My analysis of the clues in the Gemini Cryptic from The Canberra Times Friday 6 July 2012
Definitions are underlined (apart from double definition and cryptic definition clues).
1. Tales of feet? (7) = LEGENDS
Cryptic definition, feet are leg ends, get it?
5. Demoted at the centre, get all worked up (5) = EMOTE
Deletion, it's the centre part of demoted
8. Demanding porridge with fish (9) = GRUELLING
Charade. GRUEL (porridge) + LING (fish)
9. Return of Eastern opponent (3) = FOE
Reversal and charade. Of returns = FO + E (Eastern)
10. A gem of a girl? (4) = RUBY
Double definition, both a possible girl's name, and a gem stone
12. Jumper, pocket-size originally (8) = KANGAROO
Cryptic definition, I guess? I don't see any clear cryptic device at play in this one. Kangaroos have pockets, and baby kangaroos are originally very little and kept in pockets ...
14. The rest of the layers depends on them (6) = ROOSTS
Cryptic definition. Layers being chickens, and the rest of them meaning their rest or sleep ...
15. A call for repeated effort (6) = ENCORE
Cryptic definition
17. Hold back an expression of disapproval in play (4-1-3) = PEEK-A-BOO
Reversal + charade. Hold = KEEP, run it back to get PEEK. An expression of disapproval = A BOO.
18. Write touchingly (4) = TYPE
Cryptic definition, yet again. Think of touch typing ...
21. Drink and possibly eat (3) = TEA
Anagram. Possibly is the indicator, and eat is the fodder. Drink is a noun, not a verb! Nice little clue.
22. Butter and milk producer (5,4) = NANNY GOAT
Cryptic definition
24. Disturbed adder shows fear (5) = DREAD
Anagram of adder. Disturbed is the anagram indicator.
25. Concern of an eleven yet to be organised (7) = ANXIETY
Charade with an anagram. An = AN (easy!), eleven = XI, and an anagram (organised) of yet = ETY.
Another rather nifty drink-related anagram. Anagram of regal, indicated by cocktail. Once again, drink is a noun, not a verb.
2. Animal found in increasing numbers (3) = GNU
Hidden word clue, that animal is hiding in increasinG NUmbers!
3. Miss Gwynn is heard to ring the bell (4) = NELL
Homophone clue, ring the bell = KNELL, which sounds like NELL. Nell Gwyn(n) was an English actress (1650-1687), who was also a mistress of Charles II.
4. April's turned out to be springlike (6) = SPIRAL
Anagram. April's is the fodder, turned out is the anagram indicator.
5. Taking someone on and winning (8) = ENGAGING
Double definition. You can engage staff, and you may have engaging, or winning, ways :)
6. A collection of service people perhaps (9) = OFFERTORY
Charade, or a cryptic definition? I admit this one stumped me, as I'm not very au fait with religious terminology. An offertory is "an offering or collection of money made at a religious service". I'm not quite sure whether the definition is collection or collection of service. I'm guessing that this is a charade clue, as service = OFFER + people, perhaps = TORY. But I don't much care for this clue :p
7. Bad sight (7) = EYESORE
Double definition. Sight being bad = sore eyes is a bit of a coined term.
11. Exploded with fury when there's commission to pay (9) = BROKERAGE
Charade. Exploded = BROKE + (with) fury = RAGE.
13. Tense without any grounds (8) = STRAINED
Double definition, think of your coffee grounds ...
14. Held place in the rush (7) = REPUTED
Container. Place = PUT, in the rush = REED (not haste!). I don't really like the definition, held isn't a great synonym for reputed.
16. No care for this part of the eye (6) = CORNEA
Anagram of no care. No clear anagram indicator though, for isn't really enough!
19. A record that's not way out? (5) = ENTRY
Double definition; a record can be an entry (in a database, for example), and an entry isn't the way out (that's the exit!).
20. Feline connections we hear (4) = LYNX
Homophone clue, connections = LINKS, which sounds like LYNX.
23. Expression the Spanish love to come up with (3) = OLE
Ooh, this is an &ilt clue ('and literally') - a rare breed ... the Spanish = EL (a Spanish word for the) + love = O (as in the tennis score of zero, and 0 looks like O). This gives us EL + O. If you run it backwards (come up with), it gives us OLE, which is an expression.
Now for the clever bit. If you read the whole clue literally again (& lit), I think it's reasonable to say that OLE is an expression the Spanish love to come up with! Very nice. &lit clues are some of the few cryptic clues where the literal meaning of the clue (ie the surface reading) is relevant to the answer.
How did you get on?
Definitions are underlined (apart from double definition and cryptic definition clues).
Across
1. Tales of feet? (7) = LEGENDS
Cryptic definition, feet are leg ends, get it?
5. Demoted at the centre, get all worked up (5) = EMOTE
Deletion, it's the centre part of demoted
8. Demanding porridge with fish (9) = GRUELLING
Charade. GRUEL (porridge) + LING (fish)
9. Return of Eastern opponent (3) = FOE
Reversal and charade. Of returns = FO + E (Eastern)
10. A gem of a girl? (4) = RUBY
Double definition, both a possible girl's name, and a gem stone
12. Jumper, pocket-size originally (8) = KANGAROO
Cryptic definition, I guess? I don't see any clear cryptic device at play in this one. Kangaroos have pockets, and baby kangaroos are originally very little and kept in pockets ...
14. The rest of the layers depends on them (6) = ROOSTS
Cryptic definition. Layers being chickens, and the rest of them meaning their rest or sleep ...
15. A call for repeated effort (6) = ENCORE
Cryptic definition
17. Hold back an expression of disapproval in play (4-1-3) = PEEK-A-BOO
Reversal + charade. Hold = KEEP, run it back to get PEEK. An expression of disapproval = A BOO.
18. Write touchingly (4) = TYPE
Cryptic definition, yet again. Think of touch typing ...
21. Drink and possibly eat (3) = TEA
Anagram. Possibly is the indicator, and eat is the fodder. Drink is a noun, not a verb! Nice little clue.
22. Butter and milk producer (5,4) = NANNY GOAT
Cryptic definition
24. Disturbed adder shows fear (5) = DREAD
Anagram of adder. Disturbed is the anagram indicator.
25. Concern of an eleven yet to be organised (7) = ANXIETY
Charade with an anagram. An = AN (easy!), eleven = XI, and an anagram (organised) of yet = ETY.
Down
1. Drink a regal cocktail (5) = LAGERAnother rather nifty drink-related anagram. Anagram of regal, indicated by cocktail. Once again, drink is a noun, not a verb.
2. Animal found in increasing numbers (3) = GNU
Hidden word clue, that animal is hiding in increasinG NUmbers!
3. Miss Gwynn is heard to ring the bell (4) = NELL
Homophone clue, ring the bell = KNELL, which sounds like NELL. Nell Gwyn(n) was an English actress (1650-1687), who was also a mistress of Charles II.
4. April's turned out to be springlike (6) = SPIRAL
Anagram. April's is the fodder, turned out is the anagram indicator.
5. Taking someone on and winning (8) = ENGAGING
Double definition. You can engage staff, and you may have engaging, or winning, ways :)
6. A collection of service people perhaps (9) = OFFERTORY
Charade, or a cryptic definition? I admit this one stumped me, as I'm not very au fait with religious terminology. An offertory is "an offering or collection of money made at a religious service". I'm not quite sure whether the definition is collection or collection of service. I'm guessing that this is a charade clue, as service = OFFER + people, perhaps = TORY. But I don't much care for this clue :p
7. Bad sight (7) = EYESORE
Double definition. Sight being bad = sore eyes is a bit of a coined term.
11. Exploded with fury when there's commission to pay (9) = BROKERAGE
Charade. Exploded = BROKE + (with) fury = RAGE.
13. Tense without any grounds (8) = STRAINED
Double definition, think of your coffee grounds ...
14. Held place in the rush (7) = REPUTED
Container. Place = PUT, in the rush = REED (not haste!). I don't really like the definition, held isn't a great synonym for reputed.
16. No care for this part of the eye (6) = CORNEA
Anagram of no care. No clear anagram indicator though, for isn't really enough!
19. A record that's not way out? (5) = ENTRY
Double definition; a record can be an entry (in a database, for example), and an entry isn't the way out (that's the exit!).
20. Feline connections we hear (4) = LYNX
Homophone clue, connections = LINKS, which sounds like LYNX.
23. Expression the Spanish love to come up with (3) = OLE
Ooh, this is an &ilt clue ('and literally') - a rare breed ... the Spanish = EL (a Spanish word for the) + love = O (as in the tennis score of zero, and 0 looks like O). This gives us EL + O. If you run it backwards (come up with), it gives us OLE, which is an expression.
Now for the clever bit. If you read the whole clue literally again (& lit), I think it's reasonable to say that OLE is an expression the Spanish love to come up with! Very nice. &lit clues are some of the few cryptic clues where the literal meaning of the clue (ie the surface reading) is relevant to the answer.
How did you get on?
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