Solution: The Three Little Pigs
Answer: DANCETRIO
Written by Ethan
First, answer the cryptic crossword clues. The right side is in alphabetical order by clue to indicate that the proper order is determined by the left column.
These answers can be paired with other answers to form triplets (as hinted by 'the three little pigs').
One example is ELECTRON and PROTON, which is missing NEUTRON to complete the triplet. The sets are listed below.
| Item 1 | Item 2 | Missing item |
|---|---|---|
| GOOD | UGLY | BAD |
| SNAP | POP | CRACKLE |
| BREAKFAST | DINNER | LUNCH |
| PAPER | SCISSORS | ROCK |
| PROTON | NEUTRON | ELECTRON |
| BUBBLES | BLOSSOM | BUTTERCUP |
| VANILLA | CHOCOLATE | STRAWBERRY |
| STRAW | BRICKS | STICKS |
| STOP | ROLL | DROP |
Author’s Notes
This was my first time writing cryptic clues. Big thanks to Puzzle Hunt CMU and DaroCaro for helping me identify the legality of some of these clues.
I especially struggled with writing clues that had a good surface reading, as well as having a good variety of clues.
I think more cryptic crossword experience would help
me rewrite a lot of these clues.
The triple definition for "turn / an official list / of bread" is something I personally liked, despite it being technically
'incorrect' as a cryptic clue (but it is thematic, 3!)
| Clue | Answer | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Flower mob coming back around failure (7) | BLOSSOM | Def: "flower"; BOM< around LOSS |
| Shatter quick for pancakes? (9) | BREAKFAST | Def by example: "pancakes"; BREAK+FAST |
| Bachelor's around Astley blocks (6) | BRICKS | Def: "blocks"; B(RICK)S |
| Among a hubbub blessing, spheres (7) | BUBBLES | Def: "spheres"; _BUB BLES_ |
| Sweet delayed after cold homecoming (9) | CHOCOLATE | Def: "sweet"; LATE after C+HOCO |
| Diamond inside a meal (6) | DINNER | Def: "a meal"; D+INNER |
| Nice hug in deity (4) | GOOD | Def: "nice"; GO(O)D |
| Particle misuses one turn (7) | NEUTRON | Def: "particle"; (NEUTRON)* |
| Head of public relations takes primate document (5) | PAPER | Def: "document"; P(APE)R |
| Soda bubble result (3) | POP | Def: "soda" and "bubble result" |
| Little matter from master weight (6) | PROTON | Def: "little matter"; PRO+TON |
| Turn an official list of bread (4) | ROLL | Def: "turn", "an official list", "bread" |
| Cisgender in Social Security or small tools (8) | SCISSORS | Def: "tools"; S(CIS)S+OR+S |
| Break small round pan (4) | SNAP | Def: "break"; S+NAP< |
| Cease the odd sets of pi (4) | STOP | Def: "cease"; odd letters (S)e(T)s (O)f (P)i |
| Southern team leader's uncooked fodder (5) | STRAW | Def: "fodder"; S+T+RAW |
| Unpleasant drug lyrics within (4) | UGLY | Def: "unpleasant"; dr(UG LY)rics |
| Plain vehicle turns everything and one (7) | VANILLA | Def: "plain"; VAN + (I + LLA)< |