Clue contest No 31
Tue 1 Jul 2025, set byEssBee
Introduction
I know for most of you it’s summer, but here in Australia it’s WINTER.
Please write a standard cryptic clue and good luck!
Submit your best cryptic clue for
WINTER
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39 entries
Season won by Bury (6)
Definition = 'season'. W ('won', the Korean currency) + INTER ('bury')
Net Zero essentially describes temperature when it's cold? (6)
WIN (z)ER(o) contains T
They’re occasionally pursuing success after a fall (6)
Def: after a fall. Alternate letters (occasionally) of ThEyRe after (pursuing) success (WIN)
Garbled wire about books that may describe Wonderland (6)
WIRE* about NT; def: "That may describe Wonderland"
Some snow in term like this? (6)
Hidden in snoW IN TERm
Season of decline not hot around the start of November (6)
WITHER minus H around N(ovember).
Scarecrow in terylene trousers which has icy air (6)
Hidden; def = which has icy air
In extreme cold extreme WiFi goes up, right, about tortoise-head European (6)
Winter = extreme cold, extreme WiFi = the ends of WiFi = wi, up = North, right = r, about t = head of tortoise and European = E
Window in Terra's passage? (6)
hidden &lit. (The "?" suggests def is poetic for "interval in Earth's orbit")
Could be seen regularly throughout Argentina, if we returned? (6)
&lit. Hidden in reversed, regular letters of "Argentina, if we"
Cheerless time period of Will's tale? (6)
dd. A cheerless time is a winter, and second 'period of Will's tale' is a reference to the Shakespeare play
Best half of bitter after Georgia's fall (6)
WIN (best) + TER (half of bitter) definition = after Georgia's(US) fall
One season with team in Milan (6)
Def: one season; W + INTER (Milan football team)
Complain on the phone about temperature at end of Summer's cold spell (6)
complain>whine on the phone(hom)>~WINE about(con) temperature>T at(+) end of Summer>R def cold spell
Season wife then lay down to rest (6)
W + INTER “season”
Rival leaves conversation after cycling for a year (6)
VIE(rival) subtracted from{leaves} cycling letters of INTERVIEW(conversation)
Season with trimmed minty herb (6)
Season = def; W[ith] + [m]INT[y] [h]ER[b] (trimmed)
Period largely following hot air's final departure? (6)
&lit. TER{m} (Period largely) after (following) WIN{d} (hot air - i.e. empty talk - with final letter departing)
Westbury's centre needs a space in time for ice skating? (6)
Lift and separate (centre needs a space) - W (West) + INTER (bury) | Def = time for ice skating?
Wife that is devouring books right when the nights get longer (6)
Def: When the nights get longer. W(ife) + IE devouring NT (books) + R(ight)
What follows fall of Starmer? Farage, triumphant, finally rising to victory (6)
([starme]R [farag]E [triumphan]T)< after ('to') WIN. Def. 'what follows fall'. (Down clue due to 'rising' as reversal indicator)
Season’s best shot removing lead from Novak and securing opening for Taylor (6)
Def = season; best shot = WINNER; removing lead from Novak = N; securing opening for Taylor = T
Missing "Focus" written off for the final quarter (6)
Def = the final quarter, Deleting the middle letter of WRItTEN*
Footballer's good to go for start of the season (6)
WIN(G->T)ER, with Good->T(he) | ”season"
Season some coleslaw in teriyaki (6)
hidden word (indicator - some) ; def - season
Dark days when the women's institute misplace rent (6)
WI + (RENT)* = Dark days
Women concerned with their periodically frigid days (6)
W (women) + IN (concerned with) + TER (alternating letters of 'their')
Who's first to bury Johnny? Edgar? (6)
W(ho) + INTER; def'n: Johnny? Edgar? (The musical Winter brothers)
Write excitedly about new season (6)
WRITE anagram (excitedly) going around N = Def.
Cold time, winery almost incorporated a bit of taste (6)
Def=Cold time// WINER(y) (almost) AROUND (incorporated) T (a bit of taste)= Winter
A quarter of women with it support shortening runs (6)
def [of] W + IN + TE(e) + R
After fall, smashed World Record time in ecstasy (6)
After fall = definition, smashed = anagram indicator, WR t in e = anagram fodder
When icy nights tarry equinox reveals beginnings of a regular spell (6)
Initial letters (*beginnings) of When Icy Nights Tarry Equinox Reveals = WINTER = a regular spell (definition)
Lay to rest on third of bowel movements by Vivaldi (6)
INTER (lay to rest) after (on) W (third of bowel) / def = “movements by Vivaldi”
Knitwear lacking character, not a woolly for this season (6)
Anag. of NITWER (missing K/character and a)
From wampyre's crown, entomb the season of darkness (6)
"Wampyre's crown" = W, "entomb" = INTER, Def: "the season of darkness"
Wine keeps the reindeer’s nose fresh this time of year (6)
WIN(T)E + R(eindeer, nose). Def, fresh… (cold)
Time beset by horribly frequent spells of ice or snow? (6)
T~ beset by *I[c]E[o]R[s]N[o]W
When in north take extra rations because it is cold initially (6)
Initial letters of the first six words.