The Times 27960

[TioMateo]

1) Make pet harmless, the rule at Christmas? (6) D?C?A?. Looks like DECLAW, but does the word actually exist? - not in Chambers. 2)Monster ("bully") youngster clutches almost tight (8) is definitely MINOTAUR, {Minor around tau(t)}, but "bully" seems to be superfluous. 3) In dire straits, after reputation collapsed, a first for relatively wealthy area(11,4) S?O?K?R?K?R ?E?T
It is obviously STOCKBROKER BELT, but whilst I get the definition (wealthy area) and STOCK (reputation) and BROKE (in dire straits after) and R (a first for relatively), I don't understand "collapsed" in the clue or BELT in the answer. 4) For recitation, get up this poetic tract (5) C?I?E. I have no idea.

[cashier]

1 Declaw is in a lot of dictionaries.

[cashier]

4 Clime sounds like climb (get up)

[Neveracrossword]

1 Declaw is in the Oxford of Dictionary of English, one of the stalwarts for the Times. The clue, or a very similar one, was also in one of the main Sunday puzzles.

[Neveracrossword]

2 Isn't the Bully just to indicate what kind of 'monster' it is, a bull-y one? Monster on its own isn't really enough of a definition.

[cashier]

3 Reputation collapsed - stock broke
Relatively- r
(Time to tighten my) - belt
That's my take on the clue.

[TioMateo]

Many thanks to all, although I find Cashier's analysis/parsing of STOCKBROKER a bit difficult to swallow. If it had been in the Irish Times I would possibly accept it, but it's very poor for The London Times. Can anybody find a more convincing take on this?

[bobbinwales]

yes, bully as in bull like

[TioMateo]

bobbinwales, my query is not with MINOTAUR, it's with STOCKBROKER BELT.

[bobbinwales]

Yes , know that. But you didnt respond to neveracrossword explanation so ia was just reinforcing it in case you'd missed it.

on stockbroker belt I dont get where belt comes from in the clue either but even the clue for the stock broke bit sounds clumsey

[bobbinwales]

If cashiers explanation of 'stockbroke' from 'reputation collapsed' then 'r' maybe the 'in dire straits' bit indicates BELT comes after somehow

[bobbinwales]

straits = belt is okay, but still can't see where dire fits in (unless its a comment on the clue standard!). Maybe there's a Mark knoppler reference