Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2023-02-12 (26/26)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- 24a – Double-Dutch criminal? (8)
The clues:
1a – Complaint about meat? (4)
BEEF
Double definition, with beef being meat and also slang for complaint
3a – I’m acting as a model, impressive in appearance (8)
IMPOSING
Impressive in appearance is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: IM (I'm) + POSING (acting as a model)
9a – Reasonable American soldier in pub … (7)
LOGICAL
Reasonable is the definition, with in as an indicator to put GI (American soldier) into LOCAL (pub): LO(GI)CAL
10a – … cried out for drink (5)
CIDER
Drink is the definition, with out as an anagram indicator for cried
11a – Weird eastern lake (5)
EERIE
Weird is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: E (abbreivation for Eastern) + ERIE (a lake)
12a – Sailor gets light brown pattern from Scotland (6)
TARTAN
Pattern from Scotland is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TAR (sailor) + TAN (light brown)
14a – Dine out and stop being vague (13)
INDETERMINATE
Vague is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: INDE (out is an anagram indicator for dine) + TERMINATE (stop)
17a – Truck going round cold polar region (6)
ARCTIC
Polar region is the definition, with going round as an indicator to put C (abbreviation for cold) into ARTIC (truck, short for articulated lorry): AR(C)TIC
19a – Fun and games for birds (5)
LARKS
Double definition, with larks being birds and also meaning fun and games
22a – Celia’s new name (5)
ALICE
Name is the definition, with new as an anagram indicator for Celia
23a – Squashed tomato with pole on seat (7)
OTTOMAN
Seat is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OTTOMA (squashed is an anagram indicator for tomato) + N (abbreviation for north, a pole)
24a – Double-Dutch criminal? (8)
BIGAMIST
Cryptic definition maybe?
25a – One who’s opposed ain’t going to change (4)
ANTI
One who's opposed is the definition, with going to change as an anagram indicator for ain't
1d – Report with projectile embedded (8)
BULLETIN
Report is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BULLET (projectile) + IN (embedded)
2d – Unusually large composer (5)
ELGAR
Composer is the definition (Edward Elgar is an English composer), with unusually as an anagram indicator for large
4d – Soldiers getting angry get award … (8,5)
MILITARY CROSS
Award is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: MILITARY (soldiers) + CROSS (angry)
5d – … film award for outsize vehicle (5)
OSCAR
Film award is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OS (abbreviation for outsize) + CAR (vehicle)
6d – U.S. state – or Asian one! (7)
INDIANA
U.S. state is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: INDIAN (Asian) + A (one)
7d – Boast about clothing (4)
GARB
Clothing is the definition, with about as a reversal indicator for brag (boast)
8d – Stress, in a manner of speaking (6)
ACCENT
Double definition, with accent meaning stress and also a manner of speaking
13d – Links he and I forged, making capital? (8)
HELSINKI
Capital is the definition, with forged as an anagram indicator for links he i
15d – Learner with bold exterior gets sweetheart (7)
DARLING
Sweetheart is the definition, with exterior as an indicator to put L (abbreviation for learner) into DARING (bold): DAR(L)ING
16d – Oddly silent coves (6)
INLETS
Coves is the definition, with oddly as an anagram indicator for silent
18d – Heating unit for the Royal Marines (5)
THERM
Heating unit is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: THE (the) + RM (abbreviation for Royal Marines)
20d – Computer memory found by an Italian (5)
ROMAN
Italian is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ROM (computer memory) + AN (an)
21d – Meat for a famous essayist (4)
LAMB
Double definition, with lamb being meat and Lamb being the name of a famous essayist (Charles Lamb is an essayist best know for Essays of Elia)