Crossword Clues Part 2

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

No worries (and keep going - I'm rooting for you!)

Thank you. May I have a hint, please, for:

9 down: Dancing bear that sits on royalty, amazingly (14)

It seems obvious that it is an anagram of 'bear that sits on' and so far I have:
- R - A - - - A - I - - - -
BREATH-something like 'breathtaking, but that's no good!  I can't make the other letters fit after 'breath' in a synonym of amazingly, and where royalty comes in .... well ... !

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hey Susan,

Thank you. May I have a hint, please, for:

9 down: Dancing bear that sits on royalty, amazingly (14)

It seems obvious that it is an anagram of 'bear that sits on' and so far I have:
- R - A - - - A - I - - - -
BREATH-something like 'breathtaking, but that's no good!  I can't make the other letters fit after 'breath' in a synonym of amazingly, and where royalty comes in .... well ... !

You’re more or less there. The “Dancing” tells you that there’s an anagram, only it’s just of “bear that”. Then you need “sit” it (because it’s a down clue) on a six-letter word for “royal” – you have the first four already, and the last two could be the final two letters of the clue!

[SusanDoris]

Hey Susan,

You’re more or less there. The “Dancing” tells you that there’s an anagram, only it’s just of “bear that”. Then you need “sit” it (because it’s a down clue) on a six-letter word for “royal” – you have the first four already, and the last two could be the final two letters of the clue!

Oh, I see!! thank you very much - so it is BREATHTAKINGLY after all. It fitted, but I couldn't work out why.  That should help with quite a few across clues.
By the way, one of the clues contains the word 'princess' and I think you once mentioned something about a word that is often used to stand for that. I'd be grateful for a reminder!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Oh, I see!! thank you very much - so it is BREATHTAKINGLY after all. It fitted, but I couldn't work out why.  That should help with quite a few across clues.
By the way, one of the clues contains the word 'princess' and I think you once mentioned something about a word that is often used to stand for that. I'd be grateful for a reminder!

No problem. I don't remember a stand in for princess specifically, but if I saw it in a clue I'd start with "dauphine", and then perhaps work through the famous ones (Diana, Anne etc). 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

No problem. I don't remember a stand in for princess specifically, but if I saw it in a clue I'd start with "dauphine", and then perhaps work through the famous ones (Diana, Anne etc).

thank you - it turned out to be Di
 I think it is 100% likely I shall be back with a few more requests for hints!

[SusanDoris]

I nanaged another two answers this morning. Then went to the gym to restore expended energy!! 

Anyway, I would much appreciate help with the following:
16 down: Fancy a drink? ‘Pronto!’ (4,1,4)
I knew the answer would be LIKE A …. But only remembered the SHOT this morning.
This makes T the second letter of:
29 across: Small lock causes anxiety (6)
And a hint would be most helpful.

Also,
20 across: Thousand lent for collection again – congregation did it (5)
The K was from LIKEbut it was only this morning that I realised that ‘lent’ was the ‘nelt’ of KNELT
So now,
21 down: Connoisseur’s old record I preserve (7)
Starts with the E from ‘knelt’, but no other letters.

And then there are still quite a few more clues waiting …

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hey Susan,

I nanaged another two answers this morning. Then went to the gym to restore expended energy!!

I’m impressed! 

Anyway, I would much appreciate help with the following:
16 down: Fancy a drink? ‘Pronto!’ (4,1,4)
I knew the answer would be LIKE A …. But only remembered the SHOT this morning.
This makes T the second letter of:
29 across: Small lock causes anxiety (6)
And a hint would be most helpful.

No problem. Remember that “small” can be abbreviated and that a “lock” also relates to hair, so join them together and you get… 

Also,
20 across: Thousand lent for collection again – congregation did it (5)
The K was from LIKEbut it was only this morning that I realised that ‘lent’ was the ‘nelt’ of KNELT
So now,
21 down: Connoisseur’s old record I preserve (7)
Starts with the E from ‘knelt’, but no other letters.

And then there are still quite a few more clues waiting …

“Record” generally gives you EP or LP, the “I” is given to you and then all you need is a four-letter word meaning “preserve” (think dried meats) and you have a synonym for “connoisseur”. 

[SusanDoris]

Hey Susan,

I’m impressed! 

Fitness - gym and swimming keep me fit for the tap dancing!

No problem. Remember that “small” can be abbreviated and that a “lock” also relates to hair, so join them together and you get… 

it's those tress(es)' again, isn't it! It's a word that has come up in various forms, hasn't it, and it hasn't sunk in yet!

“Record” generally gives you EP or LP, the “I” is given to you and then all you need is a four-letter word meaning “preserve” (think dried meats) and you have a synonym for “connoisseur”.

So that is EPI.... I'll have to think about that - it doesn't spring to mind straight away.

Help much appreciated as usual.

[bluehillside Retd.]

No worries Susan.

Yes to EPI by the way - so what do people do to meats and suchlike to preserve them? 

[SusanDoris]

No worries Susan.

Yes to EPI by the way - so what do people do to meats and suchlike to preserve them?

I don't know about the subconscious taking 6 seconds to bring a word into the conscious, mine has taken a lot longer than that - but has just this minute after another think, managed to come up with 'cure'. So I'll go and put that in and see if I can get a little further.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Bingo!

[SusanDoris]

Bingo!

Struggling on!
27 across: Lodge attendance is given with mystical sign (9)
With the U from EPICURE, I now have
G – T – H – U - -
So the answer appears to be GATEHOUSE, but what that has to do with a mystical sign, I cannot see.

Is it right, though?

Is this any good?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hey Susan,

Struggling on!
27 across: Lodge attendance is given with mystical sign (9)
With the U from EPICURE, I now have
G – T – H – U - -
So the answer appears to be GATEHOUSE, but what that has to do with a mystical sign, I cannot see.

Is it right, though?

Is this any good?

Yes – the signs of the zodiac are called “houses” (“born in the house of Capricorn” etc).

[SusanDoris]

Hey Susan,

Yes – the signs of the zodiac are called “houses” (“born in the house of Capricorn” etc).

Thank you. Hmmmm, I suppose I'll have to give way to the setter on this one!

I have in fact managed to finish that corner now, but the following sounds more like a description than a cryptic clue:
Grand to start with, then more ruffled, one goes slowly downhill (7)
Because the answer is GLACIER.

I have six more intersecting clues in the last corner,but I'll leae those until tomorrow.

[SusanDoris]

Somewhat to my surprise, I have completed the last corner, except for one clue:
22 down:
By the sound of it, these are usually underground passages (6)
Letters: - O - T - s


I've tried putting in a selection of letters, but haven't come up with a word that works, so if there's a hint that will help, I'd appreciate it!.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hey Susan,

Somewhat to my surprise, I have completed the last corner, except for one clue:
22 down:
By the sound of it, these are usually underground passages (6)
Letters: - O - T - s


I've tried putting in a selection of letters, but haven't come up with a word that works, so if there's a hint that will help, I'd appreciate it!.

I’m impressed!

You'll kick yourself I think. The “by the sound of it” tells you that there’s a homonym, and it’s for something that’s “usually underground” – maybe something underground in nature? Once you have it, there’s another way of spelling the same pronunciation that gives you a synonym for “passages”… 

[SusanDoris]

Hey Susan,

I’m impressed!

You'll kick yourself I think. The “by the sound of it” tells you that there’s a homonym, and it’s for something that’s “usually underground” – maybe something underground in nature? Once you have it, there’s another way of spelling the same pronunciation that gives you a synonym for “passages”…

Well, you're right about the kick-self! ROUTES but it still took me another five minutes. 

Thank you .

[bluehillside Retd.]

No problem Susan.

[SusanDoris]

By yesterday evening, I had completed at least two-thirds of the Cryptic!! I'll see how I get on with the rest today ... ...
The Quick, however, I am going to look up the answers. as I have quite a few gaps.
/eta: 09:18 and I have only one clue unanswered! Also, I haven't had to google any synonyms ... this probably means the puzzle was a bit too easy!

20 down: Pulse taken by lady shortly going round hospital department (6)
- D – T - L

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

By yesterday evening, I had completed at least two-thirds of the Cryptic!! I'll see how I get on with the rest today ... ...
The Quick, however, I am going to look up the answers. as I have quite a few gaps.
/eta: 09:18 and I have only one clue unanswered! Also, I haven't had to google any synonyms ... this probably means the puzzle was a bit too easy!

20 down: Pulse taken by lady shortly going round hospital department (6)
- D – T - L

Not liking that "D" I'm afraid, and remember that a "pulse" is also a legume...

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Not liking that "D" I'm afraid, and remember that a "pulse" is also a legume...

Ah yes, it is an E. The answer is INEPTITUDE and the last four letters were an anagram of duet; I had put TUED, but forgot to change it when I filled in the rest of INEPTITUDE.

The answer to 20 down has not popped into my head yet ... ...

Thank you as always.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Ah yes, it is an E. The answer is INEPTITUDE and the last four letters were an anagram of duet; I had put TUED, but forgot to change it when I filled in the rest of INEPTITUDE.

The answer to 20 down has not popped into my head yet ... ...

Thank you as always.

No problem, and if you'd like a further clue whenever in a clue I see "hospital department" my first thought is "Ear, Nose & Throat"...

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

No problem, and if you'd like a further clue whenever in a clue I see "hospital department" my first thought is "Ear, Nose & Throat"...

I was sitting pondering on the subject of lentils, and see you posted this in the meantime! Thank you.

I'll try and remember about the ENT  hint - obviously a useful group of letters for crossword setters ...

[SusanDoris]

No fast track completion by early tomorrow, I'm afraid.  The setter is one of those who writes lengthy clues which take quite a time to read, although the answers are not very hard.

A helpful hint for the following would be appreciated; the clue has come up before, I'm sure, but the answer is not properly filed away in my mind yet.
12 across: Repress what head and tail of pups do? (6,2)
The last letter is P so it must be UP, andtail follows head, and S follows P (first and last letters of pups), so I guess FOLLOW UP.

Can't quite make it fit, though.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

No fast track completion by early tomorrow, I'm afraid.  The setter is one of those who writes lengthy clues which take quite a time to read, although the answers are not very hard.

A helpful hint for the following would be appreciated; the clue has come up before, I'm sure, but the answer is not properly filed away in my mind yet.
12 across: Repress what head and tail of pups do? (6,2)
The last letter is P so it must be UP, andtail follows head, and S follows P (first and last letters of pups), so I guess FOLLOW UP.

Can't quite make it fit, though.

The answer jumped straight at me for the synonym, but it took me quite a while to understand the cryptic bit…

OK, so you have the UP already. Now you need the first word – maybe pour yourself a glass of wine from something while you think about it?

The cryptic part is a real is a real teaser though. First you need to get the “head and tail” from PUPS. The you need to work out what they do to the UP that’s left. They contain it, and another way of saying “contain” is…