Cryptic Stuff

[not_for_sale2025]

While it was done some years ago I see, I thought I would try a cryptic crossword-like thread for fun and to try and boost a little more interest here. I made up the below question for anyone interested in such a challenge. I thought the first person to get it correct might come up with the next question. A clue though - if you copy one from a newspaper or magazine etc., the answer can often be found on the internet. I can explain the answer for anyone who asks. 🙂

The prisoner at the cave would not stand for the electrically charged droplets of water.

(12 letters)

[wide-world-of-stamps]

That's right.

I left the nail (nail minus the i) = nal

after

the alien telephonist = ET

hesitated = er

then "everlasting" is the standard clue = eternal

Quite a standard format for a cryptic clue - I haven't done them for several years, and was never up to the top level, but OK with the basic clue formats.

[domino-710]

OK - think I'm getting this :

ET - alien

Stuck for the rest.

[domino-710]

Sheesh - I just got the - I - left. 

More please. lol

[the_great_she_elephant]

Hard work and inconvenience increased 100% when brewed by witches.

3 words 4, 3, 7

[not_for_sale2025]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

Eternal.

Loving this thread. I'm a cryptic crossword addict from way back. 

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Countessalmirena made comment a few posts back about mischievous pieces of misdirection. These are the clues that seem to trap me a lot. For example, this was in a cryptic crossword today:

"Hangs out with Leonid, Theory so odd!" 7 letters.

My immediate thought was 'Sheldon' - but it didn't fit. So I read it more closely and realized it was Leonid, not Leonard. The answer was 'loiters'.

While these mischievous misdirections p**s me off to no end, I do love them LOL.

[wide-world-of-stamps]

toil and trouble

[janeababe]

Waaaaaaa.   
I’m at work, and I just worked out eternal.... refreshed and the bleeding elephant beat me to it 😂 hahaha

good one. I think I’m getting the hang of it. 

[countessalmirena]

wide-world-of-stamps has got she-elephant's latest, without any doubt.

I do love these cryptic clues; some take quite a lot of time to "mature", and then all of a sudden one's brain puts the pieces together and one is jumping out of a bath shrieking "Eureka!"

[the_great_she_elephant]

Correct. Hard work = toil, inconvnience = trouble.

"Double, double, toil and trouble,

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

(Macbeth: act 4 scene 1)

[wide-world-of-stamps]

winning Courier jumped in reverse array with headless motorist, southern waterway

(2 words 5, 5)