st 4238

[tenflags]

5a Chop sent back - don't have fish P-L-A--
could be poleaxe or pollack ? but not convinced why ?
8d boy found with river over his head --N-E--
16 across a small distance from an island -N--
either lnch or Unit

I'm learning and want to know why the answers are what they and not just the answers kind people ?
thank you in advance

[shaneystar2]

Pollack ...chop =lop (sent back) +lack ...if you don't have something you "Lack" it ..in this case fish which is the definition.
16 a Inch ..which is a small distance .. Inch is an island a small distance from Ireland ..which is also an Island.

[tenflags]

thank you shannystar2 ..
so sorry to be slow but why kenneth for 8d. boy obviously but the rest ?

and whilst I'm learning 22 across
i get ceases to smile for 'beam ends' but why desperate on here ? in the clue

[shaneystar2]

Are these from the Sunday Telegraph cryptic ?
I always find it one of the more difficult ones ...and only buy the ST occasionally .
Ceases to smile ..well if you smile you beam (as in cheesey grin ) so Beam ends (ceases)..and if you are on your beam ends ..this means you are pretty desperate ....in other words up the creek without a paddle....on your uppers etc.

Kenneth is a mystery to me ..all I can think of to define it is Kennet (river( +H ..head )..head over .

[jno]

H as the head (first letter) of HIS perhaps?

[tenflags]

thank you kind sir..
tis the sunday times cryptic ..
I have some leanring to do before I progress to the telegrah then !

[shaneystar2]

If you are trying to learn all about cryptics and how they reach the answers have a look here
http://www.biddlecombe.demon.co.uk/yagcc/
or treat yourself to one of the Telegraph paperbacks entitled "How to Crack the Cryptic Crossword ".Another good book is Cryptic crossword Clue Finder by J A Coleman and a Chambers Dictionary and a Bradfords is a must !
Don't be afraid to ask whatever you like on here either ..we all have to start somewhere and people are very helpful.
Good luck and happy solving !

[shaneystar2]

PS Thing is ..with cryptics all the different compilers have a different "mindset " .Stick with one compiler for now .
When you have finished them or not as the case may be ..cut them out until the solutions are published and then work back to see how they arrive at their answer and then you can progress from there.

[geo0939]

Just a small point about inch shaney. It may be an island close to Ireland but the word inch is commonly used, in Scotland and Ireland, simply as a small island.
Oddly enough there is a connection to another clue above. There is an Inch Kenneth in Scotland, off the west coast of Mull .Spooky uh? :-).