Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2019-11-04 (23/24)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
1a – Prophet going round S. American city for insects (10)
MOSQUITOES
Insects
is the definition, with going around
as an indicator that QUITO
(a South American city
) should be put into the name of a prophet
(MOSES
): MOS(QUITO)ES
7a – Al has left one country for another (7)
AUSTRIA
Another
(country) is the definition, with left
as an indicator that Al
should be subtracted from the name of another country
: AUSTR(AL)IA
8a – String of islands off China? (5)
CHAIN
String of islands
is the definition, with off
as an anagram indicator for China
10a – Hearing vowels in comfort (4)
EASE
Comfort
is the definition, with hearing
as a homophone indicator for vowels
(E's
)
11a – Having a banquet? Order neat figs! (8)
FEASTING
Having a banquet
is the definition, with order
as an anagram indicator for neat figs
13a – Catty in a doggy way? (6)
BITCHY
Catty
is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition
15a – Heartless Tennyson’s new poem (6)
SONNET
Poem
is the definition, with new
as an anagram indicator for TENSON
(heartless Tennyson
, or Tennyson
with middle letters removed)
17a – Presiding officer taking flier behind church (8)
CHAIRMAN
Presiding officer
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CH
(church
) + AIRMAN
(flier
, behind
)
18a – Laundry used to be hot (4)
WASH
Laundry
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: WAS
(used to be
) + H
(hot
)
21a – One article is about a desert (5)
SINAI
Desert
is the definition, with about
as an anagram indicator for I
(one
) + AN
(article
) + IS
(is
)
22a – Resolute detectives in action (7)
DECIDED
Resolute
is the definition, with in
as an indicator that CID
(detectives
) should go into a word for action
(DEED
)
23a – Dear sir – big upset for officers (10)
BRIGADIERS
Officers
is the definition, with upset
as an anagram indicator for dear sir big
1d – They disguise king in multitude (5)
MASKS
They disguise
is the definition, with in
as an indicator that K
(a bits and pieces clue for King
) should go into a word for multitude
(MASS
)
2d – Tender god of love turns up (4)
SORE
Tender
is the definition, with turns up
as a reversal indicator on EROS
(Greek god of love
)
3d – American taking a long time in customs? (6)
USAGES
Customs
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: US
(American
) + AGES
(a long time
)
4d – Where schoolchildren bought food for friar’s dance? (4-4)
TUCK SHOP
*
Where schoolchildren bought food
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TUCKS
(friar's
, as in Friar
Tuck
) + HOP
(dance
)
5d – Tail one wags in high spirits (7)
ELATION
High spirits
is the definition, with wags
as an anagram indicator for tail one
6d – Documents get returned in books (10)
PAPERBACKS
Books
is the definition, with in as an indicator that BACK
(returned
) should go into a word for documents
(PAPERS
): PAPER(BACK)S
9d – Death’s nigh, perhaps – it may be deadly (10)
NIGHTSHADE
It may be deadly
is the definition, with perhaps
as an anagram indicator for death's nigh
12d – Delightful prince? (8)
CHARMING
Double definition, with charming
meaning delightful
and also being the name of a prince
14d – Rough terrain for coach (7)
TRAINER
Coach
is the definition, with rough
as an anagram indicator for terrain
16d – Frank or poor Dan locked up by police (6)
CANDID
Frank
is the definition, with locked up by
as an indicator that AND
(poor
is an anagram indicator for Dan
) goes into a word for police
(CID
)
19d – Edna goes back to southern mountains (5)
ANDES
Mountains
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ANDE
(goes back
is a reversal indicator for Edna
) + S
(bits and pieces clue for Southern
)
20d – Expert holding right amount of land (4)
ACRE
Amount of land
is the definition, with holding
as an indicator that R
(bits and pieces clue for right
) goes into a word for expert
(ACE
): AC(R)E