CRYPTO CLUES XCIII

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

January,2024

 

Many cryptic clues are written to intentionally misdirect the solver. For example, the clue, Hard to fix name tag, seems to suggest repairing a name tag - which it kinda/sorta does. But a better reading of the clue would be to think of hard, fix, and name tag as distinct clues.This would yield fix = RIG, name tag = ID, and hard = RIGID, the clue answer. 

Also, some cryptic clue answers aren't perfect. For example, the clue A combo, having finished, left. Combo = BAND, but we have to re-use the D to get the answer to having finished = DONE. Then we have to add a D to get the answer to left = ABANDONED, the clue answer. #1 is an example of this.

 

1. Southern beauty mixing it up with flock leader

2. Reagan to produce piano piece

3. Get a load of that number (two words)

 

4. Alien race re-designed noted waterway (anagram)

 

5. Seldom under-cooked

 

6. Closely follow Massachusetts doctrine (abbreviation)

 

7. Off-white rose is different

 

8. Encounter me and extra-terrestrial 

9. Feel sad after adding head to bird

10. Changing colors, I travel trail (certain kind of trail - 3 words)

Answers:

 

1. BELLWETHER (the second E is needed for BELLE)

2. RONDO

3. DIGIT

4. ERIE CANAL

5. RARE

6. DOGMA

7. OTHERWISE  (off-WHITE ROSE IS different)

8. MEET

9. REGRET

10. IRIDESCENT (I RIDE SCENT)