Clue contest No 37
Thu 1 Jan 2026, set byAircon
Introduction
You make ‘em, you break ‘em, but can you set ‘em? RESOLUTIONS. Good luck and happy New Year!
Submit your best cryptic clue for
RESOLUTIONS
Results
# | Setter | Clue | Pts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adjusted in user > tools > display settings (11) Anagram of in user tools | 10 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 40 | ||
| 2 | So, Telegraph's no. 1 rule is: no cryptic definitions (11) SO T__ RULE IS NO* | "definitions" | 3 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 19 | ||
| 3 | Annual promises to replace Venezuelan leader with son in insurrections (11) RE(V->S)OLUTIONS | 1 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 18 | ||
| 4 | Firm pledges to change its rules on the 1st of October (11) Def: "Firm pledges" = anag. of ITS + RULES + ON + O | 3 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 15 | ||
| 5 | New year promises fresh stools and urine (11) STOOLS+URINE* (sorry) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 15 | ||
| 6 | What’s made in January? New routines, mostly lost (11) Anagram ROUTINES LOS(-t) | 1 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 15 | ||
| 7 | New Year’s frequently forgotten list soon broken – by mid-January? (11) *[y]E[a]R[s]+LIST+SOON, broken by/containing ~U~ | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 8 | Multiple definitions on display? (11) Cryptic def | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 7 | ||
| 9 | Iron out less awkward decisions (11) IRON OUT LESS anagram = Def. | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 10 | It's hard to keep them from rampant solo sin - true! (11) (SOLOSINTRUE)*; def = "it's hard to keep them" | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 11 | Decisions about answers (11) Decisions = answer. About (re). Answers (solutions). | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 12 | Could be 'don't cuss or lie, and cut down on Carbon Dioxide', at the start? (11) &lit... {Could be} ([d]ONT[c]USSORLIE)* - C {Carbon} and D {Dioxide, at the start) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 13 | New year promises honours list upset with Henry becoming Earl (11) (h > E)ONOURSLIST* | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 14 | Soldiers replace sailor in acts of forgiveness for formal decisions (11) ABSOLUTIONS - AB + RE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | ||
| 15 | "Work hard to get rid of weight" "must drink fluid" etc (11) [W]RES[T] must drink/contain fluid/SOLUTION = two examples of resolutions, etc. Wrest = get by toil (Chambers), i.e. to work hard to get. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 16 | "Work out, run, and no lies," said at the beginning? (11) run=R; OUT+R+NO+LIES* (work) + (s)aid | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 17 | Rules I add, not to get so bad!? (11) Anagram (bad) of RULES I +(add) NOT +(to get) SO. Whole clue is also definition | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 18 | Turns with very special outcomes (11) Def: outcomes. REVOLUTIONS (Turns) with V (very) becoming S (special) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 19 | After brief reservation Sisyphus inspired by old van’s staying powers (11) Def staying powers: RES[ervation] + O[ld] + LUT ~ I ~ ON’S (NB my pseudonym is Sisyphus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 20 | Pledges to riot unless maimed (11) Pledges (definition). Anagram (maimed) of TORIOTUNLESS | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 21 | Aim of neurologists: remove genius' head in confusion? (11) def = AIM; anagram (in confusion) of NEUROLOGISTS without genius' head (G). | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 22 | Self-imposed rules. And soon it collapses (11) {RULES (and) SOON IT}* (collapses) = RESOLUTIONS (self-imposed rules) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 23 | Busy routines are limiting star's plans (11) def; plans | ROUTINE* (busy) AROUND (are limiting) SOL (star, the sun's scientific name is Sol)) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 24 | Failure to return before urinary tract infection and concerning small motions (11) reversal (to return) of LOSER (failure) + UTI (urinary tract infection) + ON (concerning) + S = RESOLUTIONS (motions) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 25 | E.g. have more fun, exercising in compromising positions. (11) DD. 'More fun' and 'exercising' examples of resolutions. A 'compromising position' is a resolution also. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 26 | Starting to require education? Answer sums first: 640x480 and 1280x720 for example (11) First letters of require education (RE) answer (SOLUTION) first letter of sums (S) = Definition (examples of monitor resolutions) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 27 | Diagnoses composition of iron solutes (11) IRONSOLUTES*; def is diagnoses with a long e | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 28 | What follows New Year's eve revelry: drunken neurologist removing G-string to start with (11) NEUROLOGIST* minus G + S(tring); def. = "What ... revelry" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 29 | After reject's rejection, cutie won't ask no outsiders for promises (11) "promises" / UTIONS (cUTIe wONt aSk) comes after RESOL (loser's rejection) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 30 | Loser returns passing trouble on and winding-up his commitments (11) RESOL (loser returns) + UTI (passing trouble) + ON + S (winding-up his) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 31 | Resurgent loser forcing us into peace treaties? (11) LOSER< + (USINTO)* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 32 | Answers that promise more than they deliver? (11) CD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 33 | Soul not initially moving in balance with one on first of six motions (11) anagram (moving) of soul after removing first letter (not initially) inserted (in) (balance->REST) with (one->I) ON first of Six | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 34 | US loser into redesigned building decisions (11) (US loser into)* redesigned(anagrind) building(link) decisions : def | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 35 | Upset failure working out is adopting new promises to continue? (11) reversal of LOSER + *OUT IS around N extended def = promises to continue? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 36 | Proposals about salt waters (11) Def = RE (about) + SOLUTIONS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 37 | Reveals inked-in lights? (11) Straight def: reveals (noun); cryptic def: crossword solutions that have been entered for second time with certainty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 38 | One orbit around sun? make very small changes (11) &lit. one orbit around (REVOLUTION) sun (S), change V for S. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 39 | Loser’s return to us in confusion, for answers (11) DEF = “answers”, reversal (return) of LOSER for RESOL + anagram (confusion) of TO US IN for UTIONS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 40 | Put in another way, Ovid initially is not sure about Latin answers (11) (O + ISNOTSURE)* about L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 41 | Good conclusions from uprisings, seconds from victory (11) Good conclusions = def; uprisings = REVOLUTIONS; replace V with S | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |