Crossword Clues Part 2

[bluehillside Retd.]

STOLEN

[SusanDoris]

STOLEN

Thank you. Could you please say how the clue works?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Of course. “Hot” is a synonym for STOLEN. The German bread is “stollen”, but one of the “lefts” (ie, L) is “out”, ie removed.

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Of course. “Hot” is a synonym for STOLEN. The German bread is “stollen”, but one of the “lefts” (ie, L) is “out”, ie removed.

Thank you  -  I'll try and remember for the next time a similar clue comes up. I suppose I should have looked up synonyms for 'hot', but didn't think of that!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

No problem. It's quite a nice example of the setter's art too - a sentence that apparently makes sense (bread can be hot after all) whereas the "hot" and the "bread" are in fact not connected at all.   

[SusanDoris]

And on the subject of crossword completion - I see you mention this in Religion Instinct - I have done quite well so far on yesterday's Cryptic.

Thanks to your help and only missing out one or two for about 18 months now, I am finding that I am reading the clues in a more constructive way, and that the answers are falling into place more easily. However, a hint would be much appreciated to:

21 across: Country with a president in 1990s ((6)
First letter  W, which I presume is 'with'?

I have spent some time today responding to the Gh forum's version of Sriram!!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

And on the subject of crossword completion - I see you mention this in Religion Instinct   - I have done quite well so far on yesterday's Cryptic.

Thanks to your help and only missing out one or two for about 18 months now, I am finding that I am reading the clues in a more constructive way, and that the answers are falling into place more easily. However, a hint would be much appreciated to:

21 across: Country with a president in 1990s ((6)
First letter  W, which I presume is 'with'?

I have spent some time today responding to the Gh forum's version of Sriram!!

Glad it’s going well. Re the clue, no to W for “with”. It’s actually more simple than that – think of a country (strictly a principality I think) beginning with W, then add the “a” that’s in the clue and you have a 1990s president (though not of the US). 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Glad it’s going well. Re the clue, no to W for “with”. It’s actually more simple than that – think of a country (strictly a principality I think) beginning with W, then add the “a” that’s in the clue and you have a 1990s president (though not of the US).

Thank you - - that will be WALESA then. I don't think I'd have got that because although I had thought of Wales, I could not think of n extra letter for a country.

[SusanDoris]

Crossword completed. There was one clue for which I googled 'tree-dweller beginning with K'. Answer: KINKAJOU - luckily I did recognise that, especially having spent a year in Australia.   The clue was:

Join aukflying to secure peek at last tree-dweller (

I had all alternate letters and knew it was an anagram for 'join auk', but it was only this morning that I worked out where the other K came from!

Anyway, main question here is about the word 'burrowing' in the following clue
6 down:  Monkey or burrowing animal going round Kent area (
I worked out the answer - MARMOSET, but I've looked them up and can see no reference to a species being a burrowing animal.

Any ideas?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Crossword completed. There was one clue for which I googled 'tree-dweller beginning with K'. Answer: KINKAJOU - luckily I did recognise that, especially having spent a year in Australia.   The clue was:

Join aukflying to secure peek at last tree-dweller (

I had all alternate letters and knew it was an anagram for 'join auk', but it was only this morning that I worked out where the other K came from!

Anyway, main question here is about the word 'burrowing' in the following clue
6 down:  Monkey or burrowing animal going round Kent area (
I worked out the answer - MARMOSET, but I've looked them up and can see no reference to a species being a burrowing animal.

Any ideas?

Yep. The “burrowing animal” is MARMOT, and it’s “going round” the region of the UK that Kent is in, ie the SE.

Well done for finishing it by the way 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Yep. The “burrowing animal” is MARMOT, and it’s “going round” the region of the UK that Kent is in, ie the SE.

Well done for finishing it by the way 

Thank you for the explanation; marmot is not an animal that is mentioned very often I think, but then I do not turn on TV, so I'll have to google it to find out more.

And thank you for the compliment!

[SusanDoris]

Unfortunately, this week's Cryptic is by the ultra-clever setter I think. I've managed a few clues so far, but for instance
1 across is: Celebrity edges king out(*4)

With a bit of guesswork at 1 down, which is correct - FACELIFT - the answer I'm just about sure is FAME, but why, for goodness' Sake?!!

I have the 7th letter of 2 down - O - and I think the answer is MEDIATOR.

I think some helpful hints are going to be much appreciated this week!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Yes to FAME, and it’s a poor clue I think. The “edges” refers to the straight lines of a FRAME, but you remove the Latin abbreviation for “king”, ie R.

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Yes to FAME, and it’s a poor clue I think. The “edges” refers to the straight lines of a FRAME, but you remove the Latin abbreviation for “king”, ie R.

thank you very much. I'm putting in guesswork letters for guesswork answers here and there so I'll see what I can do tomorrow.

[SusanDoris]

No inspiration yet! However, I think
4 down: Together making a wish (5)

must be MAGOG, since I'm pretty sure it ends in G.

Could you say if this is right, please? If I haven't achieved any more answers by the end of the day, I'll leave it on the CCTV and give it a few more days, but if it is, as I assume, the one who likes the obscure clues, then I might have to leave it unfinished.
ETA When I refer to clues as obscure, I am of course speaking personally!!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Not MAGOG I’m afraid, but the final G is correct.

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Not MAGOG I’m afraid, but the final G is correct.

Bother!  Actually I have done nearly four more clues, so some progress.

23 across is: Bittersweet hybrid of critic mango with no name (10)
Letters: - - - - I - O - I -
And the 'no name' means remove the N from mango doesn't it.

I'm assuming it is OTIC at the end and have looked up synonyms of bittersweet, but found nothing suitable, so a hint would be very helpful, please.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Re the first one - it’s a fairly straight clue so I’m sure the answer will come along in a bit.

For the second one, yes to no “n” but no to OTIC (close though). It’s a portmanteau word made of two other words...

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Re the first one - it’s a fairly straight clue so I’m sure the answer will come along in a bit.

For the second one, yes to no “n” but no to OTIC (close though). It’s a portmanteau word made of two other words...

thank you for your help. I'll see what I can do.

[SusanDoris]

No luck with 4 down and 23 across yet, but two other small ones  done!.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Have a look at my last reply to you - maybe I gave you the answer to one of them!

And there’s nothing tragic about the other one either...

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Have a look at my last reply to you - maybe I gave you the answer to one of them!

Do you mean the word 'along'? If so, I have to say I cannot see how it is the answer to the clue - although I do not doubt it if you say that it is of course!

And there’s nothing tragic about the other one either...

Hmmmmm, I'll have to work on that … …

Thank you for your help.

ETA I suppose if you add 'ing' you get 'a longing' but that seems a bit obscure...

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Yes to ALONG. “Along” with something means together with it, and if you “long” for something you wish for it. Thus “a long” is a wish.

Re the other one, you have the first half of it already...!

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Yes to ALONG. “Along” with something means together with it, and if you “long” for something you wish for it. Thus “a long” is a wish.

Re the other one, you have the first half of it already...!

Thank you - I should have got it!
TRAGICOMIC - I got it about a half-hou later, but had to go out so could not come back and say so!! I am gratified to know that my first thought on lookking at the  clue on Saturday was that it was an anagram of 'critic mango' without the N, but obviously I didn't see the answer soon enough.

I'll plod on this afternoon ...there's a (7-4) answer which I might have to give up on ...

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi SUsan,

Thank you - I should have got it!
TRAGICOMIC - I got it about a half-hou later, but had to go out so could not come back and say so!! I am gratified to know that my first thought on lookking at the  clue on Saturday was that it was an anagram of 'critic mango' without the N, but obviously I didn't see the answer soon enough.

I'll plod on this afternoon ...there's a (7-4) answer which I might have to give up on ...

No problem, and well done. Don't give up though! I imagine solving the 7-4 one will help with other clues too?