Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-12-30 (28/28)
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The clues:
1a – Principal nut (4)
HEAD
Double definition, with head meaning principal and nut being a word for your head
3a – New chap sure to buy something (8)
PURCHASE
Buy something is the definition, with new as an anagram indicator for chap sure
9a – Judges playing conkers? (7)
RECKONS
Judges is the definition, with playing as an anagram indicator for conkers
10a – Bar returns from riotous feast (5)
REVEL
Riotous feast is the definition, with returns as a reversal indicator for LEVER (bar)
11a – Smooth learner enters the ring (5)
BLAND
Smooth is the definition, with enters as an indicator to put L (abbreviation for learner) into BAND (ring, like a wedding band): B(L)AND
12a – Silent characters sign up (6)
ENLIST
Sign up is the definition, with characters as an anagram indicator for silent
14a – Money we got back for nut (6)
CASHEW
Nut is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CASH (money) + EW (back is a reversal indicator for we)
16a – Tools needed for a quarter of the deck (6)
SPADES
Double definition; garden spades are tools, and also a quarter of the deck of playing cards are the spades suit
19a – Capital city taking back a famous inventor with love (6)
OTTAWA
Capital city is the definition, with taking back as a reversal indicator for the rest: A (a) + WATT (famous inventor) + O (love, like zero as a tennis score)
21a – Majestic and terribly large (5)
REGAL
Majestic is the definition, with terribly as an anagram indicator for large
24a – Wild dog kept in a building overseas (5)
DINGO
Wild dog is the definition, with kept in as a hidden word indicator for buil(ding o)verseas
25a – A sign that visitors aren’t welcome (4,3)
KEEP OUT
A sign that said ‘keep out‘ would be a sign that visitors aren't welcome
26a – Ship’s officer with many sailors (8)
MATELOTS
Sailors is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: MATE (ship's officer) + LOTS (many)
27a – Feat unaffected by revolution (4)
DEED
Feat is the definition, with unaffected by revolution as an indicator that it is a palindrome
1d – Book that’s difficult to endorse? (8)
HARDBACK
Book is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: HARD (difficult) + BACK (endorse)
2d – Capital invested in Joan of Arc casually returned? (5)
ACCRA
Capital is the definition (Accra is the capital of Ghana), with returned and in as reversal and hidden word indicators for Joan of (Arc ca)sually
4d – Invisible nun wandering around diocese (6)
UNSEEN
Invisible is the definition, with around as an indicator that SEE (diocese) goes into UNN (wandering is an anagram indicator for nun): UN(SEE)N
5d – Song arranged by Carlo (5)
CAROL
Song is the definition, with arranged as an anagram indicator for Carlo
6d – Did save, somehow, as recommended (7)
ADVISED
Recommended is the definition, with somehow as an anagram indicator for did save
7d – They wriggle in a creel sometimes (4)
EELS
This may be an &lit clue; eels do wriggle in a creel sometimes, and in is a hidden word indicator for cr(eel s)ometimes
8d – Pet for Dorset leader in Dorset resort (6)
POODLE
Pet is the definition, with in as an indicator to put D (Dorset leader, the first letter of Dorset) into POOLE (Dorset resort): POO(D)LE
13d – Ladies to gather round, being cut off (8)
ISOLATED
Cut off is the definition, with gather as an anagram indicator for ladies to
15d – Showing taste in unusual material (7)
SATINET
Material is the definition, with unusual as an anagram indicator for taste in
17d – Someone who carries drink? (6)
PORTER
Double definition, with a porter being someone who carries luggage, and porter also being a drink
18d – Jill’s partner gets alien garment (6)
JACKET
Garment is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: JACK (Jill's partner) + ET (alien)
20d – A payment for a coral island (5)
ATOLL
Coral island is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + TOLL (payment)
22d – Geoff’s beginning to wander in a small wood (5)
GROVE
Small wood is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: G (Geoff's beginning, first letter of Geoff) + ROVE (wander)
23d – The first man a woman married (4)
ADAM
Cryptic definition; Adam is the first man any woman married