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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 using the sound of a word or phrase. Sounds-like indicators point the way.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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.
I inadvertently saw the right answer to 16-dn when checking my (wrong) answer in the dictionary. I should have got it. But I did manage to get the rest unaided, though it took a couple of sittings. A few tricky ones; 13-ac was the last to fall for me.
I think my only issue is 14d. The rest seem to check out okay. REally good material here – some quite easy, but enough twists and challenges. 29a (if I have it correct) has tricky construction. 9d and 13a are quite tricky. I thought 22a was a location in Britian without any specific claim to fame, but google confirms the definition.
All done with a little help from google in quite a short time this week. The main theme seems to be some unexpected definitions – and meanings, especially 15a!
My brain was so busy with a`14d that I could not see the wood for the trees. Over the kitchen sink, I let my mind run free, throwing random letters into the blank spaces and it finally fell into place. Obvious once you know what you are looking for.
I had 7d early, but was a bit iffy about the definition. I eventually found support in a reliable source.
No new words today. But there are many interesting ways of using many familiar ones, and top marks must be awarded for the cluing of words in new unusual ways.
Loved this as always. Usual Challenges but relatively smooth sailing, more because cards fell my way tho. Several musical references, always good.
BUT totally baffled with 15a & unclear how “lists” = answer at 24d. More work required.
Agree with all the assessments guys. Particularly – thought 23a & 9d were exceptionally fine examples of The Craft.
& there is 15a BRILLIANT – best in a very long time
(getting correct letter at end of 7d was a Big Help)
Still can’t reconcile 24d.
I too am puzzled by 24a. I have looked for synonyms for both the solution and the definition, and cannot reconcile them. It seems to me that the solution is the place where the definitions could have been held. And that is ancient history. Actually a friend of mine has a trophy for “tilting at rings” which was won by her grandfather – so it is not really that ancient, but it gave me the lead in this bit of trivia.
Yes, I forgot about 24-dn. I knew I had the answer because the wordplay is so straightforward, but after consulting a few dictionaries, I was unable to link it to the definition of ‘list’.
I now see why: it’s only plural. This is from the Macquarie:
lists
plural noun
1. the barriers enclosing the field of combat at a tournament.
2. the enclosed field.
3. any place or scene of combat.
Thank you Steve.
I have searched extensively for lists (plural) and synonyms with google and not come up with the information.
I decided to accept that there would be a confirmation somewhere, and David would have researched it.
…and this from the Collins:
lists
pl n
1. history:
a. the enclosed field of combat at a tournament
b. the barriers enclosing the field at a tournament
2. any ***** or scene of conflict, controversy, etc
3. enter the lists: to engage in a conflict, controversy, etc
…where ***** is the answer to 24d. It was certainly a new meaning of “lists” for me.
Thanks for your thoughts everyone.
Had faint ringing of a bell about Jousting (Henry VIII’s famous fall & complications etc) & left it at that.
& yes Arthur, David would have researched it for sure.
I have been told frequently that everything I need to know is readily available on the internet. So I rely heavily on internet dictionaries. I have only two dictionaries in the house – both Concise Oxford circa 1980 which were used by my sons in high school. After seeing the references here, I decided to consult the printed page. Sure enough, definition 2 provided the information which I had vainly sought. Perhaps I should have asked Cortana.
First time in a few weeks I’ve finally got congratulations up, they’ve been very difficult up till now.
My last ones in were 6 and 10 across and my favourites this week are 15 and 26 across.
Plenty of entertainment this week. Here’s what tickled my fancy:
15a, 26a: fun definitions
23a: “Old Peruvian”
28a: “Pop”
29a: “sharing the role of one character”
1d: “Baggage”
16d: a new Greek goddess for me
24d: a new definition of “lists” for me
Agree Greg. Loved all of them.
Thanks for the explanation of lists. Could not understand it at all. Got the congrats after a bit of sweat lol.