Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-05-02 (25/26)
Still trying to understand these clues:
- 16d – Economist following poet in town (6)
The clues:
1a – Roman consul in company accepting cooked rice (6)
CICERO
Roman consul is the definition, with accepting as an indicator to put ICER (cooked is an anagram indicator for rice) into CO (abbreviation for company), resulting in C(ICER)O
4a – Her Majesty comes back with something boring or something infuriating (3,3)
RED RAG
Something infuriating is the definition (like waving a red rag at a bull) with the rest as a charades clue: RE (comes back is a reversal indicator for ER, an abbreviation Elizabeth Regina, Her Majesty) + DRAG (something boring)
8a – Where to put flowers when you have retired? (2,3)
IN BED
Double definition; a flower bed is where to put flowers, and when you have retired you are in bed
9a – One drip, oddly, may be involved (5,2)
ROPED IN
Involved is the definition, with oddly as an anagram indicator for one drip
10a – Vessel carrying a Royal Navy hooter (4,3)
BARN OWL
Hooter is the definition (an owl hoots), with carrying as an indicator to put A (a) + RN (abbreviation for Royal Navy) into BOWL (vessel), resulting in B(ARN)OWL
11a – Poem found after graduate goes back home (5)
ABODE
Home is the definition, with after as an indicator to put ODE (poem) after AB (goes back is a reversal indicator for BA, abbreviation for a graduate with a bachelors of arts degree)
12a – Sun hats do disguise many (9)
THOUSANDS
Many is the definition, with disguise as an anagram indicator for sun hats do
17a – Spurious marsh seen by American (5)
BOGUS
Spurious is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BOG (marsh) + US (abbreviation for American)
19a – Coin found by soldier retreating from base (7)
IGNOBLE
Base is the definition, with found by as an indicator to put NOBLE (a gold coin) after IG (retreating is a reversal indicator for GI, an abbreviation for soldier)
21a – I caught bird going round lettuce (7)
ICEBERG
Lettuce is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: I (I) + C (abbreviation for caught, a cricket term) + EBERG (going round is a reversal indicator for GREBE, a bird)
22a – Kind of store providing binder? (5)
CHAIN
Double definition, with some stores being parts of chains, and also chains being used to bind
23a – Smelly person not starting to mess about (6)
TINKER
Mess about is the definition, with not starting as an indicator to remove the first letter of STINKER (smelly person)
24a – German composer half-drunk? (6)
BRAHMS
German composer is the definition, with half as an indicator to take part of BRAHMS AND LIZST (Cockney rhyming slang for pissed, meaning drunk)
1d – Uphill struggles for a hundred members? (6)
CLIMBS
Uphill struggles is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: C (roman numeral for a hundred) + LIMBS (members)
2d – Entertainment provided by bare act? (7)
CABARET
Entertainment is the definition, with provided by as an anagram indicator for bare act (maybe an &lit clue if the entertainers are bare)
3d – Back in Hanoi, daring to send a message (5)
RADIO
Send a message is the definition, with back in as a reversal and hidden word indicator for Han(oi dar)ing
5d – Clear up former flat (7)
EXPLAIN
Clear up is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: EX (former) + PLAIN (flat)
6d – Travelled on back of bronco – here? (5)
RODEO
This is an &lit clue; you travel on the back of a bronco in a rodeo, and also the first part is a charades clue: RODE (travelled) + O (back is an indicator to use the last letter of of)
7d – Seeing need for change, they grant wishes (6)
GENIES
They grant wishes is the definition, with change as an anagram indicator for seeing
9d – Really enjoying abandoned Irish glen (9)
RELISHING
Really enjoying is the definition, with abandoned as an anagram indicator for Irish glen
13d – Disgusting old boy with part in play (7)
OBSCENE
Disgusting is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: OB (abbreviation for old boy) + SCENE (part in play)
14d – Sailor in southern city having rest day (7)
SABBATH
Rest day is the definition, with in as an indicator to put AB (abbreviation for able-bodied sailor) into S (abbreviation for southern) + BATH (city), resulting in S(AB)BATH
15d – Member of the orchestra who’s a bit too boisterous? (6)
OBOIST
Member of the orchestra is the definition, with a bit as a hidden word indicator for to(o boist)erous
16d – Economist following poet in town (6)
KEYNES
Keynes was an economist, but what is the wordplay here?
18d – Colour one may be putting on (5)
GREEN
Double definition; green is a colour, and in golf you go putting on the green
20d – More pleasant resort on river (5)
NICER
More pleasant is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: NICE (resort) + R (abbreviation for river)