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The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
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 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 clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
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 type of clue where the WHOLE clue defines the answer, and the WHOLE clue also is the wordplay (a mechanism to derive the answer through various cryptic devices). "&lit" is short for "and literally".
To qualify as an &lit, a clue must have no unused components either in the definition or the wordplay - it must be readable one way as a definition, and another as the wordplay.
The answer is found by using the sound of a word or phrase. Sounds-like indicators point the way.
The clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).
Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.
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 loss of one letter at the start or end of a word or string of letters.
Examples: beheaded, cut short, endless, nearly, largely etc.
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 entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
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 answer is a jumbling of letters except for the initial or final letter of the anagram fodder. An anagram indicator and truncation indicator will be present.
It is early days yet, but I would appreciate help with 23a (an &lit), 30a, 2d, 13d, and 26d (another pesky 4 letter word). Clue hints don’s ring a bell for me as yet. Perhaps after a cup of tea, a bex, and a good lie down all will be well with the world.
15d I really like the unusual house. I had to work backwards to understand it.
Sorry, Arthur missing all those & more except for 13d – think Red carpets & frocking-up.
I managed to get this out over a long lunch, except for 2-dn, which I assumed must be a word I didn’t know, which it was. I found it by pattern-matching.
Also, I can only make 13-dn work if I swap the order of the first two words, i.e. ‘Backed’ comes first. Perhaps I’m missing something.
I’m going to respond do Arthur’s requests so don’t read on if you don’t want hints.
23-ac ‘Type’ as in fonts etc.
30-ac The definition is fiendish and is the first three words of the clue.
2-dn The definition comes first.
13-dn The definition comes last and see my note above.
26-dn The definition is the last *three* words.
Yes Steve that’s a blue on my part.
Clue should read “One label backed and plugged by young beautiful people (10)”
Stickler
Thank you Steve. Your comments indicated I was on the right track. But I had to get my mind into gear.
For a long time I played very close to 2d, but had never heard of the solution before. I finally tied google with my spelling and received confirmation.
I could not think past the middle letter until I looked at my word processor.
30a Agree the definition is fiendish but totally accurate.
13d The altered clue helped get my house in order.
30a gets my gold medal and the others share silver. 15d gets a bronze from me.
Thank you David for the challenges here.
I think that makes you this weeks Star Performer, Steve.
Will take on-board your comments above which I hope will assist with my struggles.
Yes – I’m putting it out there that I regard Steve as the smartest of the regulars.
30a is definitely my gold medal, so clever
Finally got this late last night, after a day of distractions and lack of focus, thanks to Steve and clue hints for 23a, 30a, and of course, 13d. Still can’t place ‘record’ in 2d or ‘Whistler’ in 20a and even ‘elected district’ seems a little dubious to me in 4d but must be correct. 30a was clever and fun.
Anyone remember Stickler #37? Quite the most difficult I’ve encountered so far in the archives – and David explains in the solution comments how he ideally aims to create a week-long exercise!
20a. Whistler is a place in America, where there may be a fall.
2d – examine the word after you remove “one”. 5 letters in sequence is a synonym for record. “one” was my problem. I suspect this solution is of French origin.
4d – If you are elected you are “??”. power goes in the second part of the clue.
Thanks Arthur for info re. 20a – and we’re not talking about American autumn, are we! 2d – ok, I get it, adult classification plus the word you must have used all the time in your banking career! 4d – ok too, though not my usual understanding of district.
I wondered how to comment on district without giving it all away.
I read 20a differently. “Whistler” referring to a 3-letter body part with the initial capital as a red herring to create extra befuddlement.
Lloyd see my comment above. I originnally thought of lips as they are the critical part of whistling. But there is no reversal indicator, and 21d put a stop to that one.
Oops! delete the reference to a reversal indicator. But 21d would not work with that whistler in any fom.
Indeed. 21d was crucial!
Arthur – don’t let a Canadian hear you say that Whistler is a place in America.
OOPS. Better change that to North America. It is a bit like saying the Barron Falls are in Australia.
Stuck on 23a.
Steve’s “type as in fonts” not helping me much.
Never mind, although as a Yank I’m more familiar with 23A as a pro basketball player than as an angler.
I presume it is the name of a player in basketball, rather than a catcher.
I was blank on the fonts until I started to check my word processer. The penny finally dropped as this is my favourite font.
It’s amazing what you learn through Google just to solve a cryptic.
I am not certain how Yanks are viewed in Florida, but there is a lake which bears this name and is a famous bass fishing ground. Google has many references to boats, dams, fishing tackle etc all bearing this name.
Notwithstanding – still struggling Big Time with
14a, 20a (unless the Whistler is a toy that spins – maybe), 23a,
29a (unless there are On &-Off course varieties) & 2d. .
….This had been One-Tuff-Nut………
OH! OK! – Michael – Is the pro Basketball Player also a Font??? …Fits if so.
29a was easy for me. In Aramac, the bankers operated this whenever there was a program of horses running around in a circle. So yes there can be on and off course varieties. (We were legal.)
23a Google tells me he is a well known basketballer (USA) Seafood ultimately is caught in the font which also gives you a bloke equipped for salt water fishing. I have not found this word in the few lists of fonts which I have consulted.
20a Patrick has commented on the fall. Whistler is one of the places where this may occur.
2d is not a word you would use as an Australian. It has an extra letter. Google tells me it is a French word, which accounts for the peculiarity. This format also appears in occupations in Italy – especially Venice.
AND 26d is missing as well, I now discover.
What’s THAT all-out – I’m becoming irrational.
Five/Six missing Answers into Day Three is an unwanted record.
& Thanks guys. Gradually knocking them off.
23a & 29a – All Good but still Four missing, even confused about snowy Whistler. Switched tack to a lopped “what you ski down” but can’t make sense of that either. Grrrrr!
26d I had trouble with this but help arrived. It is a charade. The last three words are/is the definition. The character is definitely irrational, but not insane. If you have 30a, you have the last letter. Read the clue word by word, and the pesky 4 letter word will be revealed.
20a Think about “maybe” and where it is in the clue. There is no indication of a truncation, You are missing the importance of the longest word in the clue.
I think you have 21d which I have marked as a well constructed clue. The first letter is critical in correctly solving 20a. Reward yourself with a warming rum after you deal with 20a, but don’t get soundly pis..
I ag
Hi Richard,
14a – no need to do this about it, I’m sure you’ll put your finger on it soon.
20a – this kind of fall should be present for beginning to ski!
29a – reversal of what David does may help to return and how one carries all the winnings!
2d- see above
I am in big trouble and it is getting late. All I need is 23 which must be a typeface, but in all lists that I have none start with R. Also 2 and 6 escape me.
Andrew. 23 is a 5 letter typeface which contains another letter. The typeface starts with R. It is one of around 5 fonts which are the basis for multiple individual fonts. Italic is slanted, while this one is basically straight. Microsoft Office includes a version with a three word name. The last word is this font. I think that name derives from a newspaper. The word will more readily spring to mind in relation to numerals rather than alphabetical characters. The font is the product of an empire which spanned most of the known world in the period before and in the early part of the Christian Era.
6a is a small truck (more often a trailer or a part of a trailer) “that is” dumped behind “marshland”. Don’t pick your nose while contemplating this one, as you might get one of these. (Of course that might be Qld slang)
2d Investor is the definition. As previously discussed the word in of French origin, which accounts for the “one” breaking “record”. When you record something you “?????” it. That leaves one letter which Patrick commented on in respect naughty films.
As noted in all the comments above, this one had quite a few particularly tough clues.
18a, 20a, 21d: Nice definitions
23a: I hadn’t seen this word used in a non-basketball/North Korea context before. However, it was a pretty obvious &lit (yay!), and fairly easy to solve with some cross letters. A quick look in Chambers confirmed the definition.
30a: Loved the definition
2d: A new word for me. Tough, but I got there eventually.
17d: Really nice surface reading
19d: I loved “hospital unit”
26d: Ditto “Irrational character”. Adam Spencer would enjoy this one.
28-a: Interestingly, this doesn’t work as a sounds-like clue for English-speakers who explicitly sound the letter “r” at the end of a word – including most North Americans. I explain this at greater length on the Overseas Help page.
Another learning point. At school we joked about how some nationals (Scottish and French people I think) rolled their r’s. Politically incorrect today.
FINALLY there’s 2d. …Only One-More-Sleep to 20a & 26d.
Outstandings at End of Cycle – an unwelcome but hopefully temporary development.
I thought you had them all.
both 4 letters – your nemesis.
I expect you have 21d which is a flavour enhancer. The solution is constructed with four parts, which are also the syllables. Check out the options for “say”
Whistler is a place where this stuff falls. I am reliably informed that it is in Canada, and as far as I am aware that is still part of the continent of America.
The first letter of 21d is critical for 20a. It is the middle of 3 letters which relate to timing. The clue identifies the missing letter (which you have from 8d) and where it goes. Fall is not a season. On 27th you wrote the word with one too many letters.
26d. You have been going around in circles. To calculate how far you have gone you have to use this character. We learned about him in Maths (B I think). That may be all Greek to you. You need two more letters from a 3 letter word. That is the crux of the problem. While this is the most important part according to the clue, I usually discard it as it adds nothing to the flavour.
I hope this helps you over the line.
Thank You for your time Arthur. Had I revisited yesterday, penny would have dropped for 20a. So obvious (of course).
Had PITH as one of endless options for 26d, but would NOT have achieved the answer. PI is much too long ago to be springing to mind. One of benefits of being a certain age, optional frustrations can be left aside, to focus on those that must be addressed.