Clue contest No 40
Wed 1 Apr 2026, set byTemple
Introduction
Spring is in the air, and the flowers are in bloom. For many this also means the onset of hayfever. For this month's contest, I challenge you to provide a clue for ALLERGY. Best of luck to all.
Submit your best cryptic clue for
ALLERGY
Results
# | Setter | Clue | Pts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleague has a certain amount of work aversion (7) ALLY (colleague) containing ERG (a unit of work). Def: aversion | 5 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 21 | ||
| 2 | Odd reaction from a student touching cloth when caught short (7) A+L +/touching [C]LERGY | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 19 | ||
| 3 | Largely mistreated health issue (7) Def: health issue. Anagram (mistreated) of LARGELY | 3 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 19 | ||
| 4 | Angry response when picture house drops its premiere (7) (G>>)ALLERY. Down clue | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 15 | ||
| 5 | Reaction from drug used in every topless sex party (7) E (drug) in ALL (every) + [o]RGY (topless sex party) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 15 | ||
| 6 | Negative reaction from back benches after leader moves to the right (7) Drag and drop G (leader) in GALLERY (back benches) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 13 | ||
| 7 | Really good exercises for asthma? (7) (REALLY + G('good'))*, anagrind 'exercises', link 'for', DBE 'asthma?' | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 12 | ||
| 8 | Large lady's clothing provoked unwanted reaction (7) Anag. ('provoked') of LARGE + LY ('lady's clothing') = Def. ('unwanted reaction') | 1 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 12 | ||
| 9 | Unfortunately No 2 for Plymouth Argyle gets bad reaction (7) Anag (unfortunately) of l (no 2 for Plymouth) and Argyle | 3 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 11 | ||
| 10 | This could make a lentil eater groggy on vacation (7) &lit: This / A + outer letters (on vacation) of LentiL EateR GroggY | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 11 | Really good juggling to get reaction (7) Def = reaction (REALLY + G )* juggling | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 9 | ||
| 12 | Friday’s “Ultimate Elgar” cryptic seals learner’s aversion to setters? (7) ~Y+ELGAR*, seals/contains L. Setters as dogs, DBE. Well, he is dead tricky on Fridays! | 2 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 8 | ||
| 13 | Teetotaller gynecologist exhibits particular sensitivity (7) hidden | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 14 | Reaction to bugs from partner’s bedding, so backside needs to be scratched (7) Def: reaction to bugs. ALLY is containing ERG(O) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 15 | Partner taking on Republican in, for example, reactionary state? (7) Def: reactionary state?; WP is a matryoshka construction: ALL{E{R}G}Y (R in EG; which is all in ALLY) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | ||
| 16 | Reaction everyone consequently contracted with eye burning outside (7) ALL + ERG[o] + [e]Y[e] — all (everyone) + ergo contracted (minus last letter) + eye burning outside letters | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | ||
| 17 | Largely uncontrolled reaction? (7) An anagram (uncontrolled) of LARGELY | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 5 | ||
| 18 | Discordant symphony’s ending “left Elgar in hives”? (7) (Y [symphonY's ending]) + L [left] + ELGAR)* [anag:"discordant"]. "Hives" as DbE (shown by ?) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 19 | Overreaction perhaps beginning to get really ridiculous (7) (G(ET) + REALLY)*; def is "overreaction perhaps" (the body "overreacting" to something) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 3 | ||
| 20 | Inability to tolerate really grand design (7) ALLERGY (inability to tolerate) = anagram (design) of REALLY + G (grand) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 | ||
| 21 | Largely dramatic overreaction (7) LARGELY* | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | ||
| 22 | Altered state of sensitivity in smaller gym largely amazing (7) Def=altered state of sensitivity, in smALLER GYmn, also anag (amazing) of "largely" | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 23 | Controversial gallery generates adverse reaction (7) (GALLERY)* / anagram indicator = "controversial" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 24 | I'm completely grey, ill-tempered, and I can be really irritating! (7) ALL + GREY* ("ill-tempered") | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 25 | Story about king giving up gold causes reaction (7) ALLEGorY (story) around R (king) losing OR (gold). Def = reaction | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 26 | Between beginning of April and end of May, pupils start experiencing raised groin hypersensitivity (7) A[pril..ma]Y around LL (pupils) E R G (start Experiencing Raised Groin); hypersensitivity = def. For some unfortunate individuals, could be seen as an &lit.? | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 27 | Barking gallery shows hypersensitvity (7) gallery* | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 28 | Causes largely adverse reaction (7) &lit + largely* | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | ||
| 29 | Ministers' leader slain after gangster's overly sensitive reaction (7) AL (gangster - Al Capone) + LERGY (clergy - ministers minus first letter) Def: overly sensitive reaction | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 30 | Nuts, perhaps, cracked really good (7) REALLYG(ood)* (cracked) | def= nuts, perhaps | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 31 | All work and a bit of play gives you a rash (7) ALL + ERG (work) + Y (a bit of PLAY) = def (gives you a rash) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 32 | Taller gymnast with sensitivity (7) A lurker | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 33 | extreme response to restructuring outline gets ball rolling on it? (7) r_g gets alley (bowling alley) for 'extreme [immune] response' | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 34 | Qualification required before course can be delivered? (7) Cryptic def | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 35 | Character at front of audience displayed delayed reaction (7) The G in GALLERY is displayed late; def = reaction | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 36 | Are half of top clerics showing intolerance? (7) A (are) + [c>L]LERGY (half of top; 100>50, clerics) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 37 | Bad reaction to football, er... gymnastics, fencing (7) Definition: Bad reaction. Wordplay: footbALL ER GYmnastics "fencing" (containing) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 38 | Missing you, lurgy mixed with ale leads to heightened state of sensitivity (7) LURGY "missing you" (-U) = LRGY, "mixed with" ALE; Def: heightened state of sensitivity | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 39 | Cloudy cycling back after all, possibly provoking asthma (7) ALL+ERGY (GREY reversed with the Y cycled) = dbe (possibly provoking asthma) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 40 | Nice to go on vacation of gaudy distaste (7) ALLER ('to go' in Nice, France) + GY (GaudY on vacation) def = distaste (eg. "I have an allergy/distaste for xyz") | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 41 | Topless athlete has brief gym aversion (7) Topless (remove first letter) athlete (bALLER) has brief (remove last letter) GYm aversion (DEF) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 42 | Every Easter on vacation guy oddly gets up your nose? (7) ALL (every) ER (Easter on vacation) GY (guy oddly) -> "gets up your nose" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 43 | Really glad at the start, developing an aversion (7) (REALLY+G)* ; def: an aversion | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 44 | E.g. rally: appalling overreaction (7) *eg rally (appalling) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 45 | Say why every rowing machine starts provoking hostility (7) ALL (every) + rowing machine (ERG) before Y (homophone of why) =/provoking ALLERGY (hostility) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 46 | Intolerance to loopy inane girl frantically dropping silly opinion (7) Intolerance to: definition. Anagram (frantically) of LOOPYINANEGIRL dropping anagram (silly) of OPINION | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |