Puzzle 9/11/22 — Explained
The solution and explanation for this week's puzzle.
Here’s the solution to this week’s Palindromes puzzle, with the parsing of each clue explained and the completed puzzle below, with the themed solutions highlighted.
Definitions are italicized, “clue-type” indicators are shown in parentheses, and anagram indicators are additionally marked with an *.
Feel free to comment or reach out if you liked something, didn’t get something, or spotted an error!
Across
1. Karen nervously hugs famous Jeremy (6)
RENNER
A container clue wherein kaREN NERvously hides (hugs) the answer.
5. Choose second pick (6)
SELECT
A charade of S. (common abbreviation for second) + ELECT (pick).
8. In charge of pile around Delaware State University (5,2)
HEADS UP
An envelope (around) of HEAP (pile) around (around) DSU (Delaware State University).
9. Quiet applause after losing large flat headwear (4,3)
GOLF CAP
A subtraction clue with GOLF CLAP (quite applause) minus (after losing) L (large).
11. Winning from the start? (2,3,5,5)
IN THE FIRST PLACE
A cryptic (or double) definition.
12. Not popular: Genuinely noble action (4)
DEED
A subtraction (not) of INDEED (genuinely) minus IN (popular).
13. Break and implore mom, dad, and sis to give some examples (10)
PALINDROME
An anagram (break*) of AND IMPLORE. (Mom, Dad, and Sis are all examples of palindromes.)
17. Former lover almost finishing song (round, for instance) against the rules (10)
EXTRALEGAL
A charade with EX (former lover) + TRA LA L (almost finishing song, the finished version of which would have been TRA LA LA) around (round) E.G. (for instance).
18. Great time for picnic in the middle of haunted wood, Annie (4)
NOON
A hidden letters clue (in the middle of) with the middle letters of hauNted wOOd, and anNie rendering NOON, which is a marvelous time for a picnic.
20. Whose strange silver pen begets E.T.? (6,9)
STEVEN SPIELBERG
A cryptic definition with an anagram (strange*) of SILVER PEN BEGETS.
23. Carer goes nuts over cooling system with fast driver (7)
RACECAR
An anagram (goes nuts*) of CARER around (over) AC (cooling system).
24. Care of books about Jesus for us to outline (7)
CONTOUR
A charade of C/O (care of) + NT (books about Jesus — NT is a common abbreviation for New Testament) + OUR (for us).
25. Scared dermatologist describing how skin looks after slap (6)
REDDER
A container clue with scaRED DERmatologist hiding (describing) the answer.
26. Talking horse expires in swirling water (6)
EDDIES
A charade of ED (talking horse — famously, Mister Ed) + DIES (expires).
Down
2. Soldiers found between junctions after backwards stick performance (9)
ENACTMENT
A charade of MEN (soldiers) inside (between) T T (junctions, as in T-junction) after (after) ENAC (backwards stick — a reversal of CANE).
3. Saint in lust for something like those Russian dolls (6)
NESTED
An envelope of ST (saint) inside (in) NEED (lust).
4. Clone is devoured by piano-eating dinosaur (9)
REPLICATE
A charade of ATE (devoured) next to (by) RELIC (dinosaur) containing (eating) P (piano, as in the musical notation for “quiet”).
5. Actors' union asks half for stories (5)
SAGAS
A charade of SAG (actors’ union — the Screen Actors’ Guild) + AS (asks half, i.e., the first half of the word ASKS).
6. Frogs hop on these fluttering lady lips (4,4)
LILY PADS
An anagram (fluttering*) of LADY LIPS.
7. Murmur affectionately around club with a hot, chocolatey beverage (5)
COCOA
An envelope with COO (murmur affectionately) around (around) C (club, an abbreviation commonly used for Club — the suit — in a game of cards) + (with) A (a).
8. Sounds like the rabbit's footman can be found at the salon (11)
HAIRDRESSER
A homophone clue (sounds like): HARE DRESSER would be the rabbit’s footman.
10. Twelve-year-old alien trapped by groom with broken gear (11)
PRETEENAGER
An envelope with ET (alien) inside (trapped by) PREEN (groom) + an anagram (broken*) of GEAR.
14. A cleric in shambles as young children sit for storytime (2,1,6)
IN A CIRCLE
An anagram (shambles*) of A CLERIC IN.
15. Wizard — singular prick — creates environmental disaster (5,4)
OZONE HOLE
A charade of OZ (wizard) + ONE (singular) + HOLE (prick, noun, as something one might make with a needle).
16. Ne'er-do-well fought topless and with rhythm (8)
CADENCED
A charade of CAD (ne’er-do-well) + FENCED (fought) minus the first letter (topless).
19. Ripped off and abandoned inside where music used to live (6)
CLONED
An envelope with LONE (abandoned) inside (inside) CD (where music used to live).
21. First letters from mail carrier are for the party host (5)
EMCEE
An acrostic with the initial letters (first letters) of Mail Carrier spelled out phonetically.
22. More likely to bring legal action about right, right? (5)
SURER
An charade of SUE (bring legal action) around (about) R (right) + R (right).
Generally I felt pretty good about this one. I got through half before I needed to do a little cheating and check answers and I had it all right at that point. It still takes a moment to switch from regular crossword puzzle brain to cryptic so I struggle at first.
These are the ones I didn’t fully understand the clues for even after I managed to get through it with some help by checking:
12 across - didn’t figure out the not part
13 across - I didn’t get the anagram! Doh!
2 down - this one was hard - I didn’t get the junctions part
4 down - this one was hard!