Cryptic crosswords anyone?

Novi · February 27, 2009, 07:41:34 AM

Still mulling over your two, aquariuswb

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Here are a couple I'm stuck on from last Sunday's Observer:

Wine in tavern, endless wine (6)

Bombed British house (6)

I have a few letters that are possibly correct if you want them.

aquablob · February 27, 2009, 08:36:36 AM

Both of my clues are rather tricky. Punctuation marks are significant, if that helps. I can certainly supply a letter or two if you'd like!

aquablob · February 27, 2009, 08:39:45 AM

Quote from: Novi on February 27, 2009, 07:41:34 AM

Bombed British house (6)

Double definition? "Bombed" might mean "drunk."

Novi · February 27, 2009, 09:44:23 AM

Quote from: aquariuswb on February 27, 2009, 08:39:45 AM
Double definition? "Bombed" might mean "drunk."

Hmm, I think we're thinking along the same lines

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Currently, I have B _ O _ T _ , and was thinking BLOTTO, with B=British, but couldn't figure out how the -LOTTO came into it. I'm pretty certain the other letters are correct.

Quote from: aquariuswb on February 27, 2009, 08:36:36 AM
Both of my clues are rather tricky. Punctuation marks are significant, if that helps. I can certainly supply a letter or two if you'd like!

I was thinking that the second one might be 'triangles,' but that has nothing to do with your question mark

aquablob · February 27, 2009, 09:47:50 AM

Quote from: Novi on February 27, 2009, 09:44:23 AM
I was thinking that the second one might be 'triangles,' but that has nothing to do with your question mark

Triangles is the correct answer (the question mark just implies a bit of trickery).

aquablob · February 27, 2009, 09:53:43 AM

Quote from: Novi on February 27, 2009, 09:44:23 AM
Hmm, I think we're thinking along the same lines .

Currently, I have B _ O _ T _ , and was thinking BLOTTO, with B=British, but couldn't figure out how the -LOTTO came into it. I'm pretty certain the other letters are correct.

"Blotto," I think, is the right answer. "House" can refer to a gambling establishment, which must be where "lotto" comes in. Pretty weak!

Novi · February 27, 2009, 01:41:07 PM

Quote from: aquariuswb on February 27, 2009, 09:53:43 AM
"Blotto," I think, is the right answer. "House" can refer to a gambling establishment, which must be where "lotto" comes in. Pretty weak!

Hey, thanks! I'll go with 'blotto.' It is Friday night, after all

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Quote from: Novi on February 27, 2009, 07:41:34 AM
Wine in tavern, endless wine (6)

I think I got this one too: barsac (bar=tavern + [al]sac[e]=endless wine)

Cool - I can send in the crossword now and maybe win a dictionary

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aquablob · February 27, 2009, 01:54:40 PM

Quote from: Novi on February 27, 2009, 01:41:07 PM
Hey, thanks! I'll go with 'blotto.' It is Friday night, after all .

I think I got this one too: barsac (bar=tavern + [al]sac[e]=endless wine)

I think you're right, but I don't like when "endless" means some random number of letters chopped off the beginning, end, or both; "endless" should be "without the last letter," IMnotsoHO.

Ten thumbs · February 28, 2009, 12:41:30 AM

It seems one Daily Telegraph compiler has a thing about a certain composer:

Heard record of his musical works (5)
Composer's lean sound (5)
and, you've guessed it:
He composed the last letter in the catalogue (5)

Anyone found a good clue for Beethoven?

aquablob · February 28, 2009, 07:45:29 AM

Quote from: Ten thumbs on February 28, 2009, 12:41:30 AM
It seems one Daily Telegraph compiler has a thing about a certain composer:

Heard record of his musical works (5)
Composer's lean sound (5)
and, you've guessed it:
He composed the last letter in the catalogue (5)

Cute; the middle one there would be quite difficult without any letters!

Quote from: Ten thumbs on February 28, 2009, 12:41:30 AM
Anyone found a good clue for Beethoven?

No, so I made one up

Be the unusual microwave a musically gifted one? (9)

Holden · February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

Quote from: aquariuswb on February 28, 2009, 07:45:29 AM
Cute; the middle one there would be quite difficult without any letters!

No, so I made one up

Be the unusual microwave a musically gifted one? (9)

I'd probably change 'microwave' to range; Be the odd range of this composer.

So here are some more:

Hacking cut this composer (6)

Composer might also have some bite (4)

This composer sounds like he paints the ditch (6)

Music maker you could possibly hold (6)

Maybe chase man away from this musical creator (

babble 50 for this composer (5)

The German's crowded adding sulfur for the composer (7)

The composer could stroke an Irish girl (

aquablob · February 28, 2009, 05:02:45 PM

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

The German's crowded adding sulfur for the composer (7)

Hm... I don't think that "The German" quite works here (unless I'm missing something), but I like your style!

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM
Hacking cut this composer (6)

Very good!

I'll try at the others later; thanks for these!

Holden · February 28, 2009, 05:24:47 PM

Quote from: aquariuswb on February 28, 2009, 05:02:45 PM
Hm... I don't think that "The German" quite works here (unless I'm missing something), but I like your style!

OK, how about this "German's address is crowded by adding sulfur for this composer"

aquablob · March 01, 2009, 07:31:51 AM

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 05:24:47 PM
OK, how about this "German's address is crowded by adding sulfur for this composer"

Excellent!!

Novi · March 01, 2009, 02:59:49 PM

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 05:24:47 PM
OK, how about this "German's address is crowded by adding sulfur for this composer"

Quote from: aquariuswb on March 01, 2009, 07:31:51 AM
Excellent!!

These are cool, Holden. Still stuck on this one (as well) though:

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM
This composer sounds like he paints the ditch (6)

And a couple from me:

Get lost! he said, there's a bloke in there - he writes music. (12)

A composer? Sounds more like a noisy dog! (9)

aquablob · March 01, 2009, 04:22:05 PM

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

babble 50 for this composer (5)

Got this.

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

This composer sounds like he paints the ditch (6)

And this.

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

Maybe chase man away from this musical creator [8]

And this.

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

Composer might also have some bite (4)

If this is a loose homophone, then I have this one too.

Haven't figured out:

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM
Music maker you could possibly hold (6)

The composer could stroke an Irish girl (

(And I also wonder if the following one doesn't quite work as I originally thought it did):

Quote from: Holden on February 28, 2009, 12:42:31 PM

Hacking cut this composer (6)

aquablob · March 01, 2009, 04:23:19 PM

Quote from: Novi on March 01, 2009, 02:59:49 PM

Get lost! he said, there's a bloke in there - he writes music. (12)

I think I know the answer, but I haven't yet completely figured out why.

Novi · March 01, 2009, 04:57:25 PM

Quote from: aquariuswb on March 01, 2009, 04:23:19 PM
I think I know the answer, but I haven't yet completely figured out why.

Oops, random Australianism this time.

This might help

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aquablob · March 01, 2009, 06:03:41 PM

Yes now I see (and I was right!).

Holden · March 01, 2009, 08:44:38 PM

Quote from: aquariuswb on March 01, 2009, 06:03:41 PM
Yes now I see (and I was right!).

Great clue - I was going down th wrong track here. as for

A composer? Sounds more like a noisy dog! (9)

Got it

Aquarius web - yes it is a homophone and if you think about 'hacking being cut' you're probably right as well.

For the other two - both are baroque, one German by birth and the other is French