Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-02-23 (24/24)
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The clues:
1a – Indulgent salesman returns letter (10)
PERMISSIVE
Indulgent is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: PER (returns is a reversal indicator for REP, meaning salesman) + MISSIVE (letter)
7a – Akin, so it is told (7)
RELATED
Double definition, with related meaning akin and told
8a – Audibly – audibly permitted (5)
ALOUD
Audibly (first) is the definition, with the second audibly as a homophone indicator for ALLOWED (permitted)
10a – Assemble for a religious service (4)
MASS
Double definition, with mass meaning assemble and also being a type of religious service
11a – They make woollen garments – or new net skirt! (8)
KNITTERS
They make woolen garments is the definition, with new as an anagram indicator for net skirt
13a – Little Tommy’s Australian grub? (6)
TUCKER
Double definition, with tucker (or bush tucker) being a name for indigenous Australian food, and Little Tommy Tucker being a nursery rhyme
15a – Dairy product from a goat? (6)
BUTTER
Dairy product is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition: a goat butts thing with its head, so is a butter
17a – Jump in front of queen’s spaniel (8)
SPRINGER
Spaniel is the definition (Springer spaniel is a dog breed), with the rest as a charades clue: SPRING (jump) + ER (bits and pieces clue for queen, short for Elizabeth Regina)
18a – Discover a place (4)
SPOT
Double definition, with spot meaning discover and also meaning a place
21a – Photos of fractures? (5)
SNAPS
Double definition, with snaps meaning photos and also meaning fractures
22a – Musical effect that’s a lot more fluttery? (7)
TREMELO
Musical effect is the definition, with fluttery as an anagram indicator for lot more
23a – Travellers in train set out (10)
ITINERANTS
Travellers is the definition, with in as an anagram indicator for train set out
1d – What a conjuror does with cards and trees? (5)
PALMS
Double definition, with palms being trees; also a conjuror palms cards
2d – She’s in the Samaritans (4) [spoiler title="show answer"]RITA
She is the definition, with in as an anagram indicator for Sama(rita)ns
3d – Medicament required when one has duck to eat? (6)
IODINE
Medicament is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: I (looks like a one) + O (duck, a cricket reference meaning zero) + DINE (eat)
4d – Begin as the leading ticket seller? (5,3)
START OUT
Begin is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: STAR (leading) + TOUT (ticket seller, like a ticket scalper)
5d – Wild not evil? (7)
VIOLENT
Wild is the definition, and also an anagram indicator for not evil
6d – Maids start becoming playwrights (10)
DRAMATISTS
Playwrights is the definition, with becoming as an anagram indicator for maids start
9d – Prudence gives misleading directions (10)
DISCRETION
Prudence is the definition, with misleading as an anagram indicator for directions
12d – Poet composing sonnet about New York (8)
TENNYSON
Poet is the definition, with about as an indicator that NY (New York) goes into TENSON (composing is an anagram indicator for sonnet): TEN(NY)SON
14d – Fruit that makes dog rave (7)
CURRANT
Fruit is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CUR (dog) + RANT (rave)
16d – Epistle from landlord? (6)
LETTER
Double definition, with letter meaning epistle and a landlord being the one who lets a property (letter)
19d – Pokes gently with sticks (5)
PRODS
Pokes is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: P (musical notation for piano, meaning gently) + RODS (sticks)
20d – Intend to be niggardly (4)
MEAN
Double definition, with mean meaning intend, and also meaning niggardly