The Nerfracker #4
Naked ballet exercise regimen taking focus (4)
Writing cryptic clues is hard. Writing good cryptic clues is even harder. Writing good, easy cryptic clues is actually one of the hardest things to do. It's tough enough for new solvers to try to understand how these words laid out in this order are something other than what the surface says they are … and yet when the further chicanery of a feint or subverted turn of phrase occurs to us, the impulse to share it with you is irresistible.
And but so, Nerfracker #4 is probably our hardest easy puzzle to date. The early acrosses feature two clues that would qualify as our aforementioned "boss battle" difficulty, but stay the course and use your crossers to defeat them forthwith.
Nerfrackers are meant for new solvers to dip their toes into the waters of cryptics at whatever level they feel comfortable with, but we want to smuggle in a smidgen of the thrill of a high dive as an encouragement to waders trying to imagine the deeper wonders. Don't get discouraged, jump in! And bring a friend who's at around the same level as you for extra fun.