(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
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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.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
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 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.
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 turning around (across & down clues), or overturning (down clues only) of letters.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Tying up loose ends. Got it –
BUT not sure I ‘get’ it with 12a & 13a despite David’s Clue Hints.
Anyone else contemplating these?
More about Picks of The Week later. There are several.
SO
1a (Classic overthinking), 12a (despite ??? still – & new word), 16a (rarely heard these days)
19a, 25a (specially with correct spelling), 30a (Pick of The Week)
3d, 4d, 9d (much Egg unscrambling with all three), 14d (just loved it) & 17d (ditto)
12- and 13-ac were also the last two that I understood, though I had the answer to 13-ac early in the piece. I pattern searched to get 12-ac., which is new word for me, too, and it still took a little while to understand the wordplay. I didn’t understand the wordplay for 13-ac until I read the clue hint. Fiendish!
And I, too, especially like 19- and 30-ac, and 3-, 14- and 17-dn.
12 and 13 across in my opinion are the best this week. I filled in the answer to 13 before I realised how the clue worked. “is” indeed.
Finally – penny drops with 13a.
Still await 12a. If all else fails, only six more sleeps!!!
At last!. I had to consult crossword solver with the known letters for 1a and 12 a.
12a is the best without doubt. The one word definition fits the word. Abnormal but is simple when worked through. There is a departure plus another answer – a thankless task. Write out the answer and add your thanks and all will be revealed.
13a I had the word quickly because of the definition. But the double “is” in the hint does not make sense to me. Does it have something to do with initials?
I was on the right track with 1a and the anagram but could not come up with the correct container. Perhaps a little to anxious to get it done.
Unusual indicator in 3d tickled my fancy, so it is high on my praise list.
19a Very droll! So simple but so elusive.
30a I was misled by the media – how often does that happen.
I am not happy with my 5d, but rfecall it being used by a famous Australian swimmer in this context. Hint says there is an anagram, so I probably have the wrong word.
Need to put 12a aside for a few days. Just not happening……
Thinking may even somehow have the incorrect word.
Arthur – 13a David’s Clue Hint finally gave it to me – “is” = plural “i”
5d you are probably correct – didn’t ‘get’ usage way back then, still don’t get it now.
13a More than 1 Thanks.
Back to 12a David tells us that there is a reference to another clue (21). Put the answer to 21 after the word before 21 and take thanks (2 letters) from the resulting “word”.
Does your word (12a) end in y? It should.
Of course Arthur, got it now. Had not even considered that.
I was also playing round with that alphabet soup Generation labelling thing – which I do no ‘get’ either.
As always, so simple – IF One has a Clue where One is going..
Yes, ends with “y”. Many Thanks
My pick has to be 13a, as has been said ‘is’ inded. Also 27a, once I got away from posters!
30a was also a good one.
Steve Ball (above) says Fiendish about 13a Wendy.
So very true, got everyone going.
Like your other picks too. Wasted much time on ants & bees with 27a.
Also agree with 30a – was my ‘Pick of The Week’
13a with the help of Richard et al reminded me of what I often tell my cryptic groups – avoid surface reading of clues, read word by word, and pronounce words differently. this was a good reminder.
With 27a I had to get away from the ants and the bees.
By time I am 99, I’ll be good at this
Arthur – Hope springs Eternal with me as well……….