Guardian Quick Cryptic Crossword 15 (25/25)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- (all good!)
The clues:
1a Wrongly interpret tenor’s music playing (11)
MISCONSTRUE
Wrongly interpret is the definition, with playing as an anagram indicator for tenor's music
7a Excuse bizarre lie Veronica hides (7)
RELIEVE
Excuse is the definition, with hides as an indicator that the answer is hidden in bizar(re lie Ve)ronica
8a Tea urn regularly serving hot black substance (3)
TAR
Hot black substance is the definition, with regularly as an indicator to take every other character of tea urn
9a Raced around tree (5)
CEDAR
Tree is the definition, with around as an anagram indicator for raced
12a Sample bit of defeat as team (5)
TASTE
Sample is the definition, with bit of as an indicator that the answer is hidden in defea(t as te)am
15a Heavenly body company encountered (5)
COMET
Heavenly body is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CO (abbreviation for company) + MET (encountered)
16a Partly weave straw section of roof (5)
EAVES
Section of roof is the definition, with partly as an indicator that the answer is hidden in w(eave s)traw
18a Match official with appeal in fix again (5)
REFIT
Fix again is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: REF (match official) + IT (appeal)
20a Resells oddly deficient fish (3)
EEL
Fish is the definition, with oddly deficient as an indicator to remove the odd letters from resells
21a A manor I rebuilt somewhere in Europe (7)
ROMANIA
Somewhere in Europe is the definition, with rebuilt as an anagram indicator for a manor I
23a Eye doctor of topmost tier dancing (11)
OPTOMETRIST
Eye doctor is the definition, with dancing as an anagram indicator for topmost tier
1d Reclaim extraordinary phenomenon (7)
MIRACLE
Phenomenon is the definition, with extraordinary as an anagram indicator for reclaim
2d Dish made by South African boy (5)
SALAD
Dish is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SA (abbreviation for South African) + LAD (boy)
3d Mineral aggregate hoarded on and off (3)
ORE
Mineral aggregate is the definition, with on and off as an indicator to use every other letter of hoarded
4d Lets her remodel hut (7)
SHELTER
Hut is the definition, with remodel as anagram indicator for lets her
5d Judges in bar ate samosas (5)
RATES
Judges is the definition, with in as an indicator that the answer is hidden in ba(r ate s)amosas
6d Repairs every other bit in organ (3)
EAR
Organ is the definition, with every other bit as an indicator to use every other letter in repairs
10d One marched periodically (3)
ACE
One is the definition (as in the playing card), with periodically as an indicator to use every other letter from marched
11d Rum sort reconstructed platform (7)
ROSTRUM
Platform is the definition, with reconstructed as an anagram indicator for rum sort
13d Consumed piece of gateau (3)
ATE
Consumed is the definition, with piece of as an indicator that the answer is hidden in g(ate)au
14d Former lover with pamphlet showing passage taken from book (7)
EXTRACT
Passage taken from book is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: EX (former lover) + TRACT (pamphlet)
17d Rival eternally imprisoning servant (5)
VALET
Servant is the definition, with imprisoning as an indicator that the answer is hidden in ri(val et)ernally
19d Entertaining American soldier gets mushrooms? (5)
FUNGI
Mushrooms is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: FUN (entertaining) + GI (American soldier)
20d I somewhat agree good-naturedly (3)
EGO
I is the definition, with someone as an indicator that the answer is hidden in agre(e go)od-naturedly
22d Ignoring the odds Amnesty gathered (3)
MET
Gathered is the definition, with ignoring the odds meaning to remove the odd characters in Amnesty