dt cryptic 05.10

[sarumite]

Have finished crossword but need explanation on part of the clue to "7d Terrible decay - not even in the end! (6)".
The answer must be "rotten" i.e. r??t?n but I can't see the reasoning behind " not even in the end".
It's probably really obvious but I would welcome a bit of a nudge in the right direction.

[goldenfield]

Hi sarumite. I think the TEN of rotten may come from the odd letters (ie not even) of ThE eNd.

[Heyford]

not even therefore odd in "the end"
or t e n

[sarumite]

Many thanks goldenfield, I just didn't see it ......... but now I can remember a similar clue used recently in another crossword. Hopefully, I will now remember this ploy if coming across it again!

[sarumite]

ditto Heyford.

[Quizmonkey]

Oddly, evenly, odd, even, alternate, regularly - all are indicators of this type of concealment.

[sarumite]

Thanks Quizmonkey, it's gradually coming back to me after a number of years 'away' from cryptic puzzles.

[whitehill]

Incidentally, this convention is used a lot by the current compiler of the Daily Mail cryptic crossword