Clue contest No 39
Sun 1 Mar 2026, set byCigogne
Introduction
Maybe it's something to do with the cold, damp weather before spring makes its appearance (or maybe not) but an increasing reluctance of a car's stop-start function is a sign that something needs replacing. So for this month's contest, please provide a clue for BATTERY. Good luck!
Submit your best cryptic clue for
BATTERY
Results
# | Setter | Clue | Pts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Try and beat organised crime (7) TRY + BEAT anagram = Def. | 4 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 21 | ||
| 2 | Weapons treaty torn up after start of bombing (7) Def = weapons; anag of TREATY; start of bombing = B | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 20 | ||
| 3 | 'It could be sticky end for Mandy' reveals current source (7) BATTER (it could be sticky) + Y (end of Mandy) = BATTERY (current source - as in source of electrical current) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 16 | ||
| 4 | Unusable if flat as a pancake? (7) DD "unusable if flat" (flat battery...), "as a pancake" (Batter-y, whimsically) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 15 | ||
| 5 | Crazy about emergency room series (7) BATT[ER]Y | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 14 | ||
| 6 | During sound times, term from the Right blows (7) def = blows | (T,T + (th)E + R) in BAY | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | ||
| 7 | Openers for Bangladesh are tormenting English in test series (7) B_ A_ T_ + T-E(nglish)-RY; "series" | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 11 | ||
| 8 | Where bats go on holiday? (7) Whimsical def. If a cat goes to a cattery…. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 9 | Assault partner in cell (7) double definition: 'assault' is the partner of 'battery' in the legal phrase 'assault and battery'; 'in' is a link word suggesting that assault's partner can be found in a synonym for 'cell' | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | ||
| 10 | Criminal act that carries a charge (7) DD criminal act//that carries a charge | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | ||
| 11 | Score by Root possibly clinches English Test series (7) TRY by/after BAT, clinching/containing E Battery = battery of tests, as per Chambers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 12 | Full of undercooked cake with limited space for layers? (7) BATTER-Y def = limited space for layers? | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 13 | Set strike coordinate (7) Set (def) = strike (BATTER) + coordinate (Y) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 14 | When fully naked, bribing a model to decide on unprotected sex is a criminal offence (7) My greatest apologies. Def: Criminal offence [bri]B[ing] A T (t-model, listed in Charlie Methven's list of abbreviations, amongst other sources) + TRY (decide, i.e. within a hearing/trial) about [s]e[x] | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 15 | One in twenty finally makes selection (7) BATTER (‘one in’ in cricket)+Y (last letter of twenty) def=selection | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 16 | It blasts the army regulars? (7) Semi &lit. Def: "It" = regular letters of "blasts the army" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 17 | They save Charli's second "Brat" remix, it could re-energise radio (7) T(-H)EYBRAT* (THEY minus second letter in CHARLI); def = "it could re-energise radio" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 18 | Beating cake mix, sort of (7) BATTER = 'cake mix', -Y = 'sort of'. def = 'beating'. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | ||
| 19 | Beating of percussion section (7) DD | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 20 | Naughty treat boyf regularly gets – a beating! (7) (TREAT)* inside regular letters of BoYf | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 21 | Swimmer abandons loop in harbour as it drains (7) Def: it drains; [O]TTER in BAY | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 22 | Prepare to deep-fry last slice of pricy mignon? (7) Def: mignon? (DBE) / WP: BATTER (v., prepare to deep-fry) Y (last slice of pricY) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 23 | Charge takes charge (7) Double definition - criminal charge / rechargeable battery | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 24 | Assault sounds like excessive praise (7) Def is 'Assault'. sounds like 'FLATTERY' | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 25 | Mad old queen locked in cell (7) BATTY, ER locked in. Electrical cell. | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 2 | ||
| 26 | It gets you nowhere when empty - Full is principally better! (7) &lit. FLATTERY when F__L is B_ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | ||
| 27 | Where Burmese maybe headed following British attack (7) DEF: Attack (c)ATTERY (where Burmese may be - headed/top lopped off) following B (British) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 28 | At the empty roadside serviced by the AA? (7) [AT+TE(the, empty)+R(road, side)] put into (serviced:mated) BY. Def: The AA? (DBE, battery size) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 29 | Mad tradesman loses head before going around and beating people up (7) Mad tradesman loses head = [h]ATTER / before going around = BY going around / and / beating people up = definition | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 30 | Regrettably, a mixture without large stirring can give a soggy Yorkshire pud (7) Subtraction anagram: 'regrettably a' - 'large' (indicators: 'mixture', 'without', 'stirring' ; a soggy Yorkshire pud could be whimsically said to be 'batter-y' | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 31 | British treaty broken, causing attack (7) B (British) + (TREATY)* (broken) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 32 | Hit crack doped with ecstacy — it'll give you energy (7) BAT (hit) + TRY (crack) containing E(cstacy) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 33 | Queen's spitting mad with power accumulation (7) ER spitting (impaling) BATTY; a BATTERY is a power accumulation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 34 | Like flour and water: consumed in cells. (7) Like flour and water = "battery". Consumed in cells = def. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 35 | Unmarried subject stopping by for series of tests (7) Def: series of tests, [-m]ATTER ‘stopping’ B-Y | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 36 | They may need to recharge? Treat by massaging (7) Definition: they may need to recharge? Anagram (massaging) of TREATBY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 37 | Crazy about 'Queen's Greatest Hits'? (7) BATTY around ER; "?" for whimsical def. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 38 | Knock around? Yes. It leads to a cell (7) BATTER+Y. Def is "A CELL" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 39 | Try and beat, performing this? (7) Def: this? (extended def). Anagram (performing) of TRY + BEAT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 40 | Variety gained by eating exotic treat (7) def: 'variety' from BY around anagram of TREAT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 41 | Striking like fish in Yorkshire? (7) DD; D1 striking being synonymous with battery, D2 as anyone from Yorkshire will confirm, fish is battery and comes with chips. Also striking is the term used when fish attack bait. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 42 | Assault as Royal Marine abandons Matt Berry carelessly (7) ([M]ATTBE[R]RY)* carelessly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 43 | Ill-treat chaps close to striking? (7) ill(anagrind)-treat>ATTER chaps(insertion) close to>BY striking:def>>b{atter}y | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 44 | Set piece of Benjamin destroyed treaty (7) BATTERY (set) = first letter (piece of) [B]enjamin + anagram (destroyed) of TREATY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 45 | Cell likely prepared for transportation following charge (7) CD: Not (members of a) terror cell, penal transportation or a criminal charge. "Likely" because not all batteries are meant to be portable. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 46 | Bart yet to blast cannons (7) Anagram of (to blast) BART YET. Def = "cannons" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 47 | British renegotiated treaty to facilitate cannon fortification. (7) British 'B' + anag.(renegotiated) of 'treaty' = cannon fortification aka battery. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 48 | What may lead you to a cell? (7) DD electricity/prison cell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 49 | Power supply box depleted the outside repository (7) Power supply=def. Box=BAT. depleted the=TE. outside repository=RY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 50 | Touching up Rihanna’s bottom secures a charge of assault (7) BATT(RE<)Y = a charge of assault (law). Touching = concerning; batty = (West Indian) bottom | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 51 | Headless Betty has support around bank. (7) Anagram (Around) of (B) etty + bra (support) for "Battery" (Bank) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |