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paddythegeek

Help me figure out two confounding cryptic clues (self.crossword)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by cliambrown to c/crossword

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These are two clues from an old Globe and Mail cryptic. I know the answers to both, but the answers don't make any sense to me.

Silly things but capital savers (5)

spoiler

GEESE

Mimi's was frozen on watch (6 4)

spoiler

MINUTE HAND

Any ideas for either of these?

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[–] clump 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The first one is a double pun.

spoiler

The first part "silly things" refers to the phrase "silly goose", which pluralized makes "geese". The second part "capital savers" is harder to understand. According to an analysis of the original Guardian puzzle solutions, it alludes to an ancient tale of how geese (supposedly) saved the roman capitol from invading gauls. That explanation, however, does not explain why the word is spelled "capital. Perhaps that difference is just a nested pun on the letter-switching (oo to ee) used to make the plural in the first part, or "capital savers" may instead (or as well) refer to the fairy tale of the goose that laid golden eggs (gold being capital, and the goose being something that should be saved and not cooked/killed).

[–] cliambrown 1 points 2 years ago

Thanks! Pretty sure it's the story about saving Rome. (As for the spelling, capital seems to be the standard spelling for a capital city.)