DT Cryptic No. 25683

[crofter]

5d Bread for bait thrown across river (5) L*C*E

Surely it must be LUCRE with bait = LURE ...
But how does C square up with "river"?

Reading the answer as LUCE around R ...
Then LUCE is a fish (pike) not "bait"??

What IS the correct wordplay?

[squarebear]

A river runs down to the C (sea)?

Surely not?

[crofter]

Hi squarebear, As you say "Surely not!"

The DT is not as sloppy as that (I hope) ~ but thanks!

[pbeach]

I put Lucre too, using bread = lucre
bait Lure + C?
Like you I am not sure where the C comes from...

[Tichfield]

This is maybe a bit outlandish, but.....

BAIT = CLUE thrown = anagram around R for river.

[sarumite]

.. or equally obscure the C = river here?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_River_C,_Br itish_Columbia

[pbeach]

Tichfield - your answer makes the most sense so far.

[manofsteel]

There was a time when if you completed the DT crossword you knew that you had got it right. I feel on occasions like this that standards are slipping !!!!!.......I put "lucre", Im sure it's the right answer but it doesn't somehow fit the clue.

[crofter]

Thanks everyone for the input!

Well Answered Tichfield!!

[pf429]

None of you ever heard the old phrase "filty Lucre" for money ie "bread" also slang for money

[Strix]

pf429 - I think that you will find that all the above contributors are well-acquainted with "lucre" as a slang word for money/bread (from the latin lucrum [gain] as used in lucrative) - the problem is not with lucre being the answer but HOW it is constructed out of the clue.
That is the explanation which crofter was asking for.
I have to say, personally, I thought it was a very bad clue and am still unconvinced by the reasons provided thus far for the answer but accept that that lucre is the correct solution.

[Catron]

This is a reply I received from Kate, Crossword Editor for the DT:

Bread for box thrown across river = Lucre (crossword number 25683)

There is a type of bait called luce bait..