Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-02-22 (22/23)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
1a – Happen to arrive at way through mountains? (4,2,4)
COME TO PASS
Happen to is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition; to arrive at a way through mountains is to come to a pass
7a – Plant that’s the result of poor drainage (8)
GARDENIA
Plant is the definition, with poor as an anagram indicator for drainage
8a – Gets on for a good while (4)
AGES
Double definition, with ages meaning gets on(in years) and also a good while
9a – Chap upset by cold rage (4)
ERIC
Chap is the definition, with upset as a reversal clue for the charades C (cold) + IRE (rage)
10a – Retreating supporters? (7)
BACKING
Double definition, with backing meaning retreating, but also meaning support
12a – Support receptions for the untravelled (4-2-5)
STAY-AT-HOMES
Untravelled is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic or charades clue: STAY (support) + AT-HOMES (a type of reception)
14a – Glad to have piano let out (7)
PLEASED
Glad is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: P (bits and pieces clue for piano) + LEASED (let out)
16a – Floppy disk for children (4)
KIDS
Children is the definition, with floppy as an anagram indicator for disk
19a – Crazy railway engine (4)
LOCO
Double definition, with loco meaning crazy (in Spanish), and also being short for locomotive (railway engine)
20a – Net diver turned upside down (8)
INVERTED
Upside-down is the definition, with turned as an anagram indicator for net diver
21a – The duke may put his foot in it (10)
WELLINGTON
Double definition; Duke of Wellington is a peerage, and one might put their foot into a wellington boot
1d – Heat tea with iron (5)
CHAFE
Heat is the definition (like a chafing dish), with the rest as a charades clue: CHA (tea) + FE (chemical symbol for iron)
2d – Wine, round cheese, and fresh air (7)
MADEIRA *
Wine is the definition (Madeira is a type of wine), with the rest as a charades clue: MADE (round is a reversal indicator for EDAM, a type of cheese) + IRA (fresh is an anagram indicator for air)
3d – Nurse in attendance (4)
TEND
Nurse is the definition, with in as a hidden word indicator for at(tend)ance
4d – Egyptian kings of North Atlantic islands, we hear (8)
PHARAOHS
Egyptian kings is the definition, with we hear as a homophone indicator for Faroe (North Atlantic islands)
5d – Bright chap having friendly fight with king (5)
SPARK
Bright chap is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SPAR (friendly fight) + K (king)
6d – Game for first of threes and nines at sixes and sevens (6)
TENNIS
Game is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: T (first of threes, the first letter of the word threes, with at sixes and sevens as an anagram indicator for nines) + ENNIS
11d – Stuff that is relevant (8)
MATERIAL
Double definition, with material meaning stuff and also stuff that is relevant (like a material witness)
12d – Fish for Sally on Monday (6)
SALMON
Fish is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: SAL (short for Sally) + MON (short for Monday)
13d – Ragtime composition for Simenon’s detective (7)
15d – Sailor takes poem home (5)
ABODE
Home is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: AB (bits and pieces clue for sailor) + ODE (poem)
17d – Severe if back on board (5)
STERN
Severe is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition: the stern is the back if you are on board a ship
18d – Quite flat (4)
EVEN
Double definition, with even meaning quite and also meaning flat