Crossword Clues Part 2

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

The solution to the last remaining incomplete answer remains elusive, I'm afraid, and I should know it because it has come up before: A hint will be much appreciated, please.

27 across: Accident producing return of scarlet fever? (10)
Letters:  - E - A - L - E - T

ETA Went straight back to CCTV - is it DERAILMENT?

Yup. “Accident” is the synonym, “return of scarlet” gives you DER, and the fever is AILMENT. The cleverness is linking scarlet and fever as if they were one thing.   

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Yup. “Accident” is the synonym, “return of scarlet” gives you DER, and the fever is AILMENT. The cleverness is linking scarlet and fever as if they were one thing.

Thank you - I'd got the RED but didn't see the 'ailment'. 

Yesterday I found the solution to 11th May Cryptic and checked the answers I wasn't sure if I'd got right, but was pleased to find that I had.

[SusanDoris]

Deleted - posted twice in error.

[SusanDoris]

Today’s Cryptic  has some two-and-a-half line clues with an answer of four letters, and others with shorter clues and fifteen letters! I’ve done a reasonable number so far, including SAINT PETERSBERG in answer to:
26 across: Posed around in Lord’s about time food gets knocked back – 25 would call this home (5,10)
And since I am reading about Tsar Nicolas II’s wedding and coronation in 1896 and TSAR is the answer to 25 down, that was not hard. However, I would be grateful for an explanation of the connection between the clue and the answer!

7 down is: They help people relax – also purr, conceivably, as a result (7,8)
No letters for first word, but I guess COMFORT
Second word: - A – O – E - S   so it can’t be BLANKETS

A hint, please,  would be much appreciated.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi again Susan,

This week's Cryptic has some clues which ae two-and-ahalf lines long with a four-letter answer and some more or less one line with 15 letters.

I've done several answers, including SAINT PETERSBERG for the clue:
26 across: Posed around in Lord's about time food gets knocked back [25 would call this home (5,10)
and since 25 down has the answer TSAR, and in the book I'm reading I am at the part about TsarNicols II's wedding and coronation,, that one was quite easy, but I would be grateful for an explanation of the connection between the clue and the answer!

No problem. It’s SAINT PETERSBURG (with a U). “Posed” is SAT, and it’s "around” “in” so you have the SAINT. Lords are PEERS, and they’re “about time” so you have the PETERS. Finally food is GRUB, but it’s backwards (“knocked back”) so you have the BURG at the end.   

7 down is: They help people relax - also purr, conceivably, as a result (7,8)
No letters for first word, but I have guessed comfort,

Afraid not, and it’s a clever clue – what could you do to “also purr” to get an eight-letter word?   

[bluehillside Retd.]

Susan,

Second word: - A – O – E - S   so it can’t be BLANKETS

The O and the E are wrong I'm afraid.

[SusanDoris]

Susan,

The O and the E are wrong I'm afraid.

thank you for this post and previous one with an explanation for SAINT PETERSBURG. Apology for not seeing these posts yesterday, but a reference to them did not come up on 'Show unread posts' link, so I went to General Discussion to find it.

The wrong E will be the U from 'BURG, but I am not sure that's going to help! I think I'll probably be back again later.
ETA: Just thought - I wonder if there are " marks round also purr - yes there are, so that's an anagram. Hmmm..

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

thank you for this post and previous one with an explanation for SAINT PETERSBURG. Apology for not seeing these posts yesterday, but a reference to them did not come up on 'Show unread posts' link, so I went to General Discussion to find it.

The wrong E will be the U from 'BURG, but I am not sure that's going to help! I think I'll probably be back again later.
ETA: Just thought - I wonder if there are " marks round also purr - yes there are, so that's an anagram. Hmmm.

No problem. Yes, it’s an anagram – hence the “conceivably”.

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

No problem. Yes, it’s an anagram – hence the “conceivably”.

As soon as I got the PARLOURS,*(  the first word was easy! MASSAGE. thank you.

*moments after I turned off the computer - I dare not leave it on when I'm out as the fans need changing, and in fact it is doing that now, so I'll have to turn off again.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Susan,

As soon as I got the PARLOURS,*(  the first word was easy! MASSAGE. thank you.

*moments after I turned off the computer - I dare not leave it on when I'm out as the fans need changing, and in fact it is doing that now, so I'll have to turn off again.

Yep - it's a very nice clue too: if you "massage" the word parlours you get the "also purr" in the clue. 

[SusanDoris]

Susan,

Yep - it's a very nice clue too: if you "massage" the word parlours you get the "also purr" in the clue.

Fingers crossed, I've just turned on again - and no noise at present...

The next 15-letters answer for which  a hint would be much appreciated is:
9 across: Way son shrinks gets experts recommending change? (7,8)
I have only the thirteenth letter, which is the first S from MASSAGE, and the fifth letter might be B.
Experts - PROS  so I wonder whether second word is PROMISES?
Does the word 'shrinks' have something to do with reducing the letters of the word 'son', or am I clutching at straws here?!

And if I may, there's another clue for which a yes/no answer would be helpful to the question: 
Is OVER  the beginning of:
2 down: Sneaky, as most female athletes are essentially (15)?
The thirteenth letter is I so I think it will end with ITY or IVE...

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Fingers crossed, I've just turned on again - and no noise at present...

The next 15-letters answer for which  a hint would be much appreciated is:
9 across: Way son shrinks gets experts recommending change? (7,8)
I have only the thirteenth letter, which is the first S from MASSAGE, and the fifth letter might be B.
Experts - PROS  so I wonder whether second word is PROMISES?
Does the word 'shrinks' have something to do with reducing the letters of the word 'son', or am I clutching at straws here?!

I’m not certain – it’s a really hard one – but I have a potentially good answer I think. A “way” is a method or a process, and “son” is a simple abbreviation. For the second word, “shrinks” has a synonym (sometimes prefixed with “Jungian”, “Freudian” etc). Put it together and you have the job title for people who make computer systems work better. Not a nice clue at all though.   

And if I may, there's another clue for which a yes/no answer would be helpful to the question: 
Is OVER  the beginning of:
2 down: Sneaky, as most female athletes are essentially (15)?
The thirteenth letter is I so I think it will end with ITY or IVE...

Ah, that’s better. Not liking the “OVERS” I’m afraid or the ITY/IVE options. If they’re female athletes they can’t be male (or man) athletes, so they must be UN….

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

I’m not certain – it’s a really hard one – but I have a potentially good answer I think. A “way” is a method or a process, and “son” is a simple abbreviation. For the second word, “shrinks” has a synonym (sometimes prefixed with “Jungian”, “Freudian” etc). Put it together and you have the job title for people who make computer systems work better. Not a nice clue at all though.   

Ah, that’s better. Not liking the “OVERS” I’m afraid or the ITY/IVE options. If they’re female athletes they can’t be male (or man) athletes, so they must be UN….

Many thanks. I'll work on those, but I think I may well be coming back to morrow with a request for the answers!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Any time Susan, any time 

[SusanDoris]

Is the answer to 9 across PROGRAM ANALYSTS?

If it is, then the PRO-S for experts puts the PRO at the start and S at the very end. Is that right? If it isn't, then I give up, and would you tell me the answer, please?!

If it is right, then O is the third letter of 2 down. I'll keep working on that one. The last two letters would help though. (The thirteenth letter, I, is from SAINT.)

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Is the answer to 9 across PROGRAM ANALYSTS?

If it is, then the PRO-S for experts puts the PRO at the start and S at the very end. Is that right? If it isn't, then I give up, and would you tell me the answer, please?!

If it is right, then O is the third letter of 2 down. I'll keep working on that one. The last two letters would help though. (The thirteenth letter, I, is from SAINT.)

Close: SYSTEMS ANALYSTS

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Close: SYSTEMS ANALYSTS

thank you. this morning, apart from going to town and back, I have filled in about 5 or 6 squares here and there! One clue is:
27 across: Idea to adapt track and slowly fade out (3,4)
Letters, which I think are right,: D - Y - W - Y

To begin with I thought it would be RUN DOWN, but if the second word is AWAY, and there's a choice for first word of, presumably, A or R, then I'm stuck!

sometimes it is quite annoying to be the sort of person who, if I have started something, I do like to finish!!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hey Susan,

thank you. this morning, apart from going to town and back, I have filled in about 5 or 6 squares here and there! One clue is:
27 across: Idea to adapt track and slowly fade out (3,4)
Letters, which I think are right,: D - Y - W - Y

To begin with I thought it would be RUN DOWN, but if the second word is AWAY, and there's a choice for first word of, presumably, A or R, then I'm stuck!

sometimes it is quite annoying to be the sort of person who, if I have started something, I do like to finish!!

No worries. Not liking that Y I’m afraid. The “to adapt” tells you that you have an anagram of “Idea”. You already know that the “a” is the first letter of the second word, so… 

[SusanDoris]

Hey Susan,

No worries. Not liking that Y I’m afraid. The “to adapt” tells you that you have an anagram of “Idea”. You already know that the “a” is the first letter of the second word, so…

thank you. Yes, I was just coming back to say that looking again, I see that first Y is wrong- it is the square for the last letter of 2 down and I'd forgotten to erase it. In fact I had not noticed that 'adapt' was yet another sign  for an anagram, but that will make it DIE AWAY.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hey Susan,

thank you. Yes, I was just coming back to say that looking again, I see that first Y is wrong- it is the square for the last letter of 2 down and I'd forgotten to erase it. In fact I had not noticed that 'adapt' was yet another sign  for an anagram, but that will make it DIE AWAY.

Yep. Is that the puzzle completed now?

[SusanDoris]

Hey Susan,

Yep. Is that the puzzle completed now?

No, nowhere near, I'm afraid!!  8 across clues either no letters or incomplete; 6 downs, ditto!

1 down: After changing sides, tenor and soprano taking openings and refrains (7)
Third letter S

1 across contains the word tango, so that's a T,  and its third letter is U, so if you would be kind enough to give a hint for 1 down, that will be very helpful.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Susan,

   No, nowhere near, I'm afraid!!  8 across clues either no letters or incomplete; 6 downs, ditto!

1 down: After changing sides, tenor and soprano taking openings and refrains (7)
Third letter S

1 across contains the word tango, so that's a T,  and its third letter is U, so if you would be kind enough to give a hint for 1 down, that will be very helpful.

OK… the “changing” tells you that there’s an anagram of “sides”, “after” which comes the “openings” of the words “tenor” and “soprano”. Remember too that “refrains” doesn’t just mean songs.

[SusanDoris]

Susan,

OK… the “changing” tells you that there’s an anagram of “sides”, “after” which comes the “openings” of the words “tenor” and “soprano”. Remember too that “refrains” doesn’t just mean songs.

Many thanks. I thought it was an anagram of sides, but couldn't see itand with the S of soprano, I began to think- too many S's! DESISTS

1 across is: Part of old ensemble  having drink before tango (7)

With a D to start and the T to finish, I presume it is DRUMKIT? If so, I can now see the drink, RUM, but can't tie in the other letters ...

I'm afraid I haven't got 2 down yet either.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Susan,

Many thanks. I thought it was an anagram of sides, but couldn't see itand with the S of soprano, I began to think- too many S's! DESISTS

1 across is: Part of old ensemble  having drink before tango (7)

With a D to start and the T to finish, I presume it is DRUMKIT? If so, I can now see the drink, RUM, but can't tie in the other letters ...

I'm afraid I haven't got 2 down yet either.

‘fraid not. “Part of an old ensemble” could be an old-fashioned piece of clothing perhaps, and a large drink is called…then just add the tango abbreviation. 

[SusanDoris]

Susan,

‘fraid not. “Part of an old ensemble” could be an old-fashioned piece of clothing perhaps, and a large drink is called…then just add the tango abbreviation.
[/quote
Ah, now I get it - DOUBLET.  ?Thank you.