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Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
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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 clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
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 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 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 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.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.
Examples: part of, associated with, types of.
The entire answer is found by reversing part of the clue, or a synonym for part of the clue. A suitable reversal indicator will be present.
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.
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 removal of a letter, letters, word or words (or their equivalents) from other parts of the clue (or their equivalents).
Examples: taken from, decreased by, less.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.
Far too early to be here, but @ barely 50% & bereft of ideas………
So near, yet so far, so often.
Still stuck 16d & 28a – possibly 18a but don’t think so.
Just knew 11d would reach new heights – David.
I thought we might be having a morbid theme with all the talk about “died” and its ilk.
16d is interesting. This is my chance to make the comment. I thought the three letter word included stretched the meaning of the homonyn. Carefully evaluate “favourites extremely upset”.
28a I tried to delete an abbreviation from the hyphenated word, but that did not work. So I looked for an alternate meaning within the clue. This gave me an four letter word for the definition, and it was not swearing.
18a trick has been used recently. David has had us searching our resources for alternate or out of the ordinary meanings or usage for some words, and this is one of those occasions.
11d was totally misleading, I did not reach the heights until I got a lot of crosses.
10a was a musical when I was just over the age of 21. I still sing about “looking for a piano” and try to “never look back”.
It is hard to decide my Oscar this week. I am split between 25a and 7d.
7d was last in. I was certain of the definition but had to go to google because there seemed to be too many words in the word play.
Oh Boy! Whew! Yikes! Would not have got There without assistance Arthur.
28a = same abbreviated deduction just from an alternative word.
Led me to second half of 16d, though seem to have “you” spare.
There will be reason for that.
Agree three letter word in first half of 16d is a bit of a stretch (sorry David).
But got there & Many Thanks.
You’re TOO kind Richard
Touche! David
Thanks David. Yes I’ve got it now.
How easy it is to overlook a simple oft-used expression.
I have also concluded that the seemingly spare “u” …….is not.
In my excitement, I forgot that I had used the same abbreviation in 28a.
I cannot see how you need to deal with a “you” in 16d. You have the definition, and the second word. More words than one are “upset” – I checked David’s clue hints before making this comment. I hope that helps with parsing.
Yes – as above Arthur
After THROUGH re-evaluation
finally made my Peace with seemingly surplus “u” which in fact….. is not.
Oh Boy! Whew! Yikes! indeed. If you two struggle then there is not much hope for me!
Ironically I didn’t have any trouble with 7d or 18a.
Still haven’t got 28a, but with the weekend I will give it another go.
Done finally. Didn’t help my cause when I hastily put in bard reversed at 20a, completely ignoring “objections”, which of course threw me off 11d (as if it wasn’t hard enough).
Sorry one more thing. In 15a, is offsider a cricket reference ? If so does that make our thief a left hander?
Greg. I took it that the offside is the one furthest from the kerb.
Wendy look for an alternate word for the one with the hyphen
I hope that is still obscure enough.
Still becoming accustomed to ongoing dialogue here – which is The Best.
Need to check in more frequently
Wendy – With you on 7d tho Wolfgang is not favourite composer.
(Like Big Stuff – Brahms etc). …It’s been many years since I flew away to 18a.
…If you haven’t got it yet 28a is the positive context –
& my discussion above with Arthur may also assist.
So often – four letter word can be the most tricky.
Greg C – 20a much less used writer these days. 11d was my Pick of The Week.
Arthur – got it but would have been there sooner with your comment.
Finally got 11d, what a doozy!!! Very clever.
Still working on 16d. Will get there eventually, I find if I leave it for a while and then look with fresh eyes can help.
Wendy if you aren’t there yet with 16d,
18a – as above/24a is literally Ladies trimmed/28a also was above
all will help to you there.
Agree taking a break always assists with a fresh look.