‘Your Weekend’ Crossword 808 – May 4, 2024 – Explanations

Across clues:

1ac   STRAPS   (flogs)
Straps;  ‘trap’ [gin] inside ‘ss’ [ship]       (a container clue, pointer being ‘in’)

4ac   OCTAVE   (series of eight notes)
Anagram of ‘covet a’       (anagram pointer being ‘sadly’)

8ac   GALLOPS   (moves very fast)
Gal = girl, lops = cuts it off            (a charade clue)

9ac   PO-FACED   (humourless-looking)
Pof = initials of ‘people of faith’, aced = served successfully       (a charade clue with initials)

11ac   WESTERLIES   (winds)
Wester = last letter removed from ‘western’ [movie genre], lies = doesn’t tell the truth          (a charade clue with a deletion)

12ac   IOTA   (a small amount)
Io = ten, ta = thanks          (a charade clue)

13ac   BOSUN   (seaman)
Anagram of ‘bonus’       (anagram pointer being ‘organised’)

14ac   LAS VEGAS   (American city)
Anagram of ‘salvages’       (anagram pointer being ‘dubiously’)

16ac   NEEDLING   (provoking)
Need = miss, ling = fish        (a charade clue)

18ac   OFTEN   (frequently)
Found within the words ‘waterproof tents’           (a hidden word clue, pointer being ‘found in’)

20ac   SKUA   (bird)
S = last letter of ‘serious’, kua = first letters of ‘keep up appearances’         (a charade clue with a last letter & initial letters)

21ac   PENNY BLACK   (a stamp)
Penny = money, black = Cilla Black       (Cilla is after money)        (a charade clue)

23ac   LOGGING   (forestry work)
First letter removed from ‘flogging’ [stealing]            (a deletion clue, pointer being ‘don’t start’)

24ac   MINIMUM   (the smallest amount)
Mini = iconic car, mum = mother         (mother is after an iconic car)        (a charade clue)

25ac   NUTTER   (crazy person)
N = first letter of ‘nervously’, utter = speak           (a charade clue)

26ac   WEIGHT   (heaviness)
Anagram of ‘the wig’       (anagram pointer being ‘is adjusted’)

Down clues:

1d   STAGE   (carriage)
Anagram of ‘gates’       (anagram pointer being ‘repaired’)

2d   RELATES   (identifies with)
First letter removed from ‘prelates’ [churchmen]        (a deletion clue, pointer being ‘losing the opener’)

3d   PAPARANGI   (in Wellington)
Papa = father, rang = phoned, i = one         (a charade clue)

5d   CROSS  
Cross = get over & burden         (a double definition clue)

6d   AVARICE   (an extreme desire for wealth)
Ava = Ava Gardner, Rice = Sir Tim Rice       (a charade clue)

7d   EYESTRAIN   (complaint)
Eyes = watches, train = public transport          (a charade clue)

10d   PILLAGING   (plundering)
Pill = the bore, aging = getting older             (a charade clue)

13d   BREAK DOWN  
Break down = period of play in rugby & a mental health crisis      (a double definition clue)

15d   STORYLINE   (a plot)
S = first letter of ‘socially’, tory = conservative, line = rank         (a charade clue)

17d   DRAUGHT  
Draught = a measure of medicine & cold air        (a double definition clue)

19d   TELLING  
Telling = narration & convincing          (a double definition clue)

21d   PENCE   (small change)
Pen = writer, ce – first & last letters of ‘competitive’        (extremely competitive after the writer)           (a charade clue)

22d   COUNT  
Count on = to trust & count out = to exclude         (a same word, different adverb clue)

‘Your Weekend’ Crossword 807 – April 27, 2024 – Explanations

Across clues:

7ac   SCHOOL   (academy)
Anagram of ‘solo’ around ‘ch’ [church]         (a container clue with an anagram)

8ac   ROLY-POLY  
Roly-poly = plump & a pudding              (a double definition clue)

10ac   SPONGERS   (bludgers)
Spongers;  ‘sponges’ [cakes] around ‘r’ [middle letter of ‘afternoon’         (a container clue, pointer being ‘around’)

11ac   WAIATA   (song)
Anagram of ‘await a’          (anagram pointer being ‘reworked’)

12ac   GO TO THE DOGS   (become ruined)
Play on words;  go to the dogs = visit the racetrack

14ac   HASHISH   (dope)
Hashish;  ‘ash’ [tree] inside ‘his’,  h = last letter of ‘dish’      (a container clue with a charade)

16ac   REACTED   (responded)
Anagram of ‘dead cert’ without ‘d’ [five hundred]         (anagram pointer being ‘hapless’)

19ac   DOUBLE CROSS   (betray)
Double = a bet, cross = grumpy        (grumpy after a bet)        (a charade clue)

22ac   SPRANG   (recoiled)
S = first letter of ‘school’, prang = accident      (accident after start of school)     (a charade clue)

23ac   CIRCULAR  
Circular = ring-shaped & letter         (a double definition clue)

24ac   BLOOMERS  
Bloomers = mistakes & underwear        (a double definition clue)

25ac   SWEETS   (confectionary)
Sweets;  ‘saints [sts] around ‘wee’ [very little]        (a container clue, pointer being ‘consume’)

Down clues:

1d   SCAPEGOAT   (a person to blame)
Scape = first letter removed from ‘escape’ [flee], goat = kid perhaps        (a charade clue with a deletion)

2d   TOP-NOTCH   (first-rate)
Top = toy, notch = nick          (a charade clue)

3   CLIENT   (customer)
Anagram of ‘cent’ & L [left] & i [one]          (anagram pointer being ‘mistakenly’)

4d   CROSSED  
Crossed = thwarted & passed over           (a double definition clue)

5d   SLOWPOKE   (dawdler)
Slow = tardy, poke = sack          (a charade clue)

6d   SPRIGS  
Sprigs = twigs & found underfoot        (a double definition clue)

9d   LOTS   (plenty)
Lo = look, ts = last letters of ‘pit bulls’            (a charade clue with last letters)

13d   SEA SHANTY   (air)
Sea = the main, shanty = cabin            (a charade clue)

15   SMUGGLES   (sneakily conveys)
Smuggles;  ‘muggle’ [person with no charms] inside ‘ss’ [on board]          (a container clue)

17d   CHORUSES   (musical groups)
Choruses;  ‘us’ [American] inside ‘chores’ [jobs]          (a container clue, pointer being ‘included in’)

18d   ALECOST   (a herb)
Found within the words ‘sale costumes’           (a hidden word clue, pointer being ‘feature a’)

19d   DRAGON   (Tolkien creature)
Dr = doctor, agon = last letter removed from ‘agony’ [suffering]         (a charade clue with a deletion)

20d   CERISE   (colour)
Anagram of ‘cries & ‘e’ [first letter of ‘earthy’]          (anagram pointer being ‘about’)

21d   OPAL   (birthstone)
Found backwards within the words ‘full apology’          (a reversed hidden word clue, pointer being ‘returned as part of’)

‘Your Weekend’ Crossword 805 – April 13,2024 – Explanations

Across clues:

6ac   BUNKER   (a trap)
Bunk = to flee, er = a Queen          (a charade clue)

8ac   FLAT RACE   (jumpers wouldn’t be well-suited)
Flat = home, race = people       (people after a home)         (a charade clue)

9ac   FAST FOOD   (meals)
Play on words; lent is a time for fasting

10ac   ASSAIL   (to attack)
Ass = idiot, ail = feel unwell          (a charade clue)

11ac   ADHERED   (stuck to)
Anagram of ‘redhead’           (anagram pointer being ‘flighty’)

13ac   URSINE   (bearlike)
Anagram of ‘nurse’ & ‘i’           (anagram pointer being ‘awkwardly’)

14ac   SPIRIT LEVEL   (this ensures it’s true)
Spirit = a drink, level = even        (even after a drink)         (a charade clue)

19ac   ARDENT   (passionate)
Ardent;  ‘art’ [Garfunkel] around ‘den’ [study]           (a container clue, pointer being ‘outside’)

21ac   RUSTLER   (a criminal)
Rustler;  ‘ruler’ [sovereign] around ‘st’ [saint]          (a container clue, pointer being ‘embracing’)

23ac   AVERSE   (opposed to)
A = a, verse = part of the Bible           (a charade clue)

24ac   CARDRONA   (NZ winter resort)
Car = vehicle, dr = doctor, on  = on, a = a        (doctor goes after the vehicle)          (a charade clue)

25ac   STRUTTED   (walked proudly)
St = street, rutted = pot-holed            (a charade clue)

26ac   CREEPS   (weirdos)
Anagram of ‘recipes’ without ‘i’ [one]          (anagram pointer being ‘arranged’)

Down clues:

1d   PUT AWAY  
Put away = consume & keep in reserve            (a double definition clue)

2d   ARBOUR   (shady retreat)
Anagram of ‘a burro’              (anagram pointer being ‘in distress’)

3d   MALAMUTE   (dog)
Ma = scholar, L = left, a = a, mute = dumb           (a charade clue)

4d   CRISES   (emergencies)
‘U’ [upper-class] removed from ‘cruises’ [ocean voyages]            (a deletion clue, pointer being ‘leaving’)

5d   ACTIONS   (lawsuits)
Initial letter ‘f’ removed from ‘factions’ [dissenting groups]       (a deletion clue, pointer being ‘head off’)

7d   KETCHUP   (sauce)
Ketch = boat, up = initial letters of ‘under par’        (a charade clue)

8d   FAD   (fashion)
Fad;  ‘Fd’ [FD Roosevelt] around ‘a’        (a container clue, pointer being ‘embraced’)

12d   DETER   (discourage)
De = ‘ed’ [journalist] backwards, te r = the Maori King [te = ‘the’ in Maori, r = king]          (a charade clue with a reversal)

15d   RETREATS   (goes back)
Double definition/play on words; retreats = re-treats [ministers to, again]     

16d   ENLARGE   (magnify)
Anagram of ‘general’              (anagram pointer being ‘disruption’)

17d   PRIVATE   (top-secret)
Private;  ‘prate’ [talk] around ‘iv’ [four]        (a container clue, pointer being ‘about’)

18d   GRANDPA   (family member)
Grand = impressive, pa = personal assistant         (a charade clue)

20d   EARFUL   (a reprimand)
Found within the words ‘yesteryear fullbacks’          (a hidden word clue, pointer being ‘some’)

22d   SPRUCE  
Spruce = dapper & an evergreen           (a double definition clue)

24d   COD   (something to eat)
Found in the initial letters of ‘Carry On Doctor’           (an initial words clue, pointer being ‘leading characters of’)