I haven't been able to solve the Blob 'loose woman' one above - perhaps someone can finish the job? There's also a rather dull clue unsolved which I posted a while back. and as for rab's ... SO TO SPEAK - 'Masturbate' = TOSS - 'fondling ball' = O - 'getting excited' [anagrammed] ending with PEAK = 'climax'. Definition = as it were. Well, you get the jist. Nice and sleazy. More clues please.
Chalky] I went round and round in circles with your clue, all that I could come up with was * ASTUTENESS from astute being almost acute but no idea about the "expulsion" part.
[Inkspot] Thanks for trying - no-one else has. Your answer isn't what I had in mind. It has occurred to me that it's one of those clues that 'could' be several things, therefore, not a very good one! If anyone else wants to have a crack at it, please be my guest. I compiled it myself and deliberately tried to 'crypticize' it, thinking I was being clever. Shall I post some letter clues?
Thanks - I see your point. But without the preposition, the definition would have been 'ruling' - which could be perceived as a verb, therefore the solution would have ended .......ING. Yes?
The fact it *could* be perceived as a verb is irrelevant. It's OK to be misleading in a cryptic clue! Just because the straight def ends in "ING" doesn't mean the solution necessarily has to do so, as long as it's still a valid definition.
Wol - I believe it's INDIGENT and here's why: INDIGENT=poor (straight def) As for the rest, man=GENT. passport (ID) to province (NI) = IDNI, returning (reversing) to INDI. "since" means put GENT after INDI. Hence, INDIGENT.
Could you help me out. Would you believe stuck on 1 across, this is all I need to finish off the top corner. Reassuring, turning up to protect stronghold (10) So far the letters are -2O- 3* - 4 R – 5 I – 6 G. These are from the down clues 2. Result?Middle East has to support dismissed officer(7) O UTCOME 3. Deaf, backward Frenchman admitted being, in fact, renowned(5)asterisk 4. Poor skier reaching dead end took chance (6) R ISKED 5. Hanger-on coming and going depending on weather (6) I CICLE 6. Unusually largely built, it attracts viewers (7) G ALLERY
[MF] The name SKELTON [the poet] springs to mind - as in 'framework' = skeleton, without the directional 'E' - but that would mean your letter clue is out of line.. Just a thought.
I've been trying some of these at thinks.com... ouch ouch ouch. If anyone knows a site with some beginner-level puzzles, I'd appreciate it. :) Anyway, this one stumped me: React badly when embraced by one scientist or another (14) -- the answer is BACTERIOLOGIST... the definition makes sense, and I understand 'react badly', but how does the rest of it fit?
Courtesy of the Everyman: Famous Soviet skater in bar accompanied by girl (7). I have R_D_I_A (where the last A might be dubious). Bloody girls' names again. There are, after all, only about three of them...
Yeah rab - we thought it was RODNINA - the first name of a well-known Soviet ice dancer [maybe figure skater] - I think her surname was Tereskova [Sp?]. As you can see, the breakdown of the clue is fairly straightforward.
[Chalky] I have to say Soviet skaters are not my specialist subject, and Google wasn't being very helpful. I'm of the opinion that crosswords should revolve purely around language, rather than "general knowledge" but I seem to be alone in this.
rab] the answer is RODNINA as Chalky says, but it is her surname (Irina Rodnina -3 times olympic Gold Figure Skating) as observed : ROD = bar, NINA = girl. MF] Answer CHRISOM. lots of shiny metal = chrome (less the E - "lots but not all?") IS is in it. Chrisom is a sacramental oil.
Grateful thanks for this - I'd hunted high and low for it. Everyman 2981 just makes the post as a result and maintains my record of managing to enter every one for the past couple of years (without a sniff of a prize yet, but that's not important). I thought 2981 easy apart from this damn Soviet skater clue. Your website added to my favourites. 21/11/03.