Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-08-28 (24/24)
Still trying to understand these clues:
Figure in art is lacking undies when posed? (4)— thank you, @kittelach!
The clues:
1a – Having a rest from being dishonest and low (5,4)
LYING DOWN
Having a rest is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: LYING (dishonest) + DOWN (low)
8a – Healthy meal as rejected by young fellow (5)
SALAD
Healthy meal is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SA (rejected is a reversal indicator for as) + LAD (young fellow)
9a – Hush as the French entered (7)
SILENCE
Hush is the definition, with entered as an indicator that LE (the French, French for the word the) goes into SINCE (as): SI(LE)NCE
10a – Endless money? Take it easy (4)
LOLL
Take it easy is the definition, with endless as a subtraction indicator on LOLLY (money)
11a – Noise on boat was intrusive (6,2)
BARGED IN
Was intrusive is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BARGE (boat) + DIN (noise)
13a – Five argue excitedly, becoming more unclear (6)
VAGUER
More unclear is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: V (roman numeral five) + AGUER (excitedly is an anagram indicator for argue)
14a – Country area getting along badly (6)
ANGOLA
Country is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (abbreviation for area) + NGOLA (badly is an anagram indicator for along)
17a – Insect and fish provoking laughter (8)
TICKLING
Provoking laughter is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TICK (insect) + LING (fish)
19a – Silly leading characters in Dad’s Army and Fawlty Towers (4)
DAFT
Silly is the definition, with leading characters as an indicator to take the first letters of the words in Dad's Army Fawlty Towers
21a – Better love right in the open (7)
OUTDOOR
In the open is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OUTDO (better) + O (looks like a zero, love as a tennis score) + R (abbreviation for right)
22a – Condescend to sound like a European (5)
DEIGN
Condescend is the definition, with sound as a homophone indicator for DANE (a European)
23a – Applying logic makes a sinner go wrong (9)
REASONING
Applying logic is the definition, with wrong as an anagram indicator for a sinner go
2d – A blazer for Christmas? (4,3)
YULE LOG
Cryptic definition; this log in the fireplace at Christmas would blaze
3d – Figure in art is lacking undies when posed? (4)
NUDE
Figure in art is the definition, with lacking as an indicator to remove IS from UNDIES, and then posed as an anagram indicator
4d – Consternation caused by vegetables I’d raised (6)
DISMAY
Consternation is the definition, with raised as a reversal indicator for YAMS (vegetables) + ID (I'd)
5d – Mozart’s pack? (8)
WOLFGANG
Cryptic definition!
6d – Eat up, Miss Blyton (4)
ENID
Miss Blyton is the definition, with up as a reversal indicator for DINE (eat)
7d – Funny man trained as singer and film star (4,6)
DEAN MARTIN
Singer and film star is the definition, with funny as an anagram indicator for man trained (and maybe also an &lit clue, because he was also funny)
8d – Mouth-watering ice-cream’s first in rescue (10)
SALIVATION
Mouth-watering is the definition, with in as an indicator to put I (ice-cream's first, the first letter of ice-cream) into SALVATION (rescue): SAL(I)VATION
12d – Words of praise not rare (4,4)
WELL DONE
Double definition, with “well done!” being words of praise, and also being the opposite of rare for a cooking temperature
15d – Opposition leader’s share in speech (7)
ORATION
Speech is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: O (opposition's leader, first letter of opposition) + RATION (share)
16d – Entrance curtailed for French artist (6)
INGRES
French artist is the definition (Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a painter), with curtailed as a subtraction indicator for INGRESS (entrance)
18d – Musical animals (4)
CATS
Double definition, with cats being animals and CATS being a musical
20d – God with nothing to eat, lacking energy (4)
ODIN
God is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: O (nothing, like zero) + DIN (lacking is an indicator to remove E (abbreviation for energy) from DINE (eat))