Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-09-01 (28/28)
Still trying to understand these clues:
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The clues:
1a – Old Greek warrior catching cold in choppy sea (8)
ACHILLES
Old Greek warrior is the definition, with catching as an indicator to put CHILL (cold) into AES (choppy is an anagram indicator for sea): A(CHILL)ES
6a – Your uncle’s hairstyle? (3)
BOB
A bob is a hairstyle, and also there’s a saying “Bob‘s your uncle“
9a – Noble number (5)
COUNT
Double definition, with a count being a noble, and also number meaning count
10a – Be like Norman William, sounding like a nut (7)
CONQUER
Be like Norman William (the Conqueror) is the definition, with sounding like as a homophone indicator for CONKER (a horse chestnut)
11a – Spare book (7)
RESERVE
Double definition, with reserve meaning spare (like having something in reserve) and book also meaning reserve (like to book a room)
12a – Drink rum in outskirts of Torquay (5)
TODDY
Drink is the definition, with in as an indicator to put ODD (rum) into TY (outskirts of Torquay, outskirts is an indicator to take the first and last character of Torquay): T(ODD)Y
13a – Some legal issue about farm production (6)
SILAGE
Farm production is the definition, with some and about as hidden word and reversal indicators for l(egal is)sue
15a – Nureyev, say, caught plunging into European river (6)
DANCER
Nureyev is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: DANCE (plunging into is an indicator to put C (a cricket abbreviation for caught) into DANE (European)) + R (abbreviation for river)
19a – Story about second-rate furniture item (5)
TABLE
Furniture item is the definition, with about as an indicator to put B (second-rate) into TALE (story): TA(B)LE
21a – Coward, say, did this? (7)
COWERED
This is an &lit clue; the coward cowered, and say is a homophone indicator for coward
23a – See real novel, free (7)
RELEASE
Free is the definition, with novel as an anagram indicator for see real
24a – Hang about a country in Africa (5)
GHANA
Country in Africa is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: GHAN (about is an anagram indicator for hang) + A (a)
25a – A tool may be observed (3)
SAW
Double definition, with a saw being a tool, and saw also meaning observed
26a – Reprimand man and do his turn (8)
ADMONISH
Reprimand is the definition, with turn as an anagram indicator for man do his
2d – Advice doctor leaves wretched scoundrel (7)
COUNSEL
Advice is the definition, with leaves as an indicator to remove DR (doctor) from scoundrel; wretched is an anagram indicator for the remainder
3d – Bury some painters (5)
INTER
Bury is the definition, with some as a hidden word indicator for pa(inter)s
4d – Key for cupboard? (6)
LOCKER
Cupboard is the definition, with the rest as a cryptic definition; a key locks something, so is a locker
5d – A star turn in a star turn (7)
SINATRA
A star is the definition, with turn as an anagram indicator for in a star (that other turn seems extra)
6d – Tied up in spring (5)
BOUND
Double definition, with bound meaning spring and also tied up
7d – Boy seen in Welsh port (5)
BARRY
Double definition; Barry is a boy‘s name, and Barry Docks is a Welsh port(a port in Wales)
8d – One with wheels — American or Greek high-flier (6)
ICARUS
Greek high-flier is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: I (looks like a one) + CAR (with wheels) + US (American)
14d – Small bomb not the last on a Caribbean island (7)
GRENADA
Caribbean island is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: GRENAD (not the last is an indicator to remove the last letter from GRENADE (a small bomb)) + A (a)
16d – Bones in fish too short (7)
CARPALS
Bones is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CARP (fish) + ALS (short is an indicator to remove the last character from ALSO (too))
17d – Provocative article in Communist newspaper (3,3)
RED RAG
Provocative article is the definition (like a red cloth used to provoke a bull), with the rest as a charades clue: RED (Communist) + RAG (newspaper)
18d – Laugh about being taken in by fraud (6)
SCREAM
Laugh is the definition, with taken in as an indicator to put RE (about) into SCAM (fraud): SC(RE)AM
19d – Mountain lakes making sailor extremely nervous (5)
TARNS
Mountain lakes is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TAR (sailor) + NS (extremely nervous, the first and last characters of nervous)
20d – Feel miserable when not on deck? (5)
BELOW
Double definition, with below meaning not on deck, and be low meaning feel miserable
22d – The vehicle a joker boarded? (5)
WAGON
Vehicle is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: WAG (joker) + ON (already boarded, like on a train)