Polaris

Contests started: DEMESNE (7), ORDINAL (7), RENDEZVOUS (10), SPHINX (6), ISTHMUS (7), ANGEL (5), SECURITY (8), SCRABBLE (8), MINERAL (7), CONTEST (7), SIDEREAL (8), CORPOREAL (9), CELERY (6), ANTIDOTE (8), PENALTY (7), HEYAWAKE (8), HEALTH (6), WEALTH (6), GALACTIC (8), ARMORY (6) OR ARMOURY (7), VAMPIRE (7), CAVY (4), WICKED (6)

Contests won: BREXIT (6), OPUS (4), SALT (4), WORD (4), DONBURI (7), KINK (4), MOSCOW (6), SUNSHINE (8), NEPENTHE (8), OH NO (2, 2), WISTERIA (8), QUIDNUNC (8), LONGNECK (8), NEPTUNE (7), KANGAROO ISLAND (8, 6), JAMES CAAN (5, 4), SLAUGHTER (9), OVERFLOW (8), PERFORM (7), COCKTAIL (8), COCHLEA (7), PLEDGE (6), LEXICON (7), ENTIRE (6), BING AWAST (4,5), CREAM (5), CUP (3), KOW (3), WAX (3), SPANISH INQUISITION (7, 11), YULETIDE (8), SECRET (6), SOLVER (6), NIXIOUS (7), AQUA (4), PI ( 2), ALADDIN (7), SPAR (4), THONGS (6), WREAKS (6), BABYMETAL (9), SPLATTERSHOT (12), DELPHI (6), BASHFUL (7), XBOX DEMON (4, 5), SIDEREAL (8), CIVIL WAR (5, 3), BESIDE (6), BENDY (5), ANOTHER (7), CULINARY (8), SOCIAL DISTANCING (6,10), IMPETUS (7), CORPOREAL (9), FUDDRUCKERS (11), DEUSOVI (7), NECKLACE (8), NICOLAS CAGE (7, 4), CELERY (6), FEEDBACK (8), FULL HOUSE (4, 5), WITH THE LIGHTS OUT (4, 3, 6, 3), ATROPOS (7), SLITHERLINK (11), TOWER OF HANOI (5, 2, 5), METALLIC PUNISHER (8, 8), MONOCHROME (10), CHINE (5), LATEX (5), TOO OLD (3 3), STANDOUT (8), COOKIE (6), PLANE (5), ROULETTE (8), CATS AND DOGS (4, 3, 4), PARSEC (6), NAVEM MERCIBUS IMPLERE (5 8 7), BUGABOO (7), OLIVE GARDEN (5 6), NEEDLE (6), TABULATE (8), OXFORD (6), EGGNOG (6), GASH (4), GNX (3), JINX (4), END OF THE WORLD (3, 2, 3, 5), WEAPON (6), SUSPECT (7), POTENTIALLY (11), MISTLETOE (9)

All Submissions

Clue ID Contest Clue Explanation (hover) Submitted By Likes
4119 ALADDIN (7) A boy accompanied by djinni, oddly! (7) A+LAD+D_I_N_ &lit Polaris 8
4259 SIDEREAL (8) Outside the solar system, partly outside reality (8) _SIDE REAL_ Polaris 7
2172 BREXIT (6) King going through a little withdrawal (6) B(REX)IT = "withdrawal" Polaris 6
2255 DISCOVERY (9) 70s music really is a revelation DISCO+VERY Polaris 6
3498 KANGAROO ISLAND (8, 6) Koalas adorning mysterious Australian area (8, 6) anagram of "koalas adorning" Polaris 6
2228 DONBURI (7) Japanese bowl is bound to be mixed with half rice (7) DONBU*+RI_ Polaris 5
3674 COCKTAIL (8) Spooner has to discuss leafy greens for mixed drink (8) TALK KALE -> COCKTAIL Polaris 5
2166 OF (2) The heartless count chasing Baudelaires is concerning (2) O[-la]F Polaris 4
2178 SINEW (5) Muscle from butchered swine (5) SWINE* Polaris 4
2213 WORD (4) Microsoft program starts to write or read documents (4) WORD (init.), def. Microsoft Word Polaris 4
2231 KINK (4) Headless lizard fetish (4) (-s)KINK Polaris 4
2735 WISTERIA (8) Mister flips his lid over me, on a lane in "Desperate Housewives" (8) (m->W)ISTER+I+A = lane in "Desperate Housewives" (i.e. Wisteria Lane)
(down clue only)
Polaris 4
2781 BASEL (5) Swiss city's bottom fifty (5) BASE + L Polaris 4
3701 LEXICON (7) Vocabulary in French: the "eleven" is, for starters, called "onze", naturally (7) LE (in French the) + XI (eleven)
+ C_ O_ N_ (for starters, called onze naturally) = "vocabulary"
Polaris 4
3724 ENTIRE (6) All ten in order end in anger (6) ENT*+IRE = "all"
(I would not use "in order" as a general anagrind, but
in this specific case E, N, T are alphabetical so it works!)
Polaris 4
3895 WAX (3) By the sound of it, smacks grow stronger (3) sounds like "whacks"
WAX = "grow stronger" (e.g. wax poetic)
Polaris 4
4032 AQUA (4) Queen wears gold and a shade of blue (4) A(Q)U+A Polaris 4
4193 BABYMETAL (9) Japanese band mate goes astray in ancient city; no longer on (9) BABY(MEAT*)L(-on) = "Japanese band" Polaris 4
4364 NECKLACE (8) Cackle madly after one headless adornment (8) (-o)NE+CKLACE* = adornment Polaris 4
12798 BUGABOO (7) Spook or bother a lover (7) BUG + A + BOO = "Spook" (as a noun) Polaris 4
2160 DISEASE (7) To drown outside oceans from scurvy (7) DI(SEAS)E = "scurvy" Polaris 3
2180 DEMESNE (7) The estate needs me, perhaps (7) DEMESNE* Polaris 3
2214 OPUS (4) Creature with eight legs sacrifices first three for work of art (4) (-oct)OPUS Polaris 3
2434 SUNSHINE (8) Opposite of homebrew Super Mario game? (8) punny ddef.
1) Super Mario Sunshine
2) opposite of homebrew = opposite of moonshine = sunshine
I hope this works!
Polaris 3
2606 FABLE (5) Story that can be failed? (5) a FABLE that's F-ABLE Polaris 3
2736 ZAMBIA (6) Ice smoother not on a country (6) ZAMB(-on)I+A Polaris 3
2770 LIGHT (5) Aviation, not loud, not heavy (5) (-f)LIGHT Polaris 3
2928 QUIDNUNC (8) One who gossips in French who'd almost never in Spanish (8) QUI (in French, who) + D + NUNC(-a) (almost never in Spanish) = "one who gossips" Polaris 3
3115 NEPTUNE (7) God is somewhat inept, unemployed (7) _NEPT UNE_ Polaris 3
3410 CEDAR (5) One might say Johnny Appleseed, perhaps, produces tree (5) CEDAR ("seeder") Polaris 3
3559 OVERFLOW (8) Part of werewolf revolution is about to spill past the limits (8) _WOLF REVO_< = "to spill past the limits" Polaris 3
3693 MASCARA (7) Reportedly, an age of disguise or makeup (7) "mask era" Polaris 3
3748 BING AWAST (4,5) "Being a waste, without any energy? Begone!" said James Joyce (4, 5) B(-e)ING AWAST(-e) = "Begone" as said by James Joyce Polaris 3
3994 SECRET (6) Almost leak that which should not be told (6) SECRET(-e) (almost leak) = "that which should not be told" Polaris 3
4087 HAT (3) Introduction to horses at a derby, perhaps (3) H_ (introduction to) + AT (at) = "a derby, perhaps" Polaris 3
4190 WREAKS (6) Unleashes bad smells from the mouth (6) sounds like reeks = "unleashes"
someone get this guy a breath mint!
Polaris 3
4336 CORPOREAL (9) Substantial hole in coral (9) COR(PORE)AL Polaris 3
4337 BABY SHARK (4, 5) First of boats in bays, listen to catchy fishy song (4, 5) BA(B_)YS+HARK
(rip "to" as a connector, oh well)
Polaris 3
4365 HEARSE (6) Carrier of a corpse that's partly from the arsenic (6) _HE ARSE_ Polaris 3
4378 NICOLAS CAGE (7, 4) "Con air" actor and crazy cocaine gals (7, 4) anagram of COCAINE GALS Polaris 3
4404 LOKI (4) Hello Kitty is partially a trickster god (4) _LOKI_ Polaris 3
4412 FEEDBACK (8) Payment first, double back for criticism (8) FEE+D_+BACK = "criticism" Polaris 3
4504 CHINE (5) Spine-breaking niche (5) CHINE* def. "spine" as given by M-W Polaris 3
12754 PARSEC (6) Spacey spacer space's space? (6) "space's space" = definition, i.e. distance used in space
"spacer spacey" = PARSEC*
Polaris 3
12778 EMOTICON (8) EGXP—O✓-KX← (8) definition "E.g. XP"
EM (em dash) + O + TIC(-k) + ON< (X symbol backwards)
Polaris 3
12895 POTENTIALLY (11) Likely strong companion protects me (11) POTENT ALLY protecting I Polaris 3
2161 DISEASE (7) It's awfully sad, I see, to get the flu (7) DISEASE* Polaris 2
2182 DEMESNE (7) Region in Germany with endless mess to the northeast (7) DE + MES(-s) + NE Polaris 2
2200 SALT (4) Seasoning is prepared last (4) LAST* Polaris 2
2230 FETISH (6) Obsession that sounds party-like? (6) "fête-ish" Polaris 2
2250 SAFE WORD (4 4 OR 8) Stop equivalent blade with high-grade iron (8) S(A+FE)WORD = "'stop' equivalent" Polaris 2
2284 MOSCOW (6) Sailboat behind Missouri city (6) SCOW behind MO = "city" Polaris 2
2366 ACCRETION (9) Air conditioner construction without a buildup (9) A/C + CRE(-a)TION = "buildup" Polaris 2
2377 RANGER (6) Pokemon spin-off game called, uh... (6) RANG+ER Polaris 2
2411 POTLUCK (7) You'd have to be a mastermind to solve this using what's available (3, 4) ddef. "you'd have to be a mastermind to solve this" / "using what's available" Polaris 2
2523 OH NO (2, 2) John, obliquely concealing expression of dismay (2, 2) _OHN O_ Polaris 2
2672 SHURIKEN (8) 忍者の武器の趣味を見逃す権利は反対(5) 「しゅみ(趣味)」の「み」を逃して
「けんり(権利)」の反対=忍者の武器=しゅりけん

"Against the right to ignore the hobby of ninja's weapons" (?????)
The wordplay is to remove MI from SHUMI (hobby) and take 権利 -> KENRI and invert it to get RIKEN
The clever pun is taking 見逃す 'minogasu' "ignore" as 「み」逃しす 'mi nogasu' "lose MI"
Polaris 2
2737 HARRIES (7) Torments Potter and Dresden? (7) punny ddef.
multiple Harrys = Harries
Polaris 2
2771 LIGHT (5) Align heart with heartless heart burn (5) _LIG_ (align heart) with H_T (heartless heart) = "burn" (i.e. to light a fire) Polaris 2
3229 CLUE CONTAINING A PIECE OR TERM FROM CHESS (?) Nice! King to D4 (4) KIN(g->D) Polaris 2
3266 OEDIPUS (7) Oh, climbing arachnid almost took you for mythical king (7) O + [SPIDE(-r)< with U]
O + EDIP(U)S<
down clue only!
Polaris 2
3274 SPHINX (6) Start of Sigma and Phi's next odd enigma (6) S_ + PHI + N_X_ Polaris 2
3298 CLUE CONTAINING "CLUE CONTAINING" (?) CLUE CONTAINING "WARP", "FLAP", OR "CUP" (4-4) H(ALFP*)INT Polaris 2
3304 ISTHMUS (7) Strip of land north of America is almost the start of Montreal (7) north of US, IS+TH_+M_
down clue only
Polaris 2
3449 THING (5) Object to his idea—not good for beginners (5) T_ H_ I_ N_ G_ = "object" Polaris 2
3485 LOREM IPSUM (5, 5) Look! Half-off premiums for filler text! (5, 5) LO_ (look half) + REMIPSUM* (off premiums)
exclamation points are just for flavor
Polaris 2
3539 JAMES CAAN (5, 4) Dilemma: Convoluted case with an actor from "The Godfather" (5, 4) JAM (dilemma) + ESCA* + AN Polaris 2
3546 SLAUGHTER (9) Killing slice from four to zero (9) SLIVER, IV->AUGHT Polaris 2
3616 PERFORM (7) Present for each girl or boy? (7) PER (for each) + F OR M (girl or boy?)
= "present" i.e. present to an audience
Polaris 2
3731 DEJA VU (4, 2) Familiar sense or idea, starting off around first of January: vague, ageless (4, 2) (-i)DEA [idea, starting off] around J_ [first of January]
V(-ag)U(-e) [vague, ageless]
(-i)DE(J_)A V(-ag)U(-e) = "familiar sense"
Polaris 2
3854 CUP (3) Mug topped up with coffee to start (3) C_ + UP ("up" is topped with "c") = container
(down clue only)
Polaris 2
3910 SPANISH INQUISITION (7, 11) After time, I climb with French who sit with me on group that nobody expects (7, 11) SPAN (time) + I + SHIN (climb) +
QUI (French who) + SIT + I (me) + ON
= group that nobody expects
(referencing Monty Python skit)
Polaris 2
3993 NIXIOUS (7) Cancel debts as white as snow (7) NIX (cancel) + IOUS (debts) = as white as snow
probably the simplest wordplay you can make with this word
Polaris 2
3995 SOLVER (6) Puzzlehunt participant, perhaps: "Very low, very unfinished" (6) SO (very) + L (low) + VER(-y) (very unfinished)
= "puzzlehunt participant, perhaps"
Polaris 2
3999 YULETIDE (8) A certain snowman obtains soul, starts off half-dead for Christmastime (8) Y((-so)UL)ETI+DE(-ad) = Christmastime
"a certain snowman" clues the abominable snowman, aka the yeti
I originally envisioned this with a Frosty the Snowman vibe but it ended up leaning into the horror genre
Polaris 2
4045 PI ( 2) They say Shakespeare's plays are encoded in this intellectual property, backwards (2) IP backwards
referring to the myth saying that Shakespeare's plays are encoded in the digits of pi
(I find it amusing when really short answers have really long clues)
Polaris 2
4189 THONGS (6) Hordes of people, not wearing essential articles of underwear (6) THRONGS without the middle R from WEARING
def. "articles of underwear" (instead of just "underwear" to make the plural more apparent)
Polaris 2
4223 XBOX DEMON (4, 5) Evil creature lurking in video game console is xenophobic; originally packed up, stripped of energy; catastrophic omen (4, 5) X_ + BOX(-e)D + EMON* = "Evil creature lurking in video game console"
yep this sure is a clue
Polaris 2
4265 CIVIL WAR (5, 3) Leader of cryptics and me: mostly vile, unrefined, backwards conflict (5, 3) C_+I+VIL_+WAR< Polaris 2
4275 BESIDE (6) Close to best idea, lacking finishing touches (6) BES(-t) IDE(-a) = "close to" Polaris 2
4276 BENDY (5) Flexible ballerina's first to finish; gymnast's second (5) B_+END+_Y_ = "flexible"
"to finish" is the full indicator for END (as a verb)
Polaris 2
4277 ANOTHER (7) One more, I say! Uh... Not that girl (7) A ("uh") + NOT + HER = "one more" Polaris 2
4305 CULINARY (8) Copper and lithium? Not in the kitchen (8) CU+LI+NARY = "in the kitchen"
def. might be a stretch but M-W gives "of or relating to the kitchen or cookery" so I hope this is ok
Polaris 2
4315 SOCIAL DISTANCING (6,10) Me, in Southern California? 'Tis crazy, staying inside, dancing and keeping away from others (6, 10) SOC(I)AL+D(IST*)ANCING = "keeping away from others" Polaris 2
4338 FUDDRUCKERS (11) American restaurant chain cooks furred ducks (11) FURRED DUCKS anagram Polaris 2
4349 DEUSOVI (7) Puzzler's lie in Japanese, accepted by Indian goddess (7) USO = "lie" in Japanese
DEVI = Indian goddess
DE(USO)VI
Polaris 2
4369 DELIVERY (8) Conveyance of French uniform (8) DE (of French) + LIVERY (uniform)
(turns out "delivery" and "livery" have the same root so the wordplay is not quite as interesting as it seems)
Polaris 2
4379 FUNCTION CALL (8, 4) Method invocation is fun with C! Change! Action! Heads of linked lists! (8, 4) FUN+C (fun with C) + TIONCA (change action) + L_ L_ (heads of linked lists)
not &lit, exclamation points are just there to emphasize the fun factor
Polaris 2
4380 AXIS (4) Some taxi stands form an alliance (4) _AXI S_
def. "an alliance"
Polaris 2
4386 CELERY (6) Wild eel and lobster tail acting as stuffing for cored culinary vegetable (6) cored culinary: C_Y
wild eel and lobster tail: ELE*+_R
acting as stuffing for: one big insertion indicator
C(ELE*+_R)_Y = "vegetable"
Polaris 2
4429 BANGER (6) Sausage, bit of bacon, and almost half of burger (6) def. Sausage = B_ (bit of bacon) + AN__ (and almost) + ___GER (half of burger) Polaris 2
4445 FULL HOUSE (4, 5) Venue at max capacity with couple of fundraisers, disorienting us (hello) (4, 5) FU_ + LLHOUSE* Polaris 2
4472 HEYAWAKE (8) Puzzle is not here, sent back; put in the key? No thank you (8) not here, sent back: YAWA<
the key? No thank you: (-t)HEKE(-y)
X put in Y: containment indicator
(-t)HE(YAWA<)KE(-y) = "puzzle"
Polaris 2
4479 BELLA SWAN (5, 4) YA protagonist's unusual label: small and pale (5, 4) BELLA*+S+WAN Polaris 2
4481 SLITHERLINK (11) Numberlink, but replace senseless part with mixed-up LITS and bit of Heyawake for another puzzle genre (11) NUMBERLINK, but replace NUMB (senseless part) with SLIT*+H_ Polaris 2
4485 METALLIC PUNISHER (8, 8) Encountered every hip hop duo playing, uh, siren song from "Arcaea" (8, 8) MET + ALL + ICP (Insane Clown Posse, hip hop duo) + UNISHER* Polaris 2
4488 MONOCHROME (10) Endless romp in Spanish night after moment that's black-and-white (10) MO+NOCH(ROM_)E = "black-and-white" Polaris 2
12737 PLANE (5) "Flat Earth" falls short (5) PLANET (drop last letter) Polaris 2
12740 MATRIX (6) Detailed math, bit of research, nine-number array (6) MAT_ + R_ + IX = "number array" Polaris 2
12746 ROULETTE (8) Kind of wheel allowed in roadway (8) LET in ROUTE Polaris 2
12760 THE YIPS (3 4) Yep, this is crazy nervousness (3 4) YEPTHIS* Polaris 2
12769 NAVEM MERCIBUS IMPLERE (5 8 7) Scoundrel heading off to commercial center, on bus turning per mile to fill the ship with goods (5 8 7) (-k)NAVE + (-co)MMERCI(-al) + BUS + IMPLERE* Polaris 2
12770 DUNGEON (7) Cell division gone haywire in ulna, oddly (7) D + (GONE* in U_N_) = "Cell" Polaris 2
12826 LENTIL (6) Type of soup found in excellent illustration (6) _LENT IL_ Polaris 2
12877 END OF THE WORLD (3, 2, 3, 5) Apocalypse wolf dethroned: anarchy (3, 2, 3, 5) WOLFDETHRONED* Polaris 2
12880 SUSPECT (7) Doubt Jesus' pectorals, in part (7) hidden word Polaris 2
2175 BREXIT (6) UK resident has sex without giving head or pulling out (6) BR((-s)EX)IT = "pulling out" Polaris 1
2184 RICE (4) Grain's cost with a one-cent discount (4) (-p)RICE Polaris 1
2185 RICE (4) Staple food found in Kopavogur, Iceland (4) _R ICE_ Polaris 1
2197 OPUS (4) Significant other takes up retrospective work (4) S(UP)O, reversed Polaris 1
2203 CODA (4) Disco dancing, featuring final performance (4) _CO DA_ Polaris 1
2216 FOUR (4) How many people on polo team go from left to right in illegal play? (4) FOU(l->R), four people on a polo team Polaris 1
2261 LAST RESORT (4, 6) Initially learning about Sleep Talk in front of desert in Unova for one of Eevee's moves (4, 6) L.A.S.T. + RESORT
"Desert Resort" is a desert in the Unova region
"Last Resort" is a move learned by Eevee
Polaris 1
2282 SIGNATURE MOVE (9, 4) Authorize Xatu, first off, to erase Oblivion Wing, for example (9, 4) SIGN + (-x)ATU + REMOVE Polaris 1
2394 PLUM (4) Fruit is positively not small, but medium (4) PLU(s->M) Polaris 1
2520 NEPENTHE (8) Drug that makes you forget endless desire surrounding suppressed, wishful heart (8) "Drug that makes you forget" = NEE(-d) (endless desire) surrounding PENT (suppressed) + _H_ (wishful heart) Polaris 1
2522 HILBERT (7) Mathematician blithers drivel without sane head (7) (BLITHER(-s))* Polaris 1
2524 OH NO (2, 2) What you might say to an experiment gone wrong using hydrogen and nitrogen in oxygen gas (2, 2) H, N in O2 Polaris 1
2646 POURBOIRE (9) Start to pour unlimited bourbon—first off, wire money for drinking (9) P+_OURBO_+_IRE = "money for drinking" Polaris 1
2895 RAMESSES (8) Egyptian god besmirches name of pharaoh (8) RA+MESSES Polaris 1
3020 RENDEZVOUS (10) Detailed display: integers and you! (French venue) (10) RENDE(-r) (detailed display) + Z (integers) + VOUS (you, French) = venue Polaris 1
3194 SWEET HOME ALABAMA (5, 4, 7) After stirring stew, he (Obama) consumes meal with one song (5, 4, 7) SWEETH*+O(MEAL+A)BAMA Polaris 1
3206 CLUE CONTAINING A CHARACTER OR ITEM FROM CLUE (?) Well-rounded professor (from Clue) with lead pipe (5) PLUM+P Polaris 1
3332 FURNITURE (9) One in nature exchanged for me following pelt rug, perhaps (9) FUR (pelt) + N(a->I)TURE = "rug, perhaps" Polaris 1
3417 SPEEDRUN (8) In Galactic Puzzle Hunt, Stephen's sausage puzzle explanation initially under chaos (5, 3) S_ P_ E_ + EDRUN* = "In Galactic Puzzle Hunt, Stephen's" (i.e. Stephen's Speed Run) Polaris 1
3549 CLUE W/ "TURING MACHINE" NOT MEANING A REAL TM (?) Broken Turing machine leads to evening of nail-painting (8, 5) MANICURE NIGHT* Polaris 1
3560 LUPINE (6) Gentleman thief: in conclusion, insatiable and wolfish (6) LUPIN + _E Polaris 1
3614 JACKBOX (7) Fast food chain? Not in the party pack (7) JACK IN THE BOX without IN THE Polaris 1
3647 OOF (3) "Ouch!" - goon with hole in midsection (3) O(a->O)F Polaris 1
3685 PLEDGE (6) Implored, for example, about promise (6) PLED + E.G.< Polaris 1
3691 COCHLEA (7) Heal unnaturally after rooster's tail chopped off, becoming Latin snail (7) COC(-k)+HLEA* = "snail" in Latin -> COCHLEA Polaris 1
3702 ENUMERATION (11) In here: eleven headless men and, um, er, country without leader (11) (-m)EN+UM+ER+(-n)ATION = "in here, eleven" Polaris 1
3830 CREAM (5) Eric goes back and loses—I am the best (5) C(-i)RE< + AM = "the best" as in the cream of the crop Polaris 1
3879 KOW (3) Ganzhou Huangjin Airport turned away Chinese stir frying pan(3) WOK backwards ("turned away" is the full indicator)
KOW is the IATA airport code for Ganzhou Huangjin Airport
Polaris 1
3920 SHAVE (5) "Quiet!"--and greeting by Romans is cut off (5) SH+AVE = cut off Polaris 1
3924 MELODY (6) Tune produced from sound of dulcet "Re" (6) homophone, dulcet "Re" -> mellow D -> melody Polaris 1
4058 CORONA (6) In California, countering virus leads to another virus (6) C(ORON<)A (i.e. norovirus) Polaris 1
4099 LOSE (4) Fail to win, thus drop Angels from Los Angeles? (4) LOS(-angel)E(-s) Polaris 1
4139 ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL (BOY) No no no, dull--no work, play (4) No no no = (-n)O (NO minus N)
dull no work = SLO(-w) (SLOW minus W)
(-n)O+SLO(-w)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_(play)
Polaris 1
4169 INCANDESCENT (12) Burning hot candle fragrance, removing smell in the end (12) IN+CANDLE+SCENT minus _L = "burning" Polaris 1
4178 SPAR (4) Disparity displaying dispute (4) _SPAR_ = "dispute" Polaris 1
4210 SPLATTERSHOT (12) Splatoon weapon's quiet; the second one's popular (12) S+P+LATTER+S+HOT Polaris 1
4211 SPLATTERSHOT (12) Fictional gun halts protest gone astray (12) HALTS PROTEST anagram Polaris 1
4212 DELPHI (6) City with origin of Pythia! (6) DEL(P_)HI &lit Polaris 1
4216 BASHFUL (7) Awful fellow finally becomes quiet after boy is withdrawn (7) B+A(_w->SH)FUL = "withdrawn" Polaris 1
4232 CHRYSOBERYL (11) Crystal instrument returned after weep and moan about harmonica, at first (11) (C(H_)RY+SOB)+ERYL<
sorry I stole your "weep and moan" indicators, person above me :(
Polaris 1
4247 FAROE ISLANDS (5, 7) Friends; also, a bizarre archipelago (5, 7) FRIENDSALSOA* Polaris 1
4260 COSMIC RAYS (6, 4) Energy from beyond Earth or icy Mars (unusual) after Ceres or Saturn, at first (6, 4) C.O.S. + MICRAYS* = "Energy from beyond Earth" Polaris 1
4261 PEVERELL (8) Potter's ancestor is severely out of bounds in empty protocol (8) (-s)EVEREL(-y) in P_L
Harry Potter is descended from Ignotus Peverell
Polaris 1
4268 FAROE ISLANDS (5, 7) Archipelago's card game (for everyone) is large and small (5, 7) FARO+E+IS+L+AND+S
"for everyone" clues E as in "rated E for everyone"
Polaris 1
4296 IRON (4) In or around metal (4) IRON* Polaris 1
4313 GO (2) Making a comeback: the original Pokemon mobile game (2) OG is slang for "original", and then it's reversed
definition referring to Pokemon Go
Polaris 1
4326 IMPETUS (7) I am beloved; we are a driving force (7) I'M+PET+US = "a driving force"
(thanks Akumu for the constructive criticism)
Polaris 1
4329 TIME STOP (4, 4) I'm in test operation for one of Hat Kid's hats (4, 4) T(I'M)EST+OP = "one of Hat Kid's hats" (from the game A Hat in Time) Polaris 1
4345 FREUDIAN SLIP (8, 4) Unstable prideful sin--a mistake that may reveal your subconscious thoughts (8, 4) anagram of PRIDEFUL SIN A Polaris 1
4444 WITH THE LIGHTS OUT (4, 3, 6, 3) Bizarre thought: "Whistle it--the Nirvana box set" (4, 3, 6, 3) anagram of THOUGHTWHISTLEIT Polaris 1
4465 BETA (4) B (Greek letter)?! (4) B+ETA &lit Polaris 1
4467 ATROPOS (7) Goddess of fate is relevant: power becomes time (7) A(p->T)ROPOS Polaris 1
4483 TOWER OF HANOI (5, 2, 5) Ow! No! For I hate nonsensical mathematical puzzle (5, 2, 5) OWNOFORIHATE*
is there even a way to clue this without just a straight anagram
Polaris 1
4486 TOWER OF HANOI (5, 2, 5) Thanos almost has woe for catastrophic start to intergalactic stacking problem (5, 2, 5) T(OWEROF*)HANO_+I_ = "stacking problem" Polaris 1
4495 BASS (4) Type of trombone or trumpet, say, without resonance at first (4) BRASS (trumpet, say) without R_ = "type of trombone" (i.e. bass trombone) Polaris 1
4499 DRAGON (6) Type of Pokemon with No Guard, Scratch, U-turn (6) cryptic reading: NOGUARD, scratch U, turn = DRA(-u)GON def. "type of Pokemon" Polaris 1
12713 LATEX (5) Typesetting software stands out among vanilla text (5) _LA TEX_ Polaris 1
12715 BABA IS YOU (4 2 3) Alibaba is your selection for puzzle game (4 2 3) _BABA IS YOU_ Polaris 1
12719 CAPTCHA (7) Buggy patch implemented in California for auth measure (7) C(APTCH*)A Polaris 1
12720 PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (12, 6) Unusually, Biden departs late, i.e. for election event (12 6) (BIDENDEPARTSLATEIE)* Polaris 1
12722 TOO OLD (3 3) Very cool? Not cool. Not cool enough (3 3) "Very cool" = TOO COLD
"Not cool" = remove C
"Not cool enough" = ostensibly the definition of "TOO OLD"
Polaris 1
12733 STANDOUT (8) Someone who is not short and stout, perhaps (8) *ANDSTOUT
"Someone who is not short" = ostensibly a definition for STANDOUT
Polaris 1
12734 COOKIE (6) Ordered knowledge primarily stored by Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer, for starters! (6) O.K. stored by C.O.I.E. &lit Polaris 1
12747 CHARGE (6) Purchase centers target unlimited rate (6) purCHase + tARGEt = "rate" Polaris 1
12751 CATS AND DOGS (4, 3, 4) Go back south after even scrap Teslas needed no engineers in great quantities (like rain) (4 3 4) OG<+S after _C_A_T_S_A_ N(-ee)D(-e)D = "in great quantities (like rain)", referring to the idiom "raining cats and dogs" Polaris 1
12768 PENICILLIN (10) Pill has half of medicine left in antibiotic (10) P(ENIC____<)ILL + IN Polaris 1
12779 ABOUT-FACE (5-4) Complete reversal from a boxing match to deal with (5-4) A + BOUT (boxing match) + FACE (to deal with) = complete reversal Polaris 1
12791 RATIONAL (8) Level-headed in arbitration, almost (8) _RATION AL_ Polaris 1
12795 GHOUL (5) Phantom or ghost whose state is undead/lifeless, primarily (5) GHO(st -> U_ L_) = "Phantom"
How redundant!
Polaris 1
12802 LOTUS (5) Plant almost cuts evenly (5) _L_O_T _U_S Polaris 1
12803 CORRODE (7) Destroy piece of crystal ore concealing wand (7) C_ + OR(ROD)E Polaris 1
12809 BALLOT BOX (6, 3) Total bighead involved in shot to the face for Election Day receptacle (6 3) ALL, B in BOTOX Polaris 1
12813 JUNE (4) Junpei's missing partner's identifier, initially! (4) JUNPEI minus P_ I_
&lit as a reference to 999
Polaris 1
12814 OLIVE GARDEN (5 6) Restaurant is not, at heart, a live fish den (5 6) _O_ + LIVE + GAR (fish) + DEN Polaris 1
12815 NEEDLE (6) Pointer bug? (6) ddef, needle of a compass and to needle someone
surface intended to be programming-y
Polaris 1
12838 QUEUEING (8) Before start of gala, queen has you and me waiting in line (8) QUE(U)E(I)N before G_ Polaris 1
12854 OXFORD (6) Shoe found in box for derbies (6) _OX FOR D_
this clue may be an affront to shoe enthusiasts
Polaris 1
12856 DEMENTIA (8) I met dean distraught for loss of faculties (8) IMETDEAN* Polaris 1
12864 GNX (3) Car from those before millennials lacks engineers (3) GEN X minus E Polaris 1
12872 JINX (4) First, juggle half of sphinx's curse (4) J_ + ___INX Polaris 1
12874 STOPGAP (7) Temporary personal assistant first got containers, returned (7) (PA + G_ + POTS)< Polaris 1
12878 MAGNUM OPUS (6 4) Greatest work from modern author Garth Nix unravels mystery of psychic United States leaders (6, 4) inits Polaris 1
12879 WEAPON (6) No gun sound surrounds a backwards gun, for example (6) (NO + PE(A)W)< = "gun, for example" Polaris 1
12884 REVERB (6) R&B has nonstop echoing sound (6) R(EVER)B Polaris 1
12896 MISTLETOE (9) I hear the lady will drag along some Christmas decor (9) Homophone, "miss'll tow" Polaris 1
2186 APEX (4) Mojo Jojo takes chemical from Powerpuff Girls to the top (4) APE (Mojo Jojo) + X (chemical from Powerpuff Girls) Polaris 0
2195 OPUS (4) Singular opera composition (4) Double definition:
"opus" is the singular form of opera, and and "opus" is a composition
Polaris 0
2400 WASHMINSTER (11) Australian hybridized government system has to clean clergyman without me (11) WASH + MINI(-i)STER Polaris 0
2410 INTERNET TROLL (8, 5) Type "seabird" with Teletype to wind up online provoker (8, 5) INT (type) + ERNE (seabird) + TT (teletype) + ROLL (to wind up) = "online provoker" Polaris 0
2440 GOLD RUSH (4, 4) Office lady and doctor go inside to praise reason to visit California (4, 4) OL and DR go inside GUSH ("to praise") = "reason to visit California" Polaris 0
2463 URANIUM (7) Total after muse drops a beginning to story element (7) URANIA SUM drops A S_ = "element" Polaris 0
2521 NEPETA (6) Animal rights organization after one headless Homestuck troll (6) PETA after (-o)NE = "Homestuck troll" Polaris 0
2617 LABOR DAY (5, 3) Broad mixture in secular holiday (5, 3) BROAD* in LAY (secular) = "holiday" Polaris 0
2670 BUSHIDO (7) さむらいが従うことはグレープの中にします (4) ぶどう(グレープ)の中に「し」を増す=さむらいが従うこと=ぶしどう

The clue is "The thing that samurai follow is done in grapes"
(I guess? Not like it makes a whole lot of sense in Japanese either)
The wordplay is just adding SHI to BUDOU (grapes)
The clever pun is taking します 'shimasu' "to do" => 「し」増す 'shi masu' "add SHI"
Polaris 0
2871 ORDINAL (7) For example, first football player from Arizona takes oxygen instead of calcium (7) (ca->O)RDINAL = "for example, first" Polaris 0
2896 WOLFRAM (7) Contest starter to strike metal (7) WOLF (the starter of this contest) + RAM Polaris 0
3025 CLUE CONTAINING UR LAST WINNING CLUE’S ANSWER (?) Quidnunc transforms company into medium-small organization (6) COIN (quid) + NOW (nunc) transforms CO to M = MINNOW (small organization) Polaris 0
3064 LONGNECK (8) Bad brown bare butts breaking bar beer bottle (8) LO(NG+_N _E)CK = "beer bottle" Polaris 0
3224 CLUE CONTAINING (4, 10) Society and economics polluting without beginnings of brain teasers or beginnings of themed cryptic contests (4, 10) CLUB + ECON + TAINTING - B_ T_
CLU(-b)ECONTAIN(-t)ING = beginnings of themed cryptic contests
Polaris 0
3254 ARCEUS (6) Legendary god of war consumes beginning of chaos and union (6) ARES, C_, U -> AR(C_)E(U)S
"legendary" is often used as shorthand for "legendary Pokemon"
Polaris 0
3367 LEVEL FIFTY ONE (5, 5, 3) 51F: decelerate, leave elevator outside loudness with that echo? (5, 5, 3) "decelerate, leave" = LE(-a)VE (remove acceleration)
"elevator outside loudness" = L(F)IFT
"that echo" = YON+E
LE(-a)VE+L(F)IFT+YON+E = 51F (i.e. 51st floor = level 51)
Polaris 0
3388 ANY COLOR WORD WITH DEF NOT "COLOR" (?) Kanto city loves Minior―not so unusual (9) (LOVESMINIOR-SO)* = VERMILION Polaris 0
3395 CARAMEL (7) Light brown Sopwith plane carries assault rifle to start (7) C(A_ R_)AMEL
e.g. Sopwith Camel
Polaris 0
3499 CRYPTIC CLUE (7, 4) E.g. this hint from puzzle hunt with answers found in source code (7, 4) ddef.
this clue is an example of a cryptic clue
and "cryptic clue" as in a clue from cryptic puzzle hunt
Polaris 0
3536 SILLY SONG (5, 4) Oxbow lake transforms back-arc basin into system producing funny tune (5, 4) BILLABONG, BAB->SYS = SILLY SONG Polaris 0
3567 ASH (3) Pokemon trainer hiding amongst Wishiwashi (3) wishiwASHi Polaris 0
3692 VETERAN/VETERANS (7/8) Old-timer, in vehicle, marred tree (7) V(ETER*)AN Polaris 0
3987 CHEW (4) Munch on half of cheese wedge to start (4) CHE_ + W_ = munch on Polaris 0
4002 DATA (4) Star Trek character Ida Tarbell, partially (4) iDA TArbell = Data, a character from Star Trek Polaris 0
4063 ANY CLUE CONTAINING "NO" OR "NOT" (?) Indeed, not indicated (7) DE(NOT)ED
wow elision
Polaris 0
4066 LOVE (4) It's represented by a heart or clover, in part (4) cLOVEr (hidden word)
love is most commonly represented by a heart
Polaris 0
4179 TOMB (4) Grave to my beloved (originally) (4) TO+M_ B_ Polaris 0
4187 TRIP (4) Retired detective/snitch with not one misstep (4) [PI+R(-a)T]< Polaris 0
4200 ENNUI (5) Dinner with you gets flipped and stripped, leading to weariness (5) (-r)ENN(U)I(-d) = "weariness" Polaris 0
4205 RAINBOW DASH (7, 4) Pegasus owns bad hair, all tangled up (7, 4) OWNSBADHAIR* Polaris 0
4222 MINT (4) Form interchange components?! (4) _M INT_ &lit
def. of "mint" as in to make coins, if you consider coins/money as "components" of "interchange"/transactions
Polaris 0
4226 FUNHOUSE (8) Carnival attraction failed, oh, back in almost unemployed (8) F+UN(HO<)USE(-d)
surface makes no sense but it's a last minute entry
Polaris 0
4233 TURNIP (6) Vegetable from secure trough--revolutionary (6) (PIN+RUT)<
"secure"=PIN as in to secure/to affix
Polaris 0
4284 STOP SIGN (4, 4) Indicator to cease building is potshot about parts (4, 4) _STOP SI GN_< Polaris 0
4291 SOURDOUGH (9) Perhaps, our doughnut ingredients! (9) _S OUR DOUGH_ and sourdough can be used to make doughnuts
Just pretend Puzzlers Club makes doughnuts, hence "our" doughnut ingredients :thonking:
Polaris 0
4295 ARENDELLE (9) *Frozen* setting records, initially in United Arab Emirates, then finally (well, not initially) in Germany (9) A(R_)E+_N+D(_ELL)E = "*Frozen* setting" Polaris 0
4324 PULL REQUEST (4, 7) Page concerning queen in, without fail, fullest contribution to a repository (4, 7) P+(-f)ULL(RE+QU)EST = "contribution to a repository" Polaris 0
4332 UTADA HIKARU (5, 6) Kingdom Hearts artist online: "You are a king. I had a Tuesday." in retrospect (5, 6) U R+A+K+I HAD A+TU reversed
haha this is so bad
Polaris 0
4360 ENDOTHERMIC (11) Warm-blooded English "Dorothy" and her microphone (11) EN+DOT+HER+MIC = "warm-blooded"
"Dot" is a known nickname for "Dorothy"
Polaris 0
4417 HAIR (4) Reportedly, the tortoise's fabled rival's pelt (4) sounds like "hare", def. "pelt" Polaris 0
4422 ATLANTIS (8) Book of maps about new, odd trip leading to lost city (8) ATLA(N+T_I_)S = "lost city" Polaris 0
4436 QUARTIC (7) Not quite bright about art one degree above cubic (7) QUIC(-k) about ART = "one degree above cubic"
unfortunately I couldn't tie cubism into this :'(
Polaris 0
4442 GLOBAL (6) Disheartened girl and boy finds love between them -- a start to love that's universal (6) G_L (disheartened girl) and B (boy) finds O (love) between them
A (a) + L_ (start to love) = def. "universal"
Polaris 0
4457 CHROMATIC (9) Colorful and glamorous, but not new after Switzerland (9) CH (Switzerland) + ROMA(-n)TIC (glamorous, but not new) = "colorful"
let's say the surface has to do with Eurovision
Polaris 0
4476 BOB MARLEY (3, 6) Jamaican singer, Russian river, and Spanish sea, in blue and yellow without you (3, 6) Russian river: OB
Spanish sea: MAR
Blue and yellow without you: BL(-u)E+Y
B(OB+MAR)L(-u)E+Y
Polaris 0
4482 METALLIC PUNISHER (8, 8) Per all the music in chaotic song from "Arcaea" (8, 8) PERALLTHEMUSICIN*
def. is "song from 'Arcaea'", according to what Google tells me
Polaris 0
4491 HEALTH (6) Idiomatically, a clean bill of this is dealt from the second in two hospitals (6) H[(-d)EALT]H
referencing the idiom "a clean bill of health"
Polaris 0
12724 HOTSHOT (7) Warm is warm, genius (7) HOT'S HOT, HOTSHOT Polaris 0
12726 MOONCAKE (8) Dessert from China, Missouri, Ontario, California, Kenya (8) "dessert from China" = MO + ON + CA + KE Polaris 0
12729 COSMOS (6) Flower is company for moss having fun (6) CO + SMOS* = the cosmos flower Polaris 0
12750 CRATER (6) Cat eats right next to, um, a hole in the ground (6) C(R)AT + ER Polaris 0
12757 SCRIBE (6) Author E. B. White generally centers chapter series, starts from the end (6) (EB + _I_ _R_ + C_ S_)< = "Author" Polaris 0
12762 ARMORY (6) OR ARMOURY (7) Arsenal team (in the second half) has never-ending ball runs, at the beginning and end of Wednesday (6) "Arsenal" = __A(_R)M + O + R_ + _Y Polaris 0
12765 THIMBLE (7) Protector of finger, thumb, index for you, or short leg (7) TH(u->I)MB + LE_ = "Protector of finger" Polaris 0
12796 COBWEB (6) "Boo!" at first goes into brief flinch, leading to middle of troubling bit of Halloween decor (6) B_ into COWE(-r) + ____B____ = "bit of Halloween decor" Polaris 0
12821 TABULATE (8) Count Dracula's form from behind initially ugly, later appears totally extraordinary (8) BAT< + ULATE (inits)
def. "Count"
Polaris 0
12828 MUSICAL (7) Initially mark up schedule on what is now Apple Calendar for Broadway show (7) M_ U_ S_ + ICAL (now known as Apple Calendar)
(down clue only)
Polaris 0
12840 REMORSE (7) Guilt shakes up, missing direction (7) (-t)REMORS (shakes, up missing) + E (direction)
(down clue)
Polaris 0
12842 CAVY (4) Islet has violet guinea pig (4) CA(V)Y Polaris 0
12850 FIVE STARS (4 5) Vast fires reassemble into components of constellation Cassiopeia (4 5) VASTFIRES* Polaris 0
12852 OXBLOOD (7) Oxeye starts to flower, almost; top of daisy is shade of red (7) OX ("oxeye starts") + BLOO(-m) ("to flower, almost") + D_ ("top of daisy") Polaris 0
12858 EGGNOG (6) Drink from one final case of grog (no gin, at first) (6) _E + G_G + NO + G_ Polaris 0
12860 GASH (4) Writing a show to produce "Rent" (4) _G A SH_
def. "rent"
Polaris 0
12863 CURVEBALL (9) Select brackets brave unusual game-changer (9) CULL (select) bracketing RVEBA (brave unusual) = "game-changer" Polaris 0
12873 OCTOBER Month is in unlimited treats (7) BE (is) in [-d]OCTOR[-s] (treats, unlimited) Polaris 0
12892 PURSUE (6) University diss track (6) PUR[d->S]UE ("university, D is S") Polaris 0

Back to stats

Back to main