Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-04-23 (21/24)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
1a – Athlete fired by club (4,6)
SHOT PUTTER
Athlete is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SHOT (fired) + PUTTER (a golf club)
7a – Fish in wreck (7)
TORPEDO*
Double definition, with torpedo being a type of fish and also a word meaning wreck
8a – Mountain range seen when holding record (4)
ALPS
Mountain range is the definition, with holdings as an indicator to put LP (record) into AS (when), resulting in A(LP)S
10a – Little boy taking one in with fibs (4)
LIES
Fibs is the definition, with taking in as an indicator to put I (looks like a one) into LES (a little boy‘s name)
11a – A sweet throw in darts (5,3)
BULLS EYE
Definition — anything cryptic going on here?
13a – Middle east country is backing king (6)
ISRAEL
Middle east country is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: IS (is) + RAEL (backing is a reversal indicator for LEAR, a king)
15a – Greek union making noises when coming out (6)
ENOSIS*
Greek union is the definition, with coming out as an anagram indicator for noises
17a – Writer possibly in love with saint (8)
NOVELIST
Writer is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: NOVELI (possibly is an anagram indicator for in love) + ST (abbreviation for saint)
18a – Courage needed on icy roads? (4)
GRIT
Double definition, with grit meaning courage and also something you can put down on icy roads
21a – A river in Slavonia (4)
AVON
A river is the definition, with in as a hidden word indicator for Sl(avon)ia
22a – Alligator pear almost producing havoc before a party (7)
AVOCADO
Alligator pear is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: AVOC (almost producing havoc, most of the word havoc) + A (a) + DO (party)
23a – Look for gold American brochure (10)
PROSPECTUS
Brochure is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: PROSPECT (look for gold) + US (American)
1d – Material social worker’s taken away from police officer (5)
SERGE*
Material is the definition, with taken away as an indicator to remove ANT from SERGEANT
2d – A spell of bowling is finished (4)
OVER
Double definition, with over meaning finished and over also being a spell of bowling (cricket term)
3d – Support for little dog (4,2)
PROP UP
Support is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: PRO (for) + PUP (little dog)
4d – New hat I obtain in foreign country (8)
THAILAND
Foreign country is the definition, with new as a charades clue: THA (new is an anagram indicator for hat) + I (I) + LAND (obtain)
5d – Quick to declare (7)
EXPRESS
Double definition, with express meaning quick and also meaning to declare
6d – Last roundup: cats and horses (9)
STALLIONS
Horses is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: STAL (roundup is an anagram indicator for last) + LIONS (cats)
9d – Great stir produced by travelling Estonians (9)
SENSATION
Great stir is the definition, with travelling as an anagram indicator for Estonians
12d – Glenda is upset by relations (8)
DEALINGS
Relations is the definition, with upset as an anagram indicator for Glenda is
14d – Tonic going up and down (7)
REVIVER
Tonic is the definition, with going up and down as an indicator that the answer is a palindrome
16d – Housing area in eastern land (6)
ESTATE
Housing area is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: E (abbreviation for eastern) + STATE (land)
19d – Raises backs (5)
REARS
Double definition, with rears meaning raises (like rearing children) and also meaning backs, like back sides
20d – Price paid for lettuce and last of beetroot (4)
COST
Price paid is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: COS (lettuce) + T (last of beetroot, last letter of beetroot)