| # | Name | Clue | Points | Voters | Anno | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suyash Roongta | Lackeys abandoned unionism after leader disappeared (7) | 33 | 16 | Anagram of {UNIONISM - U (leader disappeared)}. Anagram indicator - abandoned. Def - lackeys. |
- Nice surface. |
| 2 | Textrous | They dance to their masters' tunes, performing in short skirts (6) | 31 | 17 | Def: They dance to their masters' tunes, ON (performing) in MINIS (short skirts) |
- ''short skirts'' needs a dbei because a mini can be a dress. - Smooth surface and wordplay |
| 3 | @qpheevr | Endless insomnia plagued subordinates (7) | 28 | 15 | (INSOMNI{-A})*; endless: truncate to INSOMNI; plagued: anagram to MINIONS; subordinates = def. |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t - Plagued a suitable indicator to fit the surface! |
| 4 | Manish Jhaveri | Performing in very short dresses to get followers (7) | 26 | 15 | on (performing) in minis; def = followers |
- ''very short dresses'' needs a dbei because a mini can be a skirt. |
| 5 | Sreelakshmi | Little Snow-white gets lost, taken back by her loyal followers | 15 | 8 | {MINI}{SNOw̶<=} Definition: Loyal followers |
- A lovely surface. ''her'' seems to be superfluous to the wp. - Wp by Def? |
| 6 | William Snow (@ContoCrosswords) | Henchmen of spymaster in India working north of Surat (7) | 15 | 7 | Henchmen = def / spymaster = M (ref James Bond) / in = IN / India = I / working = ON / north of Surat = S (down clue) |
- Surat = S seems a bit obscure. Could be fixed by tacking on "initially" or "at first" or "to begin", etc. at the end of the clue. |
| 7 | Dave Williams | Servile types? After a short time, they're charged | 13 | 8 | IONS ('they're charged') after MIN. (a short time) |
- The wordplay works but the surface isn''t great. |
| 8 | Sowmya Ramkumar | Slaves working in short skirts (7) | 13 | 8 | Def Slaves, working = on Short skirts MINIS, MINI(ON)S |
- ''short skirts'' needs a dbei because a mini can be a dress. |
| 9 | @LowdownCryptic | Little characters from cartoon (after the first five in the series), seeking leader to follow (7) | 13 | 6 | &lit! – MINI ("Little") + ON (the characters in "cartoon" after the first five letters), with S ("seeking" leader) to follow. Def is entire clue, describing the little characters featured in the five films (so far) of the Despicable Me / Minions series. |
- I''m not familiar with the films however I understand the minions are in all the films not just the ones from number six onwards. - Ingenious. &full marks! |
| 10 | Ramki Krishnan | Government dismissing party followers (7) | 13 | 6 | DOMINIONS (governments) -DO (party), def = followers |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t - Government in clue is Singular Vs dominions which is plural |
| 11 | Yes, men...Sadly, I'm in no shape to start with! [7] | 11 | 7 | [I'm in no]* + S. Sadly = anagrind. I'm in no = anagram fodder. Shape to start with = S. Def = Yes men [Collins] |
- The wordplay works fine but the surface doesn''t mean anything. - I like the disguised definition |
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| 12 | Territories to let go of party sycophants (7) | 11 | 6 | Dominions -do |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t. |
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| 13 | Followers disregarding party rules (7) | 10 | 6 | (-do)MINIONS; disregarding= del ind, party= do, rules= dominions, defn= followers |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t - Nice surface. |
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| 14 | Thousand popular ions are followers (7) | 10 | 4 | M (Roman thousand) IN (popular) IONS - meaning followers |
- The wordplay works but the surface doesn''t mean anything. - Ions? Did not quite understand the surface - Using “ions” to clue “ions”? 🤔 - What does the surface mean? |
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| 15 | Fans fix insomnia for the most part (7) | 9 | 5 | Def: Fans - (INSOMNI)* Anagrind: Fix, Last letter del ind: for the most part |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t |
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| 16 | Control Sashi basically. Party wanting yes-men | 9 | 3 | Control = Dominion+ S (Ashi) . Party - wanting = deletion indictor for Do. Def - yes men. Surface reference to Congress's President election. |
- India specific |
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| 17 | Simon’s beheaded pets? (7) | 8 | 7 | (-s)IMONS = M IN IONS def (pets) reverse clue indicator (?) |
- Creative! - I don’t understand how we get from IMONS to MINIONS - 1 point for chutzpah! - Interesting perspective ! Whether it''s fair to the solver seems debatable, though. - I don’t get it at all. |
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| 18 | Perhaps, a car operating small fans (7) | 8 | 6 | A car {MINI} operating {ON} small {S} ; Defn:Fans |
- Lovely wp. You don''t need the dbei ''perhaps'' because a mini is an example of a car. |
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| 19 | Darlings etched Gemini on stone (7) | 8 | 5 | Hidden word geMININI ON stone. Definition : DARLINGS |
- I''m not convinced that ''etched'' makes for a good telescopic indicator. - Minions=Darlings seems like bit of a stretch..? - "etched" before fodder does not work as a hidden word ind IMO. Should be "etched in" |
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| 20 | Rules without party followers (7) | 8 | 4 | DOMINIONS - DO; Definition: followers |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t. |
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| 21 | Attendants against wearing short dresses (7) | 8 | 4 | ON(against) inside (wearing) MINIS(short dresses). Def: Attendants |
- ''Short dresses'' needs a dbei because a mini could be a skirt. |
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| 22 | Instruments made of small bulbs emitting a type of charged particle (7) | 7 | 7 | MINI ONIONS ("small bulbs") minus ("emitting") ION ("a type of charged particle"). Definition: "Instruments". |
- Great idea and super wp. ''small'' is superfluous. - A unique approach! I’m not sure ‘instruments’ is a great def, but I like this clue - Fair attempt. ''Instrument'' is a good find to fit the surface! |
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| 23 | Little cars take on henchmen (7) | 7 | 6 | Little cars = MINIS; take = container MINI(ON)S, henchmen = def |
- Cars vs. Minions à la Alien vs. Predator? |
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| 24 | Underlings working without skirts? Quite the contrary!(7) | 6 | 5 | Definition: Underlings; Anno: MINI(ON)S;. Skirts=Minis; Working=On. Quite the contrary=To reverse the wordplay |
- I''m not convinced that ''quite the contrary'' means to do the opposite of the indicated wp. - A little chuckle-worthy |
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| 25 | Lackeys required quora of Jewish adults for religious obligations, I hear (7) | 6 | 5 | def lackeys, required quora of Jewish adults for religious obligations = MINYANS, hp I’m told |
- Ha! |
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| 26 | Confused unionist not taking sides supported by muddle-headed flunkies | 6 | 4 | Anagram of (UNIONIST minus UT) + M (Muddle-headed); Anagrind: CONFUSED; Placement indicator: SUPPORTED BY (down clue); Def: Flunkies |
- Great idea; excellent surface. ''supported by'' in a down clue means that the thing that''s doing the supporting goes at the bottom. |
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| 27 | Brewster’s fortune reestablishes name for fifties groupies | 4 | 3 | Brewster’s fortune MILLIONS reestablishes (replace) name (+N) for (in place of) fifties (-LL) def: groupies - MI(-LL)(+N)IONS |
- The wp works but the surface scenario isn''t great. - Clues with pop-culture references always risk a blank stare from solvers who don’t get it. |
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| 28 | Henchmen are recruited from the population of Minos (7) | 4 | 2 | Letter bank indicator “recruited from the population of”. Fodder “Minos”. Definition “Henchmen”. |
- I''m sure they''re valid, however I am not a fan of letter banks. - Nice to see a letter bank attempt – note that convention for LBs in puzzles/cryptics is the expanded form being at least 3 letters longer than the bank. (And is Minos a place?) - @LowdownCryptic - Good find but just 2 letters repeating seems too less for an LB - Seems efficient ! - Letter banks need a repetition indicator too afaik, recruited doesn’t work |
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| 29 | Tiny yellow men’s mission to exchange partners while dancing (7) | 3 | 3 | MI(S->N)SION* |
- I don''t think "exchange partners" works for S/N switch. Would be better with "change directions", but maybe still wouldn''t be precise enough. |
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| 30 | Film Mission Impossible, not The Last of the Mohicans gets finally seen (7) | 2 | 7 | Film - def , MISSION* - S ( Last of mohicanS) + N ( Finally see(N)) |
- Impossible as an anagram indicator? Good attempt though! |
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| 31 | Endless sleeplessness adjusted for slaves(7) | 2 | 2 | def: slaves; fodder: endless sleeplessness (= insomnia-a) ; anagrind is 'adjusted' |
- unfortunately ''sleeplessness'' > ''insomnia'' is an indirect anagram : ( - Indirect anagrams are generally not accepted - Indirect anagram? - Indirect anagram |
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| 32 | " Initially Mumbai Indians boosted by lights. ", said fans. | 2 | 1 | initially Mumbai Indians = MI, boosted is adjacent indicator, lights= neons, said is hp indicator, Definition: fans |
- Lovely idea and a good surface. This isn''t an hp in my part of the world. - Is initially required? Boosted seems to be a bit iffy. - “boosted is adjacent indicator”? - Does Neons sound like nions? |
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| 33 | Overseas territories lost two (Hindi) servants | 1 | 1 | DOMINIONS minus DO (two in Hindi), def: servants | ||
| 34 | 0 |
- You don’t say! |
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| 35 | Minnow’s motions evade Tom’s own tools | 0 | MIN(nowsmot)IONS deletion indicator (evade) tomsown* anagram indicator (crafty) def (tools) |
- A lovely idea. This could make a great compound anagram. It''s a shame you didn''t include the anagram indicator the clue. - The anagrind in the annotation (crafty) isn’t actually there in the clue - Indirect anagram? - No anagrind in the clue! |
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| 36 | You leave this "comedy" - lousy, inane movie - in torment? | 0 | CA. YOULEAVEMINIONS = LOUSYINANEMOVIE* [in torment]. &lit with poetic licence playing on hate towards this movie. |
- A lovely CA. I can''t see how it is &lit. Perhaps you could explain for me in the comments on the post. - This is a tricky clue type, and I don’t think there’s enough info specifically pointing to “Minions” to make it solvable - The boldness and thought behind this is appreciable. But is this fair to the solvers - does everyone hate this movie? |
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| 37 | Henchmen banish party in colony on first of September (7) | 0 | Anno: (DOMINION-DO) S(eptember). Definition: Henchmen |
- In a competition where we''re all writing for the same solution, I prefer clues where the setter has used an idea that others haven''t |