Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-01-19 (24/24)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- 5d – Feathers or fruit seen on time (7)
17a – Bells head in battle? (4-4)— thanks, mows!
The clues:
1a – Cheese might be said to produce this (10)
PHOTOGRAPH
Cryptic definition; people say cheese when a photograph is being taken
7a – Pre-date form – that’s bureaucracy (3,4)
RED TAPE
Bureaucracy is the definition, with form as an anagram indicator for pre-date
8a – Little Tom’s digit (5)
THUMB
Double definition, with thumb being a digit, and Tom Thumb being a (little) fairy tale character
10a – Intend to be average (4)
MEAN
Double definition, with mean being a type of average and also meaning intend to
11a – A game babes play with everyone (8)
BASEBALL
A game is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BASEB (play is an anagram indicator for babes) + ALL (everyone)
13a – Divine drink that may produce trance (6)
NECTAR
Divine drink is the definition, with produce as an anagram indicator for trance
15a – Goddess making hen eat (6)
ATHENE
Goddess is the definition, with making as an anagram indicator for hen eat
17a – Bells heard in battle? (4-4)
DING-DONG
Double definition, with ding-dong being the sound of a bell, and also a British term for a type of battle
18a – Point to small pudding or potato (4)
SPUD
Potato is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: S (point, like a compass point for South) + PUD (small pudding)
21a – Material, by the sound of it, moved to and fro (5)
SUEDE
Material is the definition, with by the sound of it as a homophone indicator for a word meaning moved to and fro (swayed)
22a – Bugs in religious groups? (7)
INSECTS
Bugs is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: IN (in) + SECTS (religious groups)
23a – Bad art’s seldom produced by great painters (3,7)
OLD MASTERS
Great painters is the definition, with bad as an anagram indicator for art's seldom
1d – Italian city partly up a dual carriageway (5)
PADUA
Italian city is the definition, with partly as a hidden word indicator for u(p a dua)l carriageway
2d – The shape of a cricket ground (4)
OVAL
Double definition, with oval being a shape, but The Oval also being a famous cricket ground in London
3d – A poser about musical dramas (6)
OPERAS
Musical dramas is the definition, with about as an anagram indicator for a poser
4d – Regales again and withdraws (8)
RETREATS
Double definition, with retreats meaning withdraws but also regales (treats) again
5d – Feathers or fruit seen on time (7)
PLUMAGE
Feathers is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: PLUM (fruit) + AGE (time?)
6d – Walks seamen drop off? (10)
PROMENADES
Double definition, with promenades meaning walks and also being a deck of a ship
9d – Nonsense makes a Norse god run (10)
BALDERDASH
Nonsense is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BALDER (Norse god of light) + DASH (run)
12d – Reverie lasting 24 hours? (8)
DAYDREAM
Cryptic definition, for a reverie (or dream) lasting a full day
14d – Hide at one time in California (7)
CONCEAL
Hide is the definition, with in as an indicator that ONCE (one time) should go into a word for California (CAL)
16d – Blacksmiths’ blocks needed about five new nails (6)
ANVILS
Blacksmiths' blocks is the definition, with about as an indicator that V (Roman numeral for five) should go into an anagram (indicated by new) for NAILS: AN(V)ILS
19d – Choices of tools (5)
PICKS
Double definition, with picks meaning choices and being a type of tool
20d – Man, for example, I’ll hear (4)
ISLE
Man is the definition (Isle of Man), with hear as a homophone indicator for I'll