Clue
stringlengths 7
155
| Answer
stringlengths 0
46
| Explanation
stringlengths 5
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|---|---|---|
Agreed to come in for a game (5) | POKER | Definition: a game
OK (agreed) in PER (for) |
Take flight, land at Heathrow, not Gatwick (aircrew initially unhappy) (5) | GHANA | Definition: land
Anagram of the first letters of **At Heathrow Not Gatwick Aircrew |
Extra posh bloke going round country (5) | BONUS | Definition: Extra
Reverse of NOB ("posh bloke") + US |
Gradual damage affected one rose tree (5) | OSIER | Definition: tree
(I ROSE) |
Itches to break moral code (6) | ETHICS | Definition: moral code
ITCHES |
November 1 — special day once (5) | NONES | Definition: day once
N[ovember] + ONE + S[pecial] – the nones was a date in the Roman calendar |
Play receiving national award (4) | TONY | Definition: award
N[ational] in TOY (to play) |
Drive up, turn twice around — language! (4) | URDU | Definition: language
Reverse of DR[ive[ in U U (U-turns) |
Maneater's not finished Roger off (4) | OGRE | Definition: Maneater
Anagram of ROGE[r] |
Penetrating piece (7) | CUTTING | Definition: Penetrating
Double definition – "piece" as in a press cutting |
Not even super finished this vegetable (6) | SPROUT | Definition: vegetable
Odd (not even) letters of SuPeR + OUT (finished) |
Old lines surround area abroad (8) | OVERSEAS | Definition: abroad
O + A[rea] in VERSES |
100 + 1 + 10 + 1 in series (6) | CATENA | Definition: series
C (100) + A (1) + TEN + (another) A – this is perhaps more familiar as part of "concatenation" |
Rotten crisis produced bans (12) | RESTRICTIONS | Definition: bans
(ROTTEN CRISIS)*, with perhaps a surface reference to the past 18 months |
Rather start to read story about 4, see (10) | RELATIVELY | Definition: Rather
R[ead] + reverse of TALE + IV (4) + ELY (see) |
Proper moisture on the air (3) | DUE | Definition: Proper
Homophone of "dew" |
Very wide animal (3) | SOW | Definition: animal
SO + W |
Rights of celebrities to collect fare (10) | STARBOARDS | Definition: Rights
BOARD (fare, as in "board and lodging") in STARS. Can you have more than one starboard? |
Conceited, like an out-of-body experience? (5,7) | ABOVE ONESELF | Definition: Conceited
Double definition |
Nothing in shops is sent back dirty (6) | SOILED | Definition: dirty
O in reverse of DELIS |
Sailor pursues war over poisonous plant (8) | MANDRAKE | Definition: poisonous plant
Reverse of [viet]NAM + DRAKE (sailor). This hallucinogenic plant may be what Banquo in *Macbeth* i.3 calls "the insane root that takes the reason prisoner" (though other plants such as hemlock have also been suggested) |
Fugitive leader gets news for a pound (6) | RUNNER | Definition: Fugitive
RULER with L replaced by N N |
Fox heard ET is grounded (7) | EARTHED | Definition: grounded
(HEARD ET) |
Somewhat retired MP, or chief whip (4) | CROP | Definition: whip
Hidden in reverse of mP OR Chief |
Makes bonds by losing money (4) | TIES | Definition: Makes bonds
TIMES (by, as in 2 by 2) less M |
Looks at home — time to wear glasses? (8) | INSPECTS | Definition: Looks at
IN (at home) + T in SPECS |
Initially, greasing roast with cooking fat is hard work (5) | GRAFT | Definition: hard work
Greasing Roast + FAT |
Apple regularly supported by workers in factories (6) | PLANTS | Definition: factories
Alternate letters of aPpLe + ANTS |
Person rode erratically in military formations (4,6) | OPEN ORDERS | Definition: military formations
(PERSON RODE)* – another answer where I think the plural is a bit suspect |
Cross stars never get sacked (10) | TRANSVERSE | Definition: Cross
(STARS NEVER) |
Difficult task to drink up measure inside (6) | KILLER | Definition: Difficult task
Reverse of ELL in KIR |
Criminal in France, very old-fashioned royal (10) | TRESPASSER | Definition: Criminal
TRES (French "very") + PASSÉ + R[oyal] |
19 ÷ 50? Poet's reduced rate (4,6) | SLOW MOTION | Definition: reduced rate
SOW (19a) "divided by" L (50) + MOTION (Andrew M, former Poet Laureate) |
Choosing French wine, discovering lots inside — gallons! (6) | VOTING | Definition: Choosing
"Discovered" [l]OT[s] in VIN + G[allons] |
Pass learner with ride's redesigned accelerator (8) | COLLIDER | Definition: accelerator
COL (mountain pass) + L[earner] + RIDE |
Cardinal saves church with end of steeple in decline (6) | RECEDE | Definition: decline
CE in RED (cardinal) + [steepl]E |
Spring day with Easter's first card (5) | SPADE | Definition: card
SPA (spring) + D + E[aster] |
Origins of putting: Augusta tournament's historic course (4) | PATH | Definition: course
First letters of Putting Augusta Tournament's Historic |
Small starter of duck and shrimp (4) | WEED | Definition: shrimp
WEE (small) + D[uck] |
Wage that shamed liberal's how much? (5,3,6) | WHAT’S THE DAMAGE | Definition: how much
(WAGE THAT SHAMED)* – there's some discussion about the apostrophe on the Guardian site, but if you read "liberal's" as "liberal is" then I think it's fine |
Escaped across back of yard with nothing much (3,3,4) | FAR AND AWAY | Definition: much
FA (nothing – short for f*** all) + [yar]D in RAN AWAY |
Having headless torso outside, Nancy's said: 'This isn't normal!' (6) | ODDITY | Definition: This isn't normal
DOT (French "said", as in the city of Nancy) in [b]ODY (torso) |
Quarter settled first on scones, not wafers (they want the cream on top) (8) | ELITISTS | Definition: they want the cream on top
E (compass quarter) + LIT (settled) + 1ST + SCONES less CONES (wafers for ice cream) |
Hurried past Coventry's original ground (7) | CRUSHED | Definition: ground
C[oventry] + RUSHED (hurried) |
No old money coming back hurt country (7) | MYANMAR | Definition: country
Reverse of NAY (old "no") M[oney] + MAR (hurt) |
Supporter of PM once getting mouthful over lie (8) | BLAIRITE | Definition: Supporter of PM once
LAIR (lie, as in an animal's hiding place) in BITE |
Fantasies about mothers overwhelming (6) | DREAMS | Definition: Fantasies
RE (about) "overwhelmed by" DAMS (mothers) |
Pressure drops over time, definitely (3,7) | FOR CERTAIN | Definition: definitely
FORCE (pressure) + T in RAIN (drops) |
Robbery not entirely legal, burglar reflected (4) | BLAG | Definition: Robbery
Hidden in reverse of leGAL Burglar |
Run about in empty garden (6) | GOVERN | Definition: Run
OVER (about) in G[arde]N |
Put off date — notice children around (8) | DISSUADE | Definition: Put off
D[ate] + AD (notice) in ISSUE (children) |
Assume performance banning women's ruled out (8) | SHOULDER | Definition: Assume
SHOW (performance) less W + RULED |
Long grass totally pointless (4) | ITCH | Definition: Long
SNITCH (grass) less both its compass points |
Close with a lot of property? (6) | STUFFY | Definition: Close
Someone with a lot of property might be said to be STUFF-Y |
Silly bugger whose next-but-one successor was worse (6,1,4) | GEORGE W BUSH | Definition: Silly bugger whose next-but-one successor was worse
Anagram of BUGGER WHOSE. I'm not entirely sure this is sound: "whose" is perhaps doing double duty, but in view of the brilliant anagram and surface reading I'm going to call it an &lit |
Recognise why attack's mounted after head of state loses face (8) | IDENTIFY | Definition: Recognise
[B]IDEN (head of state, neatly positioned after the previous clue) + reverse of Y ("why") + FIT (attack) |
Eagerness to get at mince pie's deplorable (10) | IMPATIENCE | Definition: Eagerness
(AT MINCE PIE) |
Horrified by experiences in a high-speed car (6) | AGHAST | Definition: Horrified
HAS (experiences) in A GT |
Home schooling to start — little ones very amused (10) | IN STITCHES | Definition: very amused
IN (home) + S[titches] + TITCHES. The enumeration should of course be (8,2) – it may have been corrected by the time some of you read this |
Issue about old lady who doesn't live here now (8) | EMIGRANT | Definition: who doesn't live here now
GRAN (old lady) in EMIT |
A lecherous host welcomed in glamorous hangers-on (3,5) | ARM CANDY | Definition: glamorous hangers-on
A + MC (host) in RANDY |
Called round on policeman's orders (7) | DEMANDS | Definition: orders
Reverse of NAMED (called) + D[etective] S[ergeant] |
Nothing between left and right — feasible view? (4,2) | LOOK ON | Definition: view
0 between L[eft] and OK (right) + ON (feasible) |
She doesn't admit getting small promotion (6) | DENISE | Definition: She
DENIES (doesn't admit) with the S moved up or "promoted" |
Fight roughly after losing head (4) | BOUT | Definition: Fight
ABOUT (roughly) less its first letter |
Good knight with lot lost, hit on the field (6) | GLANCE | Definition: hit on the field
G + LANCELOT (knight) less LOT – a glance is a type of shot in cricket, hence "on the field" |
Man of class, maybe English, with old money and gold (8) | EDUCATOR | Definition: Man of class, maybe
E[nglish] + DUCAT (old money) + OR (gold), with the "class" being in a school |
Performers walk in the auditorium (6) | TROUPE | Definition: Performers
Homophone of "troop" (to walk) |
Service just the same, no good (8) | EVENSONG | Definition: Service
EVEN SO + NG |
Bohemian learner joining a foreign religious house on holy island (14) | UNCONVENTIONAL | Definition: Bohemian
UN (French, i.e. "foreign" version of "a") + CONVENT (religious house) + IONA (holy island) + L[earner]. I was on the island of Mull yesterday, and had hoped to visit Iona, which is across a short channel, but circumstances prevented the visit |
Unhappy fellow 'gutted', we hear? Support found in church (10) | MISERICORD | Definition: Support found in church
Homophone of "misery" (as in "he's an old misery") + "cored" (gutted). A Misericord is a support – not quite a seat – sometimes seen in churches |
Trench in meadow ending with silt (4) | LEAT | Definition: Trench
LEA (meadow) + [sil]T – I didn't know this word, but the clueing is clear |
Only off when mad dogs go out? (4) | NOON | Definition: when mad dogs go out
If things are only off then there is NO ON, and "Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun", as in the Noël Coward song, though it seems he didn't invent the saying |
Grander lie broadcast by chief villain (10) | RINGLEADER | Definition: chief villain
(GRANDER LIE) |
One left in workplace after final day is all right (14) | SATISFACTORILY | Definition: all right
SAT (final day, if you count your weeks from Sunday) IS, + I L in FACTORY |
Vehement cheat — PM, I fancy (8) | EMPHATIC | Definition: Vehement
(CHEAT PM I) |
Downtrodden worker keeping a promise (6) | PAROLE | Definition: promise
A in PROLE |
You once linked with doing nothing may be giving up (8) | YIELDING | Definition: giving up
I presume this is meant to be YE (old "you") "linked" with IDLING, but if so the letters are in the wrong order |
Harry is safe — son's in hiding (6) | PESTER | Definition: Harry
S[on] in PETER (criminal slang for a safe) |
Not all bowling at Edgbaston will get a wicket? (4) | GATE | Definition: wicket
Hidden in bowlinG AT Edgbaston |
First of all, horses must be given numbers (7) | AMOUNTS | Definition: numbers
A[ll] + MOUNTS |
Conservative meeting leading bosses — are there skeletons hiding here? (8) | CUPBOARD | Definition: are there skeletons hiding here
C[onservative] + UP (leading) + BOARDS (bosses) |
The driving idea originally conjured up for supposed royal prerogative (6,5) | DIVINE RIGHT | Definition: supposed royal prerogative
Anagram of THE DRIVING I[dea] |
Open Voltaire's work — don't close it (6) | CANDID | Definition: Open
CANDIDE (book by Voltaire) less its last letter |
Pound troy — half-forgotten weight (7) | TROUNCE | Definition: Pound
Half of Troy + OUNCE |
Soldier keeps to rules I lay down (9) | REGULATOR | Definition: rules I lay down
TO in REGULAR (soldier) |
Most in French resort upset during holiday? One should minimise health risk (11) | VACCINATION | Definition: One should minimise health risk
Reverse of NIC[e] (French resort) in VACATION |
Skill needing to keep working in male community (9) | MONASTERY | Definition: male community
ON (working) in MASTERY |
Cut back on iron? (8) | DECREASE | Definition: Cut back on
Double definition, using the familiar trick of iron = de-crease (clothes) |
Top clue cunningly constructed? This one is word-wise! (7) | OCTUPLE | Definition: This one is word-wise
(TOP CLUE)*, and the clue has eight words, so word-wise it's octuple |
Party with yob carrying drug to distribute (4,3) | DOLE OUT | Definition: to distribute
DO (party) + E in LOUT |
One with fifty occupying beach, say, in Ibiza? (6) | ISLAND | Definition: Ibiza?
I + L (50) in SAND |
What's loud has listener showing anxiety (4) | FEAR | Definition: anxiety
F (forte, loud) + EAR (listener) |
Chef covering up hot item used for kitchen storage (3,4) | CUP HOOK | Definition: item used for kitchen storage
UP H[ot] in COOK |
Party attended by composer leaving new widow (7) | DOWAGER | Definition: widow
DO + WAGNER less N |
Country involved in formal investigation (4) | MALI | Definition: Country
Hidden in forMAL Investigation |
Schubert composition about a European capital (9) | BUCHAREST | Definition: European capital
A in SCHUBERT |
Film-maker in scruffy anorak limps on (5,8) | ROMAN POLANSKI | Definition: Film-maker
(ANORAK LIMPS ON) |
Check design of trainers (8) | RESTRAIN | Definition: Check
TRAINERS |
Eagle never crossing valley (4) | GLEN | Definition: valley
Hidden in eaGLE Never |
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