The Guardian Cryptic by Rufus for July 28th

I gave this Rufus a fair go. The last one I'd tried was very hard. This one seemed a bit more forgiving. I liked the cleverness of some of the clues. To be clever in so few words - that really is an art. 26A Baby bird? (5) wonderful when the lightbulb goes on. I got that same awe with 25A even though I'd had to cheat. The clue is so well done I don't mind it having beaten me.

As I scribbled, there are several bird clues but I don't think this was a bird themed puzzle.

7A - It adds zest to meals for sailor on board (5,4)
"It adds zest to meals" is the definition. "Sailor" = SALT, "board" = TABLE (had that clued recently so it was fresh in my mind) reverse them around for TABLE SALT.

8A - A word of warning to golfers in the past (5)
I knew the word golfers shout to warn others is FORE and we want a word for "in the past" yet I cheated because I couldn't think of AFORE.

9A - Found her a problem, - totally obscure (7-2)
"Totally obscure" is the definition. "Found her a problem" is fodder + anagrind. mix up "found her a" to reveal UNHEARD-OF.

10A - Going down, he may be saved by the bell (5)
I admit my first thoughts were boxing - wasn't that the intention of the clue? We wanted to think diving bell for DIVER.

12A - One of seven suffering from cold? (6)
This was a gift clue. "One of seven" meaning we need something that comes in sevens and the one that springs to mind could be the Seven Dwarves (Dwarfs?) and the one most likely to have a cold is SNEEZY.

13A - Reckon I'm splitting what's left (8)
"Reckon" is the definition and if we consider"what's left" and think about inheritance we get ESTATE and then "I'm splitting" means we want to insert IM into ESTATE to give EST(IM)ATE.

14A - The arms go around the cheeky little pet! (7)
"Cheeky little pet" is our definition and "The arms go around" is fodder + anagrind. Mix up "The arms" to get a HAMSTER.

17A - See red hair? (7)
This clue is wonderful. I wish I had been clever enough to get it because it deserves to be solved. I believe this is an &lit clue which means "and literally so" So something that means to "see red" and is also a "red hair"? BRISTLE.

20A - Passionate love bird (8)
With cross letters and going on with the bird theme - if it is a theme. "Passionate" = FLAMING and "love" = O for FLAMINGO

22A - Groups of people changing planes (6)
Straightforward anagram clue: "Groups of people" = definition "changing" = anagrind and "planes" = fodder. Mix up the fodder to get PANELS.

24A - By the sound of it, gather a crowd (5)
I did not get this one. I'm guessing it's a homophone clue and it may be "gather" = HOARD which "sound"s like HORDE, a synonym for "crowd"

25A - They are articulate in personal columns (9)
What a gorgeous clue! I wish I had gotten this to show it the appreciation it's due. We are forgiven for thinking newspapers as that was the intention. We want to think far more personal - VERTEBRAE. Isn't that delicious.

26A - Baby bird? (5)
Don't go down the rabbit hole of listing names of various baby birds. See the question mark - it's telling you that you must think cryptically, laterally, out of the box. Bird bringing baby? STORK. Two words, so much subtext. It's brilliant fun!

27A - Remembering various stories can lead to novel (9)
A well written clue doesn't reveal its type. I did not realise this was an anagram clue until just now. I had cheated for this and thought it was more like a straight clue - until I spied the fodder "can lead to" because I had not figured "novel" as an anagrind. Mix up the fodder to get ANECDOTAL . So slick.

1D - Clergyman taking a point to heart may be fired (6)
I did search through a list of "Clergymen" until a word popped out that seemed plausible. "Clergyman" = CANON and "a point to heart" means insert a compass point into the middle of CANON to make a word for something that "may be fired" = CANNON

2D - Retired train-bearers? (8)
Once I got over the idea of bridesmaids - you know, they carry the bride's train? Anyway once I got over that idea I thought about actual trains and the answer popped in my head: SLEEPERS. Only about to buy some for my raised garden beds.

3D - Bird circles its quarry (6)
We want a "Bird" and "circles" = O and "quarry" = PREY which lead me to OSPREY. Where does the S come from? is it because "circles" is plural we add OS?

4D - Carriage upside down on road crossing (7)
Did not get. Definition is "road crossing" answer is FLYOVER. Not sure how it's solved, sorry.

5D - State in a loud and resolute way (6)
I can only see this a straight clue, not a cryptic one. I'd needed cross letters but got AFFIRM. How do we read this cryptically?

6D - Eastern trail one meandered (8)
Definition is "Eastern" "trail one meandered" is fodder + anagrind. Mix up "trail one" to get ORIENTAL.

11D - Move with a little spooning (4)
I wonder if this should have a question mark. You have to think laterally. Just take off the ing from "spooning" and maybe it's clearer? Answer is STIR.

15D - What it takes to make the world of confectionary? (3-5)
What does it take? It takes ALL SORTS. All Sorts being a common liquorice confectionary.

16D - The main type of eagle (4)
I do not get this one. We want a type of "eagle" but how the ERNE is a "main type" I'm not sure.

18D - Suitable work for a lay reader (8)
I may be missing a parable or common idiom here and I had to cheat. Answer is SONGBOOK.

19D - Not a particular person (7)
It could be anyone, but it's not, it's SOMEONE.

21D - Way fleet is brought up to date? (6)
I took a guess with cross letters but I'm not sure how this clue works. MODERN, meaning to be "brought up to date" I could see. Also "Way" = MODE but "fleet" eludes me. Are nurses in fleets?

22D - Revolt when school place is switched (6)
I could tell we needed to shift around letters. I even figured the SCH was important. I've never heard of PUTSCH and am unsure how the UT fits in here. I thought maybe it was Yiddish and looked up Schput - not yiddish, but it is a Pennsylvania Dutch word for teasing or bullshitting. Not that that sheds any light here but was interesting.

23D - A small variety of beasts of burden (6)
I jokingly got the right answer. We shout LLAMAS a lot around here because we watch a lot of Horrible Histories. "A small variety" is fodder + anagrind, mix up "a small" to get LLAMAS for the "beasts of burden" Hey, better the Llama song than Rod Stewart, right?

There! Done! Yay, got through a Rufus puzzle. That's quite exciting, for puzzle type people. No, it really is. Sing your small victories even if no one else cares. Sometimes it's ok to a praising party of one.

I didn't get time for the Age's RM puzzle. Tuesday is looking slim for puzzle solving time too. I've been swamped today and have done a slap/dash edit here so apologies for typos and sloppiness.

Guardian Cryptic by Tramp from 25th July,

Tackling the Guardian cryptic from Friday the 25th set by Tramp. Another new compiler for me. I really should get into these more, do a few from each from the archive list. If only these puzzles only took me a half hour to solve - one day. To have all the knowledges of the scary puzzles. 

I did all right. I got a lot of them by guessing and can't parse the clues, which is frustrating. Some clues are bewildering - 24D? 1A, 10A? Yet others seemed straightforward to me that folks in the comments were stumped by, like 2D - although I'd already had the last letter in place by cheating. 

All red pens are cheats. I got 20A in first which bolstered up my confidence, even though I was going "DBs? Douchebags? Dog's bollocks?"

Here's the snap:

8A - These might help one pick up jewellery? (8)

Yeah, I didn't get this. I may be missing something here, but EARDROPS are not jewellery. I can see something needing picked up may have been dropped, but this was not a happy start for me.

9A -  Go into two hospital departments (5)

I'm not sure if this is a double definition clue, or not. I was looking for the acronyms of two hospital depts - having exhausted things like wards, units, wings. With a couple cross letters I saw ENTER. I can see ER (although Brits call that A&E) so I'm wondering if NTE means anything? Not looking likely.

10A -  Toy Story's central character on stage (4)

Completely flummoxed. Central character is Woody, or do I want the middle letter from "Toy Story" or Woody either way it's an O - nothing works for me. "On stage"? Answer was LEGO. Not a hidden word -  Help me out, friends!

11A -  Hef row — Playboy gutted it affected his partner? (6,4)

Had to dissect this a bit. Definition is hard to grasp but it's "Playboy's partner" and we are dealing with an anagram/charade hybrid clue - I think that's what we call this. We need the letters from "Hef row" then we do as we're told "Playboy gutted" and remove the middle letters from Playboy leaving PY, "it affected" was hint enough to take IT. So we have HEF ROW PY IT - mix those up to get TROPHY WIFE.

12A -  Right, left rubbish (6)

So short! No hand holding here. I didn't know where to go so I cheated. Definition is "Right" or more on the side of right. Breaking this down we need "left" = L and "rubbish" = AWFUL for LAWFUL.

14A -  One could upset retiring vicar — lay to rest outside (8)

I probably have this wrong, and I cheated on this clue. "One could upset retiring vicar" could mean to mix up some of the letters of "retiring" -G and use the V from "vicar" and get a misspelled "invertir" which is close to the real answer INVERTER. As it is possible to "upset retiring vicar" you won't get the whole answer that way. Let's not ignore the other half of the clue, "Lay to rest"  = INTER. That goes "outside" so where are we to get the ER if IN (V) (ER) TER is how this is solved?

15A -  Slander in A Bug's Life? Pixar films' executive ultimately seizing power (7)

"Slander" is our definition. I got this with cross letters and a thesaurus, otherwise I have no idea how to get ASPERSE. I see "ultimately" and think first letters but only the SP, where's the rest of the clue? Last letters? 

17A -  Plans where PM lives without owning — tense? (7)

I'm a bit more comfortable here. "Plans" is the definition. "Where PM lives without owning" Well the UK PM lives in 10 Downing St. so we write TEN and "without -owning" leaves just the D. I suppose we want to make that IN TEN D and "tense?" is asking us to make that grammar complaint with "Plans"  giving us INTENDS.

20A -  At home, David Beckham primarily surrounded by footballers' wives — they talk a lot (8)

First clue out. "At home" = IN "David Beckham primarily" means take first letters giving us DB. "Surrounded by footballers' wives" = WAGS and it's put together like this: W (IN) (DB) AGS For WINDBAGS - "They talk a lot"

22A -  Plant used to be a bit short (6)

"Plant" is the definition. "used to be" = WAS and "a bit short" means drop the last letter from "bit" -T = ABI for WASABI. Should read "sinus clearing plant" or "fiery tongue death plant"

23A -  State that's rarely encountered scenes with cars crashing (10)

I'm guessing this a comment on how we're in a privileged society compared to others on this planet? "State that rarely encountered" is the definition and "scenes with cars crashing" is fodder (scenes cars) and anagrind (crashing) yielding: SCARCENESS.

24A - Loud bar for Sibelius? (4)

I didn't get but I keep missing this clueing. I've had this recently! I could kick myself. "loud" = F for forté and "bar" = INN for FINN. I don't quite get the parsing. I know Sibelius was Finnish because wiki tells me but that's about all I get from this. Why do I still feel like I'm missing something?

25A -   One goal pulled back includes header from Manchester City (5)

Please correct me if I get this wrong - I just had letters and mixed them like an anagram. "One" = I, "goal" = AIM "pulled back" means we shunt the letters - the M drops off, everything shifts to the right and the M pops back to the beginning giving MIAI "Includes header from Manchester" tells us to take the first letter "header" from Manchester and "include" it in the available letters giving us a "city" = MIAMI.

26A -  Playing concertina not on without core piece (8)

"Without core piece" is our definition. "playing concertina not on" tells us playing is an anagrind and "concertina" the fodder but we don't want the letters ON included (not on) so ConCERTINA will remix to give ACENTRIC.

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2. 1D - Identifiers close to brave volunteers, guns heartlessly support war (4,4)
3. With cross letters and getting a few clued letters I got this. "Identifiers" is the definition. I think "brave volunteers" is TA for territorial army. "Guns heartlessly" = GS by removing the "heart" of the word guns. "War" = NAM. Answer becomes NAME TAGS. I'm still short the E - where did it come from?
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6. 2D - Earth not even, pulled up tuber (4)
7. We want a "tuber", "Earth" = E and "not even" = ODD and "pulled up" means for a down clue, to write the words in reverse from bottom up giving EDDO.
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10. 3D - Deadly weapon changing hands in the end (6)
11. Having the DA so recently, this was more obvious. "Deadly" is the definition "weapon" = MORTAR "changing hands in the end" since the last letter in R, we want to make it "left handed" by adding an L to give us MORTAL.
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14. 4D - Gradual acceptance to mind big, second sister (7)
15. This was mostly guessing with cross letters. "Gradual acceptance" is the definition OSMOSIS the answer. I can see SIS coming from "sister" but that's it. Was I supposed to think "big" was COSMOS? Bewildered.
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18. 5D - Partners own casing for nineteen locks: Yale set here (3,5)
19. Again, cross letters and I'm from New England. Once I looked at Yale as not being a lock, but the university it was easier. NEW HAVEN. How does "partners own" fit as it's not a possessive but a plural so I was thinking of co-ops. "casing" meaning it goes around a word for "nineteen locks" but no Roman numerals here and nothing about hair - well there's WAVE  - but I'm very lost here.
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22. 6D - One serving on board's ratatouille? Dear dished out seconds (10)
23. Had to cheat. "One serving on board" is the definition. "Ratatouille" = STEW "Dear dished" is fodder + anagrind DEAR and somehow I'm supposed to figure out to take the two SS's from "out seconds" to give us STEW (ARDE) SS for STEWARDESS.
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26. 7D - Toy model gun (6)
27. Couldn't make it easy and give us a dessert clue. Double definition clue - maybe? The word "model" throws me. "Toy" = TRIFLE as in to meddle with something and a "Toy" = T, "gun" = RIFLE = TRIFLE. Not a satisfying clue.
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30. 13D - All runners suffering in performance test (5,5)
31. With cross letters I had a good guess on the second word being TRIAL for "test" but the first word never came to me. I thought "suffering" was an anagrind but I couldn't find the fodder. Answer is FIELD TRIAL for "performance test"
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33. 16D - "Porky" cut over tease (5,3)
34. Did not get - yuck. I think I was starting to get fed up and tired. SPARE RIB is the answer. I guess that is a "porky cut" and to "tease" someone can mean to give them a ribbing.
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37. 18D - Suave Bond — middle of sea, Craig's stripped off (8)
38. Feeling better again - I liked this clue! "Suave" is the definition. Take all of "Bond"  even though it's a proper noun and we often want to steal only the first letters from proper nouns - here we want it all. "middle of sea" = E, the middle letter in sEa, "craig's stripped off" means remove outer letters from "c-rai-g" leaving only RAI and all those letters will be mixed per the "off" instruction. Put together we get BOND+E+RAI gives us DEBONAIR.
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41. 19D - Uprising of South Africa and one gets old spear (7)
42. "Spear" is the definition "uprising of South Africa" where uprising is an instruction  to put the SA from "South Africa" (remember, proper noun rule - doesn't always apply but here it does) reversed in a down clue becomes AS. "one" = I and "gets old" = AGES put together like this AS (SEGA) I for ASSEGAI, a kind of spear. Looks like we wanted "I + AGES" uprising too, that's what the "and" was telling us.
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45. 21D - Revenue work out economics: detailed cost hidden (6)
46. I took a good guess. "Revenue" is the definition. I was trying to figure out the answer and I think there's a deletion at play with "economics" because the letters for INCOME are there. The word "out" looks like a deletion signpost and the word "hidden" looks like a hidden word signpost - maybe an overly obvious one. We can't remove the entire word "cost" from "economics" as there's no T, but the rest we can - so I'm not sure I'm on the right path, here and yet that works...doesn't it?
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49. 22D - Drunk rocker in the ’50s? (6)

I could get that "Drunk" = WASTED but I have no idea what "50's rocker" I'm supposed to know. Was Ted? Teddy Boys?

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2. 24D - Cup to drink, not a lot (4)

I have no idea. Tramp even mentioned in the comments "I don't really like fa = cup " so I don't feel so bad about not getting it. I'm guessing it's a football thing? FA Cup? But where do I get the TE for FATE?

This puzzle has an Easter Egg in it. That's gamer talk for a sneaky, hidden extra. In cryptic crosswords they're called Ninas. They get that name from Al Hirshfeld, an artist who would hide the name of his daughter, Nina in his character art. Here if we look to the outer edge single squares (called unches - and that's not in a dictionary, it's what compilers call them) you'll see a listing of Pixar movies NEMO blends into MONSTERS INC, blends into INCREDIBLES leaving us with WALL-E. Yay! My first Nina puzzle!

That's how it went, that's how it was. I'll tackle today's puzzles later and have something up for tomorrow. Hope you had a great weekend and that your Monday is kind to you.

The Age Cryptic by DA for 25th July

I found it hard this week but not as hard as I'd anticipated from last week. No reverse Latin Spooners. I did struggle on Friday as I had a dull, persistent headache that would not shift. Light sensitive and just tired. I gave up before lunch and tried fresh air, for a while between rain showers. Came back at night and got a few more in. Most of the solving happened this Saturday morning and I hit the D.A. Trippers for hints a lot. I couldn't get those delightful epiphany moments this week.

I got extremely stuck on 19A. I was pretty certain I'd had the right answer. I was in fact completely wrong. It was made harder that my wrong answer had two correct cross letters. I was more convinced I was right and the other clues were wrong. Ego, you wicked thing. You can see my reasoning in the notes in the picture:

1A -Brazenly steal Spooner's sausage packet (9)

The first clue being a Spooner made me wonder if my prediction last week was coming true! Definition is "Brazenly steal" and the phrase we want is "Snag Batch" for "Sausage packet" to be Spoonered into BAG SNATCH. Or de-spoonered, unSpoonerized?

6A -Grand speed recorded by snake (5)

"Grand" led me to think it was either going to be a K or an M for 1000. "Speed" = RATE but the word "recorded" hints that we want a homophone, something that will give us a "snake" KRAIT. I'd never heard of it and had to resort to a list of snakes starting with K.

9A - Wagtail ducks mud (3)

My first clue solved. "waG tail" is a one word instruction to take the "tail" or last letter of "wag" = G "ducks" = OO (recently read ducks is an O in crosswords because a batsman's score of zero in cricket is called a duck. Similar to a goose egg? Keeping that list handy in sidebar) for GOO, a synonym for mud.

10A - He sketches our party feeding frail rat, we hear (11)

"He sketches" is the definition and "our party" = US "feeding" I think means that US is to go inside the word, "frail" = ILL "rat, we hear" = TRAITOR but we want it to sound more rat-like or TRATOR to give us ILLUSTRATOR. I admit I got this with cross letters and "he sketches" and I'd worked out "our party" = US but needed to work out the order.

11A - Day looked well off (7)

"Well off" is the definition and I guess we want a day that kind of looks like the answer MONEYED, it's sort of like Monday with the "day" part reversed. Is that how the "off"fits, too?

12A - Annoying kids lose passport in one city (7)

I had part of this, but couldn't make it work until late in solving. My notes show much of the working out. "Annoying" in the definition. "kids lose passport" where our "passport" = ID, remove those letters from "kids" for KS  to be placed "in" "one" = I and a "city" = ROME so it looks like: I (R(KS)OME) which is seriously IRKSOME.

14A - A little blue heeler is queasy in stomach (6) 

"A little blue" is the definition and I was trying to figure out synonyms for depressed. Then words for breeds of dog. "is queasy" looks like an anagrind. What does "in stomach" mean? Rule of thumb: if it all looks too garbled and you can't make heads or tails of it, try for hidden words. "In" is often the only signpost you'll get for a hidden word. "heeleR IS QUEasy" snugly holds RISQUE, another kind of blue. It's looking like "stomach" is a signpost meaning in the middle of a word.

15A - Purplish agate base going either end of factory (8)

"Purplish" is the definition. This clue is mentioned in 25A and I got that answer first, which made this one easier. "agatE base" = E "GoinG either end" = GG and "factory" = PLANT for EGGPLANT.

18A - Expecting hype to precede current US writer (8)

"Expecting" is the definition. "Hype" = PR and "current US writer" = EGGERS who I've never heard of but I'm told has been on a book tour of Oz recently, giving us PREGGERS, a slang word for one who's expecting.

19A - Bond on building site reveals big gun (6)

This clue. This has given me hives. I was certain "Bond" = JOIN and a "bond on site" would be a joiner and that the "big gun" was the ER for the Queen. Heh - yes? Right? See it? Too farfetched? I was told the answer was a "big gun" but the answer became MORTAR. No time was I ever going to get that. I thought a mortar was the ammo, not the actual gun. I was confusing a mortar with a mortar shell. Double definition clue as a "Bond on building site"  and a "big gun" are both MORTAR.

21A - Wave rattles carrier (7)

Back to sanity! Simple anagrind + fodder = definition! Mix up "rattles" to get the telephone "carrier" TELSTRA.

23A - Olympic event exhausted state (4,3)

I'd got this, but havered over the answer because of the letter P. Answer is SHOT PUT. "Exhausted"  = SHOT and the "state" = PUT? Is that state as in how we say something? Let me put/state it this way? I'd thought the UT was for Utah, so the P caused me pause.

25A - US president kidnapping Arab leader to secure a negative dip involving 15-across (4,7)

"Dip involving EGGPLANT" is our definition. "US president" = BUSH "kidnapping Arab leader" = A "to secure" = BAG "negative" = NO then we need to take that last A in the sentence and put it all together like this: B(A+BAG+A+NO)USH. I'm pretty sure anyway. Answer is BABA GANOUSH.

27A - Setter perhaps losing face on acquiring *Nickelback record (3)

I'm not sure here. I can see "Setter" = DOG "losing face" means remove the first letter -D but how we know to "acquire" the L from "Nickelback" to give us LOG as definition for "record" I don't know. Or does "losing face" mean to take the L from "losing"? *Robin points out in comments where I've gone wrong - I'm misspelling Nickelback. Now it becomes a one word instruction to take the last letter from "nickeL back" where I was spelling Nickleback with the LE transposed. We'll just chalk that up to a brain fart, shall we?

28A - Buzz really gave bleeding heart success (5)

"Buzz really" is the definition "bleEDing heart" = ED and a "success" = WIN for EDWIN, the real name of Buzz Aldrin. (Thanks for the hints Julie & Gayle & Mort & NN)

29A - Queen wearing pearl coat (9)

We are looking for a "Queen" and "wearing" is an anagrind (new one for me) and if we mix-up the fodder "pearl coat" we get CLEOPATRA for the second time this week.

1D - Guy smashed in luxury car out west - struth! (2,3)

"Struth" is the definition. "Guy smashed" means we'll have to mix GUY "in"  a "luxury ca" = BMW but we need to "out west" - W so B(YGU)M for BY GUM.

2D - Justification fit strong feelings (11)

"Justification" = GROUNDS and "fit" = WELL to give GROUNDSWELL for "strong feelings". 

I got this with help from Ray " 2D – if you have “justification” you have “xxxxxxx” to do something. If you are “fit” you are “xxxx”. "

3D - Helpless singer bombarded guy online (4,5)

"Helpless singer" is the definition and "Bombarded guy online" is anagrind and fodder. Mix-up fodder to reveal NEIL YOUNG.

4D - Holy Spanish city to sing head off in uprising (6)

I did google "Holy Spanish city" and got a big tourist's list of places to visit. I've had the 60's Batman series in my mind lately and suddenly heard Robin say "Holy TOLEDO, Batman! There it was! A mix of that list and Batman. How to get this cryptically? Uhm...I'm stumped. Do we need a word meaning to "sing" that we remove the first letter from and add on another bit meaning "uprising"?

5D - Battle requiring smarts to shoulder bombs (8)
"Battle" is the definition and we are looking for a particular historical battle. "Smarts" = STINGS and the "bombs" = H & A for hydrogen and atomic. HA are to be put on the "shoulders" of STINGS to read HASTINGS.

6D - Fated vessel tours ditch to moor in two kilometres (5)
I had cross letters and a DAT hinted this was a submarine.  Working backwards "in two kilometres" = KK, "tours ditch to" means to remove the -TO from tours leaving URS and put that "in" the KK for KURSK. 

7D - Meet a circus legend, Barnum (3)
"Meet" is the definition. We want the famous circus man PT Barnum and use the A from the clue for APT. I had to check the thesaurus to be sure apt was a synonym for meet.

8D - Bully blokes in Twin Peaks (9)
This took me ages! "Bully blokes" = MEN and they go between "twin peaks" = TOR X2 for TORMENTOR. I'm glad it had nothing to do with the TV show because I've never watched that show.

13D - Barely thinking out, with optional makeover (2,9)
"Barely thinking" = ON AUTOPILOT but damned if I can get the parsing. I keep looking at "out + optional" and thinking it's fodder to be mixed but it doesn't work...hold on...I'll be damned it bloody does! I ran those through three times and drew lines...I'm not paying attention!

14D - Terribly pure, above board! (9)
"Terribly pure" = PURE as fodder to be placed above a synonym for "Board" = TABLE giving REPUTABLE as a word for "above board" I think this is an &lit clue.

16D - Picture editor getting Asian broth, having baloney with the works (9)
We want the name of a popular "picture editor" and we get they by "Asian broth" = PHO, "baloney" = TOSH and here I'm not sure why "The works" = OP. The answer is PHOTOSHOP. So if someone could explain the OP part, that'd be great.

17D - Spirit can lift a resistance publication from the get-go (8)
This was not unlike untangling knots. "Spirit" is the definition. "Can lift" for a down clue is tells us to reverse can to NAC, "publication" = MAG and I got the clue from there, but I think "resistance" = R, I'm not sure what "from the get-go" is leading us to but we can snag the A from the clue to give us ARMAGNAC.

20D - Clever to park vehicle south of a thoroughfare (6) 
"Clever" is the definition. "vehicle" = UTE placed "south" or below A "thoroughfare" = ST put together for ASTUTE. 

22D - Smack got in Cross (5)
"Cross" is the definition and we want a particular type of cross meaning cross breed. "Smack" is an anagrind and "got in" the fodder to reveal TIGON - a tiger/lion mix. I thought they were called Ligers? Oh I see it depends on which is the male/female where the name gets to go first.

24D - Steve Waugh getting a good paunch in retirement (5)
I need the hints from DAT to get this because Steve Waugh is a cricket guy and I know sweet FA about cricket or its heroes. We want to use his nickname, which is TUGGA. Not really sure about the parsing.

26D - Old weapon declared steady (3)
"Old weapon" is the definition and "declared" is a homophone signpost where want a word for "steady" but not the unwavering solid kind, but romantic boyfriend type BEAU = BOW.


Another week, another DA slain. Mostly, a few bits and pieces to clear up but not a bad effort after all. So does this mean next week is all Spooner Latin puns? As always, thanks to the DA Trippers. I owe you folks a round.

The Age Cryptic by DP for 23rd July

I set myself a challenge here. I wanted to see how many clues I could get without using my laptop. No dictionary, no thesaurus - just my brain. Me alone. It was scary, I yearned for the quick fix. My anagram solver! Having to work anagrams Ye Olde Style with no back-up tech to help soothe my anxious heart. What if that's the wrong answer?!

I trudged along. Took a couple hours but I quit with only five clues unsolved. I was feeling proud. I'd beaten those demons, those crows of doubt. I can do this on my own, even a little bit! From now on I'll work the puzzles from the start on my own and only use the aides when I'm at a wall and can't go further. I needed those comforts when starting out, I needed their reassurance. Now it's time to take off the training wheels.

1A - Fido's first meal was a mess! (4,9)
Easy! Got it in one. Common UK expression DOG'S BREAKFAST. We could be forgiven for thinking "mess" was an anagrind, yes?

9A - Refuse to put front of Bentley in the shed (7)
"Refuse" is the definition and we want to think rubbish. "front of Bentley" = B and "shed" = GARAGE. Put the B "in" the  GARAGE for GARBAGE.

10A - Italian food which could produce anal gas (7)
I've seen this tossed around the Cryptic Crossword Society's Facebook page. It's juvenile humour. Always with a giggle behind hands. Definition is "Italian food" and "produce anal gas" is anagrind and fodder to bring us LASAGNA.

11A - Broken piece rent at the focal point (9)
"Broken piece rent" is anagrind + fodder with "focal point" the definition. Mix up "piece rent" to give us EPICENTRE.

12A - Looks into paper money (5)
Double definition clue. NOTES means to look into "I'll take note of that" and paper money.

13A - Mesa dish has a gold finish (7)
"Mesa" is the definition and "dish" = PLATE and "gold finish" = AU the chemical symbol for gold giving us PLATEAU.

15A - Yacht gets rising variant of 8-down (7)
I'd gotten 8D first and lightly pencilled in an answer. 5D was looking insane so I wasn't confident in my answer until the very end. "Yacht" = KETCH and "rising" = UP for KETCHUP.

18A - Charmed, but not so much in bed (7)
"Charmed" is the definition and "not so much" = LESS which is to be put in BED like this B(LESS)ED for BLESSED.

19A - I regain composition somewhere in Africa (7)
"I regain composition" is fodder + anagrind. Mix up I REGAIN to reveal NIGERIA.

21A - It could be right around the middle! (5)
"It could be right" I think is anagrind + fodder, "around the middle" is the definition for GIRTH (which also puts the R from "right" in the middle and I had cross letters so I got the clue that way. Noticed the right = girth thing later. I was thinking big bellies and belts)

24A - Fresh reading of supermodel in real setting (9)
I had to cheat for this one and used One Across. I had all the cross letters. I can see "Super" and "real" are fodder and perhaps "fresh reading" is an anagrind? Is "supermodel" an anagrind + fodder in one word "SUPERmodel"  in  "REAL" -That looks right-  RE (PERUS) AL.  REPERUSAL. None of my dictionaries like this word. This makes "Fresh reading" the definition.

26A - Back up about doggerel (7)
I took a guess and had all cross letters. Answer is REVERSE. I figured it was the definition for "Back up" and I didn't know what "doggerel" was without my dictionary. Turns out it's a kind of verse. So that worked out well.

27A - Catcall jeers at such mistakes (7)
I put this in last. I had most cross letters and thought, could this really be the answer? I'd thought BOO HISS - one for "Catcall" and another for "jeers" but that's not one word. This is a double definition and we just want BOOBOOS.

28A - Objectless after first course of lovers' words (5,8)
"Objectless" = NOTHINGS and we don't want starters, or entrees but "course" = SWEET for those lovers' words, SWEET NOTHINGS.

1D - What do you say to a stingy miner? (3,4)
Punny pun is pun. DIG DEEP! You know, because miners dig and we tell people giving to charity to "dig deep" into their pockets for donations. You got that...

2D - Produce shoots at gate confining unruly miner (9)
"Produce shoots" is the definition. "Gate confining" tells us the word GATE (or could be a word for gate, but here it's just gate) will confine an "unruly MINER"  - anagrind + fodder - to give G(ERMIN)ATE. or GERMINATE, the process of seeds producing shoots.

3D - Pair permits some jewellery (9)
I got this late. I'm unsure about how "pair" is used here. I could get "permits" = LETS but how does "pair" = BRACE for the "jewellery BRACELETS?

4D - Tango, when smooth, creates the occasion (5)
I got with cross letters. "Occasion" is our definition. "Tango" = T and "when smooth" = EVEN for EVENT. I wonder if "creates" is an anagrind and that gets the T to the end of the word?

5D - It holds wine - drink-like perhaps (9)
I was stuffed on this one. And I saw random Ks and thought - what the hell is this word?! I resorted to One Across and got KILDERKIN. Odd enough, I did know what a Firkin was! I used to live near a pub in Scotland called the Physician and Firkin, where I downed many. But looking closer I can now see "drink-like perhaps" is fodder + anagrind.

6D - Hard-hearted lad is lighting fires (5)
"hARd - hearted" is an instruction to take the "heart" from the word "hard" giving us AR and "lad" = SON for a word for "lighting fires" ARSON.

7D- Binding under the influence (5)
Double definition and compilers do love that old word for "under the influence" meaning drunk TIGHT.

8D - Tom's high on sauce (6)
"Tom's" = CATS "high" = UP for a "sauce" CATSUP.

14D - Inadequately sensed carpet padding (9)
"Carpet padding" is the definition. "inadequately sensed" = UNDER FELT, but as one word. I'd had the "under" part in a long time but took longer to get "sensed" = FELT.

16D - Biplane involving feline insect (5,4)
Again it was easy for me as I live near one of these and it flies over my house all summer. "Feline" = TIGER and "insect" = MOTH for the "biplane" TIGERMOTH.

17D - How to thrash Ron using ammonia as a solution (9)
I know "thrash" is an anagrind, right? Has to be. No? Damn! "Ammonia as a solution" is the definition and "thrash Ron" is our fodder and you can see I fumbled about with a couple tries but couldn't get HARTSHORN. I'd never heard of it before. (notes say I used anagram solver and google)

18D - Did Humphrey produce graffiti in the toilet? (6)
Really? Ouch. That's painful. The only "Humphrey" I know is BOGART who I doubt ever made BOG-ART, where bog is slang for toilet. (Yes I shared this on Twitter. I'm not a total prude, you ken. I like juvenile humour!)

20D - Are books of maps as stale perhaps? (7)
"Books of maps" is the definition and "as stale perhaps" is fodder + anagrind. Mixing "AS STALE" gives us ATLASES.

22D - Flies off the handle at wild parties (5)
Double definition: RAVES.

23D - Nag with husky voice (5)
Double definition: HORSE.

25D - Half-blotto under cover of Father Picasso (5)
"half-BLOtto" means take half of blotto for BLO and that goes "under" the  "Father" = PA for Picasso's first name PABLO. I'm not sure what "cover" is there for. Well without cover it does look like someone is drunk and under Father Picasso which may be a bit risqué given current controversies.

There, done. How does that feel? Good? Good. Moving on it's a Puck puzzle from the Guardian today so I'll give that one a go and tomorrow is DA-day. So much to look forward to on a rainy, cold end to the week. I'd printed out yesterday's Quos (Is that pronounced Chaos?) and will give it an eyeball, too. That's three puzzles for today - counting the Age's NS. Oh we are ambitious aren't we! Riding high on some success, am I? Absolutely! I'll ride that wave until I crash.

Have a good day!

The Age Cryptic by DH from 22nd July

I got through this one in a few hours. I always get interrupted to have to attend other things but I find those welcome breaks. Sometimes I get so stuck in one line of thinking I can't break free and won't solve a clue.

I got 20A wrong because I didn't use the second part of the clue, the cryptic side, at all. That meant I struggled to get 14D and 18D but I had enough correct letters that I didn't know I was wrong. The answers worked in some cross clues, but not others. It's annoying when that happens.

1A - I wonder hourly at movement to act without reserve (3,4,4,4)
"To act without reserve" is the definition and "movement" an anagrind, so mix up "I wonder hourly at" to reveal LET YOUR HAIR DOWN.

9A - George to perforate cooking plate (7)
"Cooking plate" is the definition and we want to take the G from "George" and "perforate" = RIDDLE (think riddled with holes) to give us GRIDDLE. (Makes me look at The Riddler in a whole new light)

10A - Diana in Iolanthe? First for the great Italian composer (7)
"Great Italian composer" is the definition (or matter of opinion, you can remove "great" if you disagree) and we want "Diana" = ROSS (not the princess for once) use the available IN and take the I from "Iolanthe" for ROSSINI.

11A - Some battery problem so great? (7)
I didn't get this. I can see "problem so great" where problem is the anagrind and "so great" the fodder to be mixed to give us STORAGE, and I guess some batteries do have storage as their main problem. I found this clue confusing. "Some" I thought was telling me to take partial letters from "battery" and I was thinking "battery" meant assault.

12A - Tip Anne off; it's feather-like (7)
"Tip Anne off" where "off" is the anagrind and "tip Anne" the fodder to be mixed to give us PINNATE, a word meaning "feather-like"

13A - Gossip writer E is a hostile infiltrator (5,9)
I got the second word of the answer with cross letters and thinking it a synonym with "writer" = COLUMNIST. But then It went cold for me. I had cross letters for the 5-letter word but no idea what was going on. I have no idea how "Gossip writer E" Gets FIFTH COLUMNIST. I had to look that up, too.

17A - Every step in his treatment, being allergic (14)
"Being allergic" is the definition and "Every step in his treatment" is fodder and anagrind, mix up the first four words to render HYPERSENSITIVE.

20A - Popular set pouring out (2,5)
I may have fallen into an obvious trap. I didn't care about the cryptic side of this clue "pouring out" I just went with "Popular set" = IN CROWD but if I'd taken a moment to look closer, I'd have realised "out" was an anagrind and "pouring" becomes IN GROUP, which doesn't sing as nicely in crowd.

22A - Changes position about it, returning driving forces (7)
"Driving forces" is our definition, "changes position" = MOVES and that gets split about "it, returning" means reverse IT = TI  to give MO (TI) VES

24A - Plethora certainly? Fellow inside has sex appeal (7)
"Plethora" is the definition. "Certainly" = SURE "Fellow inside"  = SUR (F) E then "sex appeal" = IT so put all together to get SURFEIT.

25A - Women with barrel upset songbird (7)
"Women with barrel upset" We need the W from "women" and "BARREL" is fodder for the "upset" anagrind to give us WARBLER.

26A - In winning addition problem while entertaining (6,3,6)
Here, I did notice "problem" was an anagrind. "In winning adding" becomes WINING AND DINING for "entertaining.

1D - Extremely licentious in the past Nigerian port (5)
"Extremely LicentiouS" means take the first and last letters LS "in the past" = AGO and that goes "in" the LS: L (ago) S for the "Nigerian Port" LAGOS.

2D - Journey to Hotel Malawi ends in Lebanese port (7)
"Journey" = TRIP "tO HoteL MalawI ends" means take the last letters of previous words: OLI and put together for a "Lebanese port" TRIPOLI.

3D - Star model ruined great painter of the 16th century (3,6)
"Star model ruined" is fodder and anagrind remixed to give OLD MASTER for "Painter of the 16th century" and Oh Thank Goodness we didn't have to trawl through lists of 16th century painters! Rabbit hole averted!

4D - Always turning up carrying the last manorial steward (5)
"Always" = EVER and "turning up" for a down clue means we put that in from bottom to top - but it's "carrying thE last" so need to put an extra E in there which gives us REEVE. I didn't get this."Manorial steward" made me only think of Alfred Pennyworth, the butler from Batman.

5D - Unusually cool Paris, for old citadel (9)
"Unusually cool Paris" anagrind + fodder = ACROPOLIS as our "old citadel"

6D -Transgress again making varnish ingredient (5)
I do not quite how to make this work. I could see the answer was RESIN and then I googled a bit to confirm resin was a varnish ingredient - it is. So in word play, the word "transgRESs" or just "trans" means something? I can see RES in there and then "agaIN" but why would I remove the AGA? I don't know how this clue works, but I could see the answer - does that make sense?

7D -Love to equip French mate for some Asian art (7)
"Love" = O "to equip" = RIG and a "French mate" = AMI for ORIGAMI, the Asian art.

8D -Tie's tone oddly nut brown (8)
I must be improving, I could see this one immediately. "Tie's tone oddly" is fodder + anagrind to give us NOISETTE, a nut brown...ok it's a cut of meat and a nut flavouring according to the dictionary, but I know it's a colour because I've been looking at paint samples!

14D -Laine, an artist, holding cash for old queen (9)
I didn't get this. I had a cross letter wrong and it didn't make sense, now I see the answer I wouldn't have gotten this with the clues. Definition is an "old queen" and "Laine, an artist" = CLEO Laine and "Holding cash" = PAT Cash and I guess we need to take an A from either "an" or "artist" to give us CLEOPATRA.

15D -Making skeletal parts, Mr Tate is a problem (9)
Hey there's that word "problem" again, let's treat it as an anagrind since "Mr Tate is a" has nine letters. We mix them up to get METATARSI which are bones and count as "skeletal parts".

16D - Tea in South Australia starting with power tool (8)
I liked this clue. I like it because I got it.  "Tea" = CHA we use the available IN. We take the first letters of directions and proper  nouns (not always but often), "South Australia" and finally we need "starting With" = W to give us CHA + IN +S +A +W = CHAINSAW. The "Tea" could have been "CHAI" but then where would the N come from? Here I can see we needed to snatch the word IN from the clue.

18D - Quietly returned soldier to press for crude moulded metal (3,4)
I had this wrong. I'd googled "crude moulded metal" and found something called PAC IRON, and I put that in. Now I'm looking closer with the right answer PIG IRON. "Quietly" = P for piano the music instruction to play quietly. "Returned soldier"  = GI backwards: IG then "to press" = IRON for PIG IRON. I've never heard of this before.

19D - Five to four on? Chain store? For great composer? (7)
"Five" = V and "four" = IV and "chain store" = ALDI for VIVALDI.

21D - Being pacific once a problem (5)
A friend of mine would go insane reading this clue. She hates when people say "pacific" instead of specific. Why don't we look at the other end where our now favourite signpost "problem" sits with a convenient 5-letter fodder "once a" can mix to become OCEAN for "pacific"  Grammar nerds can calm themselves now.

22D - In debt for a thousand, did some trimming (5)
"In debt" = Owed "for a thousand" = M and "did some trimming" means MOWED.

23D - Betting on outfit getting a small spray (5)
I got this late and with the idea of "small spray" meaning a kind of bouquet. I don't know how "betting on outfit getting" brings us to SPRIG. Well I can just see "outfit" = RIG, but betting on as SP?

There, done! I did have a go the Guardian puzzle by shed which was well out of my skill set. I did get a few clues:

4D - Beer is consumed in passageway (5)
"Beer" = ALE and that "consumes" IS to become A (IS) LE for passageway.

5D - Former magistrate drives into empty bus (7)
Working from the end, "empty bus" = BS as we remove the U to make "bus" empty and "drives" = URGES" which goes "into"  like this B (urges) S  = BURGESS. Which one? I don't know but I went with Franklin Burgess.

7D - LA district (but not "hood"), clad in stones, generates queasy feeling (12)
HOLLYWOOD (-HOOD) = OLLYWO "clad in stones" = COBBLES so we must put cobbles around like this C (OLLYWO) BBLES. And it was here I gave up because if this is a grid with words like Collywobbles I was not in the mood. I'm not British enough to survive this without breaking something.

Clues I found completely perplexing:

8A - Not wholly uncorked wine, perhaps, is unusually like hard work (7)
I got as far as "uncorked" = OPEN but "not wholly" meant to remove a letter (-N) and that was it. Answer is OPEROSE.

1D - Animal turning king into solid gold (7)
Definition is an animal, but that's it. I got nothing. Even with the answer I get nothing. ROEBUCK. Too much for mid-level newbies like me.



I know my limits, I tried them. I know when to back down and have a glass of wine and go watch TV. That time is now. Have a good night!

Crochet find and getting projects finished...

I saw this blanket at a flea market (I don't know what they call them in Australia) and I liked the flower design of the basic square. I think I'd do an extra round leaving chain 2 loops around the square to use as crochet joins as I go along, rather than make the black double crochet join.

It reminded me of some of the designs by Finnish designer (Gosh I don't know her true name) Oma Koppa. Her blog is a delight, full of ideas and inspiration. Lots of fun. She looks like a wonderful person. I've stalked her through Pinterest for over a year now.

I've been working on three baby blankets for a friend who's due in August and have one granny square mostly done. I'm just finishing on the edging. Then I have a one colour lacier design that'll be done this week and finally a knitted square blanket that is wrecking my shoulder. I have a few squares done in letters for the baby (they know they're having a boy) and hearts, anchors (they're Dockers fans) and one that's got 2014 on it. I may do a simple crocheted center and sew the knitted squares around that to save me needing physio so much. I don't know why knitting gets my shoulder into knots where crochet doesn't. One day, I'll just buy a knitting machine and be done with needles, forever!

I'll share more pictures once the blankets are done. See, I do crochet as well as puzzle solve!

The Age Cryptic by RM for Monday 21st July

Not too badly with the Monday puzzle. A few clues I needed to walk away and come back with fresh eyes, unfogged brain. A few clues brought me back to my New England roots. A good puzzle to while away a cold, Monday morning.

(Apologies if you are of the certain disposition where an off centered photograph drives you crazy. You're probably the same sort who also hates the way I spelled centered, aren't you?)

1A -Echo like the empty refuge by the bay (7)
"Echo" is the definition and "empty refuge" means take the middle out of refuge leaving RE and "by the bay" is SOUND like definition 4 of sound "a relatively narrow passage of water between larger bodies of water or between the mainland and an island: Long Island Sound, Rhode Island Sound."
Which gives us RESOUND as our solution.

5A - Having twice the fur can make it not functional (7)
I'm not quite sure how I got this. I was thinking "twice" could mean DOUBLE, and I had the D and B from cross letters. I guessed DISABLE was a good synonym for "make it not functional"

9A - Puking can spoil this homecoming task (9)
I'm pretty sure we're not to be thinking of Homecoming Queens on parade floats, but our definition is "homecoming task" we want to be alert of the word "spoil" as an anagram signpost and "puking can" has the right amount of letters. Mix them up to give UNPACKING. Although puking can ruin most tasks, unpacking is fun for no one.

10A - He makes a woodworm yawn (5)
It's just a pun, there's not much to do but think it over until you get BORES. No - BORER.

11A - Some dinosaur oranges and pretty polar lights (6)
"Some" is a hidden word signpost here and thankfully the phrase "dinosAUR ORAnges" is silly enough to be highly suspicious. "Pretty polar lights" is the definition and AURORA our answer.

12A -Attorney starts ringing the day before a stay of execution (8)
I didn't get this one.I couldn't think of the word that means someone wins an appeal right before their execution date. Breaking this down I think "Attorney" = REP, "starts Ringing" means use the beginning letter R, "the day before" - EVE the answer is REPRIEVE. Looks like we needed the first two letters from RInging.

14A - One less doll prompting outdoor grilling (10)
"One less doll" if we use the doll BARBIE and "one less" means remove the -I for BARBE and "prompting" = CUEING gives us BARBECUING  for the outdoor grilling.

16A - Order a variety (4)
Double definition where we need a word meaning both "order" and "variety": SORT.

18A - Build a dyke across the deep end and get a bit wet (4)
This took me a while but I'm sure I have it. "Dyke" = DAM and "deeP end" means take the P from  end of deep to give us DAMP for "a bit wet." I'm not sure what "across the" is supposed to hint.

19A - One who advises others to count heads and insult one less worker (10)
"One who advises others" is the definition. "COunt heads" = CO, "Insult one less" means -I leaving NSULT and "worker" = ANT. Put them together for CONSULTANT.

22A - Carrier removes rats from the badger conservatory (8)
Definition is "Carrier" and the clue is a long instruction telling us to take out the letters RATS from "conservatory" which leaves CONEVORY and we need to "badger" or mix up those letters to give CONVEYOR.

23A - Bird is endlessly out of breath (6)
Double definition, we want a "bird" that is also a word for "being out of breath - endlessly" : PUFFIN (-G)

26A - Proportion of rate cuts to current investment (5)
"Proportion" is the definition and "rate cuts" tells us to remove something from "rate" = RAT -E and "current" = I if we think of the symbol for electrical current, but I'm not sure about how we get the last letter in RATIO unless "cuts" being plural means to remove the -T from "to" as well.

27A - Stand back and deliver a challenge to a reckless person (9)
I had an inkling for answer and I could see "reckless person" was the definition. I figured "stand back" was hinting to a reversal somewhere, or to reverse a synonym of "stand" but none made sense. I figured "challenge" = DARE and thought "deliver" was an anagram because I could see DEVIL in there but I don't know how the parsing works to remove the RE. "Deliver" backwards is reviled but that didn't help either. Anyway, the answer is DAREDEVIL.

28A - Harry Elder MD is a busybody (7)
"Harry Elder MD" is anagram signpost (harry) and fodder (elder md) to be remixed to reveal MEDDLER a word for a "busybody"

29A - Had the nerve to ingest krypton and went crimson (4,3)
"Had the nerve" = DARED and "to ingest krypton" where krypton = KR which we put into DAR(KR)ED to give DARK RED for "crimson" our definition.

1D - Its stalks are cooked with sugar or with roux say, then barbecued a little. (7)
I think, if you cook and like desserts, this is an easy one from the start. "Its stalks are cooked with sugar" is the definition. "with roux say" means we want a phonetic of "roux" = RHU and "then barbecued a little" means we want only the first four letters of "barbecue" = BARB for RHUBARB which is delicious stewed in a little sugar.

2D - Therefore poor love less because of lethargy (5)
"Lethargy" is our definition, "therefore" = SO (this is regular in cryptics, I'm discovering) "poor love less" where "love" is used in cryptic clues to mean the letter O so "love less" means to take an O away from "poor" leaving POR giving SOPOR, a word for lethargy. New word for me.

3D - Get the dog off the bed? It's not restrained (8)
I had the cross letters in place and with help of the thesaurus I saw the pun UNCURBED. "dog" = CUR so they're saying UN CUR the BED which is a synonym for "unrestrained" which I know isn't the same word exactly in the clue but it works as something not restrained is unrestrained. See? (Have I made it worse?)

4D -US prosecutor is at the podium (4)
The "US prosecutor" is known as the DA then add the IS for DAIS, a synonym for "podium"

5D - Takes a certain pertinacity to serve sodden eggs (10)
Here's an unusual clue because the definition "pertinacity" is in the middle. "serve" works as anagram signpost and "sodden eggs" has 10 letters to mix up and render DOGGEDNESS.

6D - Below, partially undisturbed, is a whole metropolitan district (6)
We want a synonym for "metropolitan district" and "Below" = SUB and "partially undistURBed" means take out the part of undisturbed that makes up SUBURB.

7D - Rod caught dancing alone in Catalonian capital (9)
I simply googled "Catalonia" and saw the map of Spain and its capital was BARCELONA. "Rod" = BAR "caught" = C and "dancing alone" where dancing is an anagrind, mix up ALONE. Or, it's instructing us to use the "Catalonian capital" in the answer to give us the C. Not exactly sure on which gives the C.

8D - Seriously passionate listener finds a comfy home (7)
I missed this one. I knew "listener" was EAR but I'd had the wrong letter in place from 10A so nothing was working. Definition is "Seriously passionate" "listener" = EAR and "a comfy home" = NEST for EARNEST.

13D - Command exhausted, it's not working! (3,2,5)
Thinking out of the box, punlike, for a phrase that fits both sides of that comma: OUT OF ORDER.

15D - Thought it over, which is strange in a Kennedy (9)
Not sure on this one. Definition is "thought it over" and I think the answer is RUMINATED, where "Kennedy" = TED and we have IN A in the clue but I'm not sure where the RUM comes from. Is RM making a drunken Kennedy joke? Rum in a Ted?

17D - Struggle clumsily with the fish (8)
Double definition; we want a word that means both "Struggle clumsily" and is a "fish" FLOUNDER.

18D - Twenties style spirit and sense of propriety (7)
"Twenties style" was art DECO plus "spirit" = RUM for DECORUM, a "sense of propriety"

20D - Snarled as dynasty took the lead (7)
"Snarled" is the definition and we want a "dynasty" = TANG "took the lead" = LED for TANGLED.

21D - Draw back in disgust as firetails spiral (6)
"Draw back in disgust" is our definition. "firetails" is a one word + instruction word "fire tails" the space makes it easier to see. We want the last two letters, or tails, of "fire" = RE and "spiral" = COIL for RECOIL.

24D - Strong, always hot feeling (5)
I was a bit unsure about this one. "Hot feeling" is our definition and FEVER the answer, but I don't know how "strong, always" fits. I'd not considered fever/strong as synonyms.

25D - It's right, in the case of a pea, to poke (4)
"To poke" is our definition. "in the case of a pea" means the housing of a pea, or a POD and "it's Right in" means use the R from right and put in POD for PROD.

All done! I did Monday's Rufus in the Guardian, as well and will try and get that up late today or early tomorrow. Have a good day.