Solving the Daily Mail Cryptic crossword can be tough for many. It is like solving a puzzle within a puzzle because the clues are tricky. To solve it, you need to know a lot about popular culture, history, language, and general stuff. If you get stuck, you can find the answers and explanations below.
Reform Act — anagram for historic document (5,5)
Answer: MAGNACARTA
The Reform Act puzzle refers to a historic document, which, when rearranged, spells out MAGNACARTA. This famous document, also known as the Magna Carta, holds significant historical importance as a cornerstone of modern democracy, establishing principles of limited government and the rule of law.
Hold back repeated lines (7)
Answer: REFRAIN
Hold back repeated lines, the answer REFRAIN means to restrain oneself from repeating certain lines or phrases. It’s a common term in music, where a refrain is a repeated section of a song that typically follows each verse.
Remove from head office (4)
Answer: DOFF
Remove from head office succinctly describes the action of DOFF, meaning to take off or remove something, often referring to a piece of clothing or a hat. The phrase head office cleverly alludes to the headgear that one might doff or remove.
Taking heart, being related (4)
Answer: AKIN
Taking heart, being related hints at the concept of being connected or having a familial bond, which is encapsulated in the word AKIN. It suggests a closeness or similarity, often used to describe individuals who share common traits or characteristics.
Wild goats in a capital city (8)
Answer: SANTIAGO
Wild goats in a capital city is a cryptic clue for SANTIAGO, the capital city of Chile. The clue cleverly combines the idea of wild goats with the name of a city, leading to the correct answer.
Type of fruit of rustic origin (6)
Answer: CITRUS
Type of fruit of rustic origin hints at a fruit that is commonly associated with rural or countryside settings, leading to the answer CITRUS.
Child initially getting material that’s used for drawing (6)
Answer: CRAYON
A child’s first tool for creativity, often found in a box of vibrant hues, is the CRAYON. These wax sticks provide a medium for young artists to express themselves on paper or other surfaces.
Birds start to whistle in trees (8)
Answer: SWALLOWS
Swallows are birds known for their melodious whistling. The clue hints at the beginning letters of start to whistle in trees, leading to the answer.
French soldier’s hat found in snake pit (4)
Answer: KEPI
Kepi is a type of French soldier’s hat. The clue cleverly hides the answer within the phrase found in snake pit, indicating the presence of kepi within snake pit.
Small cabin is closed (4)
Answer: SHUT
Shut simply means closed. The clue is straightforward, indicating that the solution is a synonym for closing something, which is shut.
Ace in Slough cooked stew (7)
Answer: GOULASH
Goulash is a stew dish. The wordplay involves rearranging the letters of Ace in Slough to form the solution goulash, indicating that it’s a stew that has been cooked.
Early settlement for my Peter Pan production (10)
Answer: PREPAYMENT
Prepayment refers to an early settlement. The clue suggests the answer by mentioning my ‘Peter Pan’ production, indicating that prepayment is an advance payment made before the production or event.
Leaders in military uniform feel tooinsecure in civilian dress (5)
Answer: MUFTI
When military leaders shed their uniform, they often feel exposed and vulnerable in civilian attire, symbolizing a sense of insecurity. The term MUFTI encapsulates this transition, highlighting the discomfort some may experience when stepping out of their accustomed military garb.
Kit appears in large arena (4)
Answer: GEAR
Within the expansive confines of a large arena, various equipment and tools are assembled, forming an essential part of the scene. Among these items, GEAR stands out as a concise representation of the array of kit and apparatus present, reflecting the organized chaos of preparation and performance.
Girl going to university with a large book (6)
Answer: ANNUAL
As a girl embarks on her journey to university, she carries with her a substantial tome, signifying the weighty academic pursuits ahead. This ANNUAL publication serves as both a companion and a resource, symbolizing the academic endeavors and knowledge accumulation inherent in the university experience.
Is a Tudor playing checkers? (8)
Answer: AUDITORS
In a playful twist, envisioning a Tudor-era figure engaging in a game of checkers adds a whimsical layer to the question. AUDITORS fittingly emerges as the answer, suggesting a nod to the concept of scrutiny and examination, akin to the strategic moves and assessments inherent in a game of checkers.
Disagreement with a New York jeweller (7)
Answer: TIFFANY
Amidst a disagreement with a New York jeweler, the renowned name TIFFANY emerges as a focal point. This seven-letter word encapsulates not only the dispute itself but also the prestige and significance associated with the brand, embodying luxury and elegance amidst the contention.
TV programme with fat actors? (9)
Answer: BROADCAST
Fat actors implies that the actors might be heavy or large, and TV programme suggests a televised show. The word BROADCAST fits as it refers to the transmission of television programs over the airwaves.
Hint: gloom transformed by this? (9)
Answer: MOONLIGHT
The hint gloom transformed by this suggests a change from darkness or sadness to brightness or positivity. MOONLIGHT perfectly fits as it signifies the transformation from darkness to light, often associated with a sense of romance or magic.
Complete cessation of punctuation- (4,4)
Answer: FULLSTOP
Complete cessation of punctuation implies the end of a sentence or statement, where punctuation typically marks a pause or conclusion. FULLSTOP directly corresponds to this, as it’s a punctuation mark used to signal the end of a sentence.
Instructor having drink with pop star (7)
Answer: TEACHER
Instructor as someone having a drink with a pop star, suggesting a social setting. However, TEACHER is the correct answer, as it refers to the instructor in question and fits the length of the clue.
Wooden model? (6)
Answer: TWIGGY
The term wooden model hints at a slender figure, resembling a twig, and Twiggy specifically refers to the nickname of Lesley Lawson, a famous English model known for her thin physique during the 1960s, making it an apt crossword answer.
Precise former spouse has to do something (5)
Answer: EXACT
Precise indicates accuracy or exactness, and former spouse refers to the prefix ex-. When someone has to do something, it implies action or activity. So, Precise former spouse has to do something succinctly describes the word EXACT, meaning precise or accurate.
Very extensive garden’s first seen in shade (4)
Answer: HUGE
Very extensive garden’s first seen in shade suggests identifying a word for ‘very extensive’ where the initial letter comes from ‘shade.’ The answer, HUGE, conveys vastness, and ‘h’ is the first letter of ‘shade,’ emphasizing the initial placement in the word.
