There are both amusing and offensive uses for a banana in this week’s pick of the best cryptic clues
A carefully worded rebuke from Knut in the Independent. First of all, these two clues ...
3d/7d Let’s be clear about French food; I’ve ’ad to chuck up (3,3,9,2,5)
[ anagram of “about french food ive ad to” ]
25ac Payment required– Raleigh Chopper delivered on time (3)
[ word for a “chopper” in eg Raleigh, NC after abbrev. for “time” ]
[ AX after T ]
6d The Cruel Sea possibly, just possibly, opened 3 of 25? (8,7)
[ cryptic description of maritime novel ]
31ac Lodge encourages savings (4,4)
[ synonym for “lodge” + synonym for “encourages” ]
1d Streetwise kid might have 31 in 6? (3,6,6)
[ someone who might have nest eggs in an offshore account for the avoidance of tax ]
11ac Cuckoo family in trouble, potentially (6,4)
[ synonym for adj. “cuckoo” + synonym for “family” ]
[ BANANAS + KIN ]
N. Amer. (chiefly Canad.) slang (depreciative). A person of Asian birth or descent who subscribes to typically western values and attitudes; an oriental person regarded, esp. by other orientals, as adopting or identifying with white culture.
The term alludes to the large wigs that in the 17th and 18th centuries encumbered the head and shoulders of the aristocracy of England and France. They are still worn by the LORD CHANCELLOR, judges and (until 2000) the SPEAKER of the HOUSE OF COMMONS.
14d Fail to catch service, according to drunkard in muddle? (8)
[ how a drunkard might say “fail to catch service” ]
[ slurred rendition of “miss mass” ]