Russian leaders and older creeps in our collection of the best cryptic clues
From Wiglaf, a spooky Independent puzzle for Halloween that works even for those who eschew the celebrations, as it takes in such literary figures ...
1acHe wrotesaucy stuff with affection and skill (1,1,9)
[ sauce brand + synonym for ‘affection’ + synonym for ‘skill’ ]
21dFamily after shoe, orange leathery thing (7)
[ synonym for ‘family’ after type of shoe ]
[ KIN after PUMP ]
19dRussia’s premier able to be seen topless?Ludicrous! (7)
[ first letter (‘premier’) of RUSSIA + synonym for ‘able to be seen’ without its first letter (‘topless’) ]
[ R + VISIBLE without V ]
33acSingular flirt, one of dazzling charm (7)
[ abbrev. for ‘singular’ + slang term for ‘flirt’ ]
[ S + MASHER ]
A man staying at the Ocean House insulted one of the lady guests of the hotel ... The days for ‘mashers’... are over; ... and respectable women can now enjoy themselves ‘with none to make them afraid’.
16dNut nut (except last bit of nut) (4-4)
[ synonym for ‘nut’ + synonym for ‘expect’ + last letter of NUT ]
[ HEAD + BUT + T ]