Easy Cryptic Crossword from Simple Daily Puzzles 2021-09-06 (28/28)
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The clues:
1a – Fruit crop as it could be (8)
APRICOTS
Fruit is the definition, with could be
as an anagram indicator for crop as it
5a – Try to use a bayonet? (4)
STAB
Double definition, with stab
meaning try
and also use a bayonet
8a – Underground root, primarily? (5)
TUBER
This is an &lit clue; a tuber
is an underground root, and the whole thing is also a charades clue: TUBE
(the London Underground
) + R
(primarily
is an indicator to take the first letter of root
)
9a – Discs that may be broken? (7)
RECORDS
Double definition; records
are discs
, and also records
may be broken
11a – Obtain professional medical treatment (7)
PROCURE
Obtain
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: PRO
(short for professional
) + CURE
(medical treatment
)
12a – Victor and Oscar get married, having made a solemn promise (5)
VOWED
Made a solemn promise
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: V
(abbreviation for Victor
) + O
(abbreviation for Oscar
) + WED
(get married
)
13a – Frank makes a house a home (6)
HONEST
Frank
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: HO
(abbreviation for house
) + NEST
(a home
)
15a – Sailor held back by soldiers gets free (6)
GRATIS
Free
is the definition, with held
as an indicator to put RAT
(held back
is a reversal indicator
for TAR
, sailor
) into GIS
(soldiers
): G(RAT)IS
18a – Diana dressed as a nymph? (5)
NAIAD
Nymph
is the definition, with dressed
as an anagram indicator for Diana
20a – Animals the queen worries about (7)
FERRETS
Animals
is the definition, with about
as indicator to put ER
(Elizabeth Regina, the queen
) into FRETS
(worries
): F(ER)RETS
23a – Cat sees bats about one in the morning (7)
SIAMESE
Cat
is the definition, with about
as an indicator to put I
(looks like a one
) + AM
(in the morning) into SESE
(bats
is an anagram indicator for sees): S(IAM)ESE
24a – Charge about right for fish (5)
TROLL
Fish
is the definition, with about
as an indicator to put R
(abbreviation for right
) into TOLL
(a charge
)
25a – Small bird seen by old Balkan leader (4)
TITO
Balkan leader is the definition (Josip Broz, known as Tito
), with the rest as a charades clue: S
(abbreviation for small
) + TIT
(bird
)
26a – Kid almost gets yob to relax (5,3)
CHILL OUT
Relax
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: CHIL
(almost
is an indicator to remove the last letter of CHILD
(kid
)) + LOUT
(yob
)
1d – Team leader entering a competition to misbehave (3,2)
ACT UP
Misbehave
is the definition, with the entering as an indicator for T
(team leader
, first letter of team
) to go into A
(a
) + CUP
(competition
): AC(T)UP
2d – Difficulty getting feathers dry (3,4)
RUB DOWN
Dry
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: RUB
(difficulty
) + DOWN
(feathers
)
3d – Some frolic or fun on a Greek island (5)
CORFU
Greek island
is the definition, with some
as a hidden word indicator for froli(c or fu)n
4d – Revolver for an artist? (6)
TURNER
Double definition, with Turner
being an artist
and also a turner
being a revolver
6d – Extremely tough line for cast (5)
THROW
Cast
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: TH
(extremely
is an indicator to take the first and last letters of tough
) + ROW
(line
)
7d – Be joining teams in addition (7)
BESIDES
In addition
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: BE
(be
) + SIDES
(teams
)
10d – Caught with too much insurance (5)
COVER
Insurance
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: C
(cricket abbreviation for caught
) + OVER
(too much
)
13d – Remote crewmen on Egypt’s borders (7)
HANDSET
Remote
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: HANDS
(crewmen
) + ET
(Egypt's borders
, the first and last letter of Egypt
)
14d – Plant some massed geraniums (5)
SEDGE
Plant
is the definition, with some
as a hidden word indicator for mas(sed ge)raniums
16d – Musical effect that’s a lot more fluttery? (7)
TREMOLO
Musical effect
is the definition, with fluttery
as an anagram indicator for lot more
17d – Adult getting cheeky again (6)
AFRESH
Again
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: A
(abbreviation for adult
) + FRESH
(cheeky
)
19d – At home a gym is unsuitable (5)
INAPT
Unsuitable
is the definition, with the rest as a charades clue: IN
(at home
) + A
(a
) + PT
(abbreviation for physical training
, done in a gym
)
21d – Animal deliberately enclosed (5)
RATEL
Animal
is the definition (a ratel
is a honey badger), with enclosed
as a hidden word indicator for delibe(ratel)y
22d – Divided Croatian city (5)
SPLIT
Double definition, with split
meaning divided
and also being a Croatian City