AFR Cryptic (New Year 2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 HOTHOUSE
Delicate tube with core measuring one thousandth of an inch (8) HOSE outside THOU
5 STRESS
A spinster’s dislocation is relieved of pain and tension (6) Anagram of A SPINSTERS minus PAIN
9 MOLECULE
Atomic group’s spy deciphered clue (8) MOLE + anagram of CLUE
10 OPIATE
Habit-forming drug, one ingested after surgical procedure (6) (I + ATE) after OP
12 EAGLE
Each golfer regularly recorded shot on course (5) EA + (G)o(L)f(E)r
13 CALLED OUT
Caught, a hoodlum receiving shiner, yelled (6,3) (C + A + LOUT) outside LED
14 BATTEN
Come in down the order with a piece of wood? (6) BAT TEN
15 NEW YEAR
Holiday time organised anywhere with no hotel (3,4) Anagram of ANYWHERE minus H
18 ATHWART
What rebuilt facility is in opposition to (7) Anagram of WHAT + ART
20 CARBON
Element, rubidium, combined with oxygen inside container (6) (RB + O) inside CAN
22 STRATAGEM
Famous guitar fitted with a rock device (9) STRAT + A + GEM
24 PROSE
Experts heard a tedious speech (5) Sounds like PROS
25 BUNDLE
Bread deal arranged without a package (6) BUN + anagram of DE(a)L
26 BAHRAINI
Arab recalled Arab moving around hospital in one (8) ARAB reversed outside H + IN + I
27 EVEN SO
Rewired ovens, charged with energy, should be all the same (4,2) Anagram of OVENS outside E
28 VERY WELL
Healthy expression of agreement (4,4) Double Definition
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 HAMPER
Endless bubbly and food selection? (6) c)HAMPER(s
2 TELEGRAPH
Support criminal charge in the distributed communication system (9) LEG + RAP + inside anagram of THE
3 ORCHESTRA STALLS
Great seats or box all stars reserved? (9,6) OR + CHEST + anagram of ALL STARS
4 SILICON
Element twisted in coils (7) Anagram of IN COILS
6 TUPPERWARE PARTY
Set up, for each state representative, creative function designed to sell stuff (10,5) PUT reversed + PER + WA + REP + ARTY
7 ERATO
A time of significance to a Greek goddess (5) ERA + TO
8 SEE STARS
Atrocious actresses without class primarily suffer from a big blow (3,5) Anagram of ACTRESSES minus (S)lass
11 FLAN
Large portion of side dish (4) (FLAN)k
16 ECONOMISE
Green one is upset about minister’s initial budget (9) ECO + [anagram of ONE IS outside (M)inister]
17 PASSABLE
Father’s fur coat is not too bad (8) PAS + SABLE
19 TAGS
Hollow things containing silver marks? (4) T(hing)S outside AG
20 COMPARE
Approach taking into account score in golf match (7) COME outside PAR
21 REFILL
Sports official dealt with ailing replacement (6) REF + ILL
23 RINSE
An amount of water in sewer? (5) wateR IN SEwer

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AFR New Year 2024 AJ Solution

The PDF contains the worked solution

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AFR Cryptic, New Year Jigsaw 2024, Clue Hints

(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.

Answer ending with…



















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 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 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 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 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.
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.

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AFR Cryptic, New Year 2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out the Christmas cryptic? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (Christmas 2023) 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.
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 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 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 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 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 the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation 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 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 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.

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AFR Christmas 2023 AJ Solution

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AFR Cryptic (Christmas 2023) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BUSTLE
Hurried activity fixed underwear worn by old lady (6) Double Definition
4 PROPOSED
Recommended footballer does broadcast (8) PROP + anagram of DOES
9 FOUNDATION STONE
Building block discovered by station implicated individual (10,5) FOUND + anagram of STATION + ONE
11 EXEGESIS
Interpretation of the Bible is behind old friends hugging, for example (8) IS after (EXES outside EG)
12 SETTEE
Lounge suite – it’s used by clubber? (6) SET + TEE
13 SAIL
Announcement of marketing cruise (4) Sounds like SALE
14 SPOTLIGHTS
Skin problem on the fringes of delicate features (10) SPOTS outside LIGHT
18 RADIOGRAPH
A horrid gap spoiled x-ray image (10) Anagram of A HORRID GAP
19 PRIG
Head off from shoot with moralistic person (4) (s)PRIG
22 BROLGA
Crane shifted gold bar, dropping down initially (6) Anagram of GOLD BAR minus (D)own
24 OPEN DOOR
Ring in a sorry state about finale’s free admission (4,4) (O + POOR) outside END
26 INSTRUMENTALIST
Musician’s mate turns in broken record (15) Anagram of MATE TURNS IN + LIST
27 DISCLOSE
Is chlorine included in ingredients of medicine for show? (8) (IS + CL) inside DOSE
28 VEGANS
Vehicles carrying, say, particular consumers (6) VANS outside EG
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BUFFERS
They polish shock absorbers (7) Double Definition
2 STUPEFIED
Confounded feed is put all over the place (9) Anagram of FEED IS PUT
3 LADDER
Young man, flushed, turned around to run (6) LAD + (RED reversed)
5 ROOM
Secure elevated part of a building (4) MOOR reversed
6 PASSED IN
Old-fashioned racket is not sold at auction (6,2) PASSE + DIN
7 SHOUT
Round in bar? (5) O inside SHUT
8 DIESELS
Engines worked less south of pass (7) Anagram of LESS after DIE
10 TRIPPER
Judge holding in custody very quiet drug user (7) TRIER outside PP
15 TOPSPIN
Zampa might use this backward position in front of leg (7) SPOT reversed + PIN
16 HARMONICA
Lay a finger on a coin forged with instrument (9) HARM + anagram of A COIN
17 DOGGEREL
Complete set containing German verse (8) DO + (GEL outside GER)
18 REBUILD
Restore custom-made bridle including nut in the middle (7) Anagram of BRIDLE outside n(U)t
20 GYRATES
Heartless guy judges pirouettes? (7) G(u)Y + RATES
21 ENGAGE
Take on disorderly gang in middle of speech (6) Anagram of GANG inside sp(EE)ch
23 OASIS
Love a relative’s flower arranging stuff (5) O + A + SIS
25 XMAS
Crazy Mexicans giving up nice holiday (4) Anagram of MEXICANS minus NICE

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AFR Year In Review 2023 Solution

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AFR Cryptic, Christmas 2023, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (16/12/2023) 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 clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
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 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 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 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.
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.
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 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.

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AFR Cryptic (16/12/2023) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 CHALET
Short fellow rented small house (6) (CHA)p + LET
5 BUCKLED
Stag once showed the way and collapsed (7) BUCK + LED
9 VIRTUAL REALITY
A rival utterly upset about one computer-simulated environment (7,7) Anagram of A RIVAL UTTERLY outside I
11 ON STRIKE
Facing out (2,6) Double Definition
12 STIGMA
Spot a sportscar – it’s reversing (6) (A + MG + ITS) reversed
14 GROWN
Big sigh that’s audible (5) Sounds like GROAN
15 VELODROME
Loved revamped Italian city’s Olympic venue (9) Anagram of LOVED + ROME
17 CLEARANCE
Head of corporation organised a cleaner’s authorisation (9) (C)orporation + anagram of A CLEANER
19 SOBER
Employees of sincere boss returned clear-headed? (5) sinceRE BOSs reversed
21 ASSIST
Stubborn one is last to accept benefit (6) ASS + IS + accep(T)
23 NOTABLES
Sign put out by a full restaurant, say, for celebrities (8) NO TABLES
25 LEAVE WELL ALONE
Don’t change spring, a large one, after break (5,4,5) (WELL + A + L + ONE) after LEAVE
26 SWEETEN
Sugar bags sent back with little inside (7) NETS reversed outside WEE
27 ROTTEN
Corrupt attorney losing case somehow? (6) Anagram of (a)TTORNE(y)
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
2 HAILSTONE
Very cold skydiver welcomes one finishing time (9) HAILS + (ONE after T)
3 LATER ON
One not supported by misguided relation in time (5,2) Anagram of RELAT(i)ON
4 TRACK EVENT
Racket developed before opening running competition (5,5) Anagram of RACKET + VENT
5 BARN
Restrict opening of nice farm building (4) BAR + (N)
6 CRAFTED
Skilfully-made bow of canoe glided over water (7) (C)anoe + RAFTED
7 LYING
Dishonesty only in Government’s division (5) onLY IN Government
8 DAY CARE
Nanny, finally entering arcade, arranged supervision for children (3,4) nann(Y) inside anagram of ARCADE
10 SONG
Succession of notes on gramophone? (4) noteS ON Gramophone
13 BLUE-COLLAR
Working-class nightclub ultimately varied local rule (4-6) nightclu(B) + anagram of LOCAL RULE
16 ON BALANCE
Cooked lean bacon and all things considered (2,7) Anagram of LEAN BACON
17 CHABLIS
White wine, two types of cheese, and blended basil (7) (CH)eese + anagram of BASIL
18 RESPECT
Consideration, especially, established in record time (7) ESP inside (REC + T)
19 SHALLOT
Slug consuming every bit of salad vegetable (7) SHOT outside ALL
20 RISE
Extra money reissued unevenly (4) (R)e(I)s(S)u(E)d
22 SHADE
Relative darkness experienced in middle of desert (5) HAD inside de(SE)rt
24 FERN
Growth of bracken is restricted in low marshy land (4) R inside FEN

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 16/12/2023, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (9/12/2023) 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 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.

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 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 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.

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 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.

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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