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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.
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.
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 clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
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 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.
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 loss of one letter at the start or end of a word or string of letters.
Examples: beheaded, cut short, endless, nearly, largely etc.
I managed this in one sitting, though I cheated to get 5-dn. I didn’t know this particular definition of the word, but it’s the only word that can be made with the letters and, given the four crossing letters, I should easily have got it, but my brain wouldn’t oblige. 🙁
Loved 6-across, 15-across, 24-across and 26-across.
Finished but not getting the congrats so a mistake somewhere. Any pointers?
1-dn? Or a misspelling?
The word I have for 1 down means to curtail or cut down as well as being a swelling of a ligament. Cannot see any obvious misspellings. Frustrating.
It doesn’t happen to also be a county in Ireland, does it?
Yes it does, got the congrats at last!
I had the same problem as Christine and then got the solve per Steve’s hint about a county in Ireland. However, I can’t find any reference for the correct i dn to also apply to a muscular problem when the original i dn entry that Christine and I had does, in fact, apply to both definitions. Think about the side of a street for our original entry.
My answer sounds like part of a street. If that’s right, I really don’t know where the error is!
OK, I have now found the muscle reference to the correct answer. It looks like two words fit the answer.
Me too for 1d. Thanks Steve for curtailing what might have been an indefinitely long battle to get the congrats!
I feel the clues in this week’s puzzle were particularly devious, not the least being 1d, whether intentionally so or not. Most of the tricky ones jumped out from the crosses, and however unlikely, were surprisingly confirmed by googling – followed by quite an extended effort to decode the wordplay. All the more satisfying for that, I suppose. These included 1a, 26a, 3d, 4d, 7d, 8d, 9d and 19d.
15a and 24a yielded the biggest smiles when solved. 6a was nifty too.
Thanks to the comments I think I am right with 1d now. My word checks out on google.
I am totally lost on 28a. The hint does not ring any bells. It appears to be a deletion of 3 letters. Letters 1 and 3 seem to be set because of the crosses. Just another 4 letter word.
Oh well back to the drawing board.
Parrticularly impressed by the longest solutions 3d and 9d. Also like 23a and 24a, and some others previously mentioned. Too many calls on to David’s hints this week.
Testing Times & Gaps aplenty even after Clue Hints.
6a – how to be rid of second “L”?
23a – no idea
24a – where do 4th, 5th & 6th letters come from?
28a – no idea
1d – Irish County/edge of footpath – both work?
4d – no idea
14d – ditto
& I had been going SO well.
It’s a weekly crossword and you are one day in. Chip away and don’t fret.
The Stickler
All Good, David. Use this as one of my “Indicators”
& don’t like to feel as though I’m slipping.
6-ac: I got the answer to 4-dn by figuring out this clue. Think about it.
Not the guru today but
1d I am happy with Irish reference, but the other reference eludes me. My limited excursions into googled indicate that the alternate word is not a muscle problem but more of a stopper. Limited research here, as I have satisfied myself, so who else matters?
23a The letter is not a piece of paper.
24a You are dealing with two presidents. Take the clued word by word.
4d is a simple charade. David gives you a really good tip to get started. Again do not read too many words together.
14d I cannot improve on David’s hint except that I would normally use the two syllables to be separate words in the other order.
I was doubtful about my 6a but Steve’s comment cleared up the reference to 4. but I still need 28a to try for the congrats. I plan to let it percolate and check back here from time to time.
Hi, Arthur and Richard,
Hesitate to diminish your fun, possibly, but…….
28a – this is one of 2 possible spellings and you may be looking in the wrong direction for the single deletion.
6a – ah, you need 4.
23a – what does a letter claim (regularly)?
24a – so clever, this one – all about presidents….
1d – only one gets the congrats – ligament isn’t muscle, after all.
4d – interpretation of secret requires some lateral thinking and is somewhat devious, imo, although following the usual pattern, not necessarily criminal!
14d – I’d like to give a helping hand but really this one’s really quite straightforward.
Another great Stickler!
Patrick, you got me over the hurdle, with a single word.
28a. Now I have a great word for scrabble. It may not count for much in scoring.
1d apparently is a common complaint, but I (great athlete that I am) have never suffered from or heard of it.
Stickler can always be relied upon for significant challenges, some of which were beyond me, but phone a friend worked well to get me there.
My top marks for 1d and 28a because of the challdng they provided. Also rapt with 24a and 28a. Beautifully clued.
Some great clues in this weeks event, my favourites are, 11a, 17a, 23a, 26a, 29a, 7d, 8d and 21d. Last in was the north east corner, very deceptive. thanks David ?
I agree with everyone – very clever and entertaining this week.
6a: For once I worked out the significance of the “4” straight away. I’m learning…
15a: Elegant, deceptive surface reading
24a: Good fun
27a: I enjoyed “excessively orderly and fussy”
5d: Nice definition – which was new to me
7d: Another nice definition
8d: I enjoyed “flame thrower”
1d: Luckily, I wasn’t led astray by the “part of a street” option – mainly because I’d never heard of its usage as a horse ligament problem. I was able to go straight to the “Irish County” option – because I’ve often heard of footballers suffering from a ****ed thigh. At school we called it a “dead leg”. You could administer one by kneeing your victim in the side of the thigh. Good times…
A very clever one this week and finally got there in the end.