2. Rules
Ten questions, 20-odd points
Cryptic sometimes.
One point for key-words. One point for
clear explanations.
3. 1.
A set of 96 was made lighter by nine
in 1968. The original arrangement
was restored in the 1970s, but
became available en Anglaise only
three years ago. Improve veg murk
with a beating. Three words in
English, and (1,5,6) in the original.
4. 2.
A Bangalore centre-piece is the
most famous example I
know of something with a name
meaning spark but not singes in
German. What? (6)
5. 3.
This 3600 sq km location is split 45:55
between Estonia and its neighbour and
was the site of an event that inspired a
famous cinematic reconstruction in the
1930s.
(4,6)
6. 4.
Originally indicated a sense of moral
exhaustion, and thus its associations
with lack of courage or moral fibre.
Star dad may not be illegitimate but is
nevertheless a despicable chap. (7)
8. 6.
Once it meant not so much a period of
dietary virtue as time when you were
green in judgment, and cold in blood.
Now step very carefully, and add a
dash of Hindi to meet a dashing Kurd
with many statues to his name. (7)
9. 7.
It's that code word for toning
down, for evaporating lines
or borders, for atoms fusing but
breaking up for a desirable
smokiness. (7)
10. 8.
Literally coated foil, all it takes is starch
from coarse rice, sugar and an insane
degree of precision, and skill with
upturned pots. What?
(11/12)
11. 9.
When a species found in Kenya and
Tanzania was called a yellow horse
because it was a shrew, there was nothing
appropriate about that name, not even
perhaps the allusion. Explain everything.
(8/9)
12. 10.
Take a nursery rhyme about a
fortune-telling game and mess with its
words till you have begun cashing in
on a dance-craze. (4, 2, 6)
