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Hello. I am fairly new at Cryptics. I like to do the Australian Sunday Times crossword as I have the whole week to work on it. I look forward to going through the answers the following week and filling in the many that I haven't been able to solve as part of my learning process. However there are always a few answers that I just cant relate to the clue. Is there anyonbe out there willing to explain the answers to me? Some of this weeks baffling answers were as follows:
Q. "Young wizard's penniless beasts"
A. "OTTERS".
Q. "Too timid without drink"
A. "SHANDY" ( where does the "timid" come in?
Q. "Spooner's staff, crooked in the cellar" A. "BASEMENT" what is the reference to Spooner? - (I get Base Men being crooked staff)

Young wizard - Harry Potter - penniless - otter

Young wizards penniless beasts refers to

Harry Potter

remove the P for penniless

Hi, Denise, welcome to the Oz on Saturday. It's my favourite too. Let's see if I can answer your questions about last week's puzzle.
1. A young wizard would be Potter, minus the 'p' (penniless) leaves 'otter'.
2. shandy is 'shy' around 'and'. Shy = timid
3. staff crooked is 'mace bent', or as Spooner would say 'base ment' = cellar. Not a great clue.
Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Too timid without drink:- too - and. timid outside - shy for timid, so SH - AND - Y

thanks people for your enlightenment ! its going to be a long learning curve. I only have about five answers to the current australian sunday times but still working on it! sorry I was so long getting back to you - didnt realize i could.