Opinion polls, PMs of various kinds and the final few Rishis feature in our pick of the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic clues
In the sample clues below, the links take you to explainers from our beginners series. The setter’s name often links to an interview with him or her, in case you feel like getting to know these people better.
There are, to use the standard measure, only seven regular cryptics between now and polling day. As some return to the question Mona Chalabi asked here in 2016 …
20a Old parrot cradling wing? One seeks assessment (7,4)
[ wordplay: abbrev. for ‘old’ + synonym for ‘parrot’, containing (‘cradling’) synonym for ‘wing’ ]
[ O + POLL, containing PINION ]
[ definition: one seeks assessment ]
16d Almost nobody supports following PM (9)
[ wordplay: most of (‘almost’) synonym for ‘nobody’, underneath (‘supports’, in a down clue) synonym for ‘following’ )
[ NOONE – E, under AFTER ]
[ definition: PM ]
9a Start of silly season for Rishi? (4)
[ wordplay: first letter (‘start’) of SILLY + synonym for ‘season’ ]
[ S + AGE ]
[ definition: rishi ]
X abbrev. • Christ (from the shape of the Greek capital letter chi, the initial of Christos) • former film-classification, limiting exhibition to those over 16 years of age [later revised to 18]
It feels like there are too many paths to go down for ‘set’. A bit like standing in a room full of cats and being told ‘pat however many you like’.
10a Agent making for unlikely setting in winter? (10)
[ cryptic definition ]
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