Guardian Quick Cryptic Crossword 12 (24/24)
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The clues:
1a Biblical woman, she comes and goes (6)
HANNAH
Biblical woman is the definition, with she comes and goes as a palindrome indicator
4a Celebrity rodents going west (4)
STAR
Celebrity is the definition, with going west as a reversal indicator for RATS (rodents)
8a Famous reason for cancellation of snooker competition? (7)
NOTABLE
Famous is the definition, with reason for cancellation of snooker competition as a cryptic definition, no table
9a Arrest and boycott, on reflection (3)
NAB
Arrest is the definition, with reflection as a reversal indicator on BAN (boycott)
10a Fire and pillage (4)
SACK
Double definition, with sack meaning fire and also meaning pillage
12a Paper money returned for cheesemaker’s substance (6)
RENNET
Cheesemaker's substance is the definition, with returned as a reversal indicator for TENNER (paper money)
14a Abandons foliage (6)
LEAVES
Double definition with leaves meaning abandons and also meaning foliage
15a Accustomed to American newspaperman (4)
USED
Accustomed to is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: US (American) + ED (abbreviation for editor, newspaperman)
18a Tax from museum takes time (3)
VAT
Tax is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: VA (abbreviation for Victoria and Albert, a museum) + T (abbreviation for time)
19a Cannot even eat here! (7)
CANTEEN
Eat here is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CANT (can’t, abbreviation for cannot) + EEN (e’en, abbreviation for even)
21a Songbird’s mischief (4)
LARK
Double definition, with a lark being a songbird and also referring to mischief
22a Bone and pouch. That’s peculiar (6)
SACRUM
Bone is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SAC (pouch) + RUM (peculiar)
1d Tracks down in small county (5)
HUNTS
Double definition, with hunts meaning tracks down and Hunts referring to Huntingdonshire, a small county
2d Number’s up after tax (3)
NET
After tax is the definition, with up as a reversal indicator for TEN (number)
3d Up and down group (4)
ABBA
Group is the definition, with up and down as a palindrome indicator
5d Number of workers for lodgers (7)
TENANTS
Lodgers is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TEN (number) + ANTS (workers)
6d Give the lie to potato upset (5)
REBUT
Give the lie to is the definition, with upset as a reversal indicator for TUBER (potato)
7d Make an allusion, either way (5)
REFER
Make an allusion is the definition, with either way as a palindrome indicator
11d Boat that’s under a wine glass (7)
COASTER
Double definition, with a coaster being a boat and also something that goes under a wine glass
13d Barrier for receiver of stolen goods (5)
FENCE
Double definition, with fence being a barrier and also referring to a receiver of stolen goods
14d Horizontal – and vertically! (5)
LEVEL
Horizontal is the definition, with vertically as a palindrome indicator
16d Material extracted and brought up (5)
DENIM
Material is the definition, with brought up as a reversal indicator for MINED (extracted)
17d Frozen princess turned over just the same (4)
ANNA
Frozen princess is the definition (Anna is a princess from the movie Frozen) with turned over just the same as a palindrome indicator
20d Make a wrong move, taking queen with rook (3)
ERR
Make a wrong move is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ER (abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina, the queen) + R (abbreviation for rook)