Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-08-25 (28/28)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
1a – A daughter’s choice — one way to create a family (8)
ADOPTION
One way to create a family is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + D (abbreviation for daughter) + OPTION (choice)
5a – Repeat what is said in the newspaper? (4)
ECHO
Double definition, with echo meaning repeat what is said and also being the name of a newspaper
8a – Search messily for a firearm (5)
RIFLE
Double definition, with rifle meaning search messily and also being a firearm
9a – Homeless person happy to occupy recess (3,4)
BAG LADY
Homeless person is the definition (yikes), with occupy as an indicator to put GLAD (happy) into BAY (recess)
11a – Very old African party that is not without love (7)
ANCIENT
Very old is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ANC (African party, African National Convention) + IE (that is) + NT (without is an indicator to remove O (looks like zero, or love as a tennis score) from NOT)
12a – Mushy peas entertaining old story-teller (5)
AESOP
Story-teller is the definition, with entertaining as an indicator to put O (abbreviation for old) into AESP (mushy is anagram indicator for peas)
13a – Top cow (6)
JERSEY
Double definition; Jersey is a type of cow, and a jersey is a top (like a shirt)
15a – Spies coming back for items in canteen? (6)
SPOONS
Items in canteen is the definition, with coming back as a reversal indicator for SNOOPS (spies)
18a – Bones one associated with fish (5)
CARPI
Bones is the definition, with associated with as an indicator to put CARP (fish) next to I (looks like a one): CARP+I
20a – Get high at first with father in capital (7)
BAGHDAD
Capital is the definition (Baghdad is the capital of Iraq), with the rest as a charades clue: BAG (get) + H (abbreviation for high) + DAD (father)
23a – Leader in priesthood, say (7)
PRELATE
This is an &lit clue; a prelate is a bishop or similar (so an example of a leader in priesthood), and the whole clue is also a charades clue: P (leader in priesthood, so the first letter of priesthood) + RELATE (say)
24a – Child starts to behave and is rarely naughty (5)
BAIRN
Child is the definition, with starts as an indicator to take the first letters of behave and is rarely naughty
25a – A job to do — to ask if nothing’s missing (4)
TASK
A job to do is the definition, with nothing's missing as an indicator to remove O (looks like a zero, for nothing) from to ask
26a – One runs out of clothes (8)
STREAKER
Cryptic definition; a streaker runs out of their clothes
1d – Vessel seen in Zambia or Tanzania (5)
AORTA
Vessel is the definition (blood vessel), with seen in as a hidden word indicator for Zambi(a or Ta)nzania
2d – One gets caught, hugged by tender policeman (7)
OFFICER
Policeman is the definition, with hugged by as an indictor to put I (looks like a one) + C (cricket abbreviation for caught) into OFFER (tender)
3d – Film music from Keith Emerson (5)
THEME
Film music is the definition, with from as a hidden word indicator for Kei(th Eme)reson
4d – Paths of planets or particles? (6)
ORBITS
Paths of planets is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OR (or) + BITS (particles)
6d – Garments ordered for Ascot (5)
COATS
Garments is the definition, with ordered as an anagram indicator for ascot
7d – A Greek mountain could be so lumpy! (7)
OLYMPUS
A Greek mountain is the definition, with could be as an anagram indicator for so lumpy
10d – Get hold of good tool (5)
GRASP
Get hold of is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: G (abbreviation for good) + RASP (tool)
13d – Knave gets trophy and big winnings (7)
JACKPOT
Big winnings is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: JACK (knave, like the playing card) + POT (a type of trophy)
14d – Some American girl (5)
ERICA
Girl is the definition, with some as a hidden word indicator for Am(erica)n
16d – Devil seen in former police station? (3,4)
OLD NICK
Devil is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OLD (former) + NICK (police station)
17d – Missing suspect’s first to stop a criminal (6)
ABSENT
Missing is the definition, with stop as an indicator to put S (suspect's first, first letter of suspect) into A (a) + BENT (criminal): AB(S)ENT
19d – Birds share nuts (5)
RHEAS
Birds is the definition, with nuts as an anagram indicator for share
21d – Clark up on the roof? (5)
GABLE
Double definition, with Clark Gable being an actor, and a gable being up on the roof
22d – Half-hearted meal served here? (5)
DINER
(Meal) served here is the definition, with half-hearted as an indicator to remove one N from the middle of DINNER (a meal)