explicate vs clear up

explicate and clear up both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
explicate	No	No	Yes	No
clear up	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, clear up is a hyponym of explicate; that is, clear up is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than explicate:

Other hyponyms of explicate include interpret, rede, account for, naturalize, clarify, elucidate, comment.

explicate (verb)	clear up (verb)
make plain and comprehensible	free (the throat) by making a rasping sound
elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses	finish a task completely
	make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear
	make clear and (more) comprehensible
	become clear