125
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Cryptic Clue Guide
(Throughout this post, I will be using cryptic annotations in code blocks. The answer word is made up of all of the capital letters; the punctuation, lowercase ...
40
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Cryptictionary!
The answers are
Using the alphanumerics gives:
which are additional wordplays, giving us
so:
40
votes
Accepted
Moderation strike: a tired lunatic (4)
I believe the word you're looking for is
Wordplay:
Who knows? Maybe this'll be one small step towards progress.
40
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Explain how π – 1 + 50 + ⅔ × 1000 is PLONK
I would think that it is:
Pi - 1 (I) = P
50 = L
2/3 × 1000 = 2/3 x (ONE thousand) = (two-thirds of ONE) K = ONK
34
votes
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Japanese Fusion Alphabet Soup
The completed dish
The reasons why
The ultimate message
Follow the directions
My answer
30
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Please explain this answer: “Fruit from Panama about 20 times.”
Fruit from Panama about 20 times =
29
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Why is "lion" the answer to "Take the first left turn at the zoo?"
Maybe "the first" is number one or NO. I (Roman numeral 1), followed by L, an abbreviation for "left". We take all that and turn it around to make L I ON. The definition part would ...
27
votes
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Policeman's large Elvish dagger (5)
This is a double definition.
Sting, the musician, was a member of the band The Police, hence a 'Policeman'.
Meanwhile there is a 'large Elvish dagger' called 'Sting' that appears in the books The ...
27
votes
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26
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The first Density™ Puzzle!
The dots in between the squares...
These can be interpreted
There are also some other ways to extract similar arrangements of letters:
The data collected:
The next step needed heavy hinting for ...
24
votes
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Which number am I thinking of?
Most of the hard work has been done by James Webster. I think I have the rest.
The first set of clues leads to
where I have
The second set leads to
where I have
So despite the coincidence of ...
23
votes
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Circuit Diagram
Initial Notes
This puzzle was co-solved by Deusovi, ManyPinkHats, Reinier, SKOG, and many hints from phenomist.
If you'd like to solve it yourself, here are the errata (in a spoiler-free way):
The ...
23
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Why is RYE the answer to "Grass over pretty Cambridge backs"?
"Grass" is the definition of the answer.
"Over pretty Cambridge backs" is the wordplay, in which "backs" means "last letters of the preceding words."
R from &...
22
votes
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The Puzzling Times
Rubio specifically mentioned partial solutions, so I thought I'd start recording information here, starting with the cryptic clues. Unfortunately, I realized that
Number 1:
For the cryptic clues, ...
22
votes
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22
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22
votes
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2020 election: The results are in!
The trick to this puzzle is that
At first tolerate, then back winner (5)
Party briefly represented by 500 at the side of reem, regularly (3)
Extremely jaded Ohio electrician's name (3)
Video-...
21
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Cryptic crossword clue: It detailed visually challenged rodents (7,5)
It's a
The visually challenged rodents are
21
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Explain why "A Fate who didn’t finish the material (5)" is Cloth
One of the Fates of Greek mythology was Clotho. If you don't quite finish that word, you get the word cloth (defined by "the material").
20
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Riley Riddle in the game
The Riley Riddle resolves to clue the board game:
My first can hold flags.
My second lasts three months.
My last is your attention.
My whole is the game you're playing.
We're not done yet. ...
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Attractive when it's in gravy (7)
It's quite a nice and gettable clue:
But a couple of comments:
EDIT: Similar clue (not quite the same):
19
votes
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Emojional cryptics (slight return)
The country is ...
Solutions to the cryptic clues:
Now ...
We are looking for ...
19
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18
votes
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A printer's imp has run amok
Feral Ulysses S. Grant keeps the troops aroused (6)
A giant horrifies Frankenstein’s monster (5)
Superstitious people consider finding a penny or seeing a shooting star to be greens (4)
After ...
18
votes
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Cryptic Mastermind
The final word is:
I had missed three of the clues, but Silenius has helped me to fill in the blanks.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Final
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Which number am I thinking of?
Answer
Is the answer
Partial Answer
Set 1
Call it sin, and mess it up could be
between θ and κ is
[Unsolved] ...
18
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Crossword solution I’m having difficulty in understanding
"Oddly dismissing Carnegie" = remove odd-numbered letters from the word "Carnegie" = _A_N_G_E.
Hall's backer = last letter of "Hall" = L.
ANGEL is a type of investor.
18
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Why is "issued" the answer to "Fire corners if one-a-side matches haven't begun"?
The answer is not ISSUED, no matter what some websites on the internet may say.
I found what I think is the same crossword in another, older New Zealand publication. The crossing words give I-G-E- for ...
18
votes
Why is "necropolis" the answer to "Weird arachnid with venomous tail in the French cemetery"?
Hmm, an arachnid with venomous tail is a SCORPION, and "the" French is LE (French translation of "the"), and all that is anagrammed ("weird"), making NECROPOLIS (cemetery)...
17
votes
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The Ooh-Aah Cryptic Maze
The cryptic clues:
Parses dysfunctional extras.
Vehicle decay is orange.
Sounds like grace upon toxin.
Messy rats begin Abraham Lincoln's cosmically related business.
Female birch, Australian ...
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