Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2019-11-03 (21/23)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- (all good!)
The clues:
1a – Used on watch? (6,4)
SECOND HAND
Double definition; second hand means used, but is also part of a watch (timepiece)
7a – Rain in ruin? (8)
DOWNFALL
In ruin is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition, as rain falls down
8a – Press for a golf club (4)
IRON
Double definition, with an iron being a golf club (like a nine iron) and also a word for press (like ironing clothes)
9a – In Crete emeralds abound (4)
TEEM
Abound is the definition, with in as a hidden word indicator for Cre(te em)eralds
10a – Emphatically less than 0.5? (3,4)
NOT HALF *
Double definition, with not half being British slang for emphatically, and also describing something less than 0.5 (one half)
12a – Collier’s broom found in warship? (11)
MINESWEEPER
Warship is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: MINE (a collier is a coal miner) + SWEEPER (broom)
14a – French currency is for animal-loving saint (7)
FRANCIS
Animal-loving saint is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: FRANC (French currency) + IS (is)
16a – A speculator, by the way, gets silver (4)
STAG
Speculator is the definition (a stag is a short-term speculator, like a day trader), with the rest as a charades clue: ST (a bits and pieces clue for street, meaning way)+ AG (chemical symbol for silver)
19a – One orchestra, too (4)
ALSO
Too is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (one) + LSO (orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra)
20a – Where lawyers drink? (2,3,3)
AT THE BAR
Cryptic definition; a bar association is a professional association of lawyers
21a – Formed bed in earth and wintered there? (10)
HIBERNATED
Wintered there is the definition, with formed as an anagram indicator for bed in earth
1d – Small bird has to dash (5)
SCOOT *
Is there a bird called a scoot? Does scoot mean dash? I feel like SWIFT is close to an answer here
2d – Business trouble (7)
CONCERN
Double definition, with concern meaning trouble, but also business (if something is your concern, it is your business)
3d – Cattle without water (4)
NEAT
Double definition, with neat meaning without water (like whiskey neat), and also being an Old English word for cattle
4d – Hospital permitted to be consecrated (8)
HALLOWED
Consecrated is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: H (hospital) + ALLOWED (permitted)
5d – Beastly noise made by broken hinge (5)
NEIGH
Beastly noise is the definition (a horse makes this noise), with broken as an anagram indicator for hinge
6d – A hat for the cricketer (6)
BOWLER
Double definition, with a bowler being a type of hat and a position on a cricket team
11d – Set a time apart for judge (8)
ESTIMATE
Judge is the definition, with apart as an anagram indicator for set a time
12d – Just me to depend on? (6)
MERELY
Just is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ME (me) + RELY (depend on)
13d – What you must be if you want to see a busy doctor (7)
PATIENT
Cryptic definition
15d – The name of a woman I complain about (5)
NAOMI
The name of a woman is the definition, with about as an anagram indicator for I MOAN (meaning I complain)
17d – Fine – a thousand pounds (5)
GRAND
Double definition with grand meaning both fine and a thousand pounds (like “five grand”)
18d – Crazy about shock (4)
STUN
Shock is the definition, with about as an anagram indicator for NUTS (a similar word to crazy)