Huh 14
Only five head-scratching clues this time round, with two of them all but there….but not quite. So grab your Dolphin torch and see if you can illuminate the inner workings of this cryptic handful.
1) A song that may be desirable = CATCH [Cincinnus]
2) Unpleasant atmosphere in bird sanctuary = REFUGE [Alberich]
3) Amount of milk in Coumbus’s vessel = PINTA [Times 8544]
4) German tree overlooking lake, fine example = GEM [Sleuth]
5) Nanny giving direction to take out second sister = WET NURSE [Sleuth]
December 11th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
At first glance:
3 – wasn’t there an ad campaign along the lines of “Drinka Pinta Milka Day” ?
4 – German = G; tree = elm – lake (L) = em Gem = Fine example
5 – Direction = west – second (s) = wet; sister = nurse nanny = wet nurse
December 11th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
2 – unpleasant atmosphere = fug; sanctuary = could be haven, chancel or shelter, but must be refuge (with fug in the middle)
December 11th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
1 – A SONG = catch?
2 – I’m with you, flipsock. But how to account for REE? The FUG is fine.
3 – you could be onto it, X. The ad reference.
4 – gee that’s a nice use of ‘overlooking’ [Must remember that!]
5 – bit of a MEH clue for mine. Doesn’t sister approx = nurse in both wordplay + definition?
December 11th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
a ree is a bird, a philomachus pugnax, especially a female one
a catch is a song that is sung in rounds
December 11th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Also, Columbus was born in Italy, and pint in Italian is pinta
I believe Columbus initially wanted to name his three ships Pinta, Schoonera and Pota
December 11th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Grazie