Cyclops 381

[managra]

17 & 42a, 24d anyone?

[sedge47]

17a. expansive
42a. stress
24d. Tim Lott

[managra]

sedge47
Thanks. Never heard of Tim Lott and still can't explain STRESS or EXPANSIVE

[sedge47]

I found Tim Lott by googling.
Stress is Distress (trouble) minus "Di" (Dodi Fayed's intimate)
Expansive is expensive (dear) replacing "e" (Exchequer's chief) with "a" (one). Whole thing is what the present economy isn't.

Do you have an explanation of the wordplay for 36/77a ?

[managra]

sedge47
Thanks again - pretty convoluted stuff.
Re 36/77 - The best I can offer is that a 'love nest' is a niche property in which to get yer kit off (presumably for hanky-panky!)

[sedge47]

Managra, thanks for the "love nest" bit. That was pretty much my thinking, but I feel that either it's a poor clue or I've missed something (probably the latter!).

[johnalex]

24a Tim Lott

. . . . T!t = plonker
. . . . M = Mandelson's chief (letter)
. . . . Lot = destiny

[managra]

sedge47
Not the finest clue for 'love nest', but Cyclops is like that from time to time. Do you do any other cryptics?

johnalex
Ta.

[sedge47]

Hi Managra. I've been doing the Cyclops crossword since it first appeared in the Eye. He produces some good clues and appeals to my sense of humour. The only other cryptics I do regularly are the Telegraph and its new "Toughie". How about you?

[managra]

sedge47
I've done the Bellylaff cryptic since I was a student (over 30 years) and it's probably the only reason I still get the paper.
Never tried the Toughie, largely because it's not on the back page!
Don't know when Cyclops started, but I've been doing it for quite a few years - it can be quite 'challenging' and appeals to my warped mind.
I've only used this site a handful of times, but those last three clues were driving me mad. None of my potentials seemed to hold water.