Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-04-18 (28/28)
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The clues:
1a – To expel Open University student leaders … (4)
OUST
To expel is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OU (abbreviation for Open University) + ST (student leaders, first two letters of student)
3a – … head of college awoke and went on a spree (8)
CAROUSED
Went on a spree is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: C (head of college, first letter of college) + AROUSED (awoke)
9a – Mayall’s daddy coming round for spice (7)
PAPRIKA
Spice is the definition, with coming round as an indicator that RIK (referring to Rik Mayall) goes into PAPA (daddy), resulting in PAP(RIK)A
10a – Source of spirits even now (5)
STILL
Double definition, with still meaning even now, and also being a source of spirits (short for distillery)
11a – Traps set out for a little fish (5)
SPRAT
Little fish is the definition, with set out as an anagram indicator for traps
12a – Wonderland character who is mad about 18 (6)
HATTER
Wonderland character who is mad is the definition (The Mad Hatter), with about as an anagram indicator for THREAT (answer to clue #18a)
14a – Comment about evangelist (6)
REMARK
Comment is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: RE (about, as on a memo) + MARK (the evangelist)
16a – Some critic and leading light (6)
CANDLE
Light is the definition, with some as a hidden word indicator for criti(c and le)ading
19a – One hug may be sufficient (6)
ENOUGH
Sufficient is the definition, with may be as an anagram indicator for one hug
21a – Throw black stuff (5)
PITCH
Double definition, with pitch meaning throw and also being black stuff
24a – Bill gets free bitter (5)
ACRID
Bitter is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: AC (bill, short for account) + RID (free)
25a – Joy has cracked toenail (7)
ELATION
Joy is the definition, with cracked as an anagram indicator for toenail
26a – Learned to repeat after listening first (8)
LITERATE
Learned is the definition, with after as an indicator that ITERATE (to repeat) goes after L (listening first, first letter of listening)
27a – Expression of regret for a girl not finishing (4)
ALAS
Expression of regret is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + LAS (with not finishing as an indicator to remove the last letter of LASS, meaning girl)
1d – They are not in favour of work with difficult puzzles (8)
OPPOSERS
They are not in favour of is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OP (abbreviation for opus, a musical work) + POSERS (difficult puzzles)
2d – Jolly good little police officer (5)
SUPER
Jolly good is the definition, with little as an indicator to abbreviate Superintendent (police officer) (?)
4d – A personal assistant gets over your indifference (6)
APATHY
Indifference is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A (a) + PA (abbreviation for personal assistant) + THY (your)
5d – Attached to group in the beginning (5)
ONSET
Beginning is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: ON (attached to) + SET (group)
6d – Money paid when pits are about to close (7)
STIPEND
Money paid is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: STIP (about is an anagram indicator for pits) + END (close)
7d – Depression concealed by Brenda Lee (4)
DALE
Depression is the definition (a dale is a broad valley), with concealed by as a hidden word indicator for Bren(da Le)e
8d – A workman in better condition (6)
FITTER
Double definition, with a fitter being a workman, and fitter also meaning in better condition
13d – One fluid in another, it seems to me (8)
METHINKS
It seems to me is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: INK (one fluid) goes into METHS (another fluid, denatured alcohol), resulting in METH(INK)S
15d – A tower is encountered and the rajah’s wife is held up (7)
MINARET
A tower is the definition, with held as an indicator that INAR (up is a reversal indicator for a down clue for RANI, rajah's wife) goes into MET (encountered), resulting in: M(INAR)ET
17d – Show up with a paper model (6)
APPEAR
Show up is the definition, with model as an anagram indicator for a paper
18d – Warning that restrains sappers (6)
THREAT
Warning is the definition, with restrains as an indicator that RE (sappers, abbreviation for Royal Engineers) goes into THAT (that), resulting in TH(RE)AT
20d – Foreign articles below (5)
UNDER
Below is the definition, with the rest being two foreign articles: UN (the masculine indefinite article in Spanish) + DER (the masculine definite article in German)
22d – Hearing affliction (5)
TRIAL
Double definition, with a hearing being a type of trial, and also an affliction being a trial
23d – Armour in the post (4)
MAIL
Double definition, with mail being a type of armour, and mail also referring to the post