Word Puzzle 121

Word Puzzle 121 – Solution with Explanation

Theme: None.

Clues:

1. French projectile after losing mass is prone to splitting (7)

Fissile, F (French), missile (projectile), after losing (delete) m (mass), prone to splitting (def)

2. Clear tar work (7)

Absolve, clear (def), AB (tar), solve (work)

3. Authentication seal validating autograph by alien (6)

Signet, authentication seal (def), sign (autograph), ET (alien)

4. Horrible august riot was unnecessary (10)

Gratuitous, horrible (anagram of) august riot, unnecessary (def)

5. Forgive housing note? and I have been greedy? (11)

Acquisitive, acquit (forgive), housing (container), Si (note), I’ve (I have), greedy (def)

6. Read on twitter about scooting madly (13)

Prognosticate, read (def) prate (twitter), about (container), madly (anagram of) scooting.

7. Woven fabric for “disemboweled Dracula” disguise (6)

  Damask, woven fabric (def), disemboweled (delete middle letters in) Dracula, mask

  (disguise)

8. Endlessly repeat pointless “Desi” routine (9)

Quotidian, endlessly (delete last letter in) quote (repeat), N (point), less (delete N from)

Indian (Desi), routine (def)

9. Ed declined to exit the Island’s wicked kingdom (9)

Bailiwick, declined (delete) Ed from (bail (exit) + I (Island) + wicked), kingdom (def)

10. Behave theatrically in part due to remoteness of the location (5)

   Emote, behave theatrically (def), in part (hidden), rest is fodder.

11. The queen replaced Charles in a clever twist (5)

    Quirk, R (queen), replaced (change x for y), C (Charles) in quick (clever), twist (def)

12. Whine about at home study say (7)

    Inveigh, whine (def), in (at home), weigh (study), say (homophone)

13. An European said to be Polish (7)

   Finnish, A European (def), said to be (homophone) of finish (Polish)

14. The point is moot, hence let’s conclude in a manner that is at least somewhat composed (6)

    Smooth, somewhat (hidden), composed (def), rest is fodder.

15. Uncommon result of brilliance (6)

   Luster, uncommon (anagram of) result, brilliance (def)

16. How to find a clean temp via employee job assistance service? (12)

   Outplacement, how to find (meta), “clean temp” (target), rest is def, one way to get the

   target is via anagram (out) of “placement”.

17. Strange way to reach his land (10)

   Outlandish, way to reach (meta), strange (def), “his land” (target), one way to get the target

   is via anagram (out) of “landish”.

18. Deep cold (7)

   Distant, DD

19. Willing heart (5)

    Quick, DD

20. The capital featuring in epic entertainment show in Washington DC (9)

    Epicenter, capital (def), featuring (hidden), rest is fodder.

21. Book top of the line lawn tool (6)

   Ledger, book (def), L (top of the line, i.e., 1st letter in), edger (lawn tool)