AFR Cryptic (2/3/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 REASSIGN
Give a new job to fool in command (8) ASS inside REIGN
5 CURSOR
Dog kind – tailless pointer? (6) CUR + SOR(t)
10 COCHLEAR IMPLANT
One representative in a concert hall arranged help with audition (8,7) (I + MP) inside anagram of A CONCERT HALL
11 RESURGENT
Reserve, pressing, is coming back strongly (9) RES + URGENT
12 PACER
Racehorse review in need of backing (5) RECAP reversed
13 FEED
Charge old copper for a plentiful meal (4) FEE + D
18 PRANCED
Image department organised dance and showed off (7) PR + anagram of DANCE
20 FIRE
Get rid of tree close to fence (4) FIR + fenc(E)
23 RACER
Car changing gear regularly? (5) Anagram of CAR + g(E)a(R)
24 SHIPSHAPE
Orderly has pipes repaired outside hospital (9) Anagram of HAS PIPES outside H
26 DISILLUSIONMENT
Unionists milled around showing extreme disappointment (15) Anagram of UNIONISTS MILLED
27 DO-SI-DO
Dance move is played back in party twice (2-2-2) IS reversed inside (DO + DO)
28 SHEPHERD
Pastor quietly sat with her in storage unit (8) (P + HER) inside SHED
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 RECORD
Write down customer’s starter in wrong order (6) (C)ustomer inside anagram of ORDER
2 ACCUSE
Blame copper admitted in unusual case (6) CU inside anagram of CASE
3 & 15-across SOLAR ECLIPSE
Special roles developed for heavenly event (5,7) Anagram of SPECIAL ROLES
4 GO-AHEAD
Drive around a male with green light (2-5) GOAD outside (A + HE)
6 UNPOPULAR
Plutonium, crucial to the internal workings of our plan, is out of favour (9) PU inside anagram of OUR PLAN
7 SEASCAPE
Like eclipse painted in divine artwork (8) (AS + CAP) inside SEE
8 RETIREES
Wise man upset about weary people who no longer work (8) SEER reversed outside TIRE
9 VIRTUE
One in five disguised true sexual purity (6) I inside (V + anagram of TRUE)
14 ENCIRCLED
Cleric, involved in death, is surrounded (9) Anagram of CLERIC inside END
16 UPGRADED
Promoted guard tossed around paper’s first edition (8) Anagram of GUARD outside (P)aper + ED
17 FASCISTS
Councillor primarily is involved in quick end of callous right-wingers (8) [(C)ouncillor + IS] inside FAST + callou(S)
19 DISCUS
Talk about not completing an Olympic event (6) DISCUS(s)
20 FAIRISH
Quite light mixture of gases inhaled by swimmer (7) AIR inside FISH
21 RACEME
Group of people, men, pruned a flower arrangement (6) RACE + ME(n)
22 PENTAD
Group of five and ten mucked around inside hippie’s hangout (6) Anagram of TEN inside PAD
25 SUN-UP
Joke with American rising early in the morning (3-2) (PUN + US) reversed

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 2/3/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (24/2/2024) Worked Solution

(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.
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 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 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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) on the INSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.

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.
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AFR Cryptic (24/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 REMOVALIST
One who helps to shift stuff left in accommodation of ruined movie star (10) L inside anagram of MOVIE STAR
6 SPUD
Digger’s ingredients used in Christmas pudding (4) christmaS PUDding
10 CONGRATULATIONS
Trick with fresh salt in ragout is well done (15) CON + anagram of SALT IN RAGOUT
11 SERENADE
A nerd tangled with witness outside court (8) SEE outside anagram of A NERD
12 RADIO
Wireless controller, a diode to some extent (5) controlleR A DIOde
14 RE-EDIT
Make further changes and rush it! (2-4) REED + IT
16 STRIPPED
Cleared head of security set off (8) (S)ecurity + TRIPPED
18 WITHERED
Very dry wit that man demonstrated with colour (8) WIT + HE + RED
20 PERSON
Soul agent sent back incomplete song (6) REP reversed + SON(g)
22 NINJA
Road not taken by disguised Jordanian assassin (5) Anagram of JORDANIAN minus ROAD
24 DIRECTED
Awful court journalist should be provided guidance (8) DIRE + CT + ED
27 PROFESSIONALISM
Expertise is included in redraft of mason’s profile (15) IS inside anagram of MASONS PROFILE
28 NASA
Rocket launcher when coated in sodium (4) AS inside NA
29 PRESENTERS
Announcers come in flanked by journalists (10) ENTER inside PRESS
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 ROCK
Toss stone (4) Double Definition
2 MINCEMEAT
Ground hog, say, included in meme, a portent ultimately (9) INC inside MEME + A + porten(T)
3 VERSE
Assembled bits of clever, sensual poetry (5) cleVER SEnsual
4 LETHAL
Formation of heat in middle of galley could be destructive (6) Anagram of HEAT inside ga(LL)ey
5 SOLVENT
Very large outlet is financially sound (7) SO + L + VENT
7 PROUD
Arrogant motivator bagging university (5) PROD outside U
8 DESPONDENT
Centre of majestic pond, formed in hollow, is blue (10) [maj(ES)tic + POND] inside DENT
9 STARLIKE
Stellar combination of right and left, one blocked by stick (8) (R + L + I) inside STAKE
13 DRAWING PIN
Tack and win race cutting through channel (7,3) (WIN + GP) inside DRAIN
15 ITERATED
Repeated measure described in new-fangled diet (8) RATE inside anagram of DIET
16 SAD
Sea, oddly, died down (3) (S)e(A) + D
17 PASSERINE
One who gets by in front of early bird (9) PASSER + IN + (E)arly
19 END USER
Restrictions lifted from lenders outside America for product recipient (3,4) l)ENDER(s outside US
21 CROOKS
Dishonest people should be angry mostly about fine (6) (CROS)s outside OK
23 NOOKS
Secluded retreats with no approvals (5) NO + OKS
25 CHAIN
Actor’s starting in prominent feature series (5) (A)ctor inside CHIN
26 EMUS
Birds – exhibits on display in some museums (4) somE MUSeums

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 24/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (17/2/2024) Worked Solution

(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.




















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.

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 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 butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
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 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.

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.
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AFR Cryptic (17/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BATTLE-SCARRED
Veteran cricketer confused scarlet and red (6-7) BAT + anagram of SCARLET + RED
9 OREGANO
Flavour enhancer or, say, a number (7) OR + EG + A + NO
10 RETIREE
Someone no longer working on exhaust pipe at the rear (7) RE + TIRE + pip(E)
11 LUCRE
Members of sinister cult brought back riches (5) sinistER CULt reversed
12 HEAVINESS
Male ass bearing grape-grower’s weight (9) (HE + ASS) outside VINE
13 TEAMWORK
Meat cooked right in Chinese pan is a joint effort (8) Anagram of MEAT + (R inside WOK)
15 DESPOT
Person with more than enough power to clean up mess? (6) DE-SPOT
18 ROTTER
Weasel-like animal following river beast (6) OTTER after R
19 BASS HORN
Academic’s clipped old orchestra member (4,4) BAS + SHORN
22 FARMSTEAD
Disoriented mates died east of remote agricultural settlement (9) (Anagram of MATES + D) after FAR
24 BEARS
Wild animals are running amok in evacuated buildings? (5) Anagram of ARE inside B(uilding)S
25 EVIL ONE
I have returned with single character that cannot be trusted (4,3) IVE returned + LONE
26 DROVING
What a jackaroo might be doing is drifting behind back of herd (7) ROVING after her(D)
27 SPENDING MONEY
Agent, taking care of resolution by married one, allocated allowance (8,5) SPY outside (ENDING + M + ONE)
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BOOKLET
Trunk containing fine Time publication (7) (BOLE outside OK) + T
2 TRENCHANT
Ditch worker for biting (9) TRENCH + ANT
3 LEAVE
Dump large quantity of yeast, for example (5) (LEAVE)n
4 SHOEHORN
Adjusted hose connected to warning device to fit into a tight space (8) Anagram of HOSE + HORN
5 ABROAD
Unlimited grog fenced by a criminal overseas? (6) g)RO(g inside (A + BAD)
6 RETAINERS
Financial inducements are stated by troubled trainees (9) R + anagram of TRAINEES
7 DIRGE
Network played back end to the sad song (5) GRID reversed + th(E)
8 GET SET
Be prepared to experiment, for example, in a lift (3,3) (TEST + EG) reversed
14 WHETSTONE
Who shortened and revised test? One with tool designed to produce an edge (9) WH(o) + anagram of TEST + ONE
16 PROBATION
Expert staff embracing one testing time (9) (PRO + BATON) outside I
17 HANDED IN
Submitted representation of a “hidden” magnetic pole? (6,2) Anagram of A HIDDEN + N
18 RIFLED
Plundered heart of Africa and took off? (6) af(RI)ca + FLED
20 NOSEGAY
Heard why mature son picked up a bunch of flowers (7) (Y + AGE + SON) reversed
21 LEGEND
Stretch final explanation of what’s what (6) LEG + END
23 REINS
Cargo of hardware in security checks (5) hardwaRE IN Security
24 BLOOM
Great growth containing large flower (5) BOOM outside L

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 17/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (10/2/2024) Worked Solution

(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 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 clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
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.

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 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 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.

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AFR Cryptic (10/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BUS TRIPS
Tourist drives and cuts after break (3,5) RIPS after BUST
5 ACIDIC
Sharp one played twice in Australian rock band (6) (I, I) inside ACDC
10 LIARS
Fabricators use a boat to travel back across river (5) SAIL reversed outside R
11 ROAD TRAIN
Long-haul vehicle busted radiator close to Darwin (4,5) Anagram of RADIATOR + darwi(N)
12 AFTERWARDS
Fine received by trader was adjusted at a later date (10) F inside anagram of TRADER WAS
13 SHOT
Onset of suffering eased by powerful injection (4) (S)uffering + HOT
15 BODIES
People disappear with boss mostly hanging around (6) DIE inside (BOS)s
16 TAMARIN
Monkey pruned tangy fruit tree (7) TAMARIN(d)
19 WITNESS
Is outside broadcast rewound following woman’s initial testimony? (7) [IS outside (SENT reversed)] after (W)oman
21 BY-LINE
Journalist’s final piece is so long, holding nothing back (2-4) BYE outside (NIL reversed)
23 LAND
50+ acres? (4) L + AND
25 COLLECTION
Company and IT unit recalled working group (10) CO + (IT + CELL) reversed + ON
27 INDOLENCE
Popular benefit once given after initial laziness (9) IN + DOLE + (o)NCE
28 TRIPE
Stomach of shorthorn ready to be eaten? (5) shor(T)horn + RIPE
29 GARDEN
A road cut through general area used for cultivation (6) (A + RD) inside GEN
30 DEADENED
A study in legal documentation may be toned down (8) (A + DEN) inside DEED
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BALLAD
Everyone sitting tight during rotten song (6) ALL inside BAD
2 STARTS OUT
A university degree in beer begins (6,3) ARTS in STOUT
3 RESTRAINED
Calm reserve prepared for action (10) RES + TRAINED
4 PERHAPS
Page ending with unusual phrase, possibly (7) P + anagram of PHRASE
6 CITY
User, not detained by security, disrupted a popular spot (4) Anagram of SECURITY minus USER
7 DEATH
Departure date changed by hospital (5) Anagram of DATE + H
8 CONSTANT
Clip from Intergalactic, on Stan, that’s not changing (8) intergalactiC ON STAN That
9 BANDIT
Thief by the way in possession of piece (6) AND inside BIT
14 IMPLICATED
Under suspicion, one government representative lied about criminal act (10) (I + MP + LIED) outside anagram of ACT
17 RENDITION
Construction – finish it in wrought iron (9) (END + IT) inside anagram of IRON
18 DWELLING
Digs section of uncovered well in garden (8) uncovereD WELL IN Garden
20 SPOONS
Consumers employ these youngsters outside post office (6) SONS outside PO
21 BELIEVE
Busy person, possessed by evil, butchered judge (7) BEE outside anagram of EVIL
22 INDEED
One broadcast ended positively (6) I + anagram of ENDED
24 NADIR
Bout of depression, a dire low point? (5) depressioN A DIRe
26 FLEE
Leave leader of Labor in charge (4) (L)abor inside FEE

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 10/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (3/2/2024) Worked Solution

(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.






















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 position of wordplay elements in the answer.

Examples: before, after, leading, in the middle of, under (down only) etc.

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 the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
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.

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 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.

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 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 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 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 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 a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

A word or phrase that defines the answer. All cryptic clues usually have a minimum of one definition which will be located at the beginning or end of the clue.
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AFR Cryptic (3/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 SOCIAL LEPER
Outcast has kept away from representation of local Pharisees? (6,5) Anagram of LOCAL PHARISEES minus HAS
7 SUB
Replacement coach given backing (3) BUS reversed
9 AGENT
A fellow worker in the selling business (5) A + GENT
10 MANICURED
Dog owned by spoilt maiden is well groomed (9) CUR inside anagram of MAIDEN
11 BIOSPHERE
Enclosed ecosystem’s new-fangled probe is filled with helium (9) Anagram of PROBE IS outside HE
12 HOUSE
Residence is hot, mostly, before service (5) (HO)t + USE
13 LINE-OUT
Rugby union play routinely deployed without flankers? (4-3) Anagram of (r)OUTINEL(y)
15 TART
Like lemon pie (4) Double Definition
18 LIMA
Affiliates of Muslim Action Centre in Peru (4) musLIM Action
20 SPECIAL
Peculiar drinks containing ice sent back (7) (ICE inside LAPS) reversed
23 SHOTS
Photographs recently taken in the middle of Brussels (5) HOT inside bruSSels
24 PARASITIC
Bloodsucking father, one embraced by demented racist (9) PA + (I inside anagram of RACIST)
26 HYPNOTISE
Entrance is not switched around in publicity stunt (9) (NOT + IS) inside HYPE
27 AVERT
Turn away troubled relative not admitting lie (5) Anagram of RELATIVE minus LIE
28 RED
Area of suture definitely inflamed (3) sutuRE Definitely
29 SCRUTINISED
Inspected ship originally sailed with cargo of metal (11) (S)hip + (CRUISED outside TIN)
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 SEAT BELT
It securely holds sitter’s wobbly table in position (4,4) Anagram of TABLE inside SET
2 CRETONNE
Crew reduced weight and heavy material (8) CRE(w) + TONNE
3 ACT UP
Federation of workers quietly carry on (3,2) ACTU + P
4 LAMBERT
Part of normal amber traffic light unit (7) normaL AMBER Traffic
5 PUNGENT
Spicy joke by lady’s man (7) PUN + GENT
6 RACEHORSE
People organised shoer for track competitor (9) RACE + anagram of SHOER
7 SIRIUS
I squeezed between gentleman and American star (6) I inside (SIR + US)
8 BUDGET
Develop secure financial statement (6) BUD + GET
14 OMISSIONS
Gaps overseas filled by military operation (9) OS outside MISSION
16 MISTRESS
Lady of the house married one with anxiety (8) M + I + STRESS
17 PLACATED
Drunken cadet, after party, returned and calmed down (8) Anagram of CADET after (ALP reversed)
19 APPLIER
One who uses a power tool with end-piece detached (7) A + P + PLIER(s)
20 SERPENT
Registered enclosure put in place for a snake (7) (R + PEN) inside SET
21 ESTHER
Queen of Persia rules the region to some extent (6) rulES THE Region
22 TORPID
Slow to river, duck toppled over (6) TO + R + (DIP reversed)
25 SPAIN
Resort in a European country (5) SPA + IN

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 3/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (Oz Day 2024) Worked Solution

(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.



















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 found by reversing part of the clue, or a synonym for part of the clue. A suitable reversal indicator will be present.
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 a jumbling of letters except for the initial or final letter of the anagram fodder. An anagram indicator and truncation indicator will be present.
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.
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 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.
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.

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