Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-08-31 (28/28)
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The clues:
1a – “Doubt” set in quotes (8)
QUESTION
Doubt is the definition, with set as an anagram indicator for in quotes
5a – American editor employed (4)
USED
Employed is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: US (American) + ED (abbreviation for editor)
8a – Mother backing our love affair (5)
AMOUR
Love affair is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: AM (backing is a reversal indicator for Mother) + OUR (our)
9a – Former currency, mostly, for French chemist (7)
PASTEUR
French chemist is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: PAST (former) + EUR (mostly is a subtraction indicator for EURO, a currency)
11a – Horsemen on board? (7)
KNIGHTS
Cryptic definition; knights are the horsemen on a chess board
12a – A ringleader captured by police is bitter (5)
ACRID
Bitter is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + C(R)ID (captured is an indicator that R, the first letter of ring (ringleader), goes into CID (police))
13a – Just circling outskirts of Prague for all to see (6)
OPENLY
For all to see is the definition, with circling as an indicator that PE (outskirts of Prague, its first and last letters) goes into ONLY (just): O(PE)NLY
15a – Scared leaders of army facing attack (6)
AFRAID
Scared is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: AF (leaders of army facing, the first letters of those words) + RAID (attack)
18a – Colour that is constant in salt water (5)
SEPIA
Colour is the definition, with in as an indicator that PI (a constant) goes into SEA (salt water): SE(PI)A
20a – Novel best in a French resort (7)
ANTIBES
French resort is the definition, with novel as an anagram indicator for best in a
23a – Odd male with red and green stone (7)
EMERALD
Green stone is the definition, with odd as an anagram indicator for male red
24a – Acknowledge being extremely awkward with German (5)
ADMIT
Acknowledge is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: AD (extremely awkward, the first and last letters of awkward) + MIT (German for with)
25a – Perfume, we hear, that’s dispatched (4)
SENT
Dispatched is the definition, with hear as a homophone indicator for SCENT (perfume)
26a – Name ship after Irishman (8)
DUBLINER
Irishman is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: DUB (name) + LINER (ship)
1d – Doctor has to sound like a duck (5)
QUACK
Double definition, with quack meaning sound like a duck, and also sometimes referring to a doctor
2d – English reason for showing a lot of feeling (7)
EMOTIVE
Showing a lot of feeling is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: E (abbreviation for English) + MOTIVE (reason)
3d – Part of loft or chimney set on fire (5)
TORCH
Set on fire is the definition, with part of as a hidden word indicator for lof(t or ch)imney
4d – Resist work and put on airs (6)
OPPOSE
Resist is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OP (abbreviation for opus, meaning work) + POSE (put on airs)
6d – Quiet noble’s short cut (5)
SHEAR
Cut is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SH (quiet) + EAR (short is a subtraction indicator for EARL, a noble)
7d – Mocked, having got free in action (7)
DERIDED
Mocked is the definition, with in as an indicator that RID (got free) goes into DEED (action): DE(RID)ED/spoiler]
10d – Employees held in the utmost affection (5) [spoiler title="show answer"]STAFF
Employees is the definition, with held in as a hidden word indicator for utmo(st aff)ection
13d – Yes, sort out molluscs (7)
OYSTERS
Molluscs is the definition, with out as an anagram indicator for yes sort
14d – Animal left with Tibetan monk (5)
LLAMA
Animal is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: L (abbreviation for left) + LAMA (Tibetan monk)
16d – Blue man turned white (7)
ALBUMEN
White is the definition (egg white), with turned as an anagram indicator for blue man
17d – Carriage from Queensland, Australia (6)
LANDAU
Carriage is the definition (a landau is a four-wheeled carriage), with from as a hidden word indicator for Queensl(and Au)stralia
19d – Writer holds note for groom (5)
PREEN
Groom is the definition, with holds as an indicator that RE (a note) goes into PEN (writer): P(RE)EN
21d – Lag behind dog crossing river (5)
TRAIL
Lag is the definition, with crossing as an indicator that R (abbreviation for river) goes into TAIL (behind dog)
22d – Indian instrument is taken up by sailor (5)
SITAR
Indian instrument is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SI (taken up is a reversal indicator for is) + TAR (slang for sailor)