Clue
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Surge following opening of farce, break from Shakespeare (5) | FRUSH | Definition: break from Shakespeare
F[arce] + RUSH |
Tasty barbecue item? Stop pinching one (5) | SATAY | Definition: Tasty barbecue item
A in STAY (to stop) |
Anything but forthright, disturbing the antis (8) | HESITANT | Definition: Anything but forthright
(THE ANTIS) |
Booby – or another seabird (4) | GULL | Definition: Booby
Double definition. I confidently entered LOON here on my first pass |
What you can get thinner from? Concoction of three girlfriend swallowed (9) | TEREBINTH | Definition: What you can get thinner from
BINT (girlfriend) in THREE |
Colourful bird to be sold in marketplace (6) | TROGON | Definition: Colourful bird
GO (to be sold? Chambers has the adjectival meanings "ready" and "in perfect condition") in TRON |
What's poet read? This crafted with art maybe (5) | EPODE | Definition: This
Composite anagram: (POET READ)* = EPODE ART |
Large bill includes e.g. jigger for Oxford scholar (10) | POSTMASTER | Definition: Oxford scholar
MAST (jigger is a type of mast) in POSTER |
Helm anchor? Check strain that's twisted sloop's rear (9) | CHINSTRAP | Definition: Helm anchor
CH + STRAIN* + [sloo]P – "helm" here is an archaic form of "helmet", which could be help in place by a chinstrap |
Moved away, having retired, directed inside (8) | ABSENTED | Definition: Moved away
SENT in ABED |
Regular variation spoilt duet, except for the first, not so good (7) | EUTROPY | Definition: Regular variation
Anagram of [d]UET + ROPY |
Odd pieces from Sicily (ruined) transported as mementos (6) | RELICS | Definition: mementos
Anagram of the odd letters of SiCiLy RuInEd |
Bored with pleasure, there being little left in bed (5) | BLASÉ | Definition: Bored with pleasure
L in BASE |
Climb in mountainous Caledonia (5) | SCALE | Definition: Climb
Hidden in mountainouS CALEdonia |
Workman on roof maybe starting at bottom got going again (5) | RELIT | Definition: got going again
Reverse of TILER – I think the clue is ambiguous as to which word is the answer |
Flat stage removed from outskirts of Herts location (4) | EVEN | Definition: Flat
STEVENAGE less the outer STAGE |
Tamper with retro piece of religious iconography outside court (6) | DOCTOR | Definition: Tamper with
C[our]T in reverse of ROOD (cross) |
Plant found by fish next to part of canal network (8) | CHARLOCK | Definition: Plant
CHAR (fish) + LOCK (seen on canals) – I didn't know the word, but the plant (also called Wild Mustard) is familiar |
Medical emergency caused by a speaker's inactivity (6) | ARREST | Definition: Medical emergency
Homophone of "a rest" |
Slope in garden altered to accommodate one plant finally (8) | GRADIENT | Definition: Slope
I (one) in GARDEN* + [plan]T |
Fruit with extremely likeable fragrance has a fine lustre (11) | PEARLESCENT | Definition: has a fine lustre
PEAR + L[ikabl]E + SCENT – the definition doesn't work grammatically: "and with a fine lustre" might be better |
College head leaves part-time judge to request another delivery (7) | REORDER | Definition: request another delivery
RECORDER (part-time judge) less C[ollege] |
Huge flow of gold found in British river (7) | TORRENT | Definition: Huge flow
OR (gold) in TRENT |
Wise men given no time to join those waiting to see old French fortifications (7,4) | MAGINOT LINE | Definition: old French fortifications
MAGI (the Wise Men in the Christmas story) + NO T + LINE (a queue, those waiting) |
Sharp fielder catching good new Australian (8) | POIGNANT | Definition: Sharp
G[ood] N[ew] A[ustralian] in POINT (fielding position in cricket) |
Relative trapping animal in bottle (6) | MAGNUM | Definition: bottle
GNU in MAM (mother) |
Court official with gratuities for office workers (8) | TIPSTAFF | Definition: Court official
TIPS (gratuitues) + STAFF *As noted in the comments, this gives a superfluous S |
Reflect, as young person runs for navy (6) | MIRROR | Definition: Reflect
MINOR (young person) with two R[un]s replacing N[avy] |
Small piece of mushroom without top of stalk (6) | MORSEL | Definition: Small piece
S[talk] in MOREL (mushroom), with "without" meaning "outside" |
Dance, though Rachel and son not dancing (10) | CHARLESTON | Definition: Dance
Anagram of RACHEL S NOT |
Aggressor's press release to editor returning duty list (8) | PREDATOR | Definition: Aggressor
P[ress] R[elease] + ED[itor] + reverse of ROTA |
Return said sources of 3, 7, 15 and 9 for all those who have left their homeland (8) | DIASPORA | Definition: all those who have left their homeland
Reverse of SAID + initial letters of Predator Open Reorder Arrest (the answers to the numbered clues) |
Drama changed into half comedy for produce some spice (8) | CARDAMOM | Definition: spice
DRAMA* in COM[edy] |
Old writer in annual golf event (4) | OPEN | Definition: annual golf event
O + PEN |
Bird originally kept in tiny enclosure (4) | KITE | Definition: Bird
First letters of Kept In Tiny Enclosure |
Dish of beef roast, carved up with good source of nutrients, is no longer on the menu (10) | STROGANOFF | Definition: Dish of beef
Anagram of (ROAST G[ood]) + N[utrients] + OFF (no longer on the menu – the "is" is redundant) |
Creative type's gender is fluid (8) | DESIGNER | Definition: Creative type
(GENDER IS) |
Flag flown by ship crossing river (8) | STREAMER | Definition: Flag
R in STEAMER |
Two notes put away following Norway leader's command (8) | DOMINATE | Definition: command
DO MI (notes, as in do-re-mi) + N[orway] + ATE (put away) |
Very sad soldier in vehicle going back uphill (6) | TRAGIC | Definition: Very sad
GI (soldier) in reverse of CART |
Covers over notice (4) | SPOT | Definition: notice
Reverse of TOPS (covers): this clue could equally well give TOPS, but either of the crossing letters settles the matter |
Detective in touch with politician's solicitor (4) | PIMP | Definition: solicitor
PI (Private Investigator) + MP (politician) |
Cockney hunted down on policeman's first beat (7) | POUNDED | Definition: beat
P[oliceman] + [h]OUNDED |
Many trousers briefly removed (4,2) | BAGS OF | Definition: Many
BAGS (old slang for trousers, as in "Oxford bags") + OF[f] (removed) |
Entering taverns after tea, I'll be bound (2,6) | IN CHAINS | Definition: bound
CHA (tea) + I in INNS |
Singular athlete, one accustomed to beam (6) | SMILER | Definition: one accustomed to beam
S + MILER |
Spaces aboard for officers' suits? (12) | QUARTERDECKS | Definition: Spaces aboard for officers
Double definition: place for officers on a ship, and a suit is a QUARTER of a DECK of cards |
Marked word such as we initially check with editor (10) | PRONOUNCED | Definition: Marked
PRONOUN ("we" is an example) + C[heck] + ED[itor] |
Yankee cracking clue oddly rejected solution (3) | LYE | Definition: solution
Y[ankee] in cLuE less its odd letters |
Aquatic mammal seabird caught (3) | ORC | Definition: Aquatic mammal
Homophone of "auk"; ORC is a variant of Orca, the killer whale |
Where deal may be had by mad ruler on the move? (10) | LUMBERYARD | Definition: Where deal may be had
(BY MAD RULER)*, with "deal" being the wood |
Emotive outcome of corruption at police HQ? (12) | SUPERCHARGED | Definition: Emotive
If corruption is found at HQ, the SUPER[intendent] might be CHARGED |
Particle quietly splitting gave the game away (6) | LEPTON | Definition: Particle
P (quietly) in LET ON |
Number of customers in time to pay for trip (8) | FOOTFALL | Definition: Number of customers in time
FOOT (pay for, as in "foot the bill") + FALL (to trip) |
Plodded into the Home Counties and moved on apace (6) | STRODE | Definition: moved on apace
TROD (plodded) in SE (the Home Counties are roughly the South-east of England) |
Immature swimmer bit staff (7) | TADPOLE | Definition: Immature swimmer
TAD (a bit) POLE (staff) |
Puritan outfit under pressure (4) | PRIG | Definition: Puritan
P[ressure] + RIG (outfit) |
Remarkable Scots centre missed by world heritage guardians (4) | UNCO | Definition: Remarkable Scots
UNesCO less its centre – the Scots word UNCO, meaning remarkable, strange, etc, crops up in crosswords from time to time, often as part of a longer word |
Make use of frame one trimmed (4,4) | DRAW UPON | Definition: Make use of
DRAW UP (to frame, as e.g. a law) + ON[e] |
Duke, working men's benefactor (5) | DONOR | Definition: benefactor
D[uke] + ON (working) + OR (other ranks, men) |
First man from south to join a king's fleet (6) | ARMADA | Definition: fleet
A R (king) + reverse of ADAM |
Preserve place for wine dispenser at table (4,6) | SALT CELLAR | Definition: dispenser at table
SALT (to preserve) + CELLAR (place for wine) |
Where crops may be grown after dams burst close to Paris? (10) | FARMSTEADS | Definition: Where crops may be grown
(AFTER DAMS)* + [pari]S |
Tenor's last note upset acoustic device (6) | REVERB | Definition: acoustic device
Later letter of tenoR + reverse of BREVE (musical note, twice as long as a semibreve; it's a historical curiosity that the longest note used in modern notation has a name that means "short") |
Sailors attending course find something to keep them going (5,5) | EPSOM SALTS | Definition: something to keep them going
EPSOM (race course) + SALTS (sailors) – Epsom Salts are a laxative |
Possible source of firing put poacher off (10) | TOUCHPAPER | Definition: Possible source of firing
(PUT POACHER) |
Nothing titillating? Not quite (6) | NAUGHT | Definition: Nothing
Not quite NAUGHTy |
Gunners turning up refreshed, ran in (8) | ARRESTED | Definition: ran in
Reverse of RA (Royal Artillery, gunners) + RESTED (refreshed) |
Poet's 'void land south of river' (6) | ARNOLD | Definition: Poet
ARNO (Italian river, crossed by the Ponte Vecchio in Florence) + L[an]D. The poet is Matthew Arnold, son of Dr Thomas Arnold of Rugby School |
Sleep with sailor in bunk? (5) | ROOST | Definition: Sleep
OS (Ordinary Seaman) in ROT (nonsense, bunk) |
Served up duck with potato dressing (4) | MAYO | Definition: dressing
Reverse of O (zero, a duck in cricket) + YAM (the sweet potato in US usage, or another kind of edible tuber) |
Last of pickers still to grade fruit (4) | SLOE | Definition: fruit
Last letters of pickerS stilL tO gradE |
Call from the US electorate? (2-5) | NO-TRUMP | Definition: Call
Cryptic/double definition: No Trump is a bid or call in Bridge, and the US electorate recently said NO to TRUMP (though not by as much as many would have hoped) |
Mysterious flash enveloping trailer (7) | SHADOWY | Definition: Mysterious
AD (trailer, as in films) in SHOWY (flash) |
Adonis is boss (4) | STUD | Definition: Adonis
Double definition |
Retro plain squares under the table, perhaps? (2,3,5) | ON ALL FOURS | Definition: under the table, perhaps
Reverse of LLANO (Spanish for a plain) + FOURS (four is a sqaure number) |
God placing 6 and Egyptian equivalent back-to-back behind you (6) | URANUS | Definition: God
U (you) + RA (Egyptian sun god) "back to back" with SUN, referring to Helios, the Greek sun-god (from whom we get the name of the element Helium, first identified in the sun) |
More difficult check reviewed on god (8) | THORNIER | Definition: More difficult
THOR (Norse god) + reverse of REIN (check) |
Female god performs (4,1,4) | DOES A TURN | Definition: performs
DOE (female) + SATURN (god) |
Worshipper for whom church in Dudley providing sanctuary (5) | HINDU | Definition: Worshipper
Hidden in churcH IN DUdley |
Half-Vulcan box contains head of Prometheus (5) | SPOCK | Definition: Half-Vulcan
P[rometheus] in SOCK (box – as in punching) – in the original Star Trek series, Mr Spock is half Vulcan |
Hard work initially, easier otherwise to maintain order (9) | WEARISOME | Definition: Hard
W[ork] + OM (order of merit) in EASIER |
Wonderful goddess hiding in wood (4-4) | FIVE-STAR | Definition: Wonderful
VESTA (Roman goddess of the home) in FIR |
Goddess concealing second of beauty spots (6) | VENUES | Definition: spots
[b]E[auty] in VENUS |
Chaotic form disowned, happy to come first (6,4) | UPSIDE DOWN | Definition: Chaotic
UP (happy) + DISOWNED |
Reach god by bus, finally (4) | SPAN | Definition: Reach
[bu]S + PAN |
['We have arrived', daughter announced] (7) | USHERED | Definition: announced
US HERE ("we have arrived") + D. Why the brackets? I've seen this happen before: my theory is that the clue is a placeholder, waiting for something better, which never came |
Most immediate gain overwhelming god (7) | NEAREST | Definition: Most immediate
ARES (Greek god of war) in NET (to gain) |
North American province, not a different South American city (7) | ONTARIO | Definition: North American province
(NOT A)* + RIO |
Artist's country escaping Roman god (5) | RODIN | Definition: Artist
ROMAN less OMAN (country) + ODIN (Norse god) |
When heavenly body drops idle god (7) | MOONSET | Definition: When heavenly body drops
MOON (to idle) + SET (Egyptian god) |
God dressing priest in short stockings (6) | HELIOS | Definition: God
ELI (biblical priest) in HOS[E] |
Island originally home to climbing marsupial — one of these is as dead as a dodo? (9) | DOORNAILS | Definition: one of these is as dead as a dodo
Reverse of ROO (marsupial) in ISLAND* – reference to the phrase "dead as a doornail" |
Mass inspiring god, Mars' device? (7) | WARHEAD | Definition: Mars' device
RHEA (one of the Titans in Greek mythology) in WAD (a mass); Mars is the Roman god of war |
Where Morpheus might live to dream, more bunks emptied out (6,7) | MASTER BEDROOM | Definition: Where Morpheus might live
Anagram of TO DREAM MORE B[unk]S – Morpheus is the Greek god of sleep and dreams |
Close game receives outstanding support, finally (9) | SECRETIVE | Definition: Close
[suppor]T in RECEIVES* (with game=lame, as in "game leg", often pronounced "gammy") |
God lifting couple into drink (7) | PRIAPUS | Definition: God
Reverse of PAIR in SUP |
Nemesis rising, for example, over my dead body (7) | REVENGE | Definition: Nemesis
Reverse of EG ("say") + NEVER (over my dead body!) |
Heaven-bound American uncle entertaining European women inspired by Dionysus (7) | MAENADS | Definition: women inspired by Dionysus
A third reversal, of DANE in [Uncle] SAM. In Greek mythology the Maenads are followers of Dionysus, aka Bacchus, the god of wine and related activities |
Goddess putting second and third of 21 in order? (6) | ATHENE | Definition: Goddess
The second and third letters of 21d, in order, are A THEN E |
Subsets and Splits