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  1. End of a text lead by a former lover (8)
  2. Not one place to contain a cry of pain (7)
  3. Spawn in vegan ingredients (7)
  4. Freeholder who meets their end in the Middle East (6)

It may not be a good feeling, but after you’ve solved these four cryptic hints, you’ll need to find the final answer (4).

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  • $\begingroup$ Would the [word] tag apply? $\endgroup$
    – bobble
    Mar 20 at 23:32

1 Answer 1

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Although not strictly in the cryptic style, there is a consistency among the clues that makes me think that these are the answers

1. EXCERPTS

"End of a text" gives the definition and "lead by a former lover" gives part of the wordplay, referring to EX at the beginning. Wordplay is absent for the CERPTS part.

2. NOWHERE

"Not one place" is the definition and "contain a cry of pain" refers to the OW contained in the word. Wordplay for the N HERE part is absent.

3. VEGGIES

"vegan ingredients" is the definition and "Spawn in" refers to the EGG contained in the word. Wordplay for V IES is absent.

4. YEOMAN

"Freeholder" is the definition. "their end in the Middle East" is OMAN. Wordplay for YE is absent.

Final answer

ENVY

Obtained by taking the first letter of each answer, in order, and certainly not a "good feeling".

A note on the style (if I am right)

Conventionally, cryptic clues like these should contain a definition part and wordplay for the whole clue (so the solver can verify their answer).
For example, the third clue could be Spawn in last four of movie's ingredients.
Although not a brilliant surface, this would capture the V IES in the wordplay as well as the EGG.

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  • $\begingroup$ This was my first attempt at CC, so I guess I didn't quite match the traditional style. Your first answer is wrong (but you're on the right path), and your fourth answer has the wrong explanation (there's only one freeholder). The other answers and their explanations are correct, including the final answer. Also, my title has some significance to the puzzle, but it looks like you didn't need it! $\endgroup$
    – Laurel
    Mar 22 at 12:00
  • $\begingroup$ @Laurel Thanks, I've replaced the answer for 1 with something else and the explanation for 4. Not sure about the link to the title yet although I will think about it. $\endgroup$
    – hexomino
    Mar 22 at 12:23
  • $\begingroup$ The answer for #1 is still wrong. I'm certain it's a word you know under a very different definition, but this usage of it is rare (but not so rare that it can't be found in NOAD/Wiktionary). $\endgroup$
    – Laurel
    Mar 22 at 12:29

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