Cryptic Crosswords – Solving hints #7

3 more examples of solutions to cryptic clues today:

Clue - What can help to make children nuisances? (5)

This is a bit of a tricky one.  First you think what can make children naughty and then look at the clue to see if it helps you.  Looking at “children nuisances” I saw the word “ennui” which means boredom hiding in there.  Boredom can make children naughty.  So as you can see, you have to have a bit of a warped mind for that one.

Clue – A bishop spotted on the wagon (9)

A nice little clue, this.  References to “bishop” often refer to the letter “b”.  So the solution starts with “ab” then you need to think about what might mean “spotted” – if you put “stained” after “ab” you get “abstained” which someone on the wagon will do.

Clue – Girl with sailor, not here to waste time (5,5)

The clue is in 2 parts.  The phrase means “to waste time” and is built up from the first part of the clue.  Girl will often mean a girl’s name.  There are lots of them so you need to start with the next bit.  The reference to “sailor” will sometimes be to “tar”, “salt” or “ab”.  “not here” can be represented by “out”.  So the second word is “about”.  What phrase will mean to waste time – what fitted and, even better, was right is “fanny about”.


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