Clue
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Source of petroleum as strand is developed (3,5) | TAR SANDS | Definition: Source of petroleum
(AS STRAND)* – also known as oil sands |
In advance, dish out jam (8) | PRESERVE | Definition: jam
PRE- (in advance) + SERVE (dish out) |
Permits expressions of pain, after all (6) | ALLOWS | Definition: Permits
ALL+ OWS (cries of pain) |
Mickey captivated by this play? (3,9) | THE MOUSETRAP | Definition: play
Double/cryptic definition, referring to Mickey Mouse |
Refuse to disallow capturing rook (4) | BRAN | Definition: Refuse
R (rook, chess peice) in BAN (disallow) |
A wearing sort of business (3,5) | RAG TRADE | Definition: A wearing sort of business
A cryptic definition of this slang phrase for clothing industry |
Venomous six of the Romans die (8) | VIPERISH | Definition: Venomous
VI (Roman 6) + PERISH (die) |
Roughly losing head in a fight (4) | BOUT | Definition: a fight
ABOUT (roughly) less its "head" |
Concerned with part of the orchestra coming back (12) | REPERCUSSION | Definition: coming back
RE (about, concerned with) + PERCUSSION |
Calls loudly and turns to buy drinks? (6) | SHOUTS | Definition: Calls loudly
Double definition – for the second, as in "it's my shout" |
This school once was sanctioned (8) | APPROVED | Definition: school once
Double definition – approved schools were a form of what we now call young offenders' institutions |
Wealth from work uncle wasted at end of life (8) | OPULENCE | Definition: Wealth
OP (work) + UNCLE* + [lif]E |
Women pine regularly for young men's embrace (6) | LADIES | Definition: Women
Alternate letters of pInE in LADS' |
Playing well in this class (4) | FORM | Definition: class
If you're playing well then you're in FORM, and form = class in a school |
No longer apprehensive of grammatical term (4,5) | PAST TENSE | Definition: grammatical term
PAST (no longer) + TENSE |
Attempts to include old people in party (6) | TORIES | Definition: people in party
O[ld] in TRIES |
Press articles on country arresting a small number (3,6,6) | THE FOURTH ESTATE | Definition: Press
FOUR (small number) in THE THE (articles) + STATE. This name for the press seems to have been invented by Thomas Carlyle |
Dragon is ridiculously slow, for one (4,4) | ROAD SIGN | Definition: slow, for one
(DRAGON IS)*, and SLOW is an example of a road sign |
A home key (1,4) | A FLAT | Definition: key
A + FLAT, and the musical key |
Destitute person's way of escape from top floor? (4-3-3) | DOWN-AND-OUT | Definition: Destitute person
Double definition |
Holiday vessel said to belong to its staff (6,4) | CRUISE SHIP | Definition: Holiday vessel
Homophone of "crew's ship" |
Folk hero is to steal, wearing mask (5,4) | ROBIN HOOD | Definition: Folk hero
ROB + IN HOOD |
Bishop once said to be struggling (8) | DIOCESAN | Definition: Bishop
(ONCE SAID) |
Spied moving towards lake, scatter (6) | DISPEL | Definition: scatter
SPIED* + L[ake] |
Well-matched piece of pure quality (5) | EQUAL | Definition: Well-matched
Hidden in purE QUALity |
Only a stretch of water (4) | MERE | Definition: Only
Double definition |
Two men from another era? (9) | VICTORIAN | Definition: from another era
VICTOR + IAN |
Prime Minister stopped by retired teacher in shape (5) | PRISM | Definition: shape
Reverse of SIR (teacher) in PM |
Strike-breakers restrain lawyers by day — might they be carrying swords? (9) | SCABBARDS | Definition: might they be carrying swords
BAR (lawyers) + D[ay] in SCABS (strikebreakers) |
Mark follows old man (5) | OSCAR | Definition: man
O + SCAR |
Bring in shrimp or tuna sandwiches (6) | IMPORT | Definition: Bring in
Hidden (sandwiched) in shrIMP OR Tuna |
Relative acceleration with new model Escort (8) | ANCESTOR | Definition: Relative
A[cceleration] + N[ew] + ESCORT |
Listener starts to need expert solvers to be serious (7) | EARNEST | Definition: serious
EAR (listener) + first letters of Need Expert Solvers To, with a surface reference to the difficult *Listener* crossword, now published in *The Times* on Saturdays |
Tin soldiers capture centre of town with cold figures (7) | SNOWMEN | Definition: cold figures
[t]OW[n] in SN (tin) + MEN (soldiers) |
Social worker's right to tackle fierce puzzle (8) | BEWILDER | Definition: puzzle
WILD (fierce) in BEE (worker) + R[ight] |
Criminal takes over royal line (6) | STREAK | Definition: line
R[oyal] in TAKES |
Game of cards (5) | JACKS | Definition: Game
Double definition |
Two foreign articles get signature in secret (9) | UNDERHAND | Definition: in secret
UN + DER (French "a" + German "the") + HAND (signature) |
Person at home — desire to be outside (5) | BEING | Definition: Person
IN (at home) in BEG (to desire, in the sense of "to ask") |
Berkshire Town supporter Kevin gutted to be put in prison (9) | BRACKNELL | Definition: Berkshire Town
BRA (supporter) + K[evi]N in CELL |
Friends say it's strange — even actor gets married (6) | SITCOM | Definition: Friends say
ITS* + even letters of aCtOr + M[arried] |
Determined to be delivered end first (8) | STUBBORN | Definition: Determined
STUB (end) + BORN (delivered) |
Wayward English worker steals expensive car (6) | ERRANT | Definition: Wayward
RR (Rolls Royce) in E ANT |
Spooner not allowed witch's purse (7) | HANDBAG | Definition: purse
Spoonerism of "banned hag" – I think "purse" for a handbag is mostly a US usage |
Grayling is giving up heroin in great trouble (6) | CRISIS | Definition: great trouble
CHRIS (Grayling, former UK cabinet minister, notorious for his incompetence) less H + IS |
Meat free? See inside (8) | ESCALOPE | Definition: Meat
LO (see!) in ESCAPE (free – slightly inaccurate perhaps: to escape is to free *oneself*) |
Sweep about to be admitted to hospital (4) | SCAN | Definition: Sweep
C (circa, about) in SAN (sanatorium – hospital) |
Means one against agrees to differ (8) | AVERAGES | Definition: Means
A (one) + V (versus, against) + AGREES |
Team is back on Derbyshire's boundaries (4) | SIDE | Definition: Team
Reverse of IS + D[erbyshir]E |
Argument over object in West Sussex (8) | WORTHING | Definition: in West Sussex
Reverse of ROW (argument) + THING (object) |
Managed to enter Cooper's store (7) | GRANARY | Definition: store
RAN in GARY (Cooper, film star) |
Similarly, fashionable e-reader's 25% off (2,4) | IN KIND | Definition: Similarly
Three quarters of IN (fashionable) + KINDLE – the immediate reaction is "that should be 33%", but 25% works if we use both words |
Before end of deck, bridge player to cut and draw (6) | SKETCH | Definition: draw
S (South, bridge player) + [dec]K + ETCH (cut) |
Back-to-back articles on '50s records? (6) | ANNALS | Definition: records
AN + reverse of AN + L S (50 s) |
Nothing phony — state dismissed repeated raving in scorn (4-4) | POOH-POOH | Definition: scorn
Anagram of O + PHONY less NY (state), twice |
Chief at heart persistently stunned (6) | AGHAST | Definition: stunned
AGHA (Turkish chief – an alternative spelling of "aga") + middle letters of persiSTently |
Stoical about fate as others indicated? No way! (8) | RESIGNED | Definition: Stoical about fate
REST SIGNED (others indicated) less ST (street, way) |
One on hand to vote late? (6) | POLLEX | Definition: One on hand
POLL (vote) + EX (former, late) – pollex is a medical name for the thumb |
Not co-operating in transition but it's over, as reported, see! (11) | OBSTRUCTIVE | Definition: Not co-operating
Anagram (indicated by "in transition") of BUT IT'S OVER + C ("see") |
Country involved in machinations (5) | CHINA | Definition: Country
Hidden in maCHINAtions |
Put in for rerun, sore and inept (9) | INTERPOSE | Definition: Put in
(SORE INEPT) |
Perhaps one adult is missing when boat enters the water (9) | LUNCHTIME | Definition: Perhaps one
LAUNCH TIME less A, and lunchtime might be 1 pm |
Great man rejected — Biden finally getting busy (5) | TITAN | Definition: Great man
Reverse of [Bide]N + AT IT (busy) |
Meets again when screened by mirrors (11) | REASSEMBLES | Definition: Meets again
AS (when) in RESEMBLES |
Get mad with one predicting Delaware setback (3,3) | SEE RED | Definition: Get mad
SEER (one who predicts) + reverse of DE |
Naughty or nice? Virginia on the outside's a different woman (8) | VERONICA | Definition: a different woman
(OR NICE)* in V[irgini]A |
Grow up! Not right head of state is sounding off … (6) | SPOUTS | Definition: is sounding off
SPROUT (grow up) less R + S[tate] |
… here with old Pence and poor Melania, essentially not accepting what's happened (2,6) | IN DENIAL | Definition: not accepting what's happened
IN (here) + D (old pence, as in UK pre-decimal currency) + anagram of [m]ELANI[a] |
Stop migrants camping here — not one is left (4,2,4) | PORT OF CALL | Definition: Stop
PORT OF CALAIS (where many migrants gather) less A IS (one is) + L[eft] |
Mania repeatedly seen in work meetings — judgment at the top is lacking (10) | OBSESSIONS | Definition: Mania repeatedly
[J]OB SESSIONS *with "repeatedly" indicating the plural |
Alert Pompeo and Rudy for starters — time to get involved (5) | PAGER | Definition: Alert
AGE (time) in P[ompeo] + R[udy] |
Clear victor — one foolishly carping too much (12) | OVERCRITICAL | Definition: carping too much
Anagram of CLEAR VICTOR + I |
Good to see — have confidence to go off and travel widely (9) | GLOBETROT | Definition: travel widely
G + LO (see!) + BET (have confidence) + ROT (go off) |
Not having won, is lamenting troubles (4) | AILS | Definition: troubles
WAILS less W[on] |
Words about vote offensive (4) | TEXT | Definition: Words
X in TET (the Tet Offensive took place in the Vietnam war) |
Genius (it's been said) philosophically isn't tweeting? Wrong (12) | WITTGENSTEIN | Definition: Genius (it's been said)
(ISN'T TWEETING)* Ludwig Wittgenstein was described by Bertrand Russell as "perhaps the most perfect example I have ever known of genius as traditionally conceived"; for the surface, the constantly-tweeting Trump considers himself a genius |
Turned in, not feeling great after cake and pasta (10) | TORTELLINI | Definition: pasta
TORTE (cake) + reverse ("turned") of (IN ILL) |
Easily best in election ultimately? Quite, it should end up in court (6,4) | TENNIS BALL | Definition: it should end up in court
Anagram of BEST IN [electio]N + ALL (quite) |
Violent crime spate initially ignored — detestable! (9) | ABHORRENT | Definition: detestable
ABH (Actual Bodily Harm – a violent crime) + [t]ORRENT |
Republican deserting miserable creature? (5) | MOOSE | Definition: creature
MOROSE less R[epublican] |
Has recourse to sneaky moves, ignoring resistance (4) | USES | Definition: Has recourse to
RUSES less R[esistance] |
Don't allow fraudulent vote! (4) | VETO | Definition: Don't allow
VOTE |
Like the Duke of Edinburgh, soon had deer roundly shot (7-4-3) | HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD | Definition: Like the Duke of Edinburgh, soon
(HAD DEER ROUNDLY)* – well, soonish: the Duke of Edinburgh's hundredth birthday will be 10 June 2021 |
I note all clogs designed with cleats may be an exercise in futility (7,4,2,9) | SELLING COAL TO NEWCASTLE | Definition: an exercise in futility
Presumably intended as an anagram of I NOTE ALL CLOGS + CLEATS, but this is lacking the letters NEW: should the clue have read "…designed with new cleats…"? I only know this expression as "sending/carrying coals to Newcastle", but it seems that other versions exist |
Want reform before midnight, in a manner of speaking (5) | TWANG | Definition: a manner of speaking
WANT* + the middle letter of niGht |
Due to position, previous lover gone and nice Dior clothing disappeared (2,7) | EX OFFICIO | Definition: Due to position
EX (previous lover) + OFF (gone) + "unclothed" [n]IC[e] [d]IO[r] |
Partial earnings, please, must be included (10) | INCOMPLETE | Definition: Partial
We have INCOME for "earnings", but I'm not sure where the PLET comes from, except possibly as part of PLEase musT |
Lackey of dodgy boss, mostly awful (8) | DOGSBODY | Definition: Lackey
Anagram of DODGY BOS[S] |
Either he's dead or my watch has stopped? Awkward question: run with it! (3,8) | NON SEQUITUR | Definition: Either he's dead or my watch has stopped?
(QUESTION RUN)* The non-sequitur given as an exanple is a line spoken by Groucho's character in the Marx Brothers' * A Day at the Races |
An American politician? (11) | STATESWOMAN | Definition: An American
Double definition |
One way to get salt when all else fails (4,6) | LAST RESORT | Definition: when all else fails
To get SALT you can RE-SORT the letters of LAST |
Evidence of passion from Elvis to be reviewed (4,5) | LOVE BITES | Definition: Evidence of passion
(ELVIS TO BE) |
1 across the origin of light and dark (5) | UNLIT | Definition: dark
L[ight] with UNLIT around or "across" it. A nice double misdirection in the apparent reference to the clue 1 across |
Trap set in earnest, leave it out (7) | ENSNARE | Definition: Trap
Anagram of IN EARNEST less IT |
Paint brush finally adapted into a device holding pillbox in place (6) | HATPIN | Definition: a device holding pillbox in place
Anagram of PAINT + [brus]H – a pillbox is a kind of hat |
Subtlety shown by woman of faith taking over a church (6) | NUANCE | Definition: Subtlety
A in NUN + CE (Church of England) |
Socialist hosts meeting that's organised and strictly regulated (10) | REGIMENTED | Definition: strictly regulated
MEETING* in RED |
Live broadcast centre source (5) | DWELL | Definition: Live
Middle letter of broaDcast + WELL (a source) |
Temporary abbreviation? (5-4) | SHORT-TERM | Definition: Temporary
An abbreviation is a SHORT TERM for something |
Left frequently in the attic (4) | LOFT | Definition: attic
L + OFT |
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