(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.
The clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
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 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 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 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.
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 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 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.
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.
A word or series of words that signify that the sound rather than the spelling of a word or words is required.
Examples: orally, in voice, heard, listened to etc.
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 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.
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 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 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.
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.
Hmmmm, things are quiet around here. I got most of this without too much trouble but then pored over four or five clues for another hour or so.
There are a couple of &lits. to keep it topical with last week’s discussion, and there are a number of clues with especially well-disguised seams: “wax plant”; “start working”; “wild animal”; “sit up”; “shifted over”. Devious stuff.
I hope that doesn’t give too much away. If it does, don’t read it. 😉
A great puzzle with many misleading alleyways to distract.
Had to put several words in a different context for the penny to drop.
Last in was 2d – finally simple (as they all are once you know)
5d and 10a were also late finishers because I continued to deceive myself.
15a, 18a, 20a, 29a, 3d, 11d, and 17d are favourites.
And I appreciated the &lits.
Took a while today but got there. Not sure about waxy plant but guessed and was correct.
The plant isn’t waxy. Wax is trimmed.
And again, a clue (6-ac) for the sailors.
20a Think about sunrise and sunset.
Wax & Wane – took me a while to “get” it too.
Liked all those too, Arthur. Will check when done, maybe add a couple more.
Still struggling with 2d as well & therefore 14a – in addition to 23d.
Finally allowed myself Peace at 29a – “with auditors”
As always a thoroughly enjoyable Romp thru Cryptic Land.
Much deviousness & trickery leading up & down many garden paths.
Loved it.
There’s always One & so often it’s Four letters – 14a
Further to Picks of the Week Arthur,
thought 25a worthy of note specially for those of a certain (Post WW2) age
& the struggle with spelling of 16d. I was all over the place.
25a – we had a tablecloth made from this stuff.
16a – I wanted it to be an adjective, but that did not fit.
2d. I hope you have found this one.
29a – puzzled over the plural when there is no s in the solution, but I notice that the word appears in various guises in 3 places in the solution.
Yes – fell over the line eventually
amid much chuckling Arthur.
14a could also be said to apply to phone calls
selling roof panels. Persistent little buggers………
Arthur – 29a – the last 5 letters of the answer means “with auditors”.
I like these auditors. A far cry from those who waltzed into the branch on Wednesday at closing time.
I do not want to spoil it, but
14a the key is the middle word.
2a is a bit of masterly deception, but as said earlier so simple in the end.
Yes Arthur, well remember those 3pm callers.
Were they REALLY a total secret & if so how did they manage to keep it that way, specially in the Bush where everyone knows everything.
Can you imagine them in Aramac in central Qld. One train a week to Barcaldine, and one plane going west on Saturday and east on Sunday? 3 pubs and 2 banks. Population approx 1000.This has nothing to do with crosswords, but is a happy memory. And just like the one referred to in the clue, they always came in pairs.
I also enjoyed “with auditors”.
Started a day later than usual but just finished after final battle with 2d, 14a ad 15a. Confess I checked in without fully understanding 20a – but now do, thanks to help above; 17d likewise, thanks to clue hint; and 29a – still not quite sure about the second part. Could it signify alertness, or perhaps a well-read book minus the dog?
We’ve been down many the same road once again Patrick & yes – the well read book was finally my take at 29a. MUCH confusion getting there.
Yes, Richard, I noticed that too. 🙂
29a I took it to be something ‘with auditors’. Perhaps
Yes it is derived from “with auditors”. At 10 am I was puzzling over the plural of auditors – but that was my own red herring. I had the correct word, but not the correct parsing. My comments about bank auditors are totally irrelevant to this puzzle, but a part of my personal history.
‘With auditors’ – yes, that must be it. Thanks Cathy.
18a, 11d: my favourites, of course
26a: nice definition
29a: “with auditors” – beautiful
17d: a new definition of “quarter” for me
The last couple of Sticklers have been noticeably tougher than the previous two from the archives. I’ve enjoyed giving the brain a serious workout.
Totally blanking on 17d,25a and 28a. Help would be appreciated. Arthur’s comment on 25a that he had a tablecloth made of this stuff leads me to think that the answer is some kind of material but that’s not helping me much.
Scratch 25a. Upon further review Arthur’s tablecloth hint got me there although I have never heard of that material. Hopefully I can now get 17d. Even with the hint I don’t know where to start on 28a.
Got 17d. Need help with 28a.
Michael – take (r)ight away from a fragment.
Thought I had 20a with the name of “showy flowers” but I’m not getting a solve and everything else seems rock solid? Am I wrong that 20a is looking for flowers? Not sure how Arthur’s think sunrise and sunset helps.
Michael, we more often think of this in terms of the moon and the tides rather than the sun. A four letter word for wax. It is more commonly thought of as a part of a cycle. Wax first (verb) then the opposite occurs. (But the second part is not involved in this clue.) You have two letters. The answer is a showy flower – it grows from bulbs. Even though it is only four letters, the clue is a charade which includes a truncation.
Thanks Arthur. My problem turned out to be that I had the wrong second word in the answer to 11d (a physical rather than a written object because I was careless with anagram) so was looking for something with a u rather than an i.