Clue contest No 32
Fri 1 Aug 2025, set byFez
Introduction
For August, what does Chambers say? Venerable, imposing, sublime ... let's go for MAJESTIC. Good luck!
Submit your best cryptic clue for
MAJESTIC
Results
# | Setter | Clue | Pts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand clown in charge follows tips from Melania (8) M[elani]A + JEST + IC | 4 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 21 | ||
| 2 | Great playing James Bond naked (8) Def. = JAMES anagram + sTICk with ends removed | 1 | 8 | 1 | 20 | 20 | ||
| 3 | Aroused, James Bond naked is magnificent! (8) JAMES* + (s)TIC(k) (bond, "naked") | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 12 | ||
| 4 | Manic nonplussed fool for August (8) manic, no n, plus fool = manic -> maic -> majestic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 11 | ||
| 5 | As Napoleon said, "I am back on top, it's over, c'est magnifique!" (8) As Napoleon said, "I (JE) am back (MA) on top (positioner), it's over (STI) c' (C) est (linkword) magnifique (definition) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 11 | ||
| 6 | Biting gag, I almost ejaculated over royal (8) CAM[e]< biting/containing JEST+I = royal | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 7 | Imposing tariffs initially on three fifths of major European states leads to international crisis (8) Def: imposing. T after MAJ[or] + E + S, followed by I C | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 8 | Olympian with horrible aim took crack cocaine (8) Def=Olympian AIM* around JEST (crack) C (cocaine) | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | ||
| 9 | I scam jet off royal (8) *I SCAM JET (off); royal as definition | 1 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 9 | ||
| 10 | You might drag cases home from here in August (8) Double def: Wine retailer; august | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 11 | Microphone captures adult joke that's awesome (8) A (adult) JEST (joke) in MIC (microphone) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 12 | Magnificent fool, one wearing coat (8) MA (JEST + I) C | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 13 | Sublime quote about small stuff stands up (8) def sublime quote>CITE about(con) small>S +stuff>JAM stands up(all rev)>>MAJ+E{S}TIC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 14 | "Great Jeans" triggered nameless millions before being seen on Twitch (8) Def.: 'Great'. (JEA[n]S)* (Anagrind: 'triggered', Deletion of 'n': 'nameless'), after M ('millions before), and before TIC ('before being seen on Twitch') | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 15 | Wedge taken back in France is one hundred grand (8) Def: grand. MAJ (JAM< wedge, taken back) + EST (in France, is) + I + C | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 16 | Times' circulation secures German agreement - about one hundred grand! (8) TIMES* ('Times' circulation') containing ('secures') reversal of JA ('German agreement about') + C ('one hundred') = Defn ('grand') | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 17 | Fruity Jam etc, is awesome. (8) Fruity (anag ind) jam etc is (majestic) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | ||
| 18 | Monumental hold-up heading west on leaving free-flowing section (8) Reversal of JAM (across clue) + SECTION* - ON; def = monumental | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | ||
| 19 | August 1st, letter from Jack: is in Paris getting into heartless magic (8) "august" MA (J+EST) IC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | ||
| 20 | Like Court with James I, flourishing? (8) CT JAMES I* - ref King James I (r1603-1625). | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 21 | Venerable Bede, say, one in Jarrow establishing Christianity initially supporting scholar (8) Def: Venerable. ST (Bede is, say, a Saint) + I (one) in JEC ( the initial letters of Jarrow establishing Christianity) all supported by MA (Master of Arts) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 22 | Grandmother with fair play, moving last piece over for all to see (8) Def: Grand. MA (mother) + JUSTICE (fair play) with the E (last piece) replacing (moving... over) U (for all to see) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | ||
| 23 | Where to buy wine for August? (8) DD, ref to Majestic Wine | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 24 | Grandmum Sally's one cokehead! (8) Grand = definition, mum = MA, Sally = JEST, one = I, "coke"-head (initial) = C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| 25 | They're open at night with a joke part way through August (8) A JEST in MIC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 26 | Grand jury initially sat with me in charge, all confused (8) def. = J(ury) SAT (with) ME IC anagrammed (confused) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 27 | Maggie's never never called 'queenly' (8) "Madge's tick" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 28 | Kid's taking over conjuring at last in magic that's sublime! (8) Def: Sublime. JEST (kid) replacing (taking over) G (last letter of conjuring) in Magic: MA(G)IC becomes MA(JEST)IC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||
| 29 | Royal to block regressive online abuse, we hear (8) Def: "royal"; "regressive" JAM (to block) + E + homophone of "stick" | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 30 | Strangely cites Jam as 'awesome' (8) Anagram of CITES JAM | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 31 | I see, I hear after master's quip with grandeur (8) IC, ("I see" heard) after MA (master's as in degree) + JEST (quip). Def: with grandeur | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 32 | Splendid joke about setter is about to get twisted (8) Def: splendid; JEST in C+I AM< (2nd about = containment) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 33 | Awesome morning trips with crack cocaine I injected (8) Down clue <A.M. + JEST C around I. Def Awesome. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 34 | Dignified Frenchman in charge taking a joke (8) Def: Dignified, M {A JEST} IC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 35 | Somehow jammiest conservative taking over from married noble (8) Def = noble, *JAM[m]IEST with m(married) exchanged for c(conservative) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 36 | Superb off-licence (8) DD (Majestic, originally purveyors just of wine, now sell wines, beers and spirits, so it's got to be an off-licence, hasn't it?) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 37 | Grandmother: intensive care after play (8) Majestic (grand) = MA (mother) + IC (intensive care) after JEST (play) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 38 | Royal officer is in France imbibing champagne primarily (8) MAJ (officer - major) + EST ('is' in France) + IC (first letters of imbibing champagne))) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 39 | Distinguished gum-chewing Japanese earl (8) MASTIC (gum) containing J + E | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 40 | Gag applied to Mum and me about Royal (8) JEST (gag applied to) MA (Mum) + I (and me) + C (about) = Royal (def) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 41 | James I, the ‘Caledonian Leader’ affected to be from on high (8) JAMESITC* (affected), def: (to be) from on high. Reference to his belief in the divine right of kings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 42 | Portentious moment - lost King James translated: "In the beginning..." (8) Def: Portentious; 'moment lost king' = TIC(-k); 'James translated' = MAJES; moved to the beginning. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 43 | "Slicker" describes self-promoting clown acting like a king (8) MAC [slicker] describing (I [self] promoted past JEST [clown]) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 44 | August quote back around south preserve. (8) August = Majestic. Cite = quote. Reverse around south (s). preserve = jam (reverse it) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |