SAUna. As Jacob, Esau's twin, says in Genesis 27:11: "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:" – memorably recited in Alan Bennett's sermon |
Put in grave situation — people in Northern Territory being detained (10) | INTERNMENT | Definition: being detained
INTER (bury, put in a grave) + MEN in NT |
Debauchery of girl condemned (getting in quick) (10) | PROFLIGACY | Definition: Debauchery
(OF GIRL)* in PACY |
When caught only cuddling (4) | ONCE | Definition: When
C[aught] in ONE (only); when=once as in "when/once I've finished this puzzle…" |
Unseated riders, those unfamiliar with a powerful horse initially restrained (12) | STRAPHANGERS | Definition: Unseated riders
A P[owerful] H[orse] in STRANGERS – referring to standing passengers on London Underground trains etc |
Point to Sally's dress (5) | EQUIP | Definition: dress
E (compass point) + QUIP (sally) |
Touch wrong handle on boat, some might say (9) | SCINTILLA | Definition: Touch
Homophone of "sin" (wrong) + "tiller" (a handle on a boat) |
Makes dirty joke finally in second bar (6) | SMEARS | Definition: Makes dirty
[jok]E in S MARS (bar) |
Chain fences round square (8) | PENNINES | Definition: Chain
NINE (a square number) in PENS (fences). The Pennines are a chain of hills |
Conduct was largely good at start of evening (4) | WAGE | Definition: Conduct
WA[s] + G + E[vening] |
I doubt that oaf is about to show up (2,2) | AS IF | Definition: I doubt that
Hidden in reverse oaF IS About |
Close to scene, police in charge encouraging evacuation (6) | EMETIC | Definition: encouraging evacuation
[scen]E + MET (Metropolitan Police) + IC |
Plant hangers designed with petals (8,5) | ELEPHANT GRASS | Definition: Plant
(HANGERS PETALS) |
Superior skill keeps Josh's associate at table (8) | ARROGANT | Definition: Superior
ROGAN (as in the Indian dish Rogan Josh) in ART |
Officers not the first choice to convert Poles (10) | SUBALTERNS | Definition: Officers
SUB (substitute, not the first choice) + ALTER + N S (poles) |
New era shortly — PC state the end of white van man? (10) | PACESETTER | Definition: van man
Anagram of ER[a] + PC STATE + [whit]E. A pacesetter might be "in the van" (leading), so a "van man" |
Wise old head active in emergencies (8,5) | EMINENCE GRISE | Definition: Wise old head
(IN EMERGENCIES) |
Go to collect new guides — they're probably in the office (10) | PENPUSHERS | Definition: they're probably in the office
N[ew] in PEP (go) + USHERS (guides) – this took me a while to parse as I was trying to make go = PEE |
Somewhere in LA likewise being picked up in bar — you can bet on it (5,5) | BATON ROUGE | Definition: Somewhere in LA
TO (homophone of "too", likewise) in BAN (bar) + ROUGE (what you can bet on in Roulette) – LA standing for Louisiana rather than Los Angeles |
Crafty old man meets a killer in the house (8) | FLYPAPER | Definition: killer in the house
FLY (crafty) + PA (old man) + PER (a) |
Risk includes rector touching Norman's neighbour (6) | BRETON | Definition: Norman's neighbour
R[ector] in BET (risk) + ON (touching); Brittany is next to Normandy |
Clear but doesn't have one idea (4) | PLAN | Definition: idea
PLAIN (clear) less I |
Land of the Rising Sun holding American (4) | LAOS | Definition: Land
A[merican] in reverse of SOL |
One with good cause to be a fare dodger? (6-7) | HUNGER‑STRIKER | Definition: One with good cause to be a fare dodger
An extended cryptic definition, with "fare" referring to food |
Home schooling makes sense (9) | INTUITION | Definition: sense
IN (home) + TUITION |
Low-down beam, large only at one end (5) | INTEL | Definition: Low-down
LINTEL with only one of the surrounding Ls |
Devil of a stalemate in court (5) | DEUCE | Definition: Devil
Double definition |
Info caught in material on file reveals crisis (9) | EMERGENCY | Definition: crisis
GEN (information) + C[aught] in EMERY |
Old AC/DC popular song covers in show (7) | EXHIBIT | Definition: show
EX (old) + BI (bi-sexual, AC/DC) in HIT (popular song) |
Group of motorists with articles about gas pipe? (7) | TRACHEA | Definition: gas pipe
RAC (Royal Automobile Club) in THE A (definite and indefinite articles) |
Why things go wrong in ground cabbage dish (4,3) | SOD’S LAW | Definition: Why things go wrong
SOD (earth, ground) + SLAW |
Ace fish wraps in cooker (7) | COSTARD | Definition: cooker
STAR (ace) in COD – a costard is a variety of cooking apple |
Knowing where to spend a penny, then another (2,3,4) | IN THE LOOP | Definition: Knowing
IN THE LOO (where to "spend a penny") + P (another penny) |
Better soldiers leaving in the open air (5) | OUTDO | Definition: Better
OUTDOOR less OR (Other Ranks, soldiers) |
Primate seized by bird, nimbly from behind (5) | INDRI | Definition: Primate
Hidden in reverse of bIRD NImbly. The indri is a type of lemur |
Ordered a wine list — it's sizable for gourmands (9) | WAISTLINE | Definition: it's sizable for gourmands
(A WINE LIST)* – referring to a gourmand being a greedy person, rather than one with "a discerning appreciation of good food and wine", which might not necessarily lead to a large waistline |
How to make new doors fail test of reliability (5,4,4) | BREAK ONE’S WORD | Definition: fail test of reliability
If you BREAK (i.e. rearrange) ONE'S WORD you get "new doors" |
Little nude cavorts around virgin (9) | UNTOUCHED | Definition: virgin
TOUCH (a little) in NUDE |
Outspoken men making an appearance (5) | GUISE | Definition: appearance
Homophone of "guys" |
Pierre's really ditching very dated clothes (7) | RAIMENT | Definition: dated clothes
VRAIMENT (French "truly", "really") less V – "dated" because it's an old word for clothes |
Touching line from male who's been on sunbed? (7) | TANGENT | Definition: Touching line
The man on the sunbed might be a TAN GENT |
Fishy product occupies schooner, say (9) | ISINGLASS | Definition: Fishy product
IS IN GLASS (e.g. a schooner) – familiar from "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top": "With isinglass curtains y' can roll right down, In case there's a change in the weather." |
John Bull's back in wealthy English institution (5) | ELTON | Definition: John
Last letter of bulL in ETON (wealthy school, or school for the wealthy) |
Nice wine and a lot of hard liquor for someone like me (7,6) | KINDRED SPIRIT | Definition: someone like me
KIND (nice) + RED (wine) + most of SPIRIT[s] |
Tease in literary work, not easily understood (4,4,2,3) | PLAY HARD TO GET | Definition: Tease
PLAY (literary work) + HARD TO GET (not easily understood) |
Dancers here are in dances — she may be one of them (9) | BALLERINA | Definition: she may be one of them
BALL (where dancers are found) + (ARE IN) |
Try to keep lithe, training to be so? (9) | HEALTHIER | Definition: so
LITHE* in HEAR (to try, as in a court) |
Promoters of health resort show influencers here (4,3) | WHO’S WHO | Definition: influencers here
WHO (World Health Organisation) + SHOW |
Flip over how big an accessory is? (7) | CAPSIZE | Definition: Flip over
CAP SIZE – a cap can be a clothing accessory |
Henry's house party in revolutionary groove (5) | TUDOR | Definition: Henry's house
DO (party) in reverse of RUT; the royal house of King Henrys VII and VIII |
Where nail may be caught, getting pulled (2,3) | ON TOW | Definition: getting pulled
Homophone of "on toe" |
Film Aussie's welcome to screen about animal (9,3) | GROUNDHOG DAY | Definition: Film
ROUND (about) HOG (animal) in G'DAY (Australian greeting) |
Practised fitting coats of Parisian (5) | ADEPT | Definition: Practised
DE (French "of") in APT (fitting) |
Bravado deserted guilty party (7-2) | DERRING‑DO | Definition: Bravado
D (deserted) + ERRING (guilty) + DO (party) |
It's viewed as what followed Labour's Callaghan era? (7) | FOOTAGE | Definition: It's viewed
James Callaghan was succeeded as leader of the Labour party by Michael Foot, hence the FOOT AGE |
Store silicon in warehouse (7) | DEPOSIT | Definition: Store
SI in DEPOT |
Rough copies spread in clergyman's office (10) | EPISCOPATE | Definition: clergyman's office
COPIES* + PATÉ |
Ancient Middle East kingdom, way back (4) | EDOM | Definition: Ancient Middle East kingdom
Reverse of MODE (way) |
Frank or Stuart more than once plugs American news channel (4) | ANNE | Definition: Frank
Hidden in both ("more than once") americAN NEws and chANNEl; and two definitions-by-example: diarist ANNE Frank, and Queen ANNE, last of the Stuart monarchs |
Early period in 1 across? (5,5) | FIRST LIGHT | Definition: Early period
Double definition: 1 across is the FIRST LIGHT in the grid |
Inclination to leave out the front entrance (7) | ENCHANT | Definition: entrance
[P]ENCHANT |
Theatre about to host prancing Tina Turner? (7) | PAINTER | Definition: Turner?
TINA* in reverse of REP (repertory theatre); def-by-example of the painter J M W Turner |
Curiously wild at greeting a crashing bore (5,4) | TIDAL WAVE | Definition: a crashing bore
(WILD AT)* + AVE (Roman greeting) |
Eyeballs possibly globes, but not black (5) | OGLES | Definition: Eyeballs
Anagram of GLOBES less B |
At lido, pose in pants? It's what strippers do (12) | DESPOLIATION | Definition: It's what strippers do
(AT LIDO POSE IN) |
A pope's man metamorphosed in a novel (9) | GREGORIAN | Definition: A pope's
GREGOR (Gregor Samsa is changed into a "monstrous vermin" in Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis") + ~~IAN (man)~~ (IN A)*; there have been 16 Pope Gregorys, as well as two "anti-popes". The definition includes the 's so as to mean "of a pope" |
Away fixture is better (8) | OUTMATCH | Definition: better
OUT (away) + MATCH (fixture) |
Jog in a revealing state around Germany's capital (5) | NUDGE | Definition: Jog
G[ermany) in NUDE |
Point grasped by star American historian (9) | HERODOTUS | Definition: historian
DOT (point) in HERO US |
Almost caught flu (6) | GRIPPE | Definition: flu
GRIPPE[d] |
Debates lacking energy in the Guardian (5) | ARGUS | Definition: the Guardian
ARGUES less E |
Return of Puck with wonderful puzzle (6) | BAFFLE | Definition: puzzle
Reverse of ELF + FAB |
Mechanical saw bishop lifted (6) | BOTTOM | Definition: Mechanical
Reverse of MOTTO (saw) + B. Bottom is one of the Mechanicals in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (is it just a coincidence that this follows a clue mentioning Puck, also a character in MSND?) |
It may be shot or longer drink, holding a party (9) | PAINTBALL | Definition: It may be shot
A in PINT ("long drink") + BALL (party); another "coincidence" with this and PAINTER at 24a |
Drug from figure with a short amount of coke (9) | DIGITALIN | Definition: Drug
DIGIT (figure) + A LIN[e] (amount of cocaine) |
Composer from Britain penning number one (8) | ALBINONI | Definition: Composer
NO (number) in ALBION + I. Sadly, Albinoni is probably best known these days for a piece he didn't write. |
People staying dry without a bit of clothing in scripture (6) | AVESTA | Definition: scripture
VEST (a bit of clothing) in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous: people staying "dry", or at least trying to) – "without" means "outside" here; the Avesta is a collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism |
Refuse to carry hard kind of metal (6) | THRASH | Definition: kind of metal
H in TRASH; referring to the music subgenre |
Hammer in part of building work (6) | WALLOP | Definition: Hammer
WALL (part of a building) + OP (opus, work); a third coincidence with this following THRASH: am I missing something? |
Naughty so-and-so, say, twirling bum (5) | CADGE | Definition: bum
CAD (a "naughty so-and-so") + reverse of EG (say) |
Letters of Euripides showing devout image (5) | PIETÀ | Definition: devout image
Two Greek letters: PI + ETA. A Pietà is a depiction of the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Jesus: there's a famous one by Michelangelo |
Fashion, feature of modernism I think (5) | SMITH | Definition: Fashion
Hidden in moderiSM I Think, with both "fashion" and SMITH as verbs – a nice easy one to get us started |
RC congregation is engaged in branch of learning after mass (7) | MARISTS | Definition: RC congregation
M + IS in ARTS |
Former monarch, we reflected, came to maturity (4) | GREW | Definition: came to maturity
GR (Georgius Rex – take you pick from the six so far) |
Fashionable style has abandoned orangey dyes (4) | CHIC | Definition: Fashionable
CHICHAS (orange dyes) less HAS |
Loot from the past I found in grand house (6) | MAINOR | Definition: Loot from the past
I in MANOR |
Bank involved with brief transactions in market (4) | KAME | Definition: Bank
I would call this an indirect subtractive anagram: KAME + TR is an anagram of MARKET |
Showy bird supplied by one seeing to pets on a small scale? (7) | MINIVET | Definition: Showy bird
MINI-VET |
Penning extremes of eloquence the leader writer briefly got the giggles (7) | TEE-HEED | Definition: got the giggles
E[loquenc]E in THE ED[itor] |
Big fish creating no splash odd characters missed (4) | OPAH | Definition: Big fish
Even letters of nO sPlAsH |
Place for tools, second in garden opening presto? Far from it (6) | LEAN-TO | Definition: Place for tools
Second letter of gArden in LENTO (slowly: the opposite of presto in music) |
Scrap merchants? They're close to collapse (7) | TOTTERS | Definition: Scrap merchants
Double definition – for the second, totters can be a noun, meaning a tottering movement, which could precede a collapse |
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