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Huh 48

1 May, 2015

Lately I've been gathering a few huh clues - those pieces of wordplay that don't seem to add up. Maybe there's an allusion I'm missing, a formula I'm overlooking. Or possibly I'm being two short planks.

Take a look at this batch, culled from recent Brit puzzles, and see if you can nail them down to the last syllable. And of course, be my guest if you wish to take that extra step of devising your own clue for any of the same solutions. 

Thanks in advance!

1. Base used by florists' group = OASIS [There's the group, but why the flowers? From Prolixic]

2. Formula 1 driver just going over 100 = BUTTON [Jensen, I know. But can't fathom the numerical business from Qaos.]

3. Italian broadcaster coming under endless abuse after it styles Japanese mercenary = SAMURAI [Long and opaque, I'm afraid. Via Gazza]

4. Red bus left in the middle of Chasetown = SCARLET [Definition is clear at least. A clue from Bufo]

5. What, cobbled, may be used for a car? = ROAD SURFACE [Times 10224]

6. Cavalry officer's brass instrument = CORNET [Times 10223]

7. Suppress correspondence return to the French = STIFLE [Not sure how FITS fits, from Tilsit]

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If you missed my riddle chat with Richard Fidler, then feel free to slurp the podcast at http://ab.co/1I9t1x5

Text-speak is creeping into Scrabble. Where do you sit?
OBVS I'm fine with it
Entrenched stuff - like LOL and OMG - but no more.
Words With Friends, maybe. Scrabble, no
Let the 'real' dictionaries decide first
Just the handy stuff, like FAQ and EUW
I mean, WTF?! No way
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