Cryptic caves

[grahams]

Time for a clue: Cover with a capital C.

 

[Fulk]

Otter's Hole?

 

[grahams]

Otter's it is. Over to you Fulk.

 

[Fulk]

It's a Cockney thing – useless kitchen utensil (4,8,3)

 

[Graigwen]

F'ing Hopeless Pot
.

 

[Graigwen]

After four days I'll have another go.

How about "F'ing Hopeless Pot" ?
.

 

[Fulk]

Oh lor' – sorry Graigwen; I typed within an hour of your guessing it, 'That didn't last long', but I must have omitted to press 'Post reply'

Sorry – over to you!!!

 

[Graigwen]

I suppose we should have something festive in this new month. As Santa's little helpers are toiling away making all those kids' toys, we must take care not to disturb them. Try this one....

"Shush, Arctic Elves"

[ 5,3 ]
.

 

[Graigwen]

I suppose we should have something festive in this new month. As Santa's little helpers are toiling away making all those kids' toys, we must take care not to disturb them. Try this one....

"Shush, Arctic Elves"

[ 5,3 ]
.

I must apologise for a rather gross error in the letter count. It should be

[ 11 , 5 ]

 

[andys]

Chiselhurst Caves?

 

[Graigwen]

Chiselhurst Caves?

Brilliant, you are correct. I thought it would take a lot longer as it is away from caving areas and ...err...is not actually a cave!

 

[Graigwen]

Correct spelling Chislehurst caves, but that does not matter.

 

[andys]

Ha!. Correct clue would have contained an anagram indicator, but that doesn't matter either!
Anyway, try this on the same sort of theme...

"Arrangement to strip chasm, or fill it with pudding! ( 9,3 )

 

[Graigwen]

Ha!. Correct clue would have contained an anagram indicator, but that doesn't matter either!
Anyway, try this on the same sort of theme...

"Arrangement to strip chasm, or fill it with pudding! ( 9,3 )

Please excuse my ignorance. What is an anagram indicator? Is it some kind of sign that the clue is an anagram? (I really don't know what I am doing!)
.

 

[Tritim230]

Please excuse my ignorance. What is an anagram indicator? Is it some kind of sign that the clue is an anagram? (I really don't know what I am doing!)
.

In the latest clue, 'arrangement' signifies the following words are an anagram. If I'm correct, then how about:
Christmas Pot?
Very seasonal.

 

[andys]

Christmas it is - well almost, better get the tree decorated..... Over to you tritim230...

 

[andys]

Please excuse my ignorance. What is an anagram indicator? Is it some kind of sign that the clue is an anagram? (I really don't know what I am doing!)
.

Yes, there are a few things in cryptic clues which instruct the potential solver as to what they need to do.
SO if your clue is an anagram, it should have a word in it that means something to the effect that the letters presented need to be scrambled, as in my clue for Christmas Pot. Others are words to indicate that the clue (or part thereof) is a homophone, ie another word that sounds like one, or one derived from, the clue. An example would be "Holds fire, say..." as a clue for the word GREAT (a GRATE holds a fire, but its a homophone so when you SAY it it comes out as GREAT.) Another common form is for when the initial letters of a group of words are used. An example would be "Starts pulling out toadstools", where STARTS is the indicator telling the solver to use the starting letters (initials), and the initials of "pulling out toadstools" is POT. There are plenty of other such tricks too, but the aim is to present the solver with everything they need to solve the clue - if only they can work out what the bits all mean!

 

[Tritim230]

After a very cold lake swim this morning, the mind is starting to function again. A super cave if you ever get the chance...

"Lack compassion - sounds like murder!"
(4,6,4)

 

[Graigwen]

Yes, there are a few things in cryptic clues which instruct the potential solver as to what they need to do.
SO if your clue is an anagram, it should have a word in it that means something to the effect that the letters presented need to be scrambled, as in my clue for Christmas Pot. Others are words to indicate that the clue (or part thereof) is a homophone, ie another word that sounds like one, or one derived from, the clue. An example would be "Holds fire, say..." as a clue for the word GREAT (a GRATE holds a fire, but its a homophone so when you SAY it it comes out as GREAT.) Another common form is for when the initial letters of a group of words are used. An example would be "Starts pulling out toadstools", where STARTS is the indicator telling the solver to use the starting letters (initials), and the initials of "pulling out toadstools" is POT. There are plenty of other such tricks too, but the aim is to present the solver with everything they need to solve the clue - if only they can work out what the bits all mean!

Thank you very much. My education proceeds....
.

 

[Fulk]

In addition to the information given by andys, there are several conventions used by crossword-setters that would be very hard to guess. For example, they sometimes use the word 'swan' to indicate the letters PEN (because a female swan is a pen, apparently); then there's 'sailor' which could indicate the letters AB (for able-bodied [seaman]) or TAR (for [jolly-jack] tar). I expect there are several others.