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A word or series of words that signify the position of wordplay elements in the answer.
Examples: before, after, leading, in the middle of, under (down only) etc.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Well, this is a tad embarrassing because I ‘cheated’ at the end by using the solver for 6d, figuring it was a word I didn’t know and was unlikely to get however long I stared at the crosses. Sure it was new to me but I’d missed the all-important indicator which at least would have given me a good shot with the help of google. The clue hint for 2d helped to explain some letters I’d struggled to find a reason for, and 10a was a guess that was reassured to some extent by the hint also. I still don’t get how plastic features in 21a. 17d took a lot of googling and for some reason 3d and 8d were second and third last to go.
Wordplay in 1a was clever and 14d the most satisfying to get.
Even so Patrick, well done.
I would rather not be here at One Third done & One day on – but so be it.
Must be me, more distracted lately than I thought.
10a is a new word for me, still working on eastern side.
I found this one harder than last week’s but eventually got all but 2-dn and 12-ac before putting it aside. I looked again this morning and actually hit on the answer for 2-dn from the definition and the crossing letters (minus 12-ac) but didn’t see the wordplay until I resorted to the clue hint. I had become too attached to “close to land” being D.
That was enough to give me 12-ac though, not having any children, it took a minute for the penny to drop.
I kind of cheated for 6-dn, too. I knew how it worked and had the crossing letters so there were two possible combinations, neither of which formed a word I knew, so I looked them up. The definition is nicely misleading but, not knowing the word, the misdirection was lost on me.
I had typed “I also don’t know how plastic features in 21-dn” but it just hit me. Think credit cards.
10-ac was a new word for me but I pieced it together over a few minutes. 17-dn was also a new word which I guessed from “one”, “university fellow” and the crossing letters before understanding “droppings”. The seam in “Dinosaur droppings” is brilliantly disguised.
Hi Steve, 21d – was hit by the same conclusion just after posting above. Still disappointed for using the solver for 6d – it always diminishes the euphoria of success! Also went with the university fellow in 17d then trolled through a long list on google – never knew there were hundreds of them!
That’s Better!!! All done.
Numerous Gems & Loved the entire exercise.
Thanks everyone, for the “plastic” clarification with 21d
& I am going with C + “like it or **** it” – at 24d.
Had 2d but needed Clue Hints to nail it. Bit obscure without.
Well done back to you, Richard. Quite difficult this week with 3 previously unknown words and google getting quite a work-out. 5a was a struggle too and only hit on with a large slice of luck, with clay being a bit of a stretch but accurate enough and lead being deceptive.
Thanks Steve – & I’m working on the assumption of only 50% Demerit Points for extensive use of Clue Hints!!!
I had to work the puzzle in fits and starts, which turned out to be a big help, as I had a fresh view at each sitting.
6d I actually found it straightforward, once I ignored the honey trap and concetrated on the word play.
20a and 21d were my final stumbling blocks. In both cases I failed to identify the word play, so tried to fit a solution to a wrong definition. I am not sure how 21d fits the clue hint as a container. I would describe it as a straight charade.
10a &17d were new words for me, but went in early because of crosses and the word play.
25a love it.
2d Like Steve, I spent time looking for close to land. A well-constructed clue.
18d An excellent clue. I tried desperately to put alcohol into the solution.
I was not game to comment before finishing the puzzle and getting the thumbs up. There were a couple I was not totally convinced about.
6d was a new one for me. Some good clues in there.
I’ve seen it in a crossword previously, but not with such a good clue.
One of the first Operas I ever saw was Mozart’s “Abduction from the S*******”
Really helped with 6d – that is, once I got past Chocolate!!
Long Time Favourites – Both.
Just came back from a few days’ holiday, with 4 clues still unsolved in the NE corner. It took me a solid hour to nut them out tonight. This was a toughie.
5a: Last in. It took me ages to realise how “lead” fitted in.
10a: A new word for me
15a, 20a, 30a, 4d, 7d: Nice definitions
2d: Very misleading – as mentioned above
6d: Another new word for me – but got there with the wordplay and a few cross letters. Loved the definition.
21d: Nice definition. It helped that I work in a bank.
22d: Yet another new word for me.