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AFR Cryptic (23/11/2024) Worked Solution
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
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“Invention” = LIE
“letter” – one who lets accommodation
“taking care of” is used as a
“greatly” is used as a
; “supported by” is used as a
; “My device” is one that I might use
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 hidden inside the clue in reverse order. There are two indicators: one to signify that a hidden word is present; the other to reverse the letters.
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 butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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 answer is found by using the sound of a word or phrase. Sounds-like indicators point the way.
Sortilege!!!
I’ll take a wild guess and say that a high 90+ % of your puzzlers are seeing this word for the 1st time and will never see it again.
Surely this is too obscure to appear in your otherwise excellent cryptic
Graham
Hi Graham,
Thanks for your comments. I agree that sortilege isn’t a common word, but disagree that the odd word of this kind has no place in a weekly cryptic crossword. There are two ways to the answer, unlike in a quick crossword where sortilege would be very difficult. On the other hand I get emails thanking me for introducing them to new words and terms, so I guess not everyone has the same experience. I certainly prefer using this kind of word than one only found on Google, but appreciate that not everyone has access to good references.
If you’ve been doing my crossword for a while, you’ll know I don’t include words like this often so I hope you can forgive me.
Best
David Stickley