[johnx2]

It’s got by pure luck? Flummoxed without hideous mature arse.

( 8 )



ah bollocks  , shouldn't try to post whislt on phone.

[Duma]

Unches are the cross checked spaces in crossword grids.

Sorry, unches are the UNCHEcked spaces in the grid.

I am confused. I had understood that they were the spaces where one answer crossed another, so you could gain letters in your target answer by solving other clues - now I'm not sure...

[tlr]

Yeah, sorry, I meant to write ‘non crosschecked’ the first time I replied.

[Duma]

Sorry for my continuing denseness...
still confused.
you seem to be saying that my initial impression was wrong - but then I don't see how unches would help??

[tlr]

First clue was simply synonyms for CLEAR and AIR (giving LOOK, reportedly indicating a homophone). Quite hard without any unches I think. I was trying to avoid anagrams too.

Ahh, I see the reason for your confusion - me using the word unches wrongly. Obviously I should have said 'Quite hard without any cross checked letters I think.'

Apologies. Carry on.

[Duma]

WHAT?!?!?
but that would mean that the whole joy of unches sounding like hunches is undermined.

rubbish word, I'm against it.

[johnx2]

good, so now that's cleared up I'd like another clue please.

Which unfortunately means someone's got to solve my shite one.

Probably only going to be done by guessing the answer from the, ahem, one word definiition, I said one word definition,  and then it's easy enough I hope to work backwards to see how the rest of the clue works.

[johnx2]

come on, come on! Clue anyone?

[grumpycrumpy]

I'm stumped ...... Gis a clue ....... 

[johnx2]

the definition is either right at the at the beginning or right at the end of the clue, and in this case it's just one word. Flummoxed signifies and anagram. The shite bit is that 'without' means that you take some letters out of the anagram pool, in this case two four letter synonyms for hideous and mature. 

[john horscroft]

  OK, let's get things moving with an easy one:

Wobble buttocks might lead to skid row (4,6)

[john horscroft]

OK, let's get things moving with an easy one:

Wobble buttocks might lead to skid row (4,6)

 

[john horscroft]

Well I thought it was easy, and there's no botanical references nor nothing.....

 

[johnx2]

looking in... I can't solve it.

Wobble - looks like an anag signifier

buttocks - you had to have in

might - don't know what this word is doing unless it's supplying the letter 'm'

lead - does this mean first letter of something?

to skid row - the definition?

(4,6) - can't find 10 letters. But if it's not an anagram what is it? Not a pun as I can't think of anything  common that means 'wobble buttocks', a somewhat distracting phrase...

[john horscroft]

looking in... I can't solve it.

Wobble - looks like an anag signifier

buttocks - you had to have in

might - don't know what this word is doing unless it's supplying the letter 'm'

lead - does this mean first letter of something?

to skid row - the definition?

(4,6) - can't find 10 letters. But if it's not an anagram what is it? Not a pun as I can't think of anything  common that means 'wobble buttocks', a somewhat distracting phrase...

  I'm a simple soul john, it's much more straightforward.  Synonyms required for two words, 'might lead to' indicating that the definition is at the end, nothing more 

[tlr]

Broken drain hits rock bottom. 5

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

With deposits of lithium and potassium - but depleted of iridium - a nadir explored by Wilfred Thesiger? [7]

[nik at work]

That chap from Danakil isn't very near (4)

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

Where the Afar found exotic wind instrument? [4,2,5]


[4,2,6] 

[Duma]

Horn of Africa (nice clue btw)

Argute wandering Saharan, shorn of African roots, buys SUV? [6]

[grumpycrumpy]

Before being  spoilt the soldier makes a shrewd withdrawal ( 7 ) 

[Duma]

No.
But I can see how you got to shrewd - in fact that's probably better than the answer I was aiming for!

[tlr]

I've got the answer now, but first of all I came up with Sharan! (anagram of Saharan without A for African), but couldn't work out where argute came in. And I was thinking that Sharan is a people carrier not really an SUV.

Anyway, clue to follow.....

[tlr]

Etiquette behind tutu? A regulation for entry! (4,4).

Quite pleased with this clue finally.

Involving the previous answer in the clue is by far the hardest part.

[Duma]

Involving the previous answer in the clue is by far the hardest part.

But you've managed it very cunningly!

I've got the answer now, but first of all I came up with Sharan! (anagram of Saharan without A for African), but couldn't work out where argute came in. And I was thinking that Sharan is a people carrier not really an SUV.

Three way clue! I'm better than I thought!