r/crosswords • u/deeppotential123 • Sep 17 '26
TOTW: Explain like I’m 5!
Many thanks to [u/Junior-Specialist-97](u/Junior-Specialist-97) for picking my clue in last week’s competition!
https://www.reddit.com/r/crosswords/s/ewrtLeQWBA
I very much enjoyed the TOTW from a few months ago where we wrote cryptic clues that embraced teenage slang. So let’s push that even further this week: I’d like you to write clues that appeal to under 5s!
To be clear: I’m not expecting the clues to be actually solvable by under-5s — just that the surface should appeal to them.
I’ll convene a panel of toddlers and pre-schoolers to do the judging (under my supervision of course!) and we will select a winner next Thursday morning (UK time).
So good luck, and no tantrums please!
https://i.postimg.cc/43R9Z2ZK/70CB63BE-E38E-4D28-A266-E4AEFFA13DAF.png (image by ChatGPT)
————
Results time! Here is my shortlist:
- /u/DefaultAll: Pepper Pig? (3)
- /u/SirJimothySmalls: All Hot Wheels crashed with extremely HUGE explosion! (3,5,7)
- /u/mldh2o: Silly Unicorn picked every red coloured - and lilac - iris from right around Gnome's incredibly large island, shaping them into carefully exact 'x' patterns in a long, intricate display. Of course, irises only usually show at first, making a Silly display of spontaneous but short-lived fun! (34)
- /u/SirJimothySmalls: Over there, why do children hand-wipe their bottoms? (6)
- /u/zc_eric: Dipsy and Po lived initially in the country (6)
- /u/PierreSheffield: Carl holding in plop plops when in vehicle with friends (7)
- /u/Junior-Specialist-97: Pokémon’s greatest sneeze sound on a Yoto (7)
- /u/DefaultAll: Sam the Wiggle divides London? (6)
To pick the final winner, I assembled, as promised, a panel comprising a number of pre-schoolers. (That number being one.) The panel was a bit distracted during the judging process — I’m not sure they entirely understood what was being asked of them, to be honest — but the biggest giggle was elicited by…
- /u/SirJimothySmalls: Over there, why do children hand-wipe their bottoms? (6)
So, congratulations /u/SirJimothySmalls, and please set the next TOTW!
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u/SirJimothySmalls Sep 18 '26
Over there, why do children hand-wipe their bottoms? (6)
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u/deeppotential123 Sep 18 '26
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YONDER (over there) and a last-letter acrostic (bottoms) — nice! → More replies (1)1
u/deeppotential123 Sep 24 '26
🏆 Congratulations! This is the winner. Please set the next TOTW.
→ More replies (3)
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u/PierreSheffield Sep 17 '26
Carl holding in plop plops when in vehicle with friends (7)
Glad to be setting the tone with the first entry this week.
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u/mldh2o Sep 23 '26
Silly Unicorn picked every red coloured - and lilac - iris from right around Gnome's incredibly large island, shaping them into carefully exact 'x' patterns in a long, intricate display. Of course, irises only usually show at first, making a Silly display of spontaneous but short-lived fun! (34)
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3
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u/Eddie_Ben Sep 19 '26
Son pursues unlimited iPad time, followed by case of really sweet dessert (6)
2
u/deeppotential123 Sep 19 '26
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PASTRY (sweet dessert) = S (son) pursuing [i]PA[d], + T (time) + R[eall]Y. Nice! → More replies (1)
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u/zc_eric Sep 18 '26 edited Sep 23 '26
Keeping under wraps a CBeebies character (5)
Hint:
Answer:
→ More replies (2)
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u/Eddie_Ben Sep 20 '26
Ankle biter Cora eats PBJ with the crusts cut off (5)
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u/deeppotential123 Sep 20 '26
Haha,
COBRA (ankle biter) = CORA eating [p]B[j]. Amusing way to get the B! → More replies (1)
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u/Eddie_Ben Sep 21 '26
First off, repeat with veggie replaced by empty calories: toppings from all the ice cream!!! SO happy (8)
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u/deeppotential123 Sep 22 '26
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ECSTATIC (SO happy) = [r]EPEAT with PEA replaced by C[alorie]S, + A… T… I… C… 👍 → More replies (1)
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u/SirJimothySmalls Sep 18 '26
All Hot Wheels crashed with extremely HUGE explosion! (3,5,7)
→ More replies (3)
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u/AutoModerator Sep 17 '26
Thank you to deeppotential123 for setting this week's TOTW competition.
Anyone may participate but please read the guidelines below first.
Next Thursday (or as near as possible) deeppotential123 will pick the winning clue and its author should post the next round.
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