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The following clues are not quite your usual crossword fare; they do fit the standard guidelines for cryptic clues, but each of them contains an unusual twist which (hopefully) makes them harder than average. By putting together all four solutions, you will discover a meaningful sentence.

  1. The western hemisphere is never xenophobic first. (6)
  2. Horse moves right, left, faster, by alternate routes. (5)
  3. A most outstanding fate awaits the poor easterner later on. (5)
  4. I do it, you are it, so it sounds like you should do it? (4)

Solve the cryptic clues and find the final sentence.

Hint:

3. What does 'outstanding' mean?
4. "I do it" = verb, "you are it" = noun, "sounds like" = homophone.

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  • $\begingroup$ I earlier checked for all 4 letter words that can be used as both noun and verb, none made sense though. Working on "sounds like you should do it" $\endgroup$
    – uptoNoGood
    Dec 22, 2016 at 3:55

6 Answers 6

4
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So, that clue:

I do it, you are it, so it sounds like you should do it? (4)

PREY: "prey" is both an intransitive verb ("I prey"), and a noun ("you are prey"), and is a homophone of "pray" (which is something you should do!).
(Also, as @randal'thor explains in the comments, this also fits semantically, since the prey of someone who is preying should pray that they escape!)

So, drawing from @Deusovi's answers to the other three clues, the final sentence is:

Sphinx trots after prey

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  • $\begingroup$ Yay, finally the 4th clue is solved! Note also how all three parts of the clue fit together semantically: if I am a predator, then I intend to prey (v) on you, my prey (n), so you should pray that you escape. $\endgroup$ Jan 6, 2017 at 0:40
  • $\begingroup$ @randal'thor Ha, nice, didn't catch that! Added. $\endgroup$
    – Volatility
    Jan 6, 2017 at 0:45
  • $\begingroup$ Nice! I never did find this; glad you did $\endgroup$
    – Rubio
    Jan 7, 2017 at 9:55
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Partial Answer (clues 1-3 solved)

The western hemisphere is never xenophobic first. (6)

SPH(-ere) + I_ N_ X_ (no definition?)

Horse moves right, left, faster, by alternate routes. (5)

_T _R + rOuTeS

A most outstanding fate awaits the poor easterner later on. (5)

A F_E _R (with T inserted somehow?) → AFTER

or possibly...

A moved to the outstanding position of FATE → AFTE, then add _R

I do it, you are it, so it sounds like you should do it? (4)

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  • $\begingroup$ Oooops, I forgot to put a definition part into the first clue. I wonder if anyone would mind if I edited the question to add a word or two somewhere ... $\endgroup$ Dec 18, 2016 at 21:49
  • $\begingroup$ 1 and 2: perfect. 3: you've got the right answer but not the full explanation. 4: keep thinking :-) $\endgroup$ Dec 18, 2016 at 21:50
  • $\begingroup$ @randal'thor I don't think anyone would mind, but it would be obvious that was the definition :P $\endgroup$ Dec 19, 2016 at 3:04
  • $\begingroup$ An explanation for rot13 ( ibjf ) … this sound like a wedding, first person says ‘I do’ then it’s your turn and so should also do it (I do)? $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Dec 20, 2016 at 10:07
  • $\begingroup$ @Tom: That doesn't make sense as a cryptic clue, though. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi
    Dec 20, 2016 at 10:10
2
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I think I have the complete answer to

  1. A most outstanding fate awaits the poor easterner later on. (5)

A + most outstanding FaTE + pooR easterner = AFTER = later on.

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  • $\begingroup$ @deusovi already has that answer. (And neither of you have used "awaits" yet, so there's probably something still missing) $\endgroup$
    – Rubio
    Dec 17, 2016 at 7:50
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ But not a full explanation. I take 'awaits' to mean 'needs something added'. $\endgroup$
    – Neil W
    Dec 17, 2016 at 7:52
  • $\begingroup$ That would be ... unusual. :) $\endgroup$
    – Rubio
    Dec 17, 2016 at 7:53
  • $\begingroup$ I don't quite understand your explanation here? $\endgroup$ Dec 18, 2016 at 21:51
  • $\begingroup$ @randal'thor I'm pretty sure they are saying FTE is "fate," mostly (75%) outstanding in the sense that "outstanding" can mean "remaining." At least, that was my guess after seeing Deusovi's answer, but before reading this one. $\endgroup$
    – Will
    Dec 18, 2016 at 22:14
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PARTIAL ANSWER:

The western hemisphere is never xenophobic first. (6)

SPHINX (Sph-Leftmost part of Sphere(Hemi-meaning we take one half), inx-First letters from "is never xenophobic". This contains no definition but two wordplay.

Horse moves right, left, faster, by alternate routes. (5)

Not sure about this,it's probably USHER? (H and S from Horse, alternate letters of Routes-RUE. I am not sure about its definition being "Faster")

A most outstanding fate awaits the poor easterner later on. (5)

No idea. Probably the last letters of something as indicated by "later on".

I do it, you are it, so it sounds like you should do it? (4)

URGE - (Sounds like indicates homophones. You and are means U and R. "You should do it" part is probably the definition.

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  • $\begingroup$ There's only one wordplay for the first clue, not two. And I don't quite see how you get the last one. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi
    Dec 17, 2016 at 6:52
  • $\begingroup$ "You should do it" is like urging someone to do something... $\endgroup$
    – Sid
    Dec 17, 2016 at 6:54
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A simpler explanation for 3...

'A most outstanding' (anagram hint for.. ) 'fate' (anagram gives AFTE) 'awaits' (before) 'the poor easterner' (rightmost letter of poor - R) 'later on.' (definition - AFTER)

Alternatively...

'A most outstanding' applied to 'fate' means take the letter A from 'fate' and make stand it outside the word (put it first) - AFTE

.. just realised this explanation was already suggested!

Another suggestion...

'A' (A) 'most outstanding fate' (tall letters of 'fate' - FT) 'awaits' (before) 'the poor easterner' (rightmost letters of 'the' and 'poor' - ER) 'later on' (definition - AFTER). Although I would suggest 'easterners' would work better in the clue than 'easterner' if this is the case!

A wild stab in the dark at 4...

RITE - 'I do it,' (write - You wrote the qu) 'you are it,' (right - I am, hopefully!) 'so it sounds like you should do it?' (rite - homophone, ritual one should perform or do according to tradition)

Which gives...

SPHINX TROTS AFTER RITE. Which is feasible as an answer, if not wholly likely in this world!

Credit to @Deusovi for previously correct answers for 1-3

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    $\begingroup$ There is another Sphinx for PSE. But yeah, rite seems likely. $\endgroup$
    – Sid
    Dec 28, 2016 at 16:04
  • $\begingroup$ @Sid.. Yeah, right! ;) $\endgroup$
    – Arth
    Dec 28, 2016 at 16:31
  • $\begingroup$ Your third spoilertag is perfect for #3 - well done! But #4 still isn't r̶i̶t̶e̶ right: "sounds like" only appears once in the clue, so there's only one homophone involved. $\endgroup$ Dec 28, 2016 at 19:24
  • $\begingroup$ @randal'thor Thanks for the feedback.. happy for #4 to be wrong, ('I do it' link felt very tenuous), but I think the one 'sounds like' with two homophones would probably be OK. $\endgroup$
    – Arth
    Jan 3, 2017 at 13:54
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Partial Answer

Note: uses parts from other answers, but has better explanations(IMO)

  1. The western hemisphere is never xenophobic first. (6)

    SPHINX
    Western(left) hemi(half) of SPHere, Is Never Xenophobic first
    No definition

  2. Horse moves right, left, faster, by alternate routes. (5)

    TROTS
    right of 'lefT, fasteR', by(next to) alternates of rOuTeS
    trots = horse moves

  3. A most outstanding fate awaits the poor easterner later on. (5)

    AFTER
    A + the most outstanding(non-doubled) letters in 'FaTE' awaits the easterner(right-most) of pooR
    after = later on

  4. I do it, you are it, so it sounds like you should do it? (4)

    No, I didn't really solve it

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