Word Puzzle 135

Word Puzzle 135 – Solution with Explanation

Theme: None

Clues:

1. Eric left in a huff, on the kitchen counter there was a note saying he has split (5)

Cleft, has (hidden), split (def), rest is fodder.

2. Fear of the review against the authoritarian state, lacking direction (13)

Consternation, fear (def), con (review), against (juxta), stern (authoritarian), nation (state),

lacking (deletion of) N (direction)

3. Wish to catch asps (4,3)

Pass off, to catch (meta), asps (target), wish (def), one way to get the target is via, pass

anagram (off)

4. Flower seller lacking both hands but has a palm (5)

Foist, florist (flower seller), lacking (deletion), L and R (both hands), palm (def)

5. Make fun of French car informally (6)

Deride, make fun of (def), de (of in French), ride (car informally)

6. Wealthy Austrian woman married to a royal (8)

Affluent, wealthy (def), A (Austrian), F (woman), married to (juxta), fluent (royal)

7. Unpaid noble (11)

Outstanding, DD.

8. How to get to reading when snarly? (5-7)

Cross-grained, how to get to (meta), reading (target), snarly (def), one way to get the target is

via, anagram (cross) of “grained”

9. Want a great deal? snag it at Eric’s store, last time there was a sale it caused some stir (7)

Agitate, some (hidden), stir (def), rest is fodder.

10. Put the first person in the cradle to provoke (6)

   Foment, put the (insert), me (first person), font (cradle)

11. Power do (7)

   Command, DD.

12. Ralph bolted wildly after the foul up (4,3,4)

   Drop the ball, wildly (anagram) of “Ralph bolted”, foul up (def)

13. Dismay of the French couple (7)

   Despair, dismay (def), des (of the in French), pair (couple)

14. Backing him was a no brainer, poor David, they should have cut him some slack (5)

   Droop, backing (reversal), some (hidden), slack (def), rest is fodder.

15. Together let’s finally stop the French police (6)

   Placid, together (def), finally (last letter in) stop, La (the in French), CID (police)

16. How to get wired with bother? (5,3)

   Weird out, how to get (meta), wired (target), one way to get the target is via, weird

   anagram (out)

17. Doctor Harlow went another way to chill (5,4,5,2)

   Throw cold water on, another way (anagram) of “Doctor Harlow went”, chill (def)

18. What’s with these pick-up truck users? They seem to always get into some brawl (6)

   Ruckus, some (hidden), brawl (def), rest is fodder.

19. Rupert collapsed on the mattress feeling uneasy (9)

   Perturbed, collapsed (anagram of) Rupert, on the (juxta), bed (mattress), uneasy (def)

20. Bob McGill stunk terribly in overcoming the obstacle (9,5)

   Stumbling block, terribly (anagram of) “Bob McGill stunk”, obstacle (def)

21. Make fun of life (5)

   Scout, DD.