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1ac Quit publicity houses almost exhausted
p?s?/off
Push off or pass off..(presumably not Piss off!) explanation please... Thanks

Puff (publicity) housing almost exhausted = sho(t)

Sorry Mamya i'm dopey.. still dont get it words of one syllable please!!

I agree mamya

Puff is Advertisement or publicity and it houses (keeps in) sho - which is almost shot -shot or gone is exhausted

Pu(sh o)ff

Thanks to all, either I'm stupid or that is a bit random!!.. hopefully the latter

Steve,

It aint random, it's a perfectly fair clue, you need to split its parts up for the cryptic explanation and the definition.

CLUE: Quit publicity houses almost exhausted
Quit = The definition = Push off
Publicity / a word synonymous with publicity is PUFF (Chambers Dictionary)

houses - to house (verb) is to put in or contain or position as in (if you know mechanics) the gasket is 'housed' (positioned, placed, put or contained)in the cylinder head

exhausted = shot (if something is shot, then it has gone or has been exhausted (run out off)

almost shot is SHO (T) taken the 'T' away

Then House [as a verb](contain or put in) the SHO inside PUFF

Now you have pu (sho) ff - Pu'sh o'ff

OK Les I get it now but didn't know Puff was publicity.. Chambers dic is not on my reading list.. more into historical novels and Steig Larsson!!

No probs mate, but it's certainly worth considering a copy if you're tackling the cryptics