Crossword Clues Part 2

[bluehillside Retd.]

Morning Susan,

Just a few clues to go, for which hints will be much appreciated.

6 across: One may deck in a ring or be decked in a ring (4)
Last letter T, and I know this has come up before. Something to do with quoits? but this can't be it here with only four letters.

(That will help with getting the 7 down answer I think.)

I don’t like this one much. To be “decked” in a (boxing) ring is to be knocked over, and the part of the body that does the hitting can be “decked” (ie, adorned) with a jewellery ring. So that body part is the … 

22 across: Get hot when biting into humbug (5)
First letter R and last T, so ROAST would appear to fit nicely although I can't really see why!

“Get hot” is the ROAST. “When” is AS, and it’s “biting into” (ie, inside) a synonym for “humbug”, ie ROT.

26 down: Distinguished partners crushing opponent twice (4)
Letters: - E - N

This ought to be easy I think, since it is the 'matching' four-letter down clue to 1 down, which is ABBA, but no luck so far.

I saw a possible answer fairly quickly, but it took a while to work out why. It’s a bridge (the card game) clue. You need the abbreviations for two bridge partners surrounding (“crushing”) another player “(opponent”) that’s repeated (“twice”). The synonym is “distinguished”, but it’s a bit obscure – “observed” would have been better.   

PS I added a post a couple of replies ago re "puncture".

[SusanDoris]

Morning Susan,

I don’t like this one much. To be “decked” in a (boxing) ring is to be knocked over, and the part of the body that does the hitting can be “decked” (ie, adorned) with a jewellery ring. So that body part is the … 

Many  thanks for this post. I did wonder about the 'decked' meaning decorated with, but couldn't work out why it would fit.
So the answer is FIST.
7 down is: Country region of UK's taken up rising relief (5)
Letters: - - D - A
I worked out that it had to read up an that made AID--, so I thought maybe 'aid'em'!! However, as the first letter is I,, is the answr India? 

“Get hot” is the ROAST. “When” is AS, and it’s “biting into” (ie, inside) a synonym for “humbug”, ie ROT.

Ah, good, thank you. I had thought that ROT would do for humbug,but not that 'as' can mean 'when'.

I saw a possible answer fairly quickly, but it took a while to work out why. It’s a bridge (the card game) clue. You need the abbreviations for two bridge partners surrounding (“crushing”) another player “(opponent”) that’s repeated (“twice”). The synonym is “distinguished”, but it’s a bit obscure – “observed” would have been better.   

Well, I suppose that is SEEN, S, E, and N, plus an E for distinguished? That one would definitely have defeated me, I'm afraid!

PS I added a post a couple of replies ago re "puncture".

Thank you for mentioning it - I hadn't seen it, but now have.empty squares ... ...

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Many  thanks for this post. I did wonder about the 'decked' meaning decorated with, but couldn't work out why it would fit.
So the answer is FIST.

Spot on.

7 down is: Country region of UK's taken up rising relief (5)
Letters: - - D - A
I worked out that it had to read up an that made AID--, so I thought maybe 'aid'em'!! However, as the first letter is I,, is the answr India?

Looks good to me. The region of the UK “taken up” is NI (Northern Ireland) and the “relief” that’s “rising” is AID/DIA.
 

Well, I suppose that is SEEN, S, E, and N, plus an E for distinguished? That one would definitely have defeated me, I'm afraid!

Yes. “Partner” often has a bridge connection (as does “contract” by the way).

Thank you for mentioning it - I hadn't seen it, but now have.
Still a few more empty squares ... ...

No problem, and good luck!

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Spot on.

Looks good to me. The region of the UK “taken up” is NI (Northern Ireland) and the “relief” that’s “rising” is AID/DIA.

Ah, yes, now it makes sense! thank you.

[Yes. “Partner” often has a bridge connection (as does “contract” by the way).

No problem, and good luck!

The previous Cryptic had contract BRIDGE as the first across answer - the clue was more straightforward than those of this week's compiler, though.

[SusanDoris]

Luck gives no sign of showing up, I'm afraid! Some help in completing the last two clues wil, as usual, be very much appreciated.

23 down is: With a different blood group, woman is surviving (5)
Letters: A - I - -
I have been mentally putting letters in the spaces, but the only word that might make some sort of sense I can think of is ABIDE Hmmm. Am I right in assuming AB for blood group? I can't see how O would fit and in any case O is ordinary'.

29 across is: Tramp's dog's may be rolling about\(4)
First letter S. Third letter will be last of 23 down.
I wonder if it could be STEP where if you reverse it and put in an apostrophe, it looks as awkward as the two already in the clue.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Luck gives no sign of showing up, I'm afraid! Some help in completing the last two clues wil, as usual, be very much appreciated.

23 down is: With a different blood group, woman is surviving (5)
Letters: A - I - -
I have been mentally putting letters in the spaces, but the only word that might make some sort of sense I can think of is ABIDE Hmmm. Am I right in assuming AB for blood group? I can't see how O would fit and in any case O is ordinary'.

Think of a female name (goes very well with a cocktail or two!) but change the first letter (which is a blood group) for a different one (that’s also a blood group) and you’ll have a synonym for “surviving” – ie, not dead. 

29 across is: Tramp's dog's may be rolling about\(4)
First letter S. Third letter will be last of 23 down.
I wonder if it could be STEP where if you reverse it and put in an apostrophe, it looks as awkward as the two already in the clue.

Spot on. To “tramp” is to walk, or to take a… A dog is a type of domestic animal that needs reversing ("rolling about"). Not keen on apostrophe clues like this though 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Think of a female name (goes very well with a cocktail or two!) but change the first letter (which is a blood group) for a different one (that’s also a blood group) and you’ll have a synonym for “surviving” – ie, not dead. 

I'm afraid cocktails  do not feature in my life!! But obviously the answer is ALIVE , so working backwards, it's Olive. The letters of ALIVE had fitted of course, but didn't seem to have any connection with the clue.

Spot on. To “tramp” is to walk, or to take a… A dog is a type of domestic animal that needs reversing ("rolling about"). Not keen on apostrophe clues like this though

Many thanks for your help.

[SusanDoris]

I have made a reasonable start to today's Cryptic, having done about 13 answers, plus a part of two others,  but it would really help to have a hint for
1 across: Cartel work with City (4)

Thank you.

ETA last letter C.EPIC is a nice word, but I can't ssee any reason for it!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

I have made a reasonable start to today's Cryptic, having done about 13 answers, plus a part of two others,  but it would really help to have a hint for
1 across: Cartel work with City (4)

Thank you.

ETA last letter C.EPIC is a nice word, but I can't ssee any reason for it!

Close. The world's oil is controlled by a cartel, the first two letters meaning a musical "work" and the last two being the postcode for the city of London. 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Close. The world's oil is controlled by a cartel, the first two letters meaning a musical "work" and the last two being the postcode for the city of London.

Thank you - much appreciated as always. So it is OPEC

[SusanDoris]

could you say, please, whether O - F - A -  are the right letters for:

14 across: Scientist heading away to have good time fairly soon (6)

If so, then I am thinking 'boff(in)' > OFF, but working through the alphabet, the only thing that seems to fit is DAY, and that makes two words , not one. Hmmmm.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

could you say, please, whether O - F - A -  are the right letters for:

14 across: Scientist heading away to have good time fairly soon (6)

If so, then I am thinking 'boff(in)' > OFF, but working through the alphabet, the only thing that seems to fit is DAY, and that makes two words , not one. Hmmmm.

Yes I can say - the first two are right, but not he A. You're on the right lines with BOFFIN, but you need to take the "heading away", and to add a short version of "good" at the end. You will then have a synonym for "fairly soon".

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Yes I can say - the first two are right, but not he A. You're on the right lines with BOFFIN, but you need to take the "heading away", and to add a short version of "good" at the end. You will then have a synonym for "fairly soon".

Thank you. I haven't thought of the second half of the word yet but I'll hope to be back with the answer later.


ETA Is it OFFING? In which case the N is the last letter of EON
12 down: European working a very long time (3)
That should, of course be aeon but those ligatures are not suitable for crosswords, I suppose/!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Yes!

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Yes!

Down to the last few clues ... ... a hint for

3 across: Former president with influence means to go round America (10) 

Letters: - - P - E - S - -Y

And I bet it's a kick-self answer!

would be much appreciated.  I've looked up synonyms of 'influence', tried A or US inside the word and EX for the first two letters, but they don't work!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Down to the last few clues ... ... a hint for

3 across: Former president with influence means to go round America (10) 

Letters: - - P - E - S - -Y

And I bet it's a kick-self answer!

would be much appreciated.  I've looked up synonyms of 'influence', tried A or US inside the word and EX for the first two letters, but they don't work!

I think you might, but the answer is an Americanism so it’s a bit obscure for us. I’m liking your EX to begin, and “president” can be shortened to a four-letter word. After that you need a four-letter synonym for “influence” and you’ll end up with an American term for a type of fast road. 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

I think you might, but the answer is an Americanism so it’s a bit obscure for us. I’m liking your EX to begin, and “president” can be shortened to a four-letter word. After that you need a four-letter synonym for “influence” and you’ll end up with an American term for a type of fast road.

Many thanks. EXPRESSWAY I'm pleased to say I had thought of 'press' for influence, but it wasn't a kick-self!

Still a few to go.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Just to say that the "influence" part is SWAY.

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Just to say that the "influence" part is SWAY.

Ah, right - and of course I hadn't thought of thate.

The E from 3 across gave me the first letter of 3 down which I should have got on Saturday ELASTIC and the C from that filled in OBSTACLE which was an anagram of 'close tab' which had, I realised, been staring me in the face but which had escaped me. So now I have one left:

25 across: Cutting down fat ((10)
Letters: S - - R - E - I - G

Surely it must be SCORING, but I can't see what the middle bit is, as the ending must be ING.

And, since this appears to be the only active conversation at the moment , just one final question:
11 across:Clipped dunce's head with a spanner first (
I have ABRIDGED but not quite sure why it fits the clue.
etters: A - R - D - E D

[bluehillside Retd.]

Morning Susan,

Ah, right - and of course I hadn't thought of thate.

The E from 3 across gave me the first letter of 3 down which I should have got on Saturday ELASTIC and the C from that filled in OBSTACLE which was an anagram of 'close tab' which had, I realised, been staring me in the face but which had escaped me. So now I have one left:

25 across: Cutting down fat ((10)
Letters: S - - R - E - I - G

Surely it must be SCORING, but I can't see what the middle bit is, as the ending must be ING.

Yes to the ING – if you make something less long you … it, and when you add the ING at the end you get a word meaning both “reducing” and a kind of fat used to make pastry and bread (“Momma’s little baby loves…” etc!). 

And, since this appears to be the only active conversation at the moment  , just one final question:
11 across:Clipped dunce's head with a spanner first (
I have ABRIDGED but not quite sure why it fits the clue.
etters: A - R - D - E D

A “spanner” ie, something that spans a gap, is “a bridge” – add the “head” of “dunce” at the end and you have ABRIDGED, meaning “clipped”. 

[SusanDoris]

Morning Susan,

Yes to the ING – if you make something less long you … it, and when you add the ING at the end you get a word meaning both “reducing” and a kind of fat used to make pastry and bread (“Momma’s little baby loves…” etc!). 

A “spanner” ie, something that spans a gap, is “a bridge” – add the “head” of “dunce” at the end and you have ABRIDGED, meaning “clipped”.

SHORTENING

Thank you very much. However, absolutely nobody uses the word spanner to mean a bridge, do they?
Probably reserved for crossword compilers!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

SHORTENING

YES!

Thank you very much. However, absolutely nobody uses the word spanner to mean a bridge, do they?
Probably reserved for crossword compilers!

But that's exactly the point - crossword compilers will routinely use words with more than one meaning to throw you off the scent ("butter" meaning "goat" rather than something you put on toast for example).   

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

YES!

But that's exactly the point - crossword compilers will routinely use words with more than one meaning to throw you off the scent ("butter" meaning "goat" rather than something you put on toast for example).

Are we talking about cheese here?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Are we talking about cheese here?

No. Goats (or rams) "butt" things with their heads, so a goat is a "butter".   

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

No. Goats (or rams) "butt" things with their heads, so a goat is a "butter".

I hope a clue needing that info appears soonish while I have it in mind!