Alan Connor finds cricketing lingo and ecstatic politicians in his pick of the best cryptic clues
A new setter in the Independent, Knut, debuted with an excitingly topical puzzle that featured a cameo from democracy’s latest hope, Alexis Tsipras ...
26ac Tsipras – an unknown quantity to fix economic woe (8)
[anagram of “Tsipras” with a mathematical symbol for “unknown”]
[anagram of TSIPRASY]
25ac Doing ecstasy drunk, George Osborne name dropped (6)
[anagram of “Doing” with a slang term for “ecstasy”]
[anagram of DOINGE]
22d Cricketer that’s second out – Wayne, the night watchman? (6)
[cricketing position minus an abbreviation for “second”]
[BATSMAN – S]
has the most reliable defence of all the non-specialist batsmen and his function is to stay in until the close and thus protect the wickets of players higher in the order until the next day’s play
The suggestion that it derives from a Maori word, and got its name during an MCC tour of New Zealand in 1902–3, can almost certainly be ruled out because the word “googly” already existed in Australia in the 1890s, when it was apparently applied to any high, teasing slow delivery.
FAn accomplishment having foul starter to guzzle (4)
[ first letter of “foul” + synonym for “guzzle” ]
[ F + EAT ]
Good Lord, almost finished filling in crafty type’s puzzle! (7)
[ most of a synonym for “Good Lord”
inside synonym for “crafty type” ]
[ LUMME minus the E, inside FOX ]
On 26 April Paul is running the London Marathon in memory of A and for the charity Sense, which works for deafblind adults and children. To sponsor him, please go to www.justgiving.com/guardiancrossword
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