Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-04-08 (23/23)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
7a – Recipe mania – origin of a Don McLean song? (8,3)
AMERICAN PIE
Don McLean song is the definition, with origin as an anagram indicator for recipe mania
8a – Domains in which actual manuscript is found (6)
REALMS
Domains is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: REAL (actual) + MS (abbreviation for manuscript)
9a – One who flees from new regime? (6)
EMIGRE
One who flees is the definition, with new as an anagram indicator for regime
10a – Flag seen when queen is captured by bishop and rook (6)
BANNER
Flag is the definition, with captured as an indicator that ANNE (Queen) goes between B (chess abbreviation for bishop) and R (chess abbreviation for rook), resulting in B(ANNE)R
12a – Ignore poor district (6)
REGION
District is the definition, with poor as an anagram indicator for ignore
13a – First mate (3)
EVE
Cryptic definition; Eve was part of the first couple, so one of the first mates
14a – Thin layer, round, neither vegetable nor mineral (6)
ANIMAL
Neither vegetable nor mineral is the definition, with round as a reversal indicator for lamina (thin layer)
16a – Gloomy elk crossing river (6)
MOROSE
Gloomy is the definition, with crossing as an indicator that R (abbreviation for river) goes into MOOSE (elk), resulting in: MO(R)OSE
18a – Old coin from an African country (6)
GUINEA
Double definition, with Guinea being an African country and a guinea being an old coin
20a – Rub ads out? That’s nonsensical (6)
ABSURD
Nonsensical is a definition, with out being an anagram indicator for rub ads
22a – Rabbits race in odd locations (11)
COTTONTAILS
Rabbits is the definition, with in as an indicator that TT (a reference to the Tourist Trophy race on Isle of Man) goes into an anagram (odd) of locations
1d – Ordered to make a bed? (4)
BADE
Ordered is the definition, with make an anagram indicator for a bed
2d – Magician’s bird (6)
MERLIN
Double definition; a merlin is a bird, and Merlin is a magician
3d – Mr. Silent turning out to be a singer (8)
MINSTREL
Singer is the definition, with turning out as an anagram indicator for Mr. Silent
4d – Jack loses his head in part of church (4)
NAVE
Part of a church is the definition, with loses his head as an indicator to remove the first letter (head) from KNAVE (another word for the Jack card)
5d – Well before summer (6)
SPRING
Double definition, with a spring being a well, and spring being the season before summer
6d – Refreshment places for which more oats may be ordered (8)
TEAROOMS
Refreshment places is the definition, with may be ordered as an anagram indicator for more oats
11d – Declare a girl’s put on weight (8)
ANNOUNCE
Declare is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ANN (a girl‘s name) + OUNCE (weight)
12d – Stern man collecting leftovers (8)
REMNANTS
Leftovers is the definition, with collecting as an anagram indicator for stern man
15d – Very small period of time (6)
MINUTE
Double definition, with minute meaning very small, and a minute being a period of time
17d – Curt is moving from the country (6)
RUSTIC
From the country is the definition, with moving as an anagram indicator for Curt is
19d – A river in Slavonia (4)
AVON
A river is the definition (Avon is a river in Bristol), with in as a hidden word indicator for Sl(avon)ia
21d – Pay increase: some offer is expected (4)
RISE
Pay increase is the definition, with some as a hidden word indicator for offe(r is e)xpected