Roll out the Cooper – or will it be the Reeves’ tale? Our pick of the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic clues
In the example clues below, I explain the two parts of each: the definition of the answer and the wordplay – the recipe for assembling its letters. In a genuine puzzle environment, of course, you also have the crossing letters, which greatly alleviate your solving load. The explanations contain links to previous entries in this series on such matters as spelling one word backwards to reveal another. And setters’ names tend to link to interviews, in case you feel like getting to know these people better.
8a Country dispensing with old Conservative PM? (7)
[ wordplay: name of country without (‘dispensing with’) abbrev. for ‘old’]
[ CAMEROON – O ]
[ definition: Conservative PM ]
5d What things can only get for Rishi’s campaign official? (6)
[ double definition ]
2d McAvoy’s briefly stopped by tedious person guiding festival (8)
[ wordplay: McAvoy’s first name without final letter (‘briefly’) containing (“stopped by”) synonym for ‘tedious person’]
[ JAMES – S containing BORE ]
[ definition: festival ]
17a Group into match-fixing can’t deny a gig that’s corrupt (6,6)
[ wordplay: anagram (‘that’s corrupt’) of CANTDENYAGIG ]
[ (cryptic) definition: group into match-fixing ]
Continue reading… Roll out the Cooper – or will it be the Reeves’ tale? Our pick of the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic cluesIn the example clues below, I explain the two parts of each: the definition of the answer and the wordplay – the recipe for assembling its letters. In a genuine puzzle environment, of course, you also have the crossing letters, which greatly alleviate your solving load. The explanations contain links to previous entries in this series on such matters as spelling one word backwards to reveal another. And setters’ names tend to link to interviews, in case you feel like getting to know these people better.8a Country dispensing with old Conservative PM? (7)
[ wordplay: name of country without (‘dispensing with’) abbrev. for ‘old’]
[ CAMEROON – O ]
[ definition: Conservative PM ]5d What things can only get for Rishi’s campaign official? (6)
[ double definition ]2d McAvoy’s briefly stopped by tedious person guiding festival (8)
[ wordplay: McAvoy’s first name without final letter (‘briefly’) containing (“stopped by”) synonym for ‘tedious person’]
[ JAMES – S containing BORE ]
[ definition: festival ]17a Group into match-fixing can’t deny a gig that’s corrupt (6,6)
[ wordplay: anagram (‘that’s corrupt’) of CANTDENYAGIG ]
[ (cryptic) definition: group into match-fixing ] Continue reading… Crosswords, Hobbies, Life and style
