Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-07-02 (26/28)
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The clues:
1a – Direction for traffic remaining behind castle (4,4)
KEEP LEFT
Direction for traffic is the definition, with behind as an indicator that LEFT (remaining) goes after KEEP (castle)
5a – Facile and insincere and taking liberties? Not entirely (4)
GLIB
Facile and insincere is the definition, with not entirely as a hidden word indicator for takin(g lib)erties
8a – No end for reluctant states (5)
AVERS
States is the definition, with no end as an indicator to remove the last letter from AVERSE (reluctant)
9a – Pariah not at home with actors (7)
OUTCAST
Pariah is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OUT (not at home) + CAST (actors)
11a – A symbol of authority must involve respect (7)
SCEPTRE
Symbol of authority is the definition, with involve as an anagram indicator for respect
12a – Lee is unusual name for girl (5)
ELSIE
Name for girl is the definition, with unusual as an anagram indicator for Lee is
13a – What’s left of property? (6)
ESTATE
Cryptic definition; an estate is what remains of someone’s property
15a – Commanding officer entertained by one clergyman or another (6)
DEACON
Another (clergyman) is the definition, with entertained as an indicator that DEAN (one clergyman) contains CO (abbreviation for commanding officer): DEA(CO)N
18a – Fire that’s hot inside cabin (5)
SHACK
Cabin is the definition, with inside as an indicator that H (abbreviation for hot) goes inside a word for fire (sack, as in fire from a job)
20a – Record about American sailor providing ingredient for pie? (7)
CUSTARD
Ingredient for pie is the definition, with about as an indicator that CD (record) goes around USTAR (charades clue, US (American) + TAR (sailor)): C(USTAR)D
23a – We heard vowel sounds (3,3,1)
YOU AND I
We is the definition, with heard as a homophone indicator for the vowel sounds U and I
24a – Stone outside good school (5)
RUGBY
School is the definition (Rugby School is a boarding school, and the birthplace of rugby football), with outside as an indicator that G (abbreviation for good) goes into RUBY (stone): RU(G)BY
25a – Profound philosopher’s first seen by river (4)
DEEP
Profound is the definition with seen by as an indicator that P (philosopher's first, or the first letter of philosopher) goes next to DEE (river, the River Dee in Scotland)
26a – Some politicians were definitely acknowledged (8)
ANSWERED
Acknowledged is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ANS (some politicians, or part of the word politicians) + WERE (were) + D (abbreviation for definitely)
1d – Poet providing king with grub (5)
KEATS
Poet is the definition (John Keats), with the rest as a charades clue: K (abbreviation for king) + EATS (grub)
2d – Mountain enshrouded in severe storm (7)
EVEREST*
Mountain is the definition, with enshrouded in as a hidden word indicator for s(evere st)orm
3d – We may hear lean composer (5)
LISZT
Composer is the definition (Franz Liszt), with hear as a homophone indicator for LIST (lean)
4d – Female cow? Buttercup, for example (6)
FLOWER
Buttercup for example is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: F (abbreviation for female) + LOWER (cow, because cows low)
6d – Plenty of boys retaining nothing (5)
LOADS
Plenty is the definition, with retaining as an indicator that O (looks like zero or nothing) goes into LADS (boys): L(O)ADS
7d – Please German sailors with bird (7)
BITTERN
Bird is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BITTE (please German, or German for the word please) + RN (abbreviation for Royal Navy, sailors)
10d – Subject of article by yours truly (5)
THEME
Subject is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: THE (article) + ME (yours truly)
13d – Some colleges say education is attempted (7)
ESSAYED
Attempted is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ES (some colleges, or part of the word colleges) + SAY (say) + ED (abbreviation for education)
14d – Nominal figure about right (5)
TOKEN
Nominal is the definition, with about as an indicator that TEN (a number, or figure) goes around OK (right): T(OK)EN
16d – One expecting payment for warhorse? (7)
CHARGER*
Double definition, with a charger being one expecting payment and also a warhorse
17d – Armed conflict I observed in part of London (6)
ACTION
Armed conflict is the definition, with observed in as an indicator that I goes into ACTON (part of London)
19d – A clipped English accent (5)
ACUTE
Accent is the definition (this diacritic), with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + CUT (clipped) + E (abbreviation for English)
21d – Small team for prison guard (5)
SCREW
Prison guard is the definition (screw is slang for prison guard), with the rest as a charades clue: S (abbreviation for small) + CREW (team)
22d – Uninteresting commercial for nymph (5)
DRYAD
Nymph is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: DRY (uninteresting) + AD (commercial)