Cracking Cryptics – Archives

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This page is an archive of my daily cryptic clues on Twitter. I post a clue each day with solutions and provide the explanation the next day. You can also get more clarifications on clues that you do not understand.

If you are interested you can follow me on @somsram and look for #crackingcryptics

These are from my Grids published in The Hindu under the pseudonym Hypatia.

August 2020
Date Clue Solution Link
31st Heading out, woman danced in festival (4)

ONAM (-w)OMAN*
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30th Slip away, unwinding in the spa, leisurely (6) THC 12947

ELAPSE Rev T
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29th See Grant’s acting prowess (9) THC 12946

GREATNESS*
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28th 50 odd band joining Raman set for extraordinary player (6,7)
DONALD BRADMAN (L ODD BAND RAMAN*)
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27th More than one spoke by wireless, say calling India for nothing (5) THC 12978

RADI(o+I)
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26th They raise many girls? (8,5) THC 12659

STILETTO HEELS – CD
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25th Tie pet outside grave essentially (6) THC 12914

C(RAV)AT
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24th Exercise after solvers cried (4) THC 12978

WEPT WE PT
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23rd Faces Doctor Who in secondary performance, say (8) THC 12947

SIDESHOW SIDES HOW*
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22nd E-book criticizes guts, perhaps (8) THC 12880

E NT RAILS
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21st English baron wearing Indian shirt (7) THC 13015

BRITISH B {R(I)TISH}*
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20th Speaker distorting echoes around posh igloo, perhaps (3-5) THC 12947

I {CE HO(U)SE}*
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19th Spice and flavour from reddish orange natural sources (7) THC 12723

Acrostic &Lit
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18th Silent comedian captivates a minister (8) THC 13015

CHAPLAIN CHAPL(A)IN
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17th Hot seafood sandwiches at any time (8) THC 12881

FEVERISH F(EVER)ISH
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16th What violinists do during and after a show? (4, 1,3) THC 13010

TAKE A BOW C/DD
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15th Exchanging rupee for primary needs is reasonable, countrywide (8) THC 13015

NATIONAL (N-r)ATIONAL
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14th Free diamonds in card game (4) THC 12946

UNDO UN(D)O
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13th Study about trapping rodents? Forget It! (5,4) THC 12880

NEVER MIND NE(VERMIN)D<
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12th Read big novel to summarize (7) THC 12946

ABRIDGE*
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11th Malai roti dexterously rolled in piece of newspaper (9) THC 12692

EDITORIAL Rev Hidden
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10th Paint bird eating small animal (8) THC 13010

EMULSION EMU+L(S)ION
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9th A dad or mom drinks them extremely flat (9) THC 12628

APARTMENT A PAR{(T(-he)M}ENT
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8th Former scheme to preserve dairy (essentially milk) (7) THC 12594

EXPLOIT EX PLO(I)T
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7th It’s transmitted genetically by woman receiving correct male chromosome (8) THC 12566

HEREDITY- HER+EDIT+Y – Semi &Lit
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6th No actor got this kind of movie (8,7) THC 12927

Animated Cartoon RA NO ACTOR* with Animated as Anagrind
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5th Aimed to get different channels for advertising (5-5) THC 12914

MIXED MEDIA (RA AIMED* with MIXED as anagrind)
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4th Little animal cuddling the girl — a sweet kid (6) THC 12978

CHERUB C(HER)UB
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3rd He turns 80, then remains active (6, 5)

MARTIN SHEEN THENREMAINS*
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2nd Give her a ring, then elope, perhaps (9) TH – Setter unknown

TELEPHONE*
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1st Director seems damn new (3,6)

SAM MENDES SEEMSDAMN*
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July 2020
Date Clue Solution Link
31st Crazy wizard chokes you at regular intervals (5)  THC12913
W(iz)A(rd)C(ho)K(es)Y(ou)
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30th Spooner’s kick-ass drink (4,4)  THC12914
Spoonerism Boot Rear
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29th Like those who raise sheep aren’t alongside wolves (8)   THC12848
PARENTAL
Telescopic HIPS
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28th Tone down regularly after seconds (6)  THC12946
SOFTEN
S OFTEN
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27th Mark it! Chennai showcases area for food (7) THC12880
KITCHEN Telescopic/HIPS
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26th Save second professor at Hogwarts? Not quite! (8) THC12826
SQUIRREL S QUIRREL(-l)
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25th How to make bats sell down the river? (8) THC12880
BACK STAB

Reversal – STAB<<

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24th Group of singers cheerfully evacuated chief monk’s office (6) THC12914
ABBACY
ABBA C(..)Y
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23rd Supplement article complete in two pages (9) THC12848
APPENDAGE
A P P(END)AGE
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22nd According to Spooner, married gambler who is incontinent (9) THC12848
BED WETTER Spoonersim WED BETTER
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21st Warning from ladies only? (4) THC12979
OMEN
O MEN
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20th Vice president given a new punishment (7) THC12913
PENANCE
PEN(A N)CE
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19th 1. Relatively well known person in nineties novel? (8) THC12627
2. Cricket expert’s stern article on blog he edited (6,6)
EINSTEIN
NINETIES* HARSHA BHOGLE HARSH A BLOG HE*
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2
18th Can idiot be fired after missing a delivery? (7)
DICTION
CANIDIOT-A*
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17th Perhaps a younger Tony Stark, felt cold in metal clothing? (8)) THC12848
IRON CLAD
IRON (C) LAD
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16th Start to suddenly turn direction and veer (6) THC12848
SWERVE
S W VEER* 
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15th Ecstatic when bowled out from behind (6) THC12849
ELATED
(-b) ELATED 
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14th Being different, I typically hid (6) THC12693
ENTITY                Telescopic / HIPS
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13th Start to stick tongue out eating river fish (8) THC12978
S TURGEON                          S TONGUE*
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12th Hot tips from reality shows (5) THC12979
RANDY                               R AND Y -Tips of R(ealit)Y
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11th Not a single argument for what you hate in the newspaper (5,1,9) THC12979
NEVER A CROSSWORD
CD 
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10th Novel I get in Kindle (6) THC12978
IGNITE
IGETIN* 
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9th Breed of cat transforming say, Wolverine from head to toe? (4) THC12979
MANX
X MAN< 
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June 2020
Date Clue Solution Link
27th Push back, relax and shower (8) THC12947
RESTRAIN
REST RAIN
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26th Meeting holder’s torn attire (7)
WEBINAR
WE(BIN)AR
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25th Mother and grandmother rock! (5) THC12785
MAGMA
MA G MA
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24th Pretty tidy and mostly organised (6) THC12914
DAINTY
TIDYAN(-d)*
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23rd Judge wore a clean suit (6) THC12785
ADJUST
A D(J)UST
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22nd Spooner’s bookie, say improves (4,6) THC12659
GETS BETTER
Spoonerism of BETS GETTER
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21st It may be near couch potatoes or far? (6)  THC12660
REMOTE
DD
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20th Enjoyed King’s introduction to fiction with daughter (5)
LIKED
LI(K)E D
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19th Central help in managing lobby! (7) THC12755
BELLBOY
ELLOBBY* &Lit
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18th Breather taken by European in spring? (5) THC12913
LUNGE
(-p)LUNGE
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17th Dull Persian poet (4) THC12848
DRAB
BARD<
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16th People stop exchanging tips between iOS and Android (7) THC12880
INHABIT
INH(-i+A)BIT
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15th It’s astringent, causing internal damage, primarily (4) THC12913
ACID
Acrostic &Lit
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14th Released what was concealed (8) THC12880
SECRETED
DD
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13th Promote a varnam, inititally depicted in Bharatanatyam, say (7) THC12880
ADVANCE
A D(V)ANCE
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12th Everyone stayed all right? (4,4) THC12913
NONE LEFT
DD
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11th Tax dispute involves charge, essentially (6)  THC12566
TARIFF
T((ch)A R(ge)) IFF
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10th PR does this, we hear — doesn’t wait for one’s turn? (5,3,5)  THC12848
JUMPS THE QUEUE
CD / Rebus
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9th Community : closer to locality? (6)   THC12595
COLONY
COLON(:) Y
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8th Awkwardly lift hubby’s coat that’s dirty (6)   THC12785
FILTHY
LIFT*H(-ubb)Y
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7th Online partner’s advocate (7)   THC12566
ESPOUSE
E SPOUSE
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6th Dapper pal sent snaps in black and white, say (4-3-6)  THC12914
SALT AND PEPPER
DAPPER PAL SENT*
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5th Cursory anniversary songs loved by kids? (7,6)  THC12786
NURSERY RHYMES
CURSORY AND ANNIVERSARY ARE NURSERY RHYMES
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4th Mark Twain’s plot changed show (7)   THC12827
SPLOTCH
Telescopic / HIPS
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3rd Fail to pay when due and flat broke! (7)  THC12723
DEFAULT
DUE FLAT*
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2nd Without closure, many forfeit love – it sucks (8)  THC12826
MOSQUITO
MOS(-t)QUIT O
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1st Broadcast Elvis dancing in graphic shirt (8)  THC12881
TELEVISE
TE(ELVIS*)E
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May 2020
Date Clue Solution Link
30th So a rebel partied where studs hang out? (3,5) THC12914
EAR LOBES
SO A REBEL*
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29th She advises anxious patients to lose weight (6) THC12594
DD
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2 thoughts on “Cracking Cryptics – Archives”
  1. Huge thanks @Sowmya Ramkumar for this tutorial on cryptic crosswords …. . trying out your cracking cryptic clue everyday..and noticing some progress there. !!!

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