The writer’s recalled challenge distressed old artist (12)
26A — The writer’s recalled challenge distressed old artist (12) — MICHELANGELO
-
Definition
Definition found: 'artist'
-
Indicator
Indicator found: 'recalled''recalled' tells us to read the preceding letters backwards.
-
Operation
'recalled' signals a reversal operation
-
Fodder
Fodder: 'The writer’s'
-
Indicator
Indicator found: 'distressed''distressed' tells us the letters of 'challenge' need rearranging.
-
Operation
'distressed' signals a anagram operation
-
Fodder
Fodder: 'challenge'
-
Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'old' → OLook for the standard cryptic abbreviations in the clue — short words that stand in for one or two letters.
-
Assembly
(IM > MI) + (CHALLENGE > CHELANGEL) + O = MICHELANGELO