Solution for 21 August cryptic crossword clue

Old-fashioned old man penning note (5)
Solution – Dated


So as you can see the solution matches one meaning for "old-fashioned" – dated.


So "old man penning note" must also lead you to that word.  It is tricky because when it says "penning note" you automatically think of an old man writing something down.  But no, here "penning" is used in the sense of "constraining' or "penning something in" – so something that means "note" is penned inside something that means "old man".


Note in cryptic crosswords often refers to musical notes like sol fa etc.


And in the UK "old man" is slang for "father"


So Dad is put around "te" the note and you get "dated".