← Back

August 2026 results

Clues for COMEBACK. Ranked by points, then merits.

Pos.

Clue No.

Name

Clue

Explanation

Points

Merits

Comments

Chris Lancaster (Samuel)

Return and order starter of Big Mac and Coke (8)

{B(ig) MAC COKE}*

66.5

Steve Randall (steveran)

Champion trails lively outsiders in Monte Carlo Rally

Champion: BACK trails: follows lively: anagram indicator outsiders in Monte Carlo: M E C O Rally: definition

59.0

Phil Stephenson

Common drug to help recovery

Com. + e + back

39.0

Mike Heddon (spider)

Husband discharged from chemo treatment to spine makes recovery

Husband discharged from C[H]EMO* treatment ->COME to spine BACK makes recovery(def)

34.0

Oliver Brown

Timeless heavenly body with tail makes reappearance (8)

COMET -T + BACK (tail), def = reappearance

33.0

—

Will Manson

Spooner’s behind crap quip (8)

Spoonerism of BUM (behind) & CACK (crap).

32.0

—

John Appleton

Arrive to support rally

Arrive [COME] + support [BACK]

25.5

Satyen Nabar (Dr. X)

Return in primarily brilliant cameo, playing heartless crook

[B(rilliant) CAMEO]* + C(-roo)K; playing= anag ind, def= return

24.5

John D Walsh

Re-election, perhaps - you could say it occurs in democracy

COME is rev in dEMOCracy. Ref recent event in Clacton.

24.0

—

Erik Dawid (Demios)

Derek's second manifestation of clue-writing starts to return again making this?

(E+M+O+C) rev. + BACK

23.5

—

Return from park at last, after swan bites me with bill

Return = definition. Park at last = K, Swan = COB bites (containment indicator) ME with AC

22.5

—

Turn up to support rally (8)

Turn up = come to support = (with) back + definition

20.0

—

Return firm clue for 'em?

"Return" – definition "firm" – CO (abbr. for company) "clue for 'em?" – MEBACK (if read cryptically, "me back" could be a clue for "em")

20.0

—

Echo the sound of a small valley in Wales (8)

In Welsh, a small valley is: CWM BACH A close friend was once the vicar of Cwmbach.

20.0

—

Welcome return after a layoff sees me champion after competition opens, initially

I wish! Charade: me + back (after) c + o

18.0

—

Orgasm aid provides return to performance

Orgasm = come (verb), aid = back

17.5

—

Fallen beam blocking lift in retreat (8)

Anagram BEAM in COCK. Def: Retreat

16.0

—

What might be seen after eradicating splits within leaderless Democrats? (8)

(d)EMOCRATS - RATS = EMOC "What might be seen" indicating a rebus; EMOC = COMEBACK splits = RATS in the sense of "informs on" overall surface - &lit - referring to next US presidential election

15.0

—

Return to company I objectively get behind (8)

CO+ME+BACK

14.0

—

Many evidently buy aesthetics primarily as fillers for the penis, lip or cheek!

Cock incl. first letters.

13.5

—

Private member gets me to take British Airways for return

COCK (private member) around ME + BA. Return = defn.

11.0

—

Cobalt with coating of manganese will support retort

Co [Cobalt] + me [coating of manganese] back [will support], retort = definition

10.5

—

Vigorously beam with swagger around what CCCWC's making?

BEAM* with COCK (swagger) around it.

10.0

—

Leftist leaves Michigan to support rally

COMMIE (leftist) leaves MI (Michigan) + BACK (support); def = RALLY

10.0

—

What is hidden in the mocking repartee? (8)

EMOC (i.e. COME BACK in cryptic wordplay) is hidden in th(E MOC)king. Repartee is the def.

10.0

—

Return to give a riposte (8)

9.5

—

Complaint about Big Mac and coke (8)

Complaint - definition About - anagrind (BMACCOKE)* - fodder

9.5

—

Search about English champion losing lead in rally (8)

Def: Rally, COM(E)B (-b)ACK)

9.0

—

Right of Reply is integral to democracy (8)

Reverse hidden cryptically implied in dEMOCracy

9.0

—

What democracy suppresses rally? (8)

EMOC (COME BACK) is contained in DEMOCRACY

8.5

—

Retort stand with something sticky on it (8)

Def / BACK=stand with, COME=something sticky, on top. Down clue. Sorry.

8.0

—

Shedding curses, what Democrat might hope to achieve

Drat = "Curses!" hence, (d)EMOC(rat) leaves COME back

8.0

—

For starters, every member's old clues returning?

EMOC reversed

7.5

—

bemock Charlie with a zany quip

*(bemock c a); Charlie: Nato alphabet for c; zany: anagram indicator; quip: definition

7.5

—

Canine fine to take on Acme, worried about barrister's initial response

canine = C; fine = OK; to take on = container ind.; Acme, worried = anag *ACME; about = container ind.; barrister's initial = B; response = def.

7.5

—

Part of democratic rally

(d)EMOC(ratic) = COME BACK

5.0

—

Turnaround initially creates online market expansion, building asset capital keywords (8)

Definition: Turnaround ( A business turnaround= comeback…) Indicator: initially – first letters in clue… Wordplay: First letters of - Creates Online Market Expansion Building Asset Capital Keywords

5.0

—

A rally the Colonel and I support

A rally ([def.]- COMEBACK) the Colonel (usual rank for a Commanding Officer - CO) and I (ME) - COME support (BACK) - COMEBACK [wordplay]

5.0

—

Boy knocked out in Mecca unfortunately, makes recovery(8)

Anagram of Mecca + b + ko Recovery as definition

4.0

—

Return could be revenue? (8)

French

4.0

—

Revival brought about by Democrats after the Primary?

‘come’ reversed in ‘Democrats’ after the first letter

4.0

—

With épée’s tip, endlessly feint riposte

The end of 'épée' with MOCK (feint) endlessly is E MOC, which is COME BACK(wards).

3.5

—

Return from company bank account I deposited in

CO for “company” BK for “bank” with AC for “account” and ME for “I” inserted in them. Definition “return”.

3.0

—

Bird including reversing Lincoln Mercury initially, makes a return (8)

COCK with M (Mercury initial and [President] Lincoln both in reverse order) .

3.0

—

Counter shaft in male reproductive organ (8)

Definition - Counter. BEAM (shaft) in COCK (male reproductive organ)

2.0

—

I'm captivated by blue mockingbird's return? (8)

Hidden: bluE MOCkingbird; EMOC = COMEBACK, hence ?; def. = return

2.0

—

Maybe heartless, maybe senseless, holds rally (8)

[MA(y)BE}* indicated by maybe. Inside COCK (senseless holds). Def.: rally.

2.0

—

Centres for second timers to support rally (8)

seCOnd tiMErs BACK, def=rally, centres for second timers = CO ME, to=juxtaposition indicator, support=back

1.5

—

Return to position part of democracy?

COME BACK is part of dEMOCracy

1.0

—

Taxi returns, mocked endlessly around witty retort.

Taxi returns - bac Mocked endlessly - mocke, around - anag Comeback - witty retort

1.0

—

Strutting leader possessing devilish beam gives cause to complain

Reference to the mad bloke over the pond MEBA (anag) inside COCK (strutting leader)

0.5

—

A cause for celebration when withdrawing an honour in what goes with a hoop, happily (7)

def. A cause for celebration (in this case, most definitely) what goes happily with a hoop: COCK (cock-a-hoop) rev an honour: A BEM = MEBA CO MEBA CK

0.0

—

Sally's arse turd starts to rotate we hear

Sally - definition (see Chambers Thesaurus for retort), is Spoonerism of (starts to rotate we hear) Bum Cack (arse turd)

0.0

—

Witty response

Clear definition of a "comeback"

0.0