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Easy Cryptic Crossword 2020-02-03

Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-02-03 (26/26)

Still trying to understand these clues:

  • 10a – Outside America Herb provides a meat product (7)
  • 23a – Heavy demand for a ladder (3)
  • 8d – Like one who supplies bowlers and bats? (3,2,1,6)

The clues:

1a – Where Dot’s clan gathered? (8)

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SCOTLAND

Cryptic definition, with gathered as an anagram indicator for Dot's clan.

6a – Face attack brutally (3)

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MUG

Double definition, with mug meaning face and also attack brutally.

9a – A fraction that is separate (5)

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APART

Separate is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + PART (fraction)

10a – Outside America Herb provides a meat product (7)

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SAUSAGE

Meat product is the definition, with outside as an indicator that a word for America (US) goes inside a word for an herb: SAGE: SA(US)(A)GE — does one of those A‘s come from “provides a” somehow?

11a – A performer giving a painter a note (7)

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ARTISTE

A performer is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ARTIST (painter) + E (note, like a musical note)

13a – A small bird, an old giant (5)

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TITAN

An old giant is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TIT (a small bird) + AN (an)

14a – A secondary highway overseas (6)

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ABROAD

Overseas is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition: A B-ROAD

15a – All the mixture is deadly (6)

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LETHAL

Deadly is the definition, with mixture as an anagram indicator for all the.

18a – Girl having exercises to modify (5)

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ADAPT

Modify is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ADA (girl) + PT (exercises)

20a – Reticence? Keep it for future use (7)

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RESERVE

Double definition, with reserve meaning reticence and keep for future use

21a – Dealing with jazz in Gateshead (7)

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TRADING

Dealing is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TRAD (traditional jazz) + IN (in) + G (Gateshead, first letter of Gate)

22a – Look happy when getting fresh limes (5)

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SMILE

Look happy is the definition, with fresh as an anagram indicator for limes

23a – Heavy demand for a ladder (3)

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RUN

Heavy demand is a definition — what is the ladder part?

24a – Produce electricity from teenager? (8)

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GENERATE

Produce electricity is the definition, with from (?) as an anagram indicator for teenager

2d – Hire a map-maker? (7)

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CHARTER

Double definition, with charter meaning hire but also someone who makes charts/maps

3d – Child going both ways (3)

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TOT

Child is the definition, with going both ways meaning it is a palindrome.

4d – A news broadcast with right to reply (6)

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ANSWER

Reply is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ANSWE (broadcast is an anagram indicator for a news) + R (bits and pieces clue for right)

5d – Certainly don’t be so sceptical (9)

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DOUBTLESS

Double definition with doubtless meaning certainly and also not being skeptical (having no doubt)

6d – Some antagonism, some of which is intended (5)

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MEANT

Intended is the definition, with some of as a hidden word indicator for so(me ant)ogonism.

7d – Colourful record covers for an old song (12)

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GREENSLEEVES

Old song is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: GREEN (colourful) + SLEEVES (record covers)

8d – Like one who supplies bowlers and bats? (3,2,1,6)

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MAD AS A HATTER

Cryptic definition I guess — a bowler is a type of hat, but is a bat?

12d – To begin with fish is quite unexpected (9)

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STARTLING

Quite unexpected is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: START (begin) + LING (a type of fish)

16d – Rap hits, possibly, for a musician (7)

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HARPIST

A musician is the definition, with perhaps as an anagram indicator for rap hits

17d – Start or take one drink (6)

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ORIGIN

Start is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OR (or) + I (looks like a one) + GIN (drink)

19d – A profit? Another time! (5)

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AGAIN

Another time is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + GAIN (profit)

22d – Knight’s address (3)

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SIR

Cryptic definition; you should address a knight as “sir“.