What does the cryptic crossword clue "Remarkable gains least expected after damage in these constituencies (8,5)" mean?

The definition is "these constituencies". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). MAR (synonym="‘damage’, verb") + GINALSEATS (synonym="GINALSEATS") = MARGINALSEATS; definition: "these constituencies" The answer is MARGINALSEATS.

Remarkable gains least expected after damage in these constituencies (8,5)

Guardian Cryptic #29095 | 8 Down | 2023-06-13 flower

← Back to puzzle

Visit Guardian's puzzle site →

Remarkable gains least expect­ed after damage in these constituencies (8,5)

Remarkable gains least expected after damage in these constituencies (8,5)