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Guardian Quick Cryptic Crossword 3

Guardian Quick Cryptic Crossword 3 (22/22)

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The clues:

1a Delightful sun shades for overseers (11)

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SUPERVISORS

Overseers is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SUPER (delightful) + sun shades (visors)

7a Forward first pieces of airmail Herman erroneously addressed directly (5)

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AHEAD

Forward is the definition, with first pieces as an indicator to take the first letters of airmail Herman erroneously addressed directly

8a Thin pancake served by representative in church (5)

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CREPE

Thin pancake is the definition, with in as an indicator to put REP (representative) into CE (abbreviation for Church of England): C(REP)E

9a Very thin bar crossed by broadcaster (6)

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SKINNY

Very thin is the definition, with crossed by as an indicator to put SKY (a British broadcaster) around INN (bar)

11a Component of endless celebration (4)

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PART

Component of is the definition, with endless as an indicator to take the last letter off of PARTY (celebration)

12a Cat traps old mouse originally (3)

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TOM

Cat is the definition, with originally as an indicator to use the first letters of traps old mouse

14a Examine second tin (4)

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SCAN

Examine is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: S (abbreviation for second) + CAN (tin)

15a Bachelor of Arts and Head of State getting very hot (6)

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BAKING

Getting very hot is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BA (abbreviation for bachelor of arts) + KING (head of state)

18a Surplus time in public (5)

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OVERT

Public is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OVER (surplus) + T (abbreviation for time)

19a Cancel yearbook missing second ‘a’ (5)

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ANNUL

Cancel is the definition, with the wordplay being ANNUAL (yearbook) with the second letter ‘a’ removed (missing second 'a')

20a Possibly powerful and initially independent supporter (11)

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POTENTIALLY

Possibly is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: POTENT (powerful) + I (initially is an indicator to use the first letter of independent) + ALLY (supporter)

1d Aquatic mammals taking last of meat from creeps (5)

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SEALS

Aquatic mammals is the definition, with taking being an indicator to remove T (last letter of meat) from STEALS (creeps)

2d Forecast including last word in prayer for crisis (11)

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PREDICAMENT

Crisis is the definition, with including as an indicator to put AMEN (last word in prayer) into PREDICT (forecast): PREDIC(AMEN)T

3d Rat perhaps with lair in rubbish (6)

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RODENT

Rat perhaps is the definition, with in as an indicator to put DEN (lair) into ROT (rubbish): RO(DEN)T

4d Irritation of sorceress losing head (4)

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ITCH

Irritation is the definition, with losing head as an indicator to remove the first letter of WITCH (sorceress)

5d Working is voluntary over period of time (11)

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OPERATIONAL

Working is the definition, with over as an indicator to put OPTIONAL (voluntary) around ERA (period of time): OP(ERA)TIONAL

6d Used up writing implement found in street (5)

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SPENT

Used up is the definition, with found in as an indicator to put PEN (writing implement) into ST (abbreviation for street)

10d Lout starts to yell obscenities belligerently (3)

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YOB

Lout is the definition, with starts to as an indicator to use the first letters of yell obscenities belligerently

13d Mother to rule one country (6)

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MALAWI

Country is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: MA (mother) + LAW (rule) + I (looks like a one)

14d Pause around entrance of old porch (5)

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STOOP

Porch is the definition, with around as an indicator to put STOP (pause) around O (entrance is an indicator to use the first letter of old): ST(O)OP

16d Gracious leaders of grand old library love yes-men (5)

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GOLLY

Gracious is the definition, with leaders of as an indicator to take the first letters of grand old library love yes-men

17d Render unconscious with small barrel (4)

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STUN

Render unconscious is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: S (abbreviation for small) + TUN (barrel)

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