Many years ago during a regular crossword-related search of the internet, I came across an article written by a fellow from Bowral, NSW, called Dick Honor. The article interested me, and since he was a cryptic man who taught people in his area how to solve cryptics, I wanted to make contact and perhaps introduce him (and his students) to my website. Many discussions ensued, during which he told me about a project he’d been working on involving the documenting of cryptic terms and words used in cryptics and crosswords in general. Every day he would scan the SMH crossword and note any term or word he didn’t know, or maybe a synonym for a word that he hadn’t seen before. Soon words from all parts of his life were added, with Dick being on constant lookout for new words and phrases. His Glossary built up over many years and, with encouragement from his family and students, he decided to investigate making it available for solvers to use. This was no easy task, as the collection of words and their meanings was assembled in a Word document, and turning this into a look-up reference took a some effort. The good news is that Dick’s Glossary is now available for all to use.
Dick’s local paper printed an article about his efforts.
Dick describes his book as a Glossary because “it’s a mixture of thesaurus, dictionary and fact book.” Almost 700 pages of blood, sweat and tears. You can get a printed version or Kindle version from Amazon.
It’s great to see a true Australasian crossword reference!
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SPATCHCOCK | |
| Prepared chicken area caught in big blow (10) | (PATCH + C) inside SOCK | |
| 6 | SMUG | |
| Complacent dentist may examine these using a mirror (4) | GUMS reversed | |
| 9 | OLDER | |
| Senior’s computer directory not opening (5) | F(OLDER) | |
| 10 | ABANDONED | |
| Unrestrained and forward getting into a bed (9) | (AND + ON) inside A BED | |
| 12 | SCRATCHING | |
| Front of the chin, supported by the neck, is standing out (10) | [(T)HE + CHIN] inside SCRAG | |
| 13 | OVA | |
| Ingredients of pavlovas? (3) | pavlOVAs | |
| 15 | CASING | |
| Moulded object losing temperature outside (6) | CASTING minus T | |
| 16 | SENTENCE | |
| Life for one sent off, away from crime (8) | SENT + (OFFENCE minus OFF) | |
| 18 | IN HEAVEN | |
| Cast accommodated by hotel is overjoyed (2,6) | HEAVE inside INN | |
| 20 | PLIANT | |
| Adaptable derivative of iodine stored in factory (6) | I inside PLANT | |
| 23 | TEA | |
| Beverage and milk supplier finished early (3) | (TEA)T | |
| 24 | SATURNALIA | |
| Australian organised a period of unrestrained revelry (10) | Anagram of AUSTRALIAN | |
| 26 | RETURNING | |
| Tuner, rewired into circuit, is feeding back (9) | Anagram of TUNER inside RING | |
| 27 | ELEMI | |
| Extract from abele mixed with fragrant resin (5) | abELE MIxed | |
| 28 | SENT | |
| Nitrogen in container of gel may be transported (4) | N inside SET | |
| 29 | BENEFACTOR | |
| Patron’s been irritated by loud person on stage (10) | Anagram of BEEN + F + ACTOR | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SHOW | |
| All pulled out of meaningless display (4) | SHALLOW minus ALL | |
| 2 | ADDICTS | |
| Enthusiasts did broadcast during performances (7) | Anagram of DID inside ACTS | |
| 3 | CURTAIN RAISER | |
| Dog trainer is excited about a preliminary event (7,6) | CUR + (anagram of TRAINER IS outside A) | |
| 4 | CHANCE | |
| Part of a church without large opening (6) | CHANCEL minus L | |
| 5 | CLARINET | |
| Instrument certainly not completely broken (8) | Anagram of (CERTAINL)Y | |
| 7 | MONSOON | |
| Wind on bearing inside satellite (7) | (ON + S) inside MOON | |
| 8 | GODPARENTS | |
| Sponsors do set up standard in public facility (10) | (DO reversed + PAR) inside GENTS | |
| 11 | DIGITAL CAMERA | |
| Archaeological site came into a trial prepared with photographic equipment (7,6) | DIG + (CAME inside anagram of A TRIAL) | |
| 14 | SCRIPTURES | |
| Confused priest’s curate, going without, consumed religious writings (10) | Anagram of PRIESTS CURATE minus ATE | |
| 17 | BESTRIDE | |
| Favourite amusement park activity to get on (8) | BEST + RIDE | |
| 19 | HEARTEN | |
| Encourage judge to catch up (7) | HEAR + (NET reversed) | |
| 21 | ALIMENT | |
| Food – fruit – consumed by six-footer (7) | LIME inside ANT | |
| 22 | BROGUE | |
| Shoe’s tongue (6) | Double Definition | |
| 25 | PIER | |
| Early type of spacecraft losing track of one landing site (4) | PIONEER minus ONE |
I’m still entranced with 16a because it misled me in so many ways. David would call it overthinking. I will challenge my crossword groups today.