Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-08-27 (25/25)
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The clues:
1a – Bigwig about to come back for reptile (5)
VIPER
Reptile is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: VIP (bigwig) + ER (come back is a reversal indicator for RE, meaning about)
4a – Approaches made by listeners after end of transmission (5)
NEARS
Approaches is the definition, with after as an indicator that EARS (listeners) goes after N (end of transmission, last letter of transmission)
7a – Agreement to read pamphlet (8)
CONTRACT
Agreement is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CON (read, as a con artist?) + TRACT (pamphlet)
8a – Payment for travel and food (4)
FARE
Double definition, with fare meaning food and also payment for travel
9a – A cook’s endless pain (4)
ACHE
Pain is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + CHE (endless is an indicator to remove the last letter of CHEF, meaning cook)
10a – Mine worker taking dog by river (7)
COLLIER
Mine worker is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: COLLIE (dog) + R (abbreviation for river)
12a – Wrongly cultivating only rose and rue (11)
ERRONEOUSLY
Wrongly is the definition, with cultivating as an anagram indicator for only rose rue
14a – Stone that’s great in construction? (7)
GRANITE
Stone is the definition, with construction as an anagram indicator for great in
16a – Deer in British India (4)
HIND
Deer is the definition, with in as a hidden word indicator for Britis(h Ind)ia
19a – Make changes before publishing new diet (4)
EDIT
Make changes before publishing is the definition, with new as an anagram indicator for diet
20a – Bishop without polish (8)
BLACKING
Polish is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: B (abbreviation for bishop) + LACKING (without)
21a – Eccentric names minister’s house (5)
MANSE
Minister's house is the definition, with eccentric as an anagram indicator for names
22a – Piece of bullion, for example, brought back in boat (5)
BARGE
Boat is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BAR (a gold bar is a piece of bullion) + GE (brought back is a reversal indicator for EG, meaning for example)
1d – Instrument for a girl (5)
VIOLA
Double definition; Viola is a musical instrument and also a girl’s name
2d – Vessel for baseball player (7)
PITCHER
Double definition, with a pitcher being a vessel and also a baseball player
3d – Study article penned by socialist (4)
READ
Study is the definition, with penned by as an indicator that A (an article) goes into RED (socialist): RE(A)D
4d – Nothing to boast about in cooler (3,2,3)
NOT SO HOT
Double definition, with not so hot meaning nothing to boast about, and also literally meaning cooler
5d – Terrible starts for anyone who files unread letters (5)
AWFUL
Terrible is the definition, with starts for as an indicator to take the first letters of anyone who files unread letters
6d – Sad to have church involved in witchcraft (7)
SORCERY
Witchcraft is the definition, with involved in as an indicator to put CE (Church of England) into SORRY (sad): SOR(CE)RY
11d – Bedfordshire town without capital, liable to collapse (8)
UNSTABLE
Liable to collapse is the definition, with without capital as an indicator to remove the first letter of DUNSTABLE (Bedfordshire town)
12d – This could make me a lord! (7)
EARLDOM
Cryptic definition
13d – Small fiddle for cad (7)
STINKER
Cad is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: S (small) + TINKER (fiddle)
15d – Out without can? (3,2)
NOT IN
Out is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition: NO TIN (without can)
17d – European holding cold ball (5)
DANCE
Ball is the definition, with holding as an indicator to put C (abbreviation for cold) into DANE (European): DAN(C)E
18d – Talk about Roundhead costume (4)
GARB
Talk is the definition, with about as an indicator to put R (Roundhead, first letter of round) into GAB (talk): GA(R)B