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September 2026 results

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Clues for CHARACTER. Ranked by points, then merits.

Pos.

Clue No.

Name

Clue

Explanation

Points

Merits

Comments

Steve Randall (steveran)

Buttons perhaps and no zip in restyled crotch area

CROTCHAREA* - O DBE: Buttons (Panto character)

Viresh Ratnakar (Gussalufz)

Property rent includes air conditioning (9)

Def: property. CHARTER {rent} around {includes} AC {air conditioning}.

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Adam Vellender (Pandiculator)

Quality Street finally devoured by runner after tea (9)

Definition: Quality Wordplay: (stree)T in RACER after CHA. Participants from outside the UK may be unaware of Quality Street - assorted toffees and chocolates that one might occasionally get given a tin of at Christmastime.

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Peter Milne

Identity card

Double definition. Identity is a person's character. A card is an eccentric person, ie a character.

Vinit Dev Wankhede (Vidwan)

Symbol of American democracy, essentially enshrined in constitution

Symbol : def of: connector American: A demoCracy essentially : C enshrined in : Insertion ind. constitution: CHARTER CHAR (AC) TER

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John Doylend

A part for the car RAC repaired (9)

Anagram: THECARRAC. Definition: A PART.

Phil Stephenson

Identity card

Double definition. Card = an eccentric person.

Oliver Brown

Diva assumes a right to play role (9)

Diva=CHER takes on A R + to play=ACT. Role is def.

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Will Manson

Malfunctioning chain reactors spewing volatile ions into nature (9)

CHAINREACTORS* (malfunctioning) minus (spewing) IONS* (volatile)

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Charlie Oakley

I, for one, react skittishly after burn

I, for one = definition. REACT - fodder, skittishly = anagrind, After CHAR = burn.

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Constant, hard rat race altered temperament

C + H + (RAT RACE)*; constant= c, hard= h, altered= anag ind, def= temperament

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‘Reserve’ encapsulates a cold disposition

reserve (vb) = CHARTER a+cold = A+C CHARTER encapsulates AC = CHARACTER = disposition 'reserve' as noun in surface reading

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Card or letter

Double def: Card as in 'characterful person'; letter as in 'typographic character' (while surface implies 'something to post')

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React badly after Daily reveals letter (9)

React = anagram fodder , badly = anagram indicator , after Daily = Char , reveals = result indicator + definition

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Type A or B, say (9)

Double Definition

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Mark reversed car for parking in numbered section (9)

CHAPTER (numbered section) with CAR<< for P. Def: Mark

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Essence of awkward chat with carer

(CHAT + CARER)*

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Daily performance essential to superior reputation (9)

CHAR (daily) + ACT (performance) + [sup]ER[ior] Def. reputation

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Personality coach exhausted by rat race cracked up

Personality(definition) C[oac]H exhausted by RAT RACE* cracked up(anagram indicator)

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Daily Mirror's most viewed item about bill on energy quality

ACT + E in CHAR + R (repeated letter in Mirror)

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Quality care mostly works with heart and compassion initially

[CAR(e) + HEART + C] anagram

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Kind, funny ratcatcher takes time off (9)

Kind - definition Funny - anagrind (Ratcatcher) minus t - fodder

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Possibly someone in TV soap episode quietly eliminated by reversing vehicle

CHAPTER (=episode) with P replaced by CAR<

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Archer play about a court case?

[ Anag. Incl . a ct. , case2 = odd or humorous character; ref. J. Archer play ‘The Accused’ (2000) ]

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Property contract includes unfinished work (9)

Def = Property CHARTER (contract) around AC(-t)

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Possibly Archer about to perform?

‘act’ in anagram, whole clue is the def.

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Daily routine I'm not sure shows distinction (9)

CHAR + ACT + ER shows def.

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React badly after Coke and pee?

REACT anag. after CHAR (coke, as a verb). Pee (the letter) is an example of a character.

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Personality hire masks stunted performance

AC(T) inside CHARTER

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Faceless person, I for one (9)

Double definition: Faceless person is a character, I for one is an example of a character

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Caesar evacuated Carthage, abandoned losing Gaius's original Ethos.

Anagram: C(aesa)R + CARTHA(g)E Anagram indicator: abandoned Caesar evacuated CR + CARTHA(G)E without G (forgetting original of Gaius's) Definition: Ethos (original greek word for character) Gaius was a common aristocratic Roman name

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Quality of tea crate fantastic

Quality - definition CHAR - tea anagram (fantastic) CRATE

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Constitution's backbone (9)

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Cleaning woman, deed and hesitation produce dramatic figure (9)

CHARACTER (9) CHAR = cleaning woman ACT = deed ER = hesitation Definition: dramatic figure CHAR + ACT + ER → CHARACTER

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One of thousands in Magna Carta, a hundred in charter (9)

The 1215 charter has about 23,000 characters. [char(ac)ter]*, 100=c.

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Sign displayed by the two-car accident? (9)

[THE + CAR + CAR] anag.

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Letterman

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Card player.?

Triple definition (".?" is a definition by example)

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Help who performs daily deed turns on eccentric

Charade: Help who performs daily (Char) + deed (Act) + turns on (er)

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React badly after arch rebuilt? Shows fortitude instead

React badly - anagram of REACT - makes ACTER after - these letters come after arch rebuilt - anagram of ARCH - makes CHAR ? Shows fortitude instead - person does not react badly after the arch is rebuilt - he shows fortitude instead - therefore he shows CHARACTER - the defining word. There is some vague topical allusion to Trump and his Washington arch - which may provide an element of humour - but it's not necessary to solve clue - or even see it!

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Cleaner with mixed trace - he's a card! (9)

Char (cleaner) + anagram of trace = character (card)

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Nut allergy clinic opens as part of franchise (9)

Nut = definition (an oddball or eccentric) CHAR<A{llergy}/C{linic}>TER

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Tea drivers take most of term to get to customer

Tea=CHA; drivers=RAC (Royal Automobile Club); most of term=TER. "to get to" = extended link phrase. Customer=CHARACTER (as in "He's a strange ____").

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React badly after burn constitution

anagram of [REACT] following CHAR (burn), constitution = definition

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Rep's vehicle reversed over yak's heart (9)

Defn = Rep(utation) vehicle reversed = RAC yak = CHATTER

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Former coach takes out injunction, Potter half hinting at appeal

Definition appeal [as in, this house shows character/appeal]; linker, hinting at [Clue Clinic]: CHARA(ban)C/(pot)TER

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Char eccentric cat. The old queen is eccentric (9)

The first eccentric is an anagrind. The second is the definition. CHAR CAT* ER