Solution for 14 August cryptic crossword clue

Frame for summer’s activities? (6)

Solution – abacus

This is an example of a cryptic definition clue.  They are not all that common.

Now cryptic definition clues are really warped.  There is only one part to the clue and you have to think outside the box to work out the solution.  The clue is always worded in a misleading way.  Sometimes there is a question mark at the end of the clue – as there is in this case

The misleading bit in this clue is “summer” – you naturally think first of the season.  But it isn’t capitalised and there is a question mark, so you are on alert that there is something strange.  In fact “summer” is used in the sense of someone adding up figures or doing sums.  And in olden times people adding up used an abacus which is a counting frame.