Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-04-01 (26/26)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
1a – Scattered letters in a press (6)
SPARSE
Scattered is the definition, with letters in as an anagram indicator for a press
4a – Climbed like a fish? (6)
SCALED
Double definition, with scaled meaning climbed and also describing fish (they have scales)
8a – Scare causing a number to prepare for war (5)
ALARM
Scare is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + L (number, the roman numeral 50) + ARM (prepare for war)
9a – Caribbean island that could be a danger (7)
GRENADA
Caribbean island is the definition, with could be as an anagram indicator for a danger
10a – Grief at destruction of warship (7)
FRIGATE
Warship is the definition, with destruction as an anagram indicator for grief at
11a – Quickly taking one step (5)
APACE
Quickly is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (one) + PACE (step)
12a – Weed growing wild under logs! (9)
GROUNDSEL
Weed is the definition, with wild as an anagram indicator for under logs
17a – Collection I’m backing for little children (5)
MITES
Little children is the definition, with backing as a reversal indicator for SETIM (a charades clue: SET (collection) + IM (I'm)
19a – Poison scare in mess (7)
ARSENIC
Poison is the definition, with mess as an anagram indicator for scare in
21a – Transported girl goes to end of road (7)
CARRIED
Transported is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CARRIE (girl) + D (end of road, last letter of road)
22a – Paint roller covers preliminary section (5)
INTRO
Preliminary section is the definition, with covers as a hidden word indicator for pa(int ro)ller
23a – Swamp in which ghouls wander (6)
SLOUGH
Swamp is the definition, with wander as an anagram indicator for ghouls
24a – Heads of studs (6)
BOSSES
Double definition, with heads meaning bosses (like department heads) and bosses also being types of studs (stud, definition 2)
1d – Employees on a Scottish island (6)
STAFFA
Scottish island is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: STAFF (employees) + A (a)
2d – A graduate with zest? Incredible! (7)
AMAZING
Incredible is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + MA (graduate, like with a masters degree) + ZING (zest)
3d – American uncle taking bachelor to dance (5)
SAMBA
Dance is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SAM (American uncle) + BA (bachelor's degree)
5d – Islanders can rest at sea (7)
CRETANS
Islanders is the definition, with at sea as an anagram indicator for can rest
6d – Animal found in village centre by mother (5)
LLAMA
Animal is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: LLA (village center, the middle letters of village) + MA (mother)
7d – A trader who will give a gambler a hand? (6)
DEALER
Trader is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition: a dealer will give a gambler a hand
9d – The Emerald Isle? (9)
GREENLAND
Cryptic definition; the Emerald Isle would be a green land
13d – Expulsion got us in trouble (7)
OUSTING
Expulsion is the definition, with trouble as an anagram indicator for got us in
14d – Medicine was our connection, we hear (7)
LINCTUS
Medicine is the definition, with we hear as a homophone indicator for LINKED US (was our connection)
15d – Enthusiastic kisses or corporal punishment (6)
SMACKS
Double definition, with smacks being corporal punishment or the sound of enthusiastic kisses
16d – Rearranging cast or parts for players (6)
ACTORS
Players is the definition, with rearranging as an anagram indicator for cast or
18d – Trunk carried by a motor somewhere (5)
TORSO
Trunk is the definition, with carried by as a hidden word indicator for mo(tor so)mewhere
20d – Empty shell with which I leave port in Ireland (5)
SLIGO
Port in Ireland is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SL (empty shell, shell with middle letters removed) + I (I) + GO (leave)