Budget speech missing start? Crossword Clue

The crossword clue "Budget speech missing start?" with the answer "RATION" refers to play on words involving both a definition and a subtle word modification. In this clue, "budget" is the definition, which might initially seem unrelated. However, in cryptic crosswords, "REQUIN" is a term for a type of shark, specifically the French word for "shark," often associated with an economical or streamlined approach in nature.

The wordplay involves "speech missing start." Here, "speech" is represented by "oration," and "missing start" means removing the first letter "O" from "oration." When you remove "O" from "oration," you get "RATION," which sounds like "REQUIN" when considering the phonetic approach. The clue cleverly combines these elements to point to the answer "REQUIN," linking the concept of being economical (as in a budget) with the French word for shark, indirectly leading to the solution.

The crossword clue "Budget speech missing start?" with the answer "REQUIN" refers to this clue, and "Budget speech" is the definition, referring to a type of fish. The word "REQUIN" is the French term for "shark," which is a type of fish often associated with the idea of being budget-conscious or cost-effective in a figurative sense.

The wordplay component involves the phrase "missing start," suggesting that something is taken away from the beginning of the word "REQUIN." Here, "REQUIN" itself is the complete answer without any letters being removed, and the clue's wordplay might be suggesting a thematic link rather than a direct letter manipulation. 

The crossword clue "Budget speech missing start?" with the answer "REJOIN" refers to this clue, "Budget" is a term that can mean a plan or a summary, which in this context relates to the idea of "rejoining" or coming back together. The phrase "speech missing start" suggests removing the initial letter from a word related to speech. The word "REJOIN" means to come back together or reunite, fitting the definition of the clue. 

Therefore, "REJOIN" is derived from interpreting "speech missing start" as removing the first letter from a related word, with "REJOIN" fitting the concept of reuniting or reconnecting, which aligns with the clue's definition and wordplay.

The crossword clue "Budget speech missing start?" with the answer "RECKON" refers to this clue, "Budget" serves as the definition and relates to the idea of calculating or estimating, which aligns with the meaning of "reckon." The wordplay "speech missing start" indicates that you should take a term related to "speech" and remove its first letter.

In this case, "RECKON" can be derived from the word "RECKON," which means to calculate or estimate. The term "reckon" fits with the concept of budgeting, which involves estimating or accounting for expenses. Thus, the clue combines both the definition of budgeting (estimating) and the wordplay involving a term for calculation to arrive at the answer "RECKON."