Clue
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| Answer
stringlengths 0
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| Explanation
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|---|---|---|
Quaint boiled sweets unwrapped (4) | TWEE | Definition: Quaint
Anagram of [s]WEET[s] |
Pensioners back to front in TV programme (4) | SOAP | Definition: TV programme
OAPS with the last letter moved to the front |
Trendy supplement found in salmon, for example (7) | FADDISH | Definition: Trendy
ADD (to supplement) in FISH |
Prolific detective sounds like he could become gloomy (7) | MAIGRET | Definition: Prolific detective
Homophone of "may grey" |
Force party to compromise (4,2) | MAKE DO | Force party to compromise (4,2)
MAKE (force) + DO (party) |
Flourishing American business admirer (2,6) | IN CLOVER | Definition: Flourishing
INC[orporated] (US business) + LOVER |
What's left of cash after my leaving United (3) | ONE | Definition: United
MONEY less M Y |
Get out of bed to correct lie? (6) | DEBUNK | Definition: to correct lie
To get out of bed might be to DE-BUNK |
Face up to change — it may be refreshing (3,2,3) | CUP OF TEA | Definition: it may be refreshing
(FACE UP TO) |
Lewis initially accepts blame for shooting game (5) | CRAPS | Definition: shooting game
RAP (blame, as in "take the rap") in C S (author C S Lewis, "initially"); craps doesn't involve guns, but people talk about "shooting craps" |
Didn't tie up as much when full of such energy (9) | BOUNDLESS | Definition: such energy
BOUND (tied up) LESS |
Cruel ambassador with no diplomatic skills (9) | HEARTLESS | Definition: Cruel
HE (His Excellency, title of an ambassador) + ARTLESS |
Stations spies around … (5) | STOPS | Definition: Stations
Reverse of SPOTS (sees, spies) |
… leading politician switching motorway to south — very worrying (8) | SINISTER | Definition: very worrying
MINISTER with the M changed to S |
Cut duty for practise without hesitation (6) | EXCISE | Definition: Cut
EXERCISE less ER (sound of hesitation), and two definitions; "practise" is a noun in the clue so should be "practice" |
Saintly Irish woman taking odd characters from Vietnam (3) | ITA | Definition: Saintly Irish woman
Odd letters of vIeTnAm, giving us this Irish saint |
Unconventional tough guy receives information on personal problem (8) | BOHEMIAN | Definition: Unconventional
BO (personal problem) + I[nformation] in HE-MAN |
Figures leading American university conference … (6) | SUMMIT | Definition: conference
SUM (figures) + MIT (US university) |
… hide the real corruption (7) | LEATHER | Definition: hide
(THE REAL) |
Section of team at Euros not getting paid (7) | AMATEUR | Definition: not getting paid
Hidden in teAM AT EURos |
Dilapidated house due proper reconstruction (4-5) | DOER-UPPER | Definition: Dilapidated house
(DUE PROPER)* – slangy for a house that needs to be "done up", perhaps as an investment opportunity |
It's weird seeing number two dressed in blue (6) | SPOOKY | Definition: weird
POO ("number two") in SKY |
Solitary confinement for international criminal (2,6) | AL CAPONE | Definition: criminal
CAP (an international player in sport) in ALONE |
Explode, as fool stands on foot (2,3) | GO OFF | Definition: Explode
GOOF + F |
Examine permits for slots (7) | EYELETS | Definition: slots
EYE (examine) + LETS (permits) |
Training inept GI forces — how long might it be? (5,2,6) | PIECE OF STRING | Definition: how long might it be
(INEPT GI FORCES)* – as in the rhetorical question "how long is a piece of string?" |
One who should apologise getting into row during play? (9) | LATECOMER | Definition: One who should apologise getting into row during play
Cryptic definition, referring to someone awkwardly making their way to their seat in a theatre etc, and playing on two meanings (and pronunciations) of "row" |
Dull work may come to an end (8) | FLATLINE | Definition: come to an end
FLAT (dull) + LINE (work, as in "what's your line?") |
Experience essential to keeping resort modern (7) | EPISODE | Definition: Experience
Middle letters of keEPIng reSOrt moDErn |
Food and drink from France spiked with drug? (7) | PASTIES | Definition: Food
E (drug) in PASTIS |
Cause fall in LA when turning head to right? (6) | REASON | Definition: Cause
SEASON (of which "fall" is an example in the US) with its first letter changed to R |
Divide stuff that is found inside (2,3) | ID EST | Definition: that is
Hidden in divIDE STuff |
Closing plant? Case of farewell, have fun in retirement (7) | FLYTRAP | Definition: Closing plant
F[arewel]L + reverse of PARTY (have fun) |
Wear belt (7) | CLOBBER | Definition: Wear
Double definition |
Bath Oliver's last in box (4) | SPAR | Definition: box
SPA (bath) + [Olive]R – Bath Olivers are a type of savoury biscuit |
Oliver's compositions? Fine examples (10) | SHOWPIECES | Definition: Fine examples
SHOW (e.g. the musical *Oliver!*) + PIECES (compositions) |
Work party (6) | LABOUR | Definition: Work
Double definition |
Want to arrange meeting time: hour put in (8) | SHORTAGE | Definition: Want
H in SORT (arrange) + AGE (time) |
Painting with concerning mark inside mount (9) | REMBRANDT | Definition: Painting
RE (concerning) + BRAND in MT |
Like to stay in bed and take it easy (5) | COAST | Definition: take it easy
AS (like) in COT |
Tip of tape measure going round collar (5) | SEIZE | Definition: collar
[tap]E in SIZE |
Carpet to cover floor (5,4) | DRESS DOWN | Definition: Carpet
DRESS (cover) + DOWN (to knock out, floor) |
Figure with cake and tea getting biscuit at the back (3,5) | BAR CHART | Definition: Figure
BAR (cake, as in soap) + CHAR (tea) + [biscui]T – I guessed PIE CHART at first, and was going to query whether a pie could be a cake |
Secretary regularly takes breaks (6) | PAUSES | Definition: breaks
PA + USES |
More unfinished canapés, crackers and cheese (10) | MASCARPONE | Definition: cheese
Anagram of MOR[e] + CANAPES |
Go out with model to get food (4) | DIET | Definition: food
DIE (go out) + T (model, as in the old car) |
Over bowled from complex period of play (7) | SESSION | Definition: period of play
OBSESSION (a complex) less O B |
Friend forced to accept retirement, primarily by firm (7) | COMRADE | Definition: Friend
CO (company, firm) + R[etirement] in MADE (forced) |
Upset friend has left: brilliant mathematician (7) | LAPLACE | Definition: mathematician
Reverse of PAL + L + ACE (brilliant), giving this famous (and indeed brilliant) mathematician| |
Tango close to body (5) | TORSO | Definition: body
T + OR SO |
Country song about American hotel, essentially (7) | AUSTRIA | Definition: Country
US [ho]T[el] in ARIA |
Line to put into program for computer (6) | LAPTOP | Definition: computer
L + TO in APP |
Football team with tendency to cross, winning corner at the end (9) | BRENTFORD | Definition: Football team
[corne]R in BENT (tendency) + FORD (to cross) |
Comes out of European Union, mostly with backing of idiots (7) | EMERGES | Definition: Comes out
E + MERGE[r] (union) + [idiot]S, with a sadly apt surface |
Punk band raises excitement at the start (9) | BUZZCOCKS | Definition: Punk band
BUZZ (excitement) + COCKS (raises) |
Cover of Escort: a celebrity back issue (7) | EMANATE | Definition: issue
Reverse of E[scor]T + A NAME |
Boss with certain way of working to absorb pressure (7) | SUPREMO | Definition: Boss
P in SURE MO (modus operandi) |
Range of understanding after insignificant day: time to stop work (7) | WEEKEND | Definition: time to stop work
KEN (range of understanding, as in "beyond my ken") in WEE (small, insignificant) + D |
Bob's one hard song to perform (6) | HAIRDO | Definition: Bob's one
H + AIR + DO |
After reshuffle, Nadine Dorries (Con) out, not primarily being dealt with (5,13) | UNDER CONSIDERATION | Definition: being dealt with
Anagram of NADINE DORRIES CON [o]UT. In fact the latest government reshuffle brought Ms Dorries *in* to the cabinet as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. *O tempora, o mores! |
Cheese and fruit mostly served with minced beef (9) | LIMBURGER | Definition: Cheese
LIM[e] + BURGER |
Shrub found in Colorado and California (4) | COCA | Definition: Shrub
CO + CA (state abbreviations) |
Composer's toasted sandwiches have a good filling (8) | PAGANINI | Definition: Composer
A G in PANINI |
Barrier to one special female (retired) working for royal mistress (6,7) | WALLIS SIMPSON | Definition: royal mistress
WALL + 1 + reverse of SP[ecial] MISS + ON (working) |
Heavy rain initially delayed every London Underground going east (6) | DELUGE | Definition: Heavy rain
First letter of Delayed Every London Underground Going East |
Bullfighter charged with endless love (8) | TOREADOR | Definition: Bullfighter
TORE (ran, charged) + ADOR[e] |
Unpleasant character wished to go by horse (3,3) | BAD EGG | Definition: Unpleasant character
BADE (wished) + GG (gee gee, horse) |
Priest stopping religious festival before mice spread an outbreak of the plague? (8) | EPIDEMIC | Definition: an outbreak of the plague
P[riest] in EID + MICE |
Cathedral city where church converted Sartre (8) | CHARTRES | Definition: Cathedral city
CH + SARTRE |
Suggest leaving end of webbing out of panel strengthening garment (6) | GUSSET | Definition: panel strengthening garment
Anagram of SUGGEST less [webbin]G |
Corporal returned with new mail to give out (8) | PROCLAIM | Definition: to give out
Reverse of CORP + MAIL |
Scientific study of works claiming most of credit (6) | OPTICS | Definition: Scientific study
TIC[k] (credit) in OPS (works) |
Liner after refit carrying old oil (6) | NEROLI | Definition: oil
O in LINER* – neroli is an essential oil made from flowers of the bitter orange tree |
Family heir required to eat every bit of spring onion (8) | SCALLION | Definition: spring onion
ALL (every bit) in SCION |
Group of live animals discovered by yours truly leading horse by lake (9) | MENAGERIE | Definition: Group of live animals
ME (yours truly) + NAG (horse) + ERIE (one of the Great Lakes) |
Permission to depart (5) | LEAVE | Definition: depart
Double definition |
Standard of dinner mostly OK (7) | MEASURE | Definition: Standard
MEA[L] + SURE |
Vessel containing one last bit of pale amber liquid (5) | URINE | Definition: pale amber liquid
I in URN + [pal]E; I was going to question the use of "amber" in the definition, but I find that "normal urine colour ranges from pale yellow to deep amber" |
Chewy stuff made from corn for grinding on sides of ledge (7) | GRISTLE | Definition: Chewy stuff
GRIST (corn for grinding) + L[edg]E |
Profitable hostilities with Dutch essential to troubled reign (9) | REWARDING | Definition: Profitable
WAR + D[utch] in REIGN |
Pen used round old lines in artwork (7) | COLLAGE | Definition: artwork
O + L[ine] twice in CAGE (pen) |
Fabric company clothing most of band with narrow stripe (9) | CRINOLINE | Definition: Fabric
RIN[g] (band) in CO + LINE (narrow stripe); the word crinoline usually refers to a garment, but it was originally "a stiff fabric made from cotton and horsehair", from Latin words for "hair" and "flax" |
Repulsive tip of aromatic herb torn apart (9) | ABHORRENT | Definition: Repulsive
Anagram of A[romatic] HERB TORN |
Plant containing source of metallic element (9) | GERMANIUM | Definition: element
M[etallic] in GERANIUM |
Nurse carrying cocoa mixed for animal (7) | RACCOON | Definition: animal
COCOA* in RN (Registered Nurse) |
Colonist's dog crossing lake (7) | SETTLER | Definition: Colonist
L in SETTER |
Fruit endlessly given to posh smart brown ape (5-4) | ORANG-UTAN | Definition: ape
ORANG[e] + U (posh or smart – not sure why Pan uses both words here) + TAN (brown) |
Husband contributing to essential part of housework? (5) | CHORE | Definition: part of housework
H in CORE |
Oddly squad added no depth, losing power for a way to decide the outcome (6,5) | SUDDEN DEATH | Definition: way to decide the outcome
Odd letters of SqUaD aDdEd No + DEPTH with P[ower] replaced by A |
First of all, probing young journalist asked me about strange bedtime habit? (7) | PYJAMAS | Definition: bedtime habit
First letters of Probing Young Journalist Asked Me About Strange |
Smash hit podcast on radio originally — completely timeless and joyful (9) | RHAPSODIC | Definition: joyful
R + anagram of HIT PODCAST less both Ts |
One can be dressed, just like a jack-in-the-box! (5) | WOUND | Definition: One can be dressed
Double definition, with two different pronunications of the word |
Improvised epilogue about taking heroin (2,3) | AD HOC | Definition: Improvised
H in reverse of CODA |
After stripping, find adult agents will be generous (9) | INDULGENT | Definition: generous
[f]IN[d] [a]DUL[t] [a]GENT[s] |
One with plans for passing Tesla motorcar, say (7) | TESTATE | Definition: One with plans for passing
T (symbol for tesla, SI unit) + ESTATE (car), with "passing" meaning "dying" in the definition |
Watch revolutionary go on TV show (6) | REGARD | Definition: Watch
Reverse of DRAG (go on) + ER (TV show) |
School's covering my burn (6) | SCORCH | Definition: burn
COR (my!) in SCH |
Dive and jump, keeping fit inside — quite the opposite (7) | FLEAPIT | Definition: Dive
LEAP in FIT |
Give clearance (9) | TOLERANCE | Definition: Give
Double definition, though the two meanings are very close |
Partially defrosting potato dish (5) | ROSTI | Definition: potato dish
Hidden in defROSTing |
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