Can anyone explain these cryptic crossword answers please ? answer

[WithIcePlease]

I've recently restarted doing cryptic crosswords with the Times Quick cryptic

I completed it yesterday other than 2 answers but even with answers today I can see no reason in them.

First of these - 'insect leaving gnu, say, to run off'
The answer is elope which I know is run off but why??

Second- 'promised the return of northern banks'
Answer is sworn which is obviously the promised bit and the 'n' is from northern but otherwise I have no idea

I'd be grateful for someone to shed some light!

Gnu = antelope. Insect leaving means remove the ANT.

The first is from 'antelope'

A gnu is an antelope, an insect is an ant. So antelope without ant is elope! I will ponder on the second.

The first one - ant elope - gnu is a type of antelope and the insect - ant - is left off the front. Haven’t looked at the second one yet

First one, a gnu or wildebeest is an antelope and obviously an ant is an insect. So an insect leaving a gnu - ant elope. Antelope.

Not sure on the second, I'll have to have a think 🙃

Gnu = antelope

Ant is an insect.

If 'ant' leaves 'antelope' you're left with 'elope'.

Snap! 😂

sworn = ROWS backwards + N for northern.

Rows= banks as in banks of seats. Tricky I think.

Second one - in the clue, "return" tells you to read it backwards. N (northern) + ROWS (banks) = SWORN backwards

I keep on meaning to give cryptic crosswords a try, but my god I would never have got antelope from gnu or banks from rows!!

It it normal for cryptic clues to give a double clue each time? So Promised is a clue for Sworn and so is Northern Banks..
So does that mean it allows you to know if you are on right track? Otherwise if it just had the Northern banks bit it would sure be impossible?

Yes, the clues come in two parts, the definition and the cryptic part. But they don't say which is which.

If you're interested some of the newspapers have columns/previous articles that explain different types of clues. So you might have the definition and then a word that indicates anagram (like 'confused') and then words that you need to rearrange, or a word that means hidden clue (like 'inside') and the answer is in somewhere in the next few words. And like these examples, there are clues that suggest taking words off the beginning of other words or turning words round and various other things. There's also words that indicate letters/abbreviations, which is where experience helps (my mum knows some I'm still not familiar with).

I like the clue 'A B C D F G' (4)

For the future, the Crossword Genius app provides answers and explanation

The Guardian has a Quiptic every Monday. You can do it online. It's a fairly gentle introduction to cryptic crosswords.

www.theguardian.com/crosswords/series/quiptic

Follow a guy called minutecryptic on Instagram. He posts a clue each day on his webpage and then explains the solution on insta the day after. It should help you get started (although different setters have different styles).

prettygirlincrimsonrose Is it ‘noes’?

My favourite clue is
‘geg’ (9,4)

Wow so many replies! Thank you

I worked out sworn just after I posted.

I have done half of today's quick cryptic.

I'd love to know what 'ABCDF' is? A play on no e's so nose??

I have phases of doing different puzzles. I got so good at killer sodoku last year that I could do the 'deadly' ones but have deteriorated with lack of practice so failed a tricky recently. After the killers I found ordinary sodoku a bit boring. I've also had spells of doing the grid logic puzzles (there's a Puzzler magazine of these and I prefer them to Murdle). I've started the cryptics again as I think it's better for my brain now that I have retired 😂

Scrambled eggs? It should be gegs or sgeg or something!
I am OK-ish at the ones where part of the clue is the definition and part is the wordplay, it's the ones where its just a funny or punny clue to the whole thing that get me (Everyman in the Observer this week had something like "doors increasingly left open during the winter" (6, 8) and I was convinced "increasingly left" was "redder" and trying to make that fit, and thinking of synonyms for doors, but no.)

Scrambled egg 😂😂

Note?

I go to this website when I don't understand how an answer works. Daily blog with answers and explanations for all clues in most of the Times crosswords.
Danword site is also good for answers, though doesn't go into how the clues work.

Thanks for that - it'll save me posting here-@Hubcapdiamondstarhalo

@ShowOfHands Yep. Just like that it's easy to remember!

My user names a cryptic clue too, 8 letters.

There's also fifteen squared which blogs every broadsheet cryptic (I think), and is a friendly community. Crossword solvers must be the nicest bunch of people online anywhere. The comments under the Guardian puzzles online are an absolute joy sometimes.
https://www.fifteensquared.net/

Is it rebelled? Clever!