Please help with cryptic crossword clue

[SomeoneBurntTheToastAgain]

Hello, fellow cryptic crossworders.

I’m only just getting into cryptic crosswords, so I’m still figuring out how to get to the solutions.

This one is bothering me:

Pick an artist for Sophocles’ play (7)

I know already that the answer is Electra (it’s the only play I know by Sophocles, plus the letters just fit,) but how does one arrive at this answer if actually solving the clue?

pick = elect, I assume.

how do you get from elect to electra? What suggests you add RA at the end from the clue?

Royal Academician

Pick (elect) a member of the Royal Academy (RA)

‘Artist’ = Royal Academy of Arts = ‘RA’ after the artist’s name.

I'm struggling too

'overworked postman'

Oh my gosh! Clever people, thank you.

So, please explain this one, too. Like how to get to the answer, please, from the clue.

“Not in the forefront in any craft.” (6)

I’ve got the first letter as A, the 3rd letter as T, and the fifth letter as R.

Not in the forefront? Is there an anagram somewhere? I can’t see any indicators in this clue at all.

Thank you in advance!

After? As in last three letters of craft and fits with ‘not in forefront’. Not sure about the er though :)

Astern? As in at the back of a boat (craft ) maybe.

Electra

Yes this. No anagram- it's just a cryptic definition.

It's ASTERN which is the back of any craft - they are using "craft" in the sense of a boat.

There are a number of great internet sites which will tell you the answers and explain why the answer is what it is. If you google the actual clue then you will get a number of results.

It takes a while to get used to all of the "usual meanings" and these will vary between setters

Artist is usually RA (but may be an actual artist)
References to "man" or "men" often refers to chess pieces.
Workers are usually ants or bees.

Good luck, persevere and have fun.

Ooops - cross posted with PPS who also got the answer!

Thank you!
that’s the thing - most sites I’ve found just tell you the answer and not how they got there. Like Electra for example.

thanks again to everyone!

Try the Lovatt's Puzzles cryptic crossword tutorial. There's a quiz game where it guides you through methods to solve clues.

15squared is an excellent website for explaining definitions for a lot of cryptics

Oh, oh… how many letters? 😄

@Sheitgeist you beat me to it! 🤣🤣

Thank you!

I love a cryptic crossword!

What are everyone’s favourite ones? I always do the one in The Week, it’s a good level for me. I had a few books of Telegraph crosswords, too… it’s a bit easier than the Times!

The one in the Observer is good - I can usually do it all (sometimes over a couple of days) so a good challenge but not impossible.

I can’t do The Guardian ones - maybe I’m not tuned in to how they write clues.

I love the Guardian- my favourite by far, so characterful and clever. Enjoy the Times as well.

Yes it’s certainly true that you get used to a certain setter’s style and tricks; an unfamiliar setter is always going to take a bit of getting in to - nothing to do with it being too difficult though, oh no!

Thanks for the Observer suggestion… I’ll give it a shot.

ELECT - RA

Pick - Royal Academy

@Kitchenette my friend showed me how to do cryptic crosswords by doing the Guardian one with me. This was about 35 years ago. Our location of choice was during long boring politics lectures at uni 😏

Haven't done a Guardian one in a while… wonder if they’ve changed much!

Is overworked postman an anagram of postman ?

It means “how many letters”!