Crossword Clue Game

Thread Games
241

A couple clues from yesterday’s Globe cryptic to illustrate a couple new conventions - Spoonerisms and repeating letters.

Spoonerisms are “slips of the tongue” taking a phrase and switching the first (few) letters. Spooner was a real teacher who would (we are led to believe) say “You’ve tasted the worm” instead of “You’ve wasted the term”. A shoving leopard becomes a loving shepherd. If the word Spooner is in the clue, that is your clue.

Repeating letters are using the same letters in a short word repeatedly to make a longer word. Again, this will be hinted at in the clue.

On to three examples from the Globe puzzle.

  1. Spooner’s court shuts efficient routes (9)

Answer: SHORTCUTS

  1. Blondes repeatedly mixed up one effect of cold dry air (10)

Hint: repeat letters in BLONDES to make a medical problem caused by dry air

Answer: NOSEBLEEDS

  1. Reorganize duped characters from Capitol, unlikely to vote (10)

Hint: Repeat letters from CAPITOL to form word describing many non-voters

Answer; APOLITICAL

And some other clues:

  1. Came back into view, gathered around fruit (10)

Answer: REAP(PEAR)ED

  1. Cads yelled, startling horses (10)

Hint: Anagram. Budsweiser commercials.

Answer: CLYDESDALE

  1. Odd enchantress of myth reflected about copper coin. (9)

Hint: Copper coin is cent. Add Mythical Greek “black sorceress”

Answer: EC(CENT)RIC. Circe. How odd.

242

Congratulations, everyone! You all have gotten so clever that it’s exceedingly difficult to pick. I’m going to call @Knowed_Out the winner, for his entire entry, but others were equally clever or right behind.
I especially liked:

and:

and

Your turn again, @Knowed_Out!

243

Such brilliant competition makes this a fun thread game!

New word is CAPITAL.

244
  1. Monaco or Singapore, for Monaco or Singapore
  2. The seat of government (but not the building)
  3. Male in Maldives
  4. Used to finance a venture
  5. An upper case of punishment
245
  1. Ad venture requires this
  2. Paris or Quebec
  3. Juneau this answer
  4. Sentence start
  5. Shift work?
246

Very nice!

Ditto!

247

Thanks! I’ve been recalling twickster’s advice in those long-ago threads, where she emphasized short clues and wordplay. Both are what I strive for when I play this game.

248

Win, Place and Show. All yours Spoons.

249

Thanks, Knowed Out! That was a good word with a lot of possibilities.

Time to reiterate the previous words, I think:

cat
nun
ghost
Bruce
America
coffee
deposit
stock
tape
paper
shadow
count
chicken
stand
step
frank
middle
drive
stream
case
scratch
clear
finger
table
spirit
blind
escape
heart
dressing
cross
capital

And the next word is:

FACE

250
  1. Mnemonic of note
  2. Plant this after a big fall or fail
  3. Look younger by lifting this
  4. Missing from a milk carton
  5. Poker of Lady Gaga
251
  1. Can’t feel this, when with you this Weeknd
  2. Off, to start a hockey game
  3. Beatles saw this and “can’t forget the time or place”
  4. Flat part on a clock, rock or hawk
  5. Can follow “save” or precede “the facts” or “the music”
252
  1. Before Time or book
  2. This launched a thousand ships
  3. A digital clock lacks one
  4. A horse has a long one
  5. A painting at a carnival
253
  1. Musical staff mnemonic
  2. An embarrassed person may lose it
  3. Wrestling good guy
  4. One in the crowd
  5. You might do this to the music
254

For anyone looking for introductory cryptic crosswords, the New York Times Sunday Magazine has one called “Puns and Anagrams” which, while good, is definitely on the easy side of the spectrum.

255
  1. Area where time is seen
  2. A way to confront music
  3. How a panel of journalists may interact with the nation
  4. Endless aspect
  5. Where a liar tends to baldness
256

Thanks!

257

I guess we can wrap this one up, as it has been almost 24 hours.

Again, many good ones, and it was difficult to decide. First, some favourites:

That last one, “wrestling good guy,” particularly made me smile. I’ve worked with a local pro wrestling promotion before (no, not as a wrestler); and in spite of the fact that I know the jargon, that clue never occurred to me when I selected the word.

Okay, on to the winner:

I like this one, because of the wordplay. That meaning of FACE did occur to me when I selected the word, and I was looking forward to seeing if anybody would use it; and if so, how. An excellent clue, needscoffee.

Looks like it’s your turn to post a word!

258

Thanks!
Previous words:
cat
nun
ghost
Bruce
America
coffee
deposit
stock
tape
paper
shadow
count
chicken
stand
step
frank
middle
drive
stream
case
scratch
clear
finger
table
spirit
blind
escape
heart
dressing
cross
capital
face
.
New word:
TURN

259
  1. Byrdssong times three?
  2. Change direction
  3. James’ screw action
  4. Key operating instruction?
  5. With “on,” activate machinery
260

How did I miss that? I thought I was being clever, and needscoffee did it better and three posts earlier!