Know Independent's Cryptic Crossword Answers for April 18, 2024
by Dheshni
Updated Apr 18, 2024
Crossword puzzles are more than just fun games. They are like exercise for your brain. When you do them, you are working out your thinking skills, learning new words, and figuring out problems. Many people enjoy doing crosswords every day to relax, get smarter, and have fun with words. If you think you are smart, give these puzzles a try and see how well you do.
A record capturing French horn concert
Answer: ACCORD
"A record capturing French horn concert" indicates that we need a word that means agreement or harmony ("accord") and is also related to music. A "French horn concert" implies music, and "capturing" suggests recording, leading to the word "accord."
Bluster and just beat European launcher of darts
Answer: BLOWPIPE
"Bluster and just beat" suggests "blow" and "pipe," which individually mean to make a loud noise and a musical instrument played by blowing air into it. "European launcher of darts" refers to a blowgun, which is a type of pipe used to launch darts. Combining these elements leads to the answer "blowpipe."
Man in red suit drops off US gunners in city there
Answer: SANTA CLARA
"Man in red suit" refers to Santa Claus, and "drops off" suggests removing the letters "us" from the phrase. "US gunners" indicates the letters "US." Putting these together gives us "Santa Clara," which is a city.
Artist going over silhouette of Sneezy and Grumpy
Answer: ARSY
Artist" suggests an anagram, and "silhouette of Sneezy and Grumpy" indicates the letters in the word "Grumpy" rearranged. Putting "Grumpy" over "Sneezy" (rearranged) gives us the answer "Arsy."
Music expert building material about Bach's final restoration of harmony
Answer: RAPPROCHEMENT
Music expert" suggests someone knowledgeable about music. "Building material about Bach's final restoration of harmony" hints at a term meaning the restoration of harmony. "Rapprochement" is a word that means the reestablishment of a harmonious relationship, and it also contains the letters of "Bach's" and "final" (with some rearrangement).
Posh partner mostly working, making gesture
Answer: BECKON
"Posh" can indicate the letters in the word "BECKON" are in a higher social class. "Partner mostly working" suggests taking the letters of the word "working" minus its last letter, which gives us "workin." Combine it with "Posh" to get "beckon," which means making a gesture.
As I see it, British soldier drops minute object
Answer: TO MY MIND
"As I see it" is a phrase indicating a personal opinion. "British soldier" is typically abbreviated as "Tom." "Minute object" refers to the letter "i" (which looks like a small object). When you drop "i" from "Tom," you get "Tom," which sounds like "to my," completing the phrase "to my mind," meaning "as I see it."
Inciter of revels sins terribly, with you on date
Answer: DIONYSUS
"Inciter of revels" is a reference to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, fertility, and revelry. "Sins terribly" indicates an anagram of "sins" which gives "nisis." "With you on date" suggests adding "you" and "on" to "nisis" to get "Dionysus," the god mentioned in the clue.
Impressive standing in court, having smuggled yen
Answer: CACHET
"Impressive standing" suggests a sense of prestige or respectability. "In court" indicates taking the letters "in" from "court," leaving us with "court." "Having smuggled yen" implies taking the letters "yen" out of "having," which gives us "havig." Combine "court" and "havig" to get "cachet," which means a mark of distinction or prestige.
Rum comes out in parties, or a French red?
Answer: EUROCOMMUNIST
"Rum comes out in parties" hints at the letters "R-U-M" being removed from the word "EUROCOMMUNIST." "Or a French red" indicates that we replace "R-U-M" with "rouge," which is French for red. So, remove "R-U-M" and replace it with "rouge" to get "EUROCOMMUNIST."
Very flexible person American's greeting with grunt
Answer: YOGI
Very flexible person" is a description of a yogi, someone who practices yoga. "American's greeting" refers to the letter "Y," as it's a common informal greeting. "Grunt" hints at the letter "O," as it sounds like a grunt. So, combining "Y" with "O" gives us "YOGI."
People fixing equipment on back parts where horses are kept
Answer: INSTALLERS
This clue is a straightforward definition. "People fixing equipment" refers to installers. "Back parts where horses are kept" suggests the word "STALLS," which is where horses are kept. Combine "STALLS" with "INSTALLERS" to get the final answer.
Biscuit and a doughnut separately eaten by French bigwig
Answer: MACAROON
Biscuit and a doughnut separately" suggests taking the letters "A-R-O-O" out of "MACAROON," leaving "M-C-N." "Eaten by French bigwig" indicates adding "le" (French for "the") to the remaining letters "M-C-N" to get "le MACN." In French, "MACN" sounds like "Macron," a French bigwig or influential person. So, combining "le" with "MACN" gives us "MACAROON."
Climate change effect admitted by Exxon in letter, after a U-turn
Answer: EL NINO
"Climate change effect" refers to El Niño, a weather phenomenon. "Admitted by Exxon in letter" hints at the letters "E," "L," and "N" found in the word "Exxon." "After a U-turn" suggests reversing these letters, which gives us "EL N." Combine "EL N" with "INO" to form "EL NINO."
President Cleveland's face has moustache, perhaps
Answer: CHAIR
"President Cleveland's face" suggests the letters "CH" as his initials. "Moustache, perhaps" hints at the letter "AIR," which sounds like "hair" and could be considered part of the face. Combine "CH" with "AIR" to form "CHAIR.
Punk's too giddy about leading part for Emily Blunt
Answer: OUTSPOKEN
"Punk's too giddy" suggests the word "OUTSPOKEN," which means someone who is forthright or blunt in expressing their opinions. "About leading part" suggests taking the letters "OUT" from "about" and "SPOKEN" from "leading part for Emily Blunt" to get "OUTSPOKEN."
Fake revolutionary hears about new beliefs
Answer: DOCTRINES
"Fake revolutionary" suggests someone pretending to be revolutionary, which could lead to the idea of "DOCTRINES" or beliefs. "Hears about new" indicates taking the letters "DOCTR" from "hears about" and adding "INES" to form "DOCTRINES."
Agile climber to stand around base of Everest
Answer: BEARCAT
"Agile climber" suggests a "BEARCAT," which is an agile mammal. "To stand around base of Everest" indicates taking the letters "BEAR" and adding "CAT" to the end to form "BEARCAT."
Applaud tax-free drug?
Answer: OVATE
"Applaud" indicates a round of applause, which sounds like "Ovation." "Tax-free drug" implies removing the letters "tion" from "ovation," leaving us with "OVATE," which is a term describing an egg-shaped object
After four failed schemes, devise this carpentry tool?
Answer: PLANE
"Four failed schemes" suggest removing the letters "IV" (Roman numeral for four) from the word "planive," which means "scheme." This leaves us with "PLANE," which is a carpentry tool used for smoothing or shaping wood.
E.g. perfect way to stop secretary suffering anxiety
Answer: PAST TENSE
"E.g. perfect way" suggests an example of a perfect tense in grammar, which is the past tense. "To stop secretary suffering anxiety" suggests removing the letters "SCRET" (an anagram of "secret") from "suffering anxiety," resulting in "PAST TENSE."
Naturalist's Tibetan animal in northerly green, rolling lea
Answer: EMILE ZOLA
This clue is a cryptic definition. "Naturalist's Tibetan animal" refers to Emile Zola, a French naturalist writer, with "Tibetan animal" indicating the "Yak," which is found in Tibet. "In northerly green, rolling lea" suggests rearranging the letters of "northerly green" to form "EMILE" and adding "ZOLA" at the end
Wee drop of malt and one tea loudly swallowed by clergyman
Answer: MICTURATE
"Wee drop of malt" suggests the action of urinating, which is "micturating." "One tea loudly swallowed by clergyman" indicates the letters "T" and "E" (the first and last letters of "tea") being swallowed by "MICURATE" to give "MICTURATE," which means to urinate.
Computer factory with article for Etonian PM
Answer: MACMILLAN
"Computer factory" suggests "MAC," which is commonly associated with Apple computers. "Article for Etonian" indicates the letter "M" ("EM" being an article in French) and "PM" stands for Prime Minister. Putting them together gives us "MACMILLAN," referring to Harold Macmillan, who was an Etonian Prime Minister.
One in yellow family of monkeys trapped by kid
Answer: SIMPSON
"One in yellow family" refers to the character Bart Simpson from the animated TV show "The Simpsons," who wears a yellow shirt. "Monkeys trapped by kid" suggests the letters "IMP" (monkeys) being enclosed or trapped by "SON" (kid), giving us "SIMPSON."
Indian side, occasionally erratic, getting cheers
Answer: RAITA
"Indian side" implies that the answer is related to Indian cuisine. "Occasionally erratic" indicates taking the odd letters from the word "erratic," which gives us "RAIA." "Getting cheers" suggests adding the letter "T" (short for "cheers"), giving us "RAITA," which is an Indian side dish.
Capital firm banking capital, right?
Answer: CAIRO
"Capital firm" suggests the capital city of a country. "Banking capital" refers to money, and "right?" indicates the direction "right." So, combine "CAI" (an abbreviation for a bank's holding) with "RO" (the abbreviation for "right"), forming "CAIRO," which is the capital of Egypt.
Concealing first name, retire somewhere in Italy
Answer: TURIN
"Concealing first name" suggests hiding the first letter of a name. "Retire" implies reversing a word, which gives us "NIRUT." "Somewhere in Italy" suggests that the answer is an Italian city. Combine "NIRUT" with "T" (the first letter of "name") to get "TURIN."
