What does the cryptic crossword clue "The end of some extinct creatures shown in useful reference books (8)" mean?

The definition is "books". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). THE (synonym="THE") + SAURI (synonym="end of some extinct creatures, eg dinoSAURI") = THESAURI; definition: "useful reference books" The answer is THESAURI.

The end of some extinct creatures shown in useful reference books (8)

Guardian Cryptic #29032 | 20 Across | 2023-03-31 flower

← Back to puzzle

Visit Guardian's puzzle site →