Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-01-20 (25/26)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- 1d – Normal colours? (8)
The clues:
1a – Favourites about to show pace (4)
STEP
Pace is the definition, with about as a reversal indicator for PETS (meaning favorites)
3a – Arab and Scot producing tumblers (8)
ACROBATS
Tumblers is the definition, with producing as an anagram indicator for Arab Scot
9a – Airman coming from Scandinavia to Russia (7)
AVIATOR
Airman is the definition, with coming from as a hidden word indicator for Scandin(avia to R)ussia
10a – More for the actor in a crowd scene (5)
EXTRA
Double definition, with extra meaning more, and also being a word for an actor in a crowd scene
11a – Strained, having neither won nor lost (5)
DRAWN
Double definition, with drawn meaning strained and also being past tense of draw (what happened if you have neither won nor lost)
12a – Tempt with some different ice-cream (6)
ENTICE
Tempt is the definition, with some as a hidden word indicator for differ(ent ice)-cream
14a – It takes a turn for the better (8,5)
ROULETTE WHEEL
Cryptic definition; it turns, and has people betting
17a – Invented and resolved differences (4-2)
MADE UP
Double definition, with made up meaning invented but also resolved differences (like after a fight)
19a – Tokyo, strangely, is a city in Japan (5)
KYOTO
City in Japan is the definition, with strangely as an anagram indicator for Tokyo – funny that they are anagrams!
22a – Capital person settled in manor (5)
ROMAN
Capital person is the definition (a person who lives in Rome, a capital city), with settled in as an anagram indicator for manor
23a – Use live explosive that’s hard to pin down (7)
ELUSIVE
Hard to pin down is the definition, with explosive as an anagram indicator for use live
24a – Ragtime for Cinderella (8)
MIDNIGHT
Cryptic definition; midnight is the time when Cinderella‘s gown turns back into rags
25a – Studies, mostly stupid (4)
DENS *
Studies is the definition (a study and a den are both names for the same room in a house), with mostly as an indicator that there’s a letter missing from DENSE (meaning stupid)
1d – Normal colours? (8)
STANDARD
I think this has to do with military colors?
2d – Heather – a girl’s name (5)
ERICA
Double definition, with Erica being a girl's name and also the same flower as heather
4d – Words that should be used to make address right? (7,6)
CORRECT SPEECH
Words that should be used is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition: CORRECT (make right) + SPEECH (address)
5d – Open – and finished on time (5)
OVERT
Open is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OVER (finished) + T (bits and pieces clue for time)
6d – Journalist’s work may be definite or indefinite (7)
ARTICLE
Double definition, with an article being a journalist's work, but also a part of speech (which may be definite or indefinite)
7d – TV series seen in the bathroom (4)
SOAP
Double definition; soap is found in the bathroom, but is also a type of TV series (soap opera)
8d – Weight carried by expert without delay (2,4)
AT ONCE
Without delay is the definition, with carried by as an indicator that TON (meaning weight) should go into a word for expert (ACE): A(T ON)CE
13d – Mistakes made with flowers (8)
BLOOMERS
Double definition; flowers bloom, and also bloomer is a term for an embarrassing mistake
15d – Without weapons, like Venus de Milo! (7)
UNARMED
Without weapons is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition – Venus de Milo has no arms
16d – Look alive! Weigh cup soundly! (4,2)
WAKE UP
Look alive is the definition, with soundly as a homophone indicator for weigh cup
18d – Boredom of nun going mad in eastern island (5)
ENNUI
Boredom is the definition, with in as an indicator that NNU (going mad is an anagram indicator for NUN) should go into EI (bits and pieces for Eastern Island)
20d – Name of female oil-producer (5)
OLIVE
Double definition; Olive is a woman’s name, and olive oil comes from olives
21d – Vehicle taken right across Manchester, initially (4)
TRAM
Vehicle is the definition, with initially as an indicator to take the first letters of taken right across Manchester