Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2019-11-01 (23/23)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- (all good!)
The clues:
7a – Barker, a crossword compiler from Eire (5,6)
IRISH SETTER
Barker (dog) is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition (person from Ireland who sets crosswords)
8a – Force capital on workers’ leader in industrial action (2-4)
GO SLOW
Industrial action is the definition (slang for striker slow-down), with the rest as a charades clue: G (gravitational force) + OSLO (capital of Norway) + W (workers' leader, or first letter of workers)
9a – Get mother to request material (6)
DAMASK
Material is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: DAM (female parent for animals) + ASK (request)
10a – Gathered forces for painting on a wall (6)
FRESCO
Painting on a wall is the definition, with gathered as an anagram indicator for forces
12a – A different composer from Bach and Elgar (6)
HANDEL
A different composer is the definition, with from as a hidden word indicator for Bac(h and El)gar
13a – Bother with a party? (3)
ADO
Bother is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + DO (party, like a hen do)
14a – The consequence of firing in the air? (6)
UPSHOT
Consequence is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition; firing in the air is shooting upward
16a – Repair broken sword (6)
RAPIER
Sword is the definition, with broken as an anagram indicator for repair
18a – Dog with dog’s head in a Dorset resort (6)
POODLE
Dog is the definition, with in as an indicator to put D (dog's head, first letter of dog) in the name of a Dorset resort (POOLE): POO(D)LE
20a – Conference about player (6)
PARLEY
Conference is the definition, with about as an anagram indicator for player
22a – Peasants hold out when caught by police (11)
CLODHOPPERS
Peasants is the definition with caught by as an indicator that the letters HOLD should be put into a word for police (COPPERS)
1d – In the nick I lost weight (4)
KILO
Weight is the definition, with in as a hidden word indicator for nic(k i lo)st
2d – Homes where villains dropped in (6)
VILLAS
Homes is the definition, with dropped as an indicator to subtract in from villa(in)s
3d – Musical craft (8)
SHOWBOAT
Double definition, with Showboat being a musical, but also being a charades clue: SHOW (musical) + BOAT (craft). I probably would have put a ? on this one
4d – Feat unaffected by revolution (4)
DEED
Feat is the definition, with unaffected by revolution as an indicator that it is a palindrome
5d – Part of flower set man off (6)
STAMEN
Part of flower is the definition, with off as an anagram indicator for set man
6d – Rare gems scattered in lake (8)
GRASMERE
Lake is the definition (Grasmere is a lake in England), with scattered as an anagram indicator for rare gems
11d – Upbraid fish salesman first (8)
REPROACH
Upbraid is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: REP (salesman, put first) + ROACH (fish)
12d – Wild hopper in sailors’ dance (8)
HORNPIPE
Sailors' dance is the definition, with wild as an anagram indicator for hopper in
15d – Hounds struggling in river (6)
HUDSON
River is the definition, with struggling as an anagram indicator for hounds
17d – Card game includes right pig (6)
PORKER
Pig is the definition, with include as an indicator to put R (a bits and pieces clue for right) into a card game (POKER)
19d – Repeat the choral part (4)
ECHO
Repeat is the definition, with part as a hidden word indicator for th(e cho)ral
21d – A language from overseas (4)
ERSE
Language is the definition, with from as an indicator that it is contained in ov(erse)as