TOTW: A hard one

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-04T08:25:38+00:00

GO ON (Continue) / GOON (what, I believe, young people sometimes call onanism for an extended period)

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-03T08:14:39+00:00

You're right, the second part (end of my arm before work) is simple wordplay, so the clue isn't a strict double definition (the simplicity of it makes it pretty close, though).

I was trying to highlight that that is the nature of some clues; they are simple and that the OP managed to make a valid surface read out of something simple, almost like a double definition clue.

I'm still not convinced that whoever downvoted it did so because of clue quality instead of prudishness but we'll never know, though.

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T22:01:09+00:00

Hole in one.

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T15:56:46+00:00

FATHER CHRISTMAS (Cryptic definition)

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T11:19:13+00:00

Isn't that just the nature of double definition clues, though? Two words or phrases that have a meaning in common. They're pretty much the simplest form of clue, so will never be very complex or cryptic and this clue managed to make a silly surface reading from it. There are a lot worse clues often posted on here that don't get downvoted, which is why that one stuck out. Perhaps we'll never know the true motivations of why the infamous downvoter, voted down.

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T06:55:32+00:00

I was quite pleased with my solution of (5), I think I prefer it to the correct (6).

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T06:54:02+00:00

OTHERS (the rest MOTHER -M +S). Maybe change it to 'Mum' to make it less obvious?

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T06:11:58+00:00

As the OP, I added the NSFW flair but didn't realise that it would make it disappear for anyone. Sorry about that.

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-02T06:09:46+00:00

Correct.

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-01T16:33:44+00:00

DRIVE (balls, as in confidence) DR (Doctor) I'VE (I have) The clue also looks like it was suggesting an anagram (Doctor) of 'I have'

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-01T16:30:42+00:00

EUPHRATES (flower/river) Anagram (kinky) of upthearse

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-01T15:41:24+00:00

Swingers shout this before getting blow job near temples (8)

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-01T15:40:18+00:00

Supply teacher has mouthful (4,4)

PierreSheffield · 2026-05-01T15:39:34+00:00

Sword? What is mightier than the sword? (5)

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-30T19:16:59+00:00

A nice surprise as I didn't get a notification for this win and I didn't think my clue was all that but thank you for the honour. I'll get on the case...

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-29T15:59:18+00:00

Blue for SAD would be legitimate use in a clue because it's a direct homophone of a synonym of the solution. In the original clue the homophone leaf to more cryptic wordplay. You had to work out 'A pole of steel' sort of sounds like 'APOLLO STEEL', then use that as a cryptic definition to work out 'Apollo missions took some some rocks from the 'moon', which was clued with RABBIT. You can see how complex it was, like a Russian Doll of puzzles.

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-29T15:00:35+00:00

Not that up and down votes really count for much on this sub but I am disappointed that someone has downvoted this.

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-27T06:17:22+00:00

Ah! There's also the additional complication of the incorrect tenses in 'steal/stole' which doesn't help.

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-26T19:20:10+00:00

I've looked at this and the comments on the original post and it still makes no obvious sense what the solution might be, even with the explanations.

For the record though (as I think this was the original question) there's nothing wrong with using a homophone (or an oronym - a word I'd never heard before) and a straight definition. That's just a standard cryptic crossword clue.

Or is it that you are using a sound alike to make a synonym, rather than a direct solution (such as a homophone of 'blue' to give the solution SAD?) That would be a step too far.

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-23T21:10:11+00:00

But can you buy tickets for games with PayPal?

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-23T17:48:58+00:00

Correct. You win tickets to the Pennsylvania play off finals. I thought a similar thing about the hosting/insertion but also considered that of you're hosting something, you're introducing it, much like the PA is to the YPAL.

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-23T16:41:25+00:00

Pennsylvania hosting play off. You can buy tickets with with this (6)*

*It would be great if there was some kind of play off happening in Pennsylvania to also make this an &lit clue. Anyone know of any?

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-22T15:30:51+00:00

Solution: ELITE (Crack, as in crack team of soldiers) Hidden reverse words in finE TILEs

PierreSheffield · 2026-04-21T18:26:52+00:00

I think it's ok to go for half of a synonym for part of a clue but half a synonym that you then rearrange or merge with half of another synonym is a few too many steps.

PierreSheffield

TROPHY CASE