Irish Daily Mail Cryptic Crossword Puzzle Clues Updated for March 23 2024 Today
by Sivasankari
Updated Mar 23, 2024
The Irish Daily Mail Cryptic crossword puzzle is a word game found in the Irish Daily Mail newspaper. It's a type of puzzle where you have to solve clues to fill in words on a grid. Each clue is a riddle that hints at the answer word. The puzzle gets its name 'Cryptic' because the clues are often tricky and require some thinking to solve. By solving these types of puzzles, our skills and ability of thinking will improve. Visit our channel for day to day updates of The Irish Daily Mail Cryptic crossword puzzle.
Shall we go into the puzzle? Yeah! Let's get the explanation.
Indolent swami wrongly describing orchestra leader as lacking in depth (3,11)
Answer: TWO DIMENSIONAL
This clue is a cryptic clue, where the definition ("orchestra leader as lacking in depth") is combined with wordplay elements. "Indolent swami wrongly describing" suggests an anagram. "Orchestra leader" could indicate the first letter of "orchestra," which is "O." "As lacking in depth" suggests removing depth from "swami" or "indolent," leading to "TWO DIMENSIONAL," which means lacking depth
Established without head of Institute being unfairly influenced (6)
Answer: BIASED
"Established" suggests a synonym for "established" or "set up." "Without head of Institute" suggests removing the first letter from "Institute," which is "I." "Being unfairly influenced" suggests a synonym for biased. So, "BIASED" fits both the definition and the wordplay.
Applaud bit about pretentious talk (8)
Answer: CLAPTRAP
"Applaud" suggests a synonym for "applaud." "Bit about pretentious talk" suggests putting a synonym for "pretentious talk" around a "bit" or small part. "CLAPTRAP" fits both the definition and the wordplay, as it means pretentious or nonsensical talk.
Penny overwhelmed by rare ape curiously getting to come into view again (8)
Answer: REAPPEAR
"Penny overwhelmed by rare ape" suggests putting a synonym for "penny" inside an anagram ("rare") of "ape." "Curiously getting to come into view again" suggests a synonym for "reappear." So, "REAPPEAR" fits both the definition and the wordplay.
Corrects academic over objectives (6)
Answer: AMENDS
"Corrects" suggests a synonym for "corrects" or "fixes." "Academic over" suggests putting a synonym for "academic" above or over a synonym for "objectives" or "aims." "AMENDS" fits both the definition and the wordplay, as it means to correct or make changes to something.
Open up black fish (6)
Answer: BROACH
"Open up" suggests reveal or access. "Black fish" could refer to a type of fish or to the color black, leading to "BROACH," which means to open up or access something, such as a topic of conversation.
Supremely courageous of that woman in charge hiding first of officers (6)
Answer: HEROIC
"Supremely courageous" suggests extremely brave. "That woman in charge" could refer to a female authority figure. "Hiding first of officers" suggests removing the first letter of "officers" from the word, leading to "HEROIC," which means supremely courageous.
Stumbles after fellow ignored changes (6)
Answer: ALTERS
"Stumbles" suggests trips or falls. "After fellow" suggests following a man or guy. "Ignored changes" suggests removing the letter "ch" (changes) from "fellow," leading to "ALTERS," which means changes.
Story he translated about Luxembourg's principal inn (8)
Answer: HOSTELRY
"Story he translated" suggests an anagram of "story he." "About Luxembourg's principal" indicates taking the first letter of "Luxembourg." "Inn" suggests a place to stay. This leads to "HOSTELRY," which means an inn or lodging place.
Neat opal ordered in such a way as to be obtained easily (2,1,5)
Answer: ON A PLATE
"Neat" suggests tidy or well-organized. "Opal ordered" suggests an anagram of "opal." "In such a way as to be obtained easily" suggests a phrase meaning easily achievable or readily available, which leads to "ON A PLATE.
Familiar with a large book about Haiti's capital (2,4)
Answer: AT HOME
"Familiar with" suggests knowing well. "A large book about Haiti's capital" suggests taking the initial letters of "a large book," which are "A" and "L," and adding them to "HOME," the capital of Haiti, leading to "AT HOME."
Cameraman sent abroad to entrap Henry, a sailor on a container ship (8,6)
Answer: MERCHANT SEAMAN
"Cameraman sent abroad" suggests an anagram of "cameraman" to find a term meaning "abroad" or "away." "To entrap Henry, a sailor on a container ship" suggests another anagram, this time involving "Henry, a sailor" to find a word meaning "container ship." This leads to "MERCHANT SEAMAN."
King taken in by able sectarian surprisingly getting to make a compromise (6,1,7)
Answer: STRIKE A BALANCE
King taken in by able sectarian" suggests putting a term meaning "king" inside a word meaning "able" or "capable," then surrounding this with a word meaning "sectarian." "Surprisingly getting to make a compromise" suggests an anagram of the resulting phrase, leading to "STRIKE A BALANCE."
Follow with small domesticated animals (4)
Answer: DOGS
"Follow" suggests to come after or pursue. "Small domesticated animals" suggests a term for small, commonly kept pets. This leads to "DOGS," which are often kept as pets and are known to follow their owners.
Anger over Doctor of Divinity's puzzling question (6)
Answer: RIDDLE
Anger" suggests irritation or frustration. "Doctor of Divinity" refers to the abbreviation "DD." "Puzzling question" suggests a word for a challenging or enigmatic query. When "DD" is placed over or above a word meaning "puzzling question," it creates a synonym for "anger," which is "RIDDLE."
Issue covering lawyer upended in romp (8)
Answer: ESCAPADE
"Issue" suggests a publication or a topic of discussion. "Covering lawyer" could refer to the abbreviation "LL" for "lawyer," which is then reversed or "upended." "In romp" suggests a word meaning a playful or carefree activity. When "LL" is placed inside or "covered" by a word meaning "in romp," it forms "ESCAPADE," which means a lively, adventurous activity.
Club possessing old sailing vessel (4)
Answer: BOAT
"Club" suggests a type of organization or a blunt weapon. "Possessing" suggests having or containing. "Old sailing vessel" refers to a term for a small sailing ship. When "old" is placed inside or "possessed" by a word meaning "club," it forms "BOAT," which is a word for a sailing vessel.
A call for more in French on the central part of the earth (6)
Answer: ENCORE
"A call for more in French" suggests using a French word that means "more." "Central part of the earth" refers to the core. Combining the French word for "more," which is "ENCORE," with the core of the earth gives us the answer.
Wife involved in dance Rosemary organised as a formal occasion at which prizes are given (6,8)
Answer: AWARDS CEREMONY
"Wife involved in dance" suggests inserting the abbreviation for "wife," which is "W," into a word meaning "dance." "Rosemary organised" indicates an anagram of "Rosemary." Putting these together yields "AWARDS CEREMONY," which fits the description of a formal occasion where prizes are given.
European occupied by love in a Dorset town (5)
Answer: POOLE
"European occupied by love" suggests inserting the letter "O" (which stands for "love" in tennis scoring) into a word meaning "European." "Dorset town" hints at a specific location, which is "POOLE," a town in Dorset, England.
Awaken in the mind of a girl touring Oklahoma (5)
Answer: EVOKE
"Awaken" suggests a word meaning "bring to mind" or "elicit." "In the mind of a girl" suggests using the word for "girl." "Touring Oklahoma" indicates that we need to insert the abbreviation for Oklahoma, which is "OK." Putting these together yields "EVOKE," which means to bring to mind or elicit.
Shipwrecked person finds shed near a track (8)
Answer: CASTAWAY
"Shipwrecked person" suggests a term for someone stranded on an island. "Shed near a track" suggests combining a word for a small building or shelter with a term for a path or route. "CASTAWAY" fits this description, as it refers to someone stranded or abandoned, often on an island.
Discuss protecting husband from danger (6)
Answer: THREAT
"Discuss" suggests a word meaning to talk about or consider. "Protecting husband from danger" suggests putting a term for "husband" inside a word meaning "danger." "THREAT" fits this description, as it means danger or peril.
Special advisor oddly neglected lease for digging tools (6)
Answer: SPADES
"Special advisor" suggests the abbreviation "SPAD." "Oddly neglected" suggests removing the odd letters from the word "neglected," leaving "NELCED." "Lease for digging tools" suggests taking the word "lease" and replacing it with the previous parts. "SPADES" fits this description, as it means digging tools.
Choose a tool for loosening soil and breaking rocks (4)
Answer: PICK
"Choose a tool for loosening soil and breaking rocks" suggests a word for a tool used for such purposes. "PICK" fits this description, as it can be used for loosening soil or breaking rocks.
A song of praise by that fellow reportedly (4)
Answer: HYMN
"A song of praise" suggests a religious hymn or "HYMN." "By that fellow reportedly" suggests a homophone clue, indicating that the answer sounds like "him." "HYMN" fits this description, as it means a song of praise, and it sounds like "him."
