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Colgan's cryptic crossword

Crossword gridAcross

6. Head of Emergency has spare doctor circulating or close at hand … (7,5)
9. 70% of cathedral city provides me with nothing … (4,3,2,4)
10,12. Authorisation given to Hector … (6,2,4)
14,15. How the Greeks react to Helen’s abduction … (4,8)
19. Spruce, perhaps … (9,4)
21. Young male is sashed and embraced by West African leader … (2-2-2,2-2-2)


1. What is "triple K" in the Greek language? (4)
2. Why the distraught shepherd wandered aimlessly? (7)
3 Still to be fulfilled by Putin’s refusal to carry out 20 (3,3)
4. An Indian flower (5)
5. Chemical compound’s range excluded Einsteinium (6)
7. A serving of mush is less than ideal (7)
8. Countryman missing start of course (4)
11. Photographer’s left behind closed doors (7)
13. Knows I’m upset inside small houses (7)
14. Oblique line in operation of division (6)
16. Rock legend dismissed bishop’s prayer (6)
17. Had 10,12, apparently (4)
18. Out of sight in country around Dutch capital (5)
20. The chance to sign for a dollar (4)

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X-word answer 56Explanations

(C = cryptic part of clue + S = straight part of clue; or S + S = clue holding answer twice with two different straight meanings; or POW = play on words.)

Note that joining words may or may not be an integral part of the clue.
Punctuation and capital letters are irrelevant.
The art of the setter is to make it non-obvious how and where to split the clue, and to mislead the solver along an irrelevant path.

The Across straight definitions are all hit songs of The Beatles.


6. C: Head of Emergency (E) spare (lean) doctor (rig) circulating or (around ‘or) close at hand (by)
S: Eleanor Rigby

9. C: 70% of cathedral city (70% of Canterbury = Can’t buy) me (me) nothing (love)
S: Can’t buy me love

10,12. C: Authorisation (ticket) to (to) hector (ride)
S: Ticket to ride

14,15. C: How the Greeks react to Helen’s abduction (come to get her)
S: Come together

19. S: Spruce, perhaps = Norwegian wood
S: Norwegian wood

21. C: young male (lad) is sashed (inside “obi”) & embraced by West African leader (inside “oba”)
S: Ob-la-di ob-la-da


1. C: in the Greek language (inside “greek language”)
S: triple K = klan

2. C: why the distraught shepherd …(ram bled)
S: wandered aimlessly = rambled

3. C: Putin’s refusal (nyet) to carry out odds (around “o t”)
S: still to be fulfilled = not yet

4. S: Indian = Creek
S: flower = creek