New edition of clue challenge: a set of eight cryptic clues with tricky parsing is given below. The answers are provided. Can you work out how the clue leads to the answer? Post the annotated answers in the comments section.
Update (1st November 2012): Annotations added.
1. FT 14029 (Loroso): Self-interest soon overcome by effect of growing up (8) EGOMANIA
Annotation:IN A MO (soon) in AGE (effect of growing), all reversed i.e. up; definition: self-interest.
2. Times 25243: I felt that leaving guy was deflating (4) FELL
Annotation:OW (I felt that – exclamation of pain!) deleted from i.e. leaving FELLOW (guy); definition: was deflating. See Invisible Interjections for more examples of wordplay with disguised exclamation.'Fell' = 'was deflating' in the sense of subsiding/dropping in height e.g. a soufflĂ© falls/deflates after being taken out of the oven.
3. Sunday Times 4506 (Dean Mayer): Small amount of liquid I spit (5) CLONE
Annotation:CL (small amount of liquid – centilitre) ONE (I); definition: spit. 'Spit' = 'spitting image' or 'clone', as in the phrase 'the very spit of'.
4. Independent 8113 (Quixote): It’s a popular one with cruciverbalists! (5) DRINK
Annotation:Cryptic definition – 'it' is Italian Vermouth, a cryptic abbreviation popularly used in crosswords.
5. FT 14142 (Alberich): Without coat, appear to be cold in store (4) HIVE
Annotation:SHIVER (appear to be cold) without coat i.e. without the letters on its edges; definition: store.
6. Guardian 25770 (Paul): Animal ending in both two corners? (8) HEDGEHOG
Annotation:[bot]H + EDGE (corner 1: the meeting of two lines) HOG (corner 2: to gain control of) ; definition: animal.
7. Times 25263: Upset, much the worse for wear, one’s out for the count (4) GRAF
Annotation:Reversal of FAR GONE (much the worse for wear) - ONE; definition: count (in Germany).
8. Times 25299: A note put out describing perhaps his scheme as crazy (2,7,6) ON ANOTHER PLANET
Annotation:(A NOTE)* around NOT HER PLAN (perhaps his scheme); definition: crazy.
Visit our past clue annotation challenges: I, II, III, IV and V.
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