Solution To Irish Daily Mail Cryptic Crossword (March 25, 2024)
by Sivasankari
Updated Mar 25, 2024
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Use guide, perhaps, to get item familiar to students? (8,4)
Answer: EXERCISE BOOK
"Use guide, perhaps" suggests thinking about how one might use a guide or instructions. "Item familiar to students" points to something commonly used by students. An "exercise book" fits both criteria, as it's a common item used by students that often contains guided exercises or instructions.
Best role almost at sea for marine crustacean (7)
Answer: LOBSTER
"Best role almost at sea" implies that we need to take a word meaning "best" and remove the last letter (almost) to get a term associated with the sea. A "lobster" is a marine crustacean, and "best" minus the last letter gives us "bes," which is a homophone for "Bess," a common abbreviation for "Elizabeth."
Scathing military bigwig touring area with American team's leader (7)
Answer: CAUSTIC
"Scathing" suggests a word meaning harsh or critical. "Military bigwig" indicates a high-ranking officer. "Touring area" implies that a word for "area" goes around (touring) something else. "American team's leader" refers to the first letter of "American" (A). So, putting it all together, we get "CAUSTIC," which means harsh or sarcastic.
Type of Italian sausage in a poor state alarmed lot (10)
Answer: MORTADELLA
"Type of Italian sausage" indicates that we're looking for the name of a sausage. "In a poor state" suggests that we take a word meaning "poor" and rearrange its letters. "Alarmed lot" clues us to an anagram of the word "lot." Putting it together, we rearrange "poor" to get "MORTA" and add "lot" to get "MORTADELLA," which is indeed an Italian sausage.
Some slim acrobat in South American capital (4)
Answer: LIMA
"Some slim" suggests that we take a part of a word. "Acrobat" indicates that we need to consider a word related to movement or agility. "In South American capital" specifies that we look for the capital city of a South American country. Taking the first letters of "slim" and "acrobat" gives us "L" and "A," respectively, and placing them in the capital of Peru, we get "LIMA."
Waiter is shifting hanging plant (8)
Answer: WISTERIA
"Waiter is shifting" suggests an anagram of "waiter is," indicating that we need to rearrange those letters. "Hanging plant" gives us the type of plant we're looking for. Rearranging "waiter is" gives us "wisteria," which is indeed a type of hanging plant.
Bestow an award on comedian Stan (6)
Answer: LAUREL
This clue refers to the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. "Bestow an award on" suggests that we're giving an award to someone. "Comedian Stan" refers to Stan Laurel. The "award" being referred to is the Laurel Award, often symbolized by a laurel wreath. So, "Laurel" fits the bill.
Long period covered by better amenity (3)
Answer: ERA
"Long period" hints at a period of time. "Covered by" implies that a shorter word is contained within a longer one. "Better amenity" suggests an improvement or enhancement. Inside "better amenity," we find "ERA," which indeed refers to a long period of time.
Feature of a canal elevated small garage? (4,2)
Answer: LOCK UP
"Feature of a canal" refers to something commonly found on canals. "Elevated small garage" hints at a word or phrase that could describe a garage that's raised or at a higher level. A "lock" is a feature of a canal, and "up" suggests elevation, so "LOCK UP" fits both parts of the clue.
Note time amid activity done with a needle? (8)
Answer: CROTCHET
"Note time" implies that we're dealing with music notation. "Amid activity" suggests that a word meaning "time" is placed within another word meaning activity or movement. "Done with a needle" hints at another meaning of the word "crotchet," which can refer to a small hook or bar used in sewing. So, "CROTCHET" is the word that fits these criteria.
Unwelcome characteristic in French visionary's case (4)
Answer: ENVY
"Unwelcome characteristic" refers to a negative trait. "In French visionary's case" suggests that we need to look at the French word for a visionary or a prophet. "Envy" is indeed an unwelcome characteristic, and it's represented by the French word "en" (in French) and "vy" (short for "voyant," which means visionary).
Mysterious town looms around island in form of TV footage? (4,6)
Answer: SLOW MOTION
"Mysterious town" suggests something enigmatic or unclear. "Looms around island" implies that a word meaning "looms" surrounds a word for an island. "In form of TV footage" clues us to a term related to how things appear on television. "Slow motion" is indeed a term related to TV footage, and it fits the other parts of the clue.
Taking up residence after leaving Latvia's capital and surroundings (7)
Answer: SETTING
"Taking up residence" suggests settling down or establishing a place to live. "After leaving Latvia's capital" indicates that we need to remove the first letter of the capital of Latvia, which is "Riga." "Surroundings" suggests that we consider the environment or context. Removing the "R" from "Riga" gives us "iga," which is surrounded by "setting," meaning surroundings. So, "SETTING" fits the clue.
Darren's organised minor tasks? (7)
Answer: ERRANDS
"Darren's organised" suggests that the letters of Darren's have been arranged in a particular order. "Minor tasks" implies small jobs or chores. Rearranging the letters in "Darren's" gives us "errands," which indeed are minor tasks or small jobs to be done.
Press notable for representing athlete's finest feat (8,4)
Answer: PERSONAL BEST
"Press notable" suggests a term associated with media. "Athlete's finest feat" indicates something an athlete achieves. When an athlete performs their best, it's often referred to as their "personal best," which fits the clue's length.
European has impressions about British boards? (7)
Answer: EMBARKS
"European" refers to the abbreviation for European, which is "E." "Impressions" here indicate imprints or marks, and "British boards" suggests that we're looking for a word related to boards or surfaces. When "E" (European) is placed around "marks" or "impressions," we get "EMBARKS," which means to board a ship or start a journey.
Minor actor with sense about role ultimately? That's irrelevant (10)
Answer: EXTRANEOUS
"Minor actor" is a "extra," "sense" could refer to "nous" (which is "sense" in French), and "role ultimately" suggests the last letter of "role," which is "e." Putting them together, we get "EXTRANEOUS," which means irrelevant or unnecessary.
A generic novel for writer Dale (8)
Answer: CARNEGIE
"A generic novel" is a reference to the common term "a" and "novel." "Writer Dale" is a reference to the famous writer and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Therefore, the answer is "CARNEGIE."
Son facing mess first off gets agricultural implement (6)
Answer: SICKLE
"Son" is "S," "mess first off" indicates removing the first letter from "mess," which leaves "ess." When "S" faces "ess," we get "SICKLE," which is an agricultural implement.
Show strong emotion left trapped by unsound scheme (not half) (4)
Answer: BLUB
"Strong emotion" suggests crying, and "unsound scheme (not half)" indicates removing the last two letters of "unsound scheme," which leaves "unsound sch." Inside "unsound sch" we place "L" for "left," resulting in "BLUB," which means to cry or sob.
Something dishonest in terrible tour? It's an atypical thing (7)
Answer: OUTLIER
"Something dishonest" suggests that we're looking for a word implying deceit or dishonesty. "Terrible tour" indicates an anagram of the word "tour." "It's an atypical thing" hints that the answer is something unusual or atypical. Putting it all together, we find that "OUTLIER" fits the bill—it means something that lies outside the normal range or distribution.
Varied welders mull over opening of shop for poorer residents? (4,8)
Answer: SLUMDWELLERS
"Varied welders" indicates an anagram of the word "welders." "Mull over" suggests that we include the opening letters of "shop" (S) within this anagram. "For poorer residents" gives the definition part of the clue. Altogether, "SLUM DWELLERS" refers to people living in poor, overcrowded urban areas
