(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A question mark has been used to indicate "language abuse", that is, a word or words in a clue are used in a technically incorrect way, but the meaning can be still inferred.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
The answer is found by removing a letter, letters, or a word (either found directly in the clue or derived) from a word or words (or their synonyms). Subtractions involving synonyms must be done with contiguous letters, that is, a word will subtract directly unless specifically indicated. A subtraction indicator is present to initiate the action.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A word or series of words that signify the turning around (across & down clues), or overturning (down clues only) of letters.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
A word or phrase that defines the answer. All cryptic clues usually have a minimum of one definition which will be located at the beginning or end of the clue.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A question mark has been used to indicate "language abuse", that is, a word or words in a clue are used in a technically incorrect way, but the meaning can be still inferred.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A word or series of words that signify the loss of one letter at the start or end of a word or string of letters.
Examples: beheaded, cut short, endless, nearly, largely etc.
A word or phrase that defines the answer. All cryptic clues usually have a minimum of one definition which will be located at the beginning or end of the clue.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
4DN One of the best clues in ages love it 🙂
Agree Truey – never been a Fan, but Loved this.
Hi David,
I finished this over lunch – but it lengthened lunch somewhat. ? I’d have got there sooner if I’d noticed that ‘student’s primary’ isn’t P!
I, too, loved 4-dn and also 24-ac, 27-ac, 17-dn (clever and well-disguised definition), 21-dn and 23-dn.
Please Sir, I want more.
Steve = : ^ )
Just got the Congrats message. Another good one. ?
Well, there it is. Nice, clever, with neat clues and great wordplay that fell into place with moderate but worthy and satisfying struggle. 26a was the last to fall. Mystified by ‘nice’ but the hint made it fall into place! Nice to see something for young and maybe not so young in 4d and 18a. My favourite by far was 25a – a not so common word these days but fondly remembered. 9d was masterful too – I’d never have got it without the crosses. Thanks again David.
Al at Sea – or by the Mediterranean, Geographically with 17d???
& therefore 18a is not working either.
On the ball here. Nice Man is beside the seaside.
Seems to lead to those pesky little face things at 18a.
Too small to see, don’t understand them anyway & clueing not working.
There’s always One!!!
18a – ‘twas a puzzle indeed, to me, looking back, and then the swindler confessed.
Yes got the confession Patrick –
but would never have got “to me”
Very Clever. Many Thanks
& the “large heavy book” was NEVER going to work.
& lifting the “large heavy book’ was NEVER going help
I have only had brief spells to spend on the puzzle, which helped and hindered. Every time I came back I got another word or two, while I was getting more mystified as time disappeared and chores beckoned. Yesterday I worked cryptics for 2 hours, one with beginners then one with experienced solvers on an old Stickler. That gets the brain spinning.
A great set of clues. Made me think laterally about many phrases and words which were familiar in a different context.
Now for the SOS on 21d. I am confident of 20a, 25a (which is a beauty) 27a and 29a but cannot find the other 3 letters for a word (21d) that meets the definition. Please be cryptic so I have to jeep the brain cells working.
Hi Arthur, did you ever feed a horse? You know how you had to keep your hand flat otherwise they might have nibbled it, as in this case! Buds, apparently, but leaves for certain.
Or some leaf-buds…… as far as I can ascertain, are this.
Think the full word for the colloquial “Buds” Arthur,
rather more of an Americanisation.
Then Two differing OTHER (more Australian) definitions thereof.
Patrick is onto it too from a different direction.
With this help I have the congrats. Thank you my friends.
This is the only word in this puzzle that I have not encountered before.
Some parents even name their sons the longer version of the clue word. Here I sit wondering how I could have missed that.
It’s only Thursday and I have a drought until next Wednesday. But I could not get away from my idea of putting one bit of a plant after another.
Hah! Yes I see it now, Richard. Thanks! My way just required more than one bud, not necessarily only 2. So now that’s cleared up.
Just checked the hint – buds not the flowering kind. I guessed from the definition, and commonly it is used in reference to leaves/leaf-buds. Your way is obviously as intended and much more certain as a result.
If you want a difficult one, Arthur, try #110. I’m totally stuck and not even half finished. Time to check the hints perhaps.
So much to love in this puzzle. Some fell easily into place, while others needed a lightbulb. Mrs Arthur is not much help as she cannot understand what I see in this weekly exercise. She would prefer me to be pulling weeds and digging towards China.
1a. Loved the sneaky gift
12a Just enough misdirection, it took a while to see how the bunny got into the hat.
18a “Swindler’s admission”! Enough said
25a 26a and 29a Good fun deciphering these charades.
4d Not a fan of this production, so I took a while to wake up.
17a I surprise when the clue was deciphered. Pronunciation and a biscuit provided the tip for me.
28a Think outside the square. Initially surprised at the definition, but have no problem.with it.
And my troubled 21d. It gets my award because I found it so hard, and yet it was so simple.
Hope I stayed sufficiently Cryptic with 21d Arthur, so as not to lessen (perhaps even enhance?) the Challenge
It was good thanks. I had to work on it, and worked between Patrick and your comments. Ultimately as Patrick says yours was more topical for me.
Good fun overall.
18a, 5d, 9d, 17d: Nice definitions.
2d: I liked “code developer”.
4d: Good fun. However, for the surface reading to be grammatically correct, it should have been “Whose transport…”. I can think of an alternative wording for the clue, but I don’t want to give away too much on a Thursday.
I disagree. The clue is a question which is correct grammatically, as well as factually. The question mark could also indicate an &lit, which was a minor distraction, but made me think a little harder.
My only problem was that I do not watch TV, so this was an Aha, Anyway I could not have missed hearing it from cult fans including my two sons when it was (and still is) compulsory viewing for them.
Arthur – I must respectfully disagree that “the clue is a question which is correct grammatically”. The possessive form of “who” is “whose”. “Who’s” is a contraction of “who is” or “who has” – neither of which fits in the surface reading. The only way it works as a possessive is if “Who” is treated as a proper noun – but we won’t go there this early in the Stickler week.
I just googled who’s and found lots of examples of both who’s and whose, and very few places where they came down on one side or the other. To me it is a proper noun. It really comes down to the individual’s experience and use of the language.
If I were close enough, we could have a beer or two and argue about this all night. It is amazing where a stickler takes you.
Every dictionary shows “whose” as possessive, and “who’s” as a contraction.
A beer or two sounds like a wonderful idea – except that I’m on the lower north shore of Sydney – which, if I remember correctly, is a bit too far away to make it a practical exercise.
On reflection, I suppose that the question mark at the end of 4d is doing double duty:
1. It’s required because the surface reading is a question.
2. It’s indicating language abuse – in this case, the incorrect grammar in the surface reading.
I THINK you have settled this Guys.
What it’s worth –
my take of “Who” in this instance, is a Proper Noun.
& therefore “Who’s” is possessive Case?
Apologies to all for harping on about this, but the pedant in me can’t resist.
As a part of the definition, “Who” is a proper noun – so “Who’s transport…” is correct.
But the surface reading is supposed to mean “transport belonging to whom…”, so it should be “Whose transport…”.
There – clear as mud?
I’ll be interested to read David’s take on this.
4d. Very very clever clue! And even I got it without ever having watched the program.
My Picks of the Week all mentioned already. In passing would note 11a, 15a & 7d
as the perfectly neat & precise examples of the Setter’s art we all love so much,
& 7d – never met an Alphabet Soup I didn’t like.
Good fun thanks Greg. I love a good discussion, it is the contrary child in me. There could be an insight on this.
Here’s an alternative wording for 4d. The surface reading is grammatically correct, but overall the clue is less fun:
Doctor’s transport is behind time on a road (6)