Cyclops 820 – 2025 Xmas Special

Logic/parsing

WORRIS_ME (anag, i.e. involved, of MISER and ROW) around O (zero, nothing)

PR(O)MISES (pledges) replacing O (zero, love) with E (ecstasy tablet) = PREMISES

subtractive anagram, i.e. about, of BOJ(O)S UM, dropping one O, or round letter

RE_GULAR (uniform) around C (Conservative) + TAN (whip, beat)

anag, i.e. rubbished, of A FABIAN ARSEHOLE

TOU (anag, i.e. cavorting, of OUT) + PEE (piss)

PUB_IC SECTOR (area near the genitals!) around (inserting) L (line)

hidden word in, i.e. a part of, ‘clintON STAG Enjoyed’

(T)EXT (text, without T – Trump’s first letter) + REMIT (hand over) = Y (last letter, or butt, of zelenskY)

GO TO (to visit) + THE + DOGS (dobermans)

ELFI (anag, i.e. perverted, of LIFE) + N (final letter of epsteiN)

(L)AWFUL, right, ditching first L (Latin)

anag, i.e. lost, of SUN ONCE SEAT IS

punning CD – when an Englishman might say ‘Bloody…’, an American might say ‘Goddamn…’

TI_ER (row) around G (leading letter of Government)

DICK (Private Eye, detective) + IE (id est, that is) + BIRD (lark, for example)

SCARE (anag, i.e. surprisingly, of CARES) = C (circa, about) = ROW (rank)

EX (former) + CHEQUER(S) (British Prime Minister’s country house, losing S – south, compass bearing)

LONG (extended) + LIST (tip, lean over)

hidden word in ‘trUMP I REside’

PI_T (mine) around (protecting) L (left) + O (round letter, ball)

T_IT (boob) around OOLK (anag, i.e. around, of LOOK)

anag, i.e. sloppy, of SPERMS GOING SO

homophone, i.e. broadcast – if something belongs to Andy Coulson (British journalist and former Downing Street Head of Communications), it might be Andy’s, which can sound like ANDES.

NA_Y (no) around ST (street, way)

CHANNEL (guide) + S (small) + URF (anag, i.e. balls, of FUR)

IN_NESIA (anag, i.e. changing, of IS INANE) around (accommodating) DO (party)

if you have NO TABLE, you might have to rest your plate on your lap!

anag, i.e. nuts, of KYIV HARDLINE

A (one) + CTU (anag, i.e. pathetic, of CUT) + A + L (large, clothing size)

anag, i.e. reform, of MAIN PARTY UNREAL

UTTER (say) + M + IS + (V)ERY (very, dismissing V, victory)

homophone, i.e. sounds – CHASTE (quite virtuous) can sound like CHASED (behaved like a dog, so did some dogging!)

DOES (female rabbits) + TIME (anag, i.e. about, of ITEM)

PER (for each) + SON (child) + AGE (decline)

Logic/parsing

anag, i.e. stupid, of UFO CON ACT NO

hidden word in, i.e. some of, ‘fRESH APEritif’

SA_GE (herb) around (grabbing) VA (Virginia, US state)

M_RAL DUTY (anag, i.e. absurdly, of TRULY MAD) around (hosting) O (round letter, ball, again)

anag, i.e. in a muddle, of OF RIOT ACT IF

MEAN (nasty) + S (singular) + TEST (international match)

hidden word, i.e. somewhat, in ‘haSTY LItigious’

STUN (nuts, or balls, up) + NE (north-east) + RS (Republican, plural)

JACK (small flag) + BOOTS (UK chemist chain)

(S)MITTEN, lovestruck, moving head (S) to the toe (for a Down clue) = MITTENS

anag, i.e. reforms, of FOR HEALTH

SHORT (crusty, terse) + LEG (bodily member)

T(O) (to, losing, or chucking, O – ball, again!) + HEME(N) (he-men, hunks, endlessly)

see 43A

EN (printing measure) + LARGE (anag, i.e. bust, of REGAL)

OBSESS (anag, i.e. unstable, of BOSSES) + IVE (I’ve, Cyclops has…)

E_D (Ed Balls, former UK politician) around (squeezing) N (middle letter of peNis)

[wouldn’t be a Cyclops Xmas Special without good old Ed Balls!]

anag, i.e. drunk, of AA CURING A

C (Conservative) + HILL (Fanny Hill, literary ‘woman of pleasure’)

S (second) + HIT (blockbuster – film, or book)

G (end of streetingG) + RAVE (party)

A_IL (feel ill) around P (president) + R (right)

G (a grand, £1000, a lot of money) + ECKO (anag, i.e. problem, of COKE)

DO (party) over (for a Down clue) UBT (anag, i.e. reform, of BUT)

DEMO (demonstration, protest) + N (top letter of Nigel)

EX (no longer) + PLAIN (modest)

AN (one) + TI (it, euphemism for S-E-X, retired, or reversed)

anag, i.e. disrupted, of ENEMY SUMMITS

homophone, i.e. reported – a QUAY, or landing place, can sound like KEY – vital

SIN (evil) + AI (Artificial Intelligence, potential technological threat)

SI (is, getting back) + DE (of, French)

anag, i.e. wallowing, of IN DIGS QUITE

SET S_CH (anag, i.e. out, of CHESTS) around (imbibing) PEE (piss, again)

CO-E_D (co-educational school) around (without, or outwith) XISTE (anag, i.e. flexible, of EXITS)

LIKE (fancy) + A SHOT (a drop of whisky)

anag, i.e. broadcast, of FOUR DAVE

ILL (off, off-colour) + A + T_EASE (a tormenter)

BARB_S (unkind remarks) around ER (Elizabeth Regina, former monarch)

DAM(N) (almost all of a curse) + AGED (old)

C_ON (Conservative, or Tory) around (penetrated by) HIGN (anag, i.e. impossible, of NIGH)

G (grand, usually monetary) + RAT (scoundrel, arse) + IS

NOOS (soon, coming, back) + E (energy)