Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Daily Nation Complex Crossword Of Tuesday, May 04, 2010.Solution 20.

By Edwin Korir. Eldoret, Kenya.

A charade galore that now seems to be the norm on Tuesday.

The answer to 10a.

Across Clues

1a Reckless fling? (11) PRECIPITATE

A double definition of an adjective meaning reckless and a verb meaning to hurl or fling something.

10a Cat’s lunge lacking power (5) OUNCE

Start with POUNCE (lunge) and remove P(lacking power) to get a snow leopard. A new word to me.

11a Ace group with single many find dissolute (9) ABANDONED

A word meaning dissolute is structured from A(ce), BAND(group), ONE(single) and D(many-roman D meaning 500).

12a Learned about Catholic anger for heresy (9) SACRILEGE

Counstucted from SAGE(learned) with C(catholic) and RILE(anger) inside(about) to define heresy.

13a Muscular geezer embracing broad (5) LARGE

A hidden answer in muscuLAR GEezer to define broad.

14a Start of December’s more glacial and dangerous (6) DICIER

A charade of D(start of december i.e first letter of december) and ICIER(more glacial) to get a word meaning danhgerous.

16a Entire US turning greedy (8 ) ESURIENT

An anagram (turning) of ENTIRE US provides an adjective meaning greedy.

18a They have piles of energy! (8 ) REACTORS

A cryptic definition of structures in a nuclear power station.

20a Potential human enemy, America holding terrorist leader (6) FOETUS

A slightly complex charade in counstruction but easy in figuring out the charade parts. Enemy is FOE, America is US and T(terrorist leader) to define potential human.

23a Scientist is least bothered (5) TESLA

An anagram (bothered) of LEAST gives us the Serbian scientist who the SI unit is named after.

24a Trick is, call girls back with a diamond? (9) STRATAGEM

A charade of TARTS(call girls) reversed(back), A and GEM(precious stones) to define a trick.

26a Composer frequently sounds like another (9) OFFENBACH

Another charade of OFFEN a homophone of OFTEN(frequently) and BACH a German composer to give another French composer.

27a Ashes holder following second miss (5) MOURN

Another charade of MO(second-time) and URN(ashes holder) defines miss.

28a Somebody from Interpol, say (11) PERSONALITY

An anagram of INTERPOL SAY.

Down Clues

2d Regarding unusual Northern Italic characters initially (5) RUNIC

&lit clue in which the initial letters spell the answer.

3d Rift in Church concerning sin (7) CREVICE

A charade of C(hurch), RE(concerning) and VICE(sin) defines a rift.

4d Removes excess wood from trees (6) PLANES

A double definition of a verb meaning shaves off wood and types of tree.

5d Ends of tether, hostile and cross (8 ) TRAVERSE

A charade of TR(ends of tether) and AVERSE(hostile).

6d A little bleak? (7) TIDDLER

Cryptic clue.

7d Mislead party on allowance payment (13) CONSIDERATION

A charade of CON(mislead), SIDE(party-in a dispute, say), and RATION(allowance) defines paymet.

8d Most passionate redhead that’s in distress (8 ) ANGRIEST

A charade of R(red head) and IE(that's) inside ANGST(distress).

9d TV set remained off for commercial (13) ADVERTISEMENT

An anagram (off) of TV SET REMAINED.

15d Keep secret from neurotic lass, if yelling (8 ) CLASSIFY

A hidden clue in neurotiC LASS IF Yelling.

17d Very French, run following invasion! (8 ) TRESPASS

A word sum of TRE(very in french) and PASS(run like water) defines invasion.

19d Radio broadcasting inane and empty rot (7) TRANNIE

An anagram (broadcasting) of INANE and R(o)T (empty, i.e. just the outer letters) give us radio.

21d Best pal I’m to do over (7) OPTIMAL

An anagram (do over) of PAL I’M TO means best.

22d Punk, rockin’ and rollin’, losing head (6) URCHIN

A deletion of last lettes fom LURCHING (rocking and rolling) defines a punk.

25d Noise from little pig under pig’s tail (5) GRUNT

A charade of RUNT(little pig) after(under) G(pig's tail) to define noise.

Monday, May 03, 2010

Daily Nation Complex Crossword Of Monday, May 03, 2010.Solution 19.By Edwin Korir. Eldoret, Kenya.

A puzzle to take off the 'monday' blues.

Can be an example of 19a.

Across

1a Is in control of distant armies abroad (13) ADMINISTRATES

An anagram (‘abroad’) of DISTANT ARMIES to define Is in control of.

10a A second coffee maybe (7) INSTANT

Double definition of A second/ [variety of] coffee

11a Attic studio ideal for this artist? (2,5) EL GRECO

A cryptic definition

12a Boss sounds a toff (4) KNOB

A word that means boss is a sound-alike of a word for a toff or gentleman.

13a University can reject English couple (5) UNITE

A charade of U(niversity), TIN(can) reversed and E(nglish) means couple.

14a One who refused to accept tyranny and work in a bank (4) TELL

Double definition

17a The peace subsequently broken by the French (7) SILENCE

A charade of LE(the in french) inside SINCE(SUBSEQUENTLY).

18a Strait-laced girl enters into the joke (7) PURITAN

RITA(girls name) in(enters) PUN(joke).

19a Notice cut out and displayed (7) PARADED

A charade of AD(notice) inside(out) PARED(CUT) defines displayed. Nice surface reading.

22a Store up trouble for travelling performers (7) TROUPES

An anagram (‘trouble’) of STORE UP to define performers.

24a Wine for lady with an accent? (4) ROSÉ

If you add a required accent mark to the last letter of a female name, you get the term for a variety of wine.

25a Too much interest is shown in it (5) USURY

A cryptic definition

26a Free from any sound of disturbance (4) UNDO

A hidden answer in soUND Of defines free as a verb.

29a A short month on a Roman road for Antony’s wife (7) OCTAVIA

A word sum of OCT (short form of a month) , A (a) and VIA Latin term for ‘road’ produces the answer which is the name of (Mark) Antony’s (fourth) wife.

30a Name one variety of flower (7) ANEMONE

An anagram (‘variety of’) NAME ONE to define flower.

31a It’s said to get things done in the army (4,2,7) WORD OF COMMAND

A cryptic definition.

Down

2d Plunder piled so haphazardly (7) DESPOIL

An anagram (‘haphazardly’) of PILED SO to define plunder.

3d Country artist with an outstanding level of intelligence (4) IRAQ

RA(royal artist) is put in IQ(intelligence).

4d Concentrated in time for a grammar lesson (7) INTENSE

A word sum of IN ,TENSE (time in a grammar lesson) defines concentretated.

5d Peter scrambled round to the highest branches (7) TREETOP

TO is inserted in anagram (‘scrambled’) of PETER to branches of a tree.

6d Freight unopened in Jason’s ship (4) ARGO

CARGO(freight) without C(unopened).

7d A high spot for the first mate, and others (7) EVEREST

EVE(first mate) plus others.

8d Down with psittacosis? (4,2,1,6) SICK AS A PARROT

A cryptic definition.

9d They’re not the type to settle for a band (7,6) ROLLING STONES

Cryptic definition

15d A poem of positive significance as a rule (5) ANODE

A word sum of AN (A) and NODE- poem i can not work out how the definition is arrived at.

16d The offence of one coming to light (5) ARSON

Cryptic definition

20d Its root may be made into a stew (7) RISOTTO

An anagram (‘may be made into’) of ITS ROOT.

21d Women’s work for girl employees (7) DISTAFF

A word sum of DI(ana),a short name for a girl and STAFF a collective noun for employees.

22d Ran round in the commotion caused by a storm (7) TORNADO

An anagram (‘round’) of RAN in TODO a word that means commotion defines a storm.

23d Card game — bridge perhaps? (7) PONTOON

Double definition of Card game and a kind of bridge.

27d Eager to behead the king of Israel (4) AVID

Behead DAVID(king of Israel) defines eager.

28d Wooden support for the shaft (4) BEAM

Double definition of a Wooden support and shaft of light.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Daily Nation Complex Crossword Of Thursday, April 29, 2010.Solution 16.

By Edwin Korir. Eldoret, Kenya.

A fairly enjoyable puzzle with some hard clues.


Across

1. Sweet-talk school governors demonstrating teaching aid (12) FLANNELBOARD
Counstructed from FLANNEL(sweet-talk) and BOARD(govenors) to define a teaching aid.

9. Elected soldier behind closed doors (2,7) IN PRIVATE
A charade of IN(elected) and PRIVATE(soldier) to define behind closed doors.

10. High-pitched signal that makes bishop jump, reportedly (5) BLEEP
Another charade of B(bishop in chess) and LEEP a homophone(reportedly) of jump(leap).

11. Daughter, one receiving unexpected help in ancient city (6) DELPHI
A mixed clue of D(daughter), I(one) inside an anagram of HELP to define an ancient city.

12. Make clear when one has short period abroad (5,3) SPELL OUT
Another charade this time of SPELL(short period) and OUT(abroad).

13. Bar or car? (6) SALOON
Double definition.

15. One identifies transmitter by name – Leo, perhaps (4,4) CALL SIGN
A charade of CALL (name) SIGN and Leo as part of the zodiac to define one identifies by transmitter.

18. Special firm used in Scottish town (8) DUMFRIES
An anagram (special) of FIRM and USED to define a scottish town.

19. A horse exercised on the beach (6) ASHORE
Another anagram (exercised) of A HORSE.

21. Brigade’s leader, close to guy shot accidentally (2,6) BY CHANCE
A charade of B(brigade leader),(gu)Y and CHANCE(shot as in go) to define accidentally.

23. Cunning vixen died (6) SHREWD
A word sum of SHREW(vixen) and D(ied).

26. Miserable time for returning flock (5) TROOP
A simple reversal(returned) of POOR(miserable)and T(ime) defines flock as a verb.

27. Great work of art, seldom seen abroad (3,6) OLD MASTER
An anagram (seen aborad) of ART and SELDOM is a great work of art.

28. It’s good for the petrol station, say, as daring step works (7,5) PASSING TRADE
Another anagram (works) this time of AS DARING STEP for a phrase that is used to describe customers who go into a shop when they go by it, rather than being regular customers.

Down

1. Party in charity bazaar’s giving out equal shares for all (4,3) FAIR DOS charade of DO(party) inside(in) FAIRS to define equal shares for all.

2. Horrify a European after revolution (5) APPAL
A charade of A and LAPPA revesed(revolution) to define horrify.

3. Happy hour binge in one next door (9) NEIGHBOUR
An anagram (happy) of HOUR and BINGE, for the person who lives next door to you.

4. Star clue (4) LEAD
Double definition, the player of a chief role and something a detective might follow.

5. Like some offices in unoccupied factory? Not entirely (4-4) OPEN-PLAN
A somehow confusing or confused clue meaning like some offices. It is counstructed from OPEN(unocupied) ad PLANT(factory) missing T( not entirely).

6. Dissident ordered beer, litres (5) REBEL
An anagram (ordered) of BEER and L (litres).

7. Ignore flying doctor in the guise of Apache leader (8) GERONIMO
An anagram (flying) of IGNORE followed by MO an abbreviation for a doctor was the Apache leader who became famous for his fight against the Mexican and United States armies.

8. Boy bagging trophy is very accurate (4-2) SPOT-ON
A charade of SON (boy) around (bagging) POT (trophy).

14. Check on work after meek and mild type makes something to eat (4,4) LAMB CHOP
A word sum of CH (check – chess) on OP (work) is placed after LAMB another word for a sweet, mild-mannered person, the definition being something to eat.

16. Fail to get most important part and become discouraged (4,5) LOSE HEART
A word sum of LOSE(fail to get) and HEART(most important part).

17. Radical annoyed humanitarian organisation (3,5) RED CROSS
cant see how this works

18. Talk about girl coming out at beginning of Easter (6) DEBATE
A charade of DEB(girl coming out) AT and E(aster) defines talk about.

20. Advocate has degree in English Language? (7) ENDORSE
A charade of D(egree) in E(nglish) and NORSE(language)

22. Greek character, the brightest star? (5) ALPHA
Double definition.

24. More carried by Wessex Trains (5) EXTRA
A hidden clue in the words WessEX TRAins.

25. Former PM, first to enter study (4) EDEN
A fomer British prime minister is counstructed fom E(first to enter) and DEN(study).