This is my explanations for the clues for the Gemini Cryptic Crossword from
The Canberra Times, on Friday 4 May 2012. Definitions are underlined (apart from in &lit, double and cryptic definition clues).
ACROSS
1. Strip a firearm? = RIFLE
A double definition clue, the two definitions are
strip and
a firearm.
4. One hears it being broken = SILENCE
Cryptic definition ... if you break the silence, it involves making noise!
8. Give vent to a song = AIR
Another double definition clue,
give vent to is the first definition,
a song is the second.
9. They supervise — prophets? = OVERSEERS
Cryptic definition,
seers being prophets ...
10. French arrogance = HAUTEUR
The origin of this word that we use for
arrogance is
French, from their word for "height". Don't know that this is really a cryptic clue, maybe cryptic definition?
11. Pious — nothing short of goodly = GODLY
Nothing (abbrv = O)
short of (deletion) from
goodly
13. He's not truly American = SHAMUS
Charade clue:
not truly (SHAM) +
American (US).
He is used as a definition for
any male name, so isn't really a vast help here!
15. A number relaxed and stopped = CEASED
Charade:
A number = C (Roman numeral for 100) +
relaxed (EASED). Defining
a number as
any Roman numeral is a Libertarian device.
18. Some of these books back being overweight = OBESE
Reversed (
back) hidden word (
some of):
these books reversed is
skoob eseht.
Some of them = sko[OB ESE]ht.
Being is a linking word.
19. Refined male fish? = GENTEEL
Charade:
male (GENT) +
fish (EEL)
21. I'd returned with an account causing amusement = DIVERSION
I'd returned = DI (reverse
I'd, and ignore the punctuation) +
an account = VERSION.
Causing is a linking word.
23. Favourite mood? Hardly = PET
Double / cryptic definition. A
favourite is a PET, but a
mood can also be a PET (a fit of sulking) ... the
hardly gives the sense that being in a pet isn't a favourite mood, in general!
24. Idle chatter has teeth on edge = RATCHET
Anagram clue:
idle is the anagram indicator,
chatter is the fodder (the word to jumble up). The definition is is rather oblique, but it is fair enough to say that a RATCHET
has teeth on its
edge!
25. Hack to pieces wandering herds = SHRED
Another anagram (
wandering).
Herds is the fodder.
DOWN
1. Comes to cheer as arranged = REACHES
Anagram (
arranged) of
cheers as.
2. Lucky at coming into a lot of money = FORTUNATE
Double definition, with a bit of 'language abuse' -
lucky is the first definition, but
coming into a lot of money, or a fortune, has been coined by the setter to be "fortunate" ... these sorts of invented words are occasionally found in cryptics!
3. Make a run to clinch the match = ELOPE
Cryptic definition; you're running off here to get married (
a match), not playing sports, which is what the surface reading gives the sense of!
4. Make a mistake and throw out the drink = SHERRY
Container clue.
Make a mistake = ERR, and
throw = SHY (fling or throw at a target). I don't agree with the setter's use of
out here, the indicator should really give more of a sense of the letters of SHY being put around the ERR (so this clue is more Libertarian).
5. Turn up the gas in a way making an Italian dish = LASAGNE
This clue looks very familiar to me, as I wrote one that's quite similar in
Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies! It's a container clue, with a reversal. Reverse (
turn up)
gas = SAG. Put them
in a
way (LANE).
6. Born of woman = NEE
Cryptic definition.
Born or originally called = NÉE, and it's used by a
woman, when giving her maiden name.
7. Literary work? Yes as it turns out = ESSAY
Anagram (
it turns out) of
yes as.
12. Not a good state of mind for decorating? = DISTEMPER
Double definition, with language abuse ... a bad (ie
not a good)
state of mind could be said to be a "dis-temper".
Distemper is also a kind of paint or glue used on walls or theatrical scene painting.
14. Find made by a hunter = UNEARTH
Anagram (
made by) of
a hunter. I don't feel the anagram indicator is well chosen here, though. The definition
find is both a noun and a verb ... in the clue's surface reading it sounds like a noun, but it is actually defining the verb, meaning "to discover", or UNEARTH.
16. Indeed a cancelled service should be = DELETED
This is an &lit clue ... in this sort of clue, the whole clue is the wordplay, but then you read the whole clue again literally to get the definition. So, a cancelled service should indeed be DELETED, and this is the definition. The wordplay is a container clue, and runs as:
Indeed = in deed, so put some other letters
inside DEED (this is a Libertarian device).
Cancelled service = LET, which is a tennis definition (from when the ball clips the top of the net and falls within bounds).
17. Possibly it goes to a selfish type = EGOIST
Anagram (
possibly) of
it goes.
A selfish type is the definition.
18. A class given instruction = ORDER
Double definition,
a class being an ORDER in animal taxonomy, and
given instruction being a verb definition for ORDER.
20. One may be dressed up to them — by numbers? = NINES
Cryptic definition. "Dressed up to the nines" is the phrase being referenced here!
22. He may earn money with his pet treatment = VET
Cryptic definition, a vet earns money from treating pets!
That's all, folks! How did you get on?