Word Puzzle 54

Word Puzzle 54 – Solution with Explanation

Theme: Referred to month abbreviations i.e. 1^st = Jan, 2^nd = Feb, 3^rd = Mar etc.

1. Jargon, Shop (def), rgo (regular ragtop i.e. alternate letter in ragtop), amongst (insertion), Jan (the 1^st thematically)

2. Deter, Retrospectively (reversal), reinterpreted the law (fodder), in part (hidden), discourage (def)

3. Rigmarole, Mar (3^rd thematically), in (insertion), rig (gear), o (around), le (the French), song and dance (def)

4. Attenuate, Break (def), at (at), ten (10), u (you), ate (had dinner)

5. Demarcate, Dec (12^th thematically), consumed (insertion), mar (3^rd thematically), dined (ate), limit (def)

6. Inveigle, Draw in (def), constituents (anagram of), living + ee (ease ref. list of abbrev.)

7. Marking, taking down (def), Mar (3^rd thematically), king (tycoon)

8. Torpor, T (t), or (v represents or symbol in logic), p (p), or (v), disregard (def)

9. Lifeboat, Auxiliary (def), Feb (2^nd thematically), o (nothing), bent (anagram of) tail + 0, over (container, i.e. anagram of tail + o around Feb)

10. Miasma, Smoke (def), Mia’s (Farrow’s), ma (old lady)

11. Taproom, Apr (4^th thematically), in (insertion), toom (empty), tavern (def)

12. Device, Devise (invent), sound (homophone), instrument (def)

13. Dismayed, Agitated (def), died (broke), consuming (insertion), s (his, ref. list of abbrev.), May (5^th thematically)

14. Patriot, Loyalist (def), showing (hidden), rest is fodder

15. Concoct, Con (study), c (chemistry first i.e. 1^st letter of chemistry), Oct (10^th thematically), construct (def)

16. Gilt, Guilt (shame), auditors (homophone), glitter (def)

17. Horsepower, Sep (9^th thematically), in (insertion), ho (drab), rower (oarsman), vigor (def)

18. Even odds, Scattered (anagram of), doves + end (wind up), with equal chance (def)

19. Juncture, Crisis (def), Jun (6^th thematically), unravelling (anagram of), truce

20. Officer, get (meta clue), rice (meta clue target), cop (def), cop = officer = off icer, off => anagram, so anagram of icer gives you rice.

21. New Orleans, City (def), to supply (meta clue), loaners (meta clue target), one way to get loaners is with new (anagram of) Orleans.