Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2020-07-01 (25/26)
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The clues:
1a – Rock plant’s last seen by aquatic creature (6)
TOTTER
Rock is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: T (plant's last, or the last letter of plant) + OTTER (aquatic creature)
4a – Merchant who distributes the cards? (6)
DEALER
Double definition, with a dealer being a merchant and also one who distributes cards
8a – One small boy in the Scillies, for example (5)
ISLES
Scillies for example is the definition (they are isles), with the rest as a charades clue: I (looks like a one) + S (abbreviation for small) + LES (name of a boy)
9a – Small change for Old Bill? (7)
COPPER
Double definition, with a copper coin being small change, and also slang for police like Old Bill
10a – Seeing less impressive performance (7)
BLINDER
Double definition, with blinder meaning seeing less, and also being slang for an impressive performance
11a – Follow girl after men lost lead (5)
ENSUE
Follow is the definition, with after as an indicator that SUE (a girl‘s name) comes after EN (men lost lead, or men without its first letter): EN+SUE
12a – Cook missed tea cup (9)
DEMITASSE
Tea cup is the definition, with cook as an anagram indicator for missed tea
17a – Paradoxical odds? (5)
EVENS
Cryptic definition? Evens is the opposite of odds
19a – Material for nails a tinker ordered? (7)
KERATIN
Material for nails is the definition (fingernails are made of keratin), with ordered as an anagram indicator for a tinker
21a – One may have provided food for pet before? Right! (7)
CATERER
One may have provided food is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CAT (pet) + ERE (before) + R (abbreviation for right)
22a – Tremble when given a flavoured milk drink (5)
SHAKE
Double definition, with shake meaning tremble and also being a flavoured milk drink
23a – Bugs making a sound we can hear (6)
ANNOYS
Bugs is the definition, with we can hear as a homophone indicator on a noise (meaning a sound)
24a – Joined in duet with variations (6)
UNITED
Joined is the definition, with with variations as an anagram indicator for in duet
1d – Attempt to carry one pound in hat (6)
TRILBY
Hat is the definition, with carry as an indicator that I (looks like one) + LB (abbreviation for pound) goes into TRY (attempt): TR(ILB)Y
2d – Team leader in league, as agreed (7)
TALLIED*
Agreed is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: T (team leader, or first letter of team) + ALLIED (in league)
3d – Relieved when a seed is transplanted (5)
EASED
Relieved is the definition, with transplanted as an anagram for a seed
5d – A fast train, say (7)
EXPRESS
Double definition, with express being a fast train, and also meaning say
6d – Yorkshire city is first to be heard (5)
LEEDS
Yorkshire city is the definition, with to be heard as a homophone indicator for leads (is first)
7d – More impetuous, having a piece of bacon (6)
RASHER
Double definition, with rasher meaning more impetuous (more rash) and also meaning piece of bacon
9d – Janitor, a conscientious type (9)
CARETAKER
Janitor is the definition, with conscientious type as a cryptic definition (one who takes care)
13d – Learner in sad state getting tight (7)
MISERLY
Tight is the definition, with in as an indicator that L (abbreviation for learner) goes into MISERY (sad state): MISER(L)Y
14d – Selected portion of former publication (7)
EXTRACT
Selected portion is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue or cryptic definition: EX (former) + TRACT (publication)
15d – Parisian thanks leader of army in old kingdom (6)
MERCIA
Old kingdom is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: MERCI (Parisian thanks, or thanks in French) + A (leader of army, or first letter of army)
16d – Really it’s in a legal document, though it could be denied (6)
INDEED
Really is the definition, and there are two bits of wordplay: IN (in) + DEED (legal document), and with could be as an anagram indicator for denied
18d – Dined in college, by the sound of it (5)
EATEN
Dined is the definition, with by the sound of it as a homophone indicator for Eton, a college
20d – A piece from Salieri sent up (5)
RISEN
Sent up is the definition, with from as a hidden word indicator in Salie(ri sen)t