14d Working at losing duck and winged beast such as loon or gull. (7) D?N?U?T 9 ac Port guards make fun of Roman official. (7) Presumably tRIBune. But how does the ‘tune’ wordplay work here?... ...
8 ac: Once fine man, hilarious person. ??R?O?. Seen answered as HERIOT, but cannot parse or see why.
4d: Pastry caught on curved pipe ???E Second letter here would be first letter in 8ac.
Thanks...
Puzzled by parsing of this: City backing shop that’s picked up capital. N?W ?E?H? Has to be NEW DELHI and I get DELI = shop, but how does the rest of it parse? Thanks...
Soothe fungal disease with change of direction in the end. (6) m-l-e-. Must surely be mildew and there’s a definition there (in the wrong place). Can anyone parse, please....
Discredit King beginning to lose lead: r-b-t. Probably REBUT. See def but cannot parse.
And: Royal guard revered mount: — — h — s. ATHOS? Again cannot see why. TIA...
Help with parsing, please : 30ac: Liverpool’s terminus follows a three-way interchange. The solution must be ALTERNATE as I have all the even number letters L E N T, but cannot see the wordplay at all...
Some really puzzling bits of wordplay by Crucible this Saturday. e.g. 14 ac: Boss’s sore back leads to withdrawal from society. (9) With the letters I have and definition must be RECLUSION, but WHY?...
Cereal under the carpet causing mould to develop. M-T-I-E. Could it be MATRICE? A dictionary search only gives ‘matrices’, the plural of matrix and doesn’t fit any definition of mould developer. TIA....
Indian ruler beheaded by legendary hero. (4): A-A-
Solution looks like AJAX, but wordplay would suggest (r)AJAH - which doesn’t look promising! Any insights, please....
Would like to know how this clue is parsed: Queen, king in palace to broadcast. (9)
With the letters I have, solution must be CLEOPATRA. Was there a King Leo? Or only a Pope? tia....
I’ve just been following up a very attractive offer which somehow insinuated itself into this website, TheAnswerBank. You answer some simple questions and then have the chance of picking from a number...
20 ac: Head on arm bottom in the air (5) A-O-T. Is it ABOUT, ALOFT, AFOOT. Could make a case definition-wise for all three, but couldn’t fully parse any. TIA...
Last Saturday’s Everyman: Criticised drunken topless fathead trashing Spain. (3,2) Could only be HAD AT - anag of fathead less E and F. But am I missing something here? I could accept ‘had a go at’ or...
16 ac Congregate outside right church to see bride’s fine. (7) ?e???e? 17 d Learn about one fabric and another. (6) ??e?o? 19 ac The Scots speak indistinctly, low and soft. (4) ?o?p. Is it MOOP, which...
puzzle complete - I think, but cannot parse 19d. Queen clad in a kind of silk found in cupboard(7) a?m?i?e. Must be ARMOIRE, but can’t relate this solution to silk or q/Queen in any way, except maybe...
Two left. 1d Crumpled horseshoe missing here so huntsman shouts halloos. (5)S-H-S. SOHOS maybe. But why? 6d Fair, I am brought up as one training to be an escort. (5) M-I-O. No idea! Thanks.
Last one. 4d: Composer refitting Central part of washing appliance. (5) -I-E-. Must be either BIZET or BIDET, but which ... as according to normal Xword rules of def at beginning or end of clue, could...
Help with parsing, please. 4d: Fed up with banks, head of Exchequer quits (5) T-R-D. Must be TIRED, but why apart from def. 19 ac: Small man defending king for sire. (5) S-A-N. Looks like SWAIN (or...