Guardian Cryptic #28917

2022-11-17

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Across

1a

Question about Picaroon's singular flights of fancy (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

I’M (Picaroon’s) + S[ingular] in WHY

4a

Ginger Spice up for including adult S&M fantasy (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

A in SPICE* + S[&]M

9a

Winding route following diversion primarily (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

D[iversion] + ROUTE*, and it’s an &lit, meaning the whole clue is both wordplay and definition

10a

Bits of midriff shown in club? I'm dancing with 11 (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Anagram of CLUB I’M 11

11a

Poor road users in North passing through bigger motorway curves, keeping right (6,8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

N in HUGER + M[otorway] + R in ARCHES – the “poor road users” are those on the Hunger marches of the 1920s and 3s

13a

Old lady breaking layered rock, I see, causing splits (10)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

MA in SCHIST + IC. I’m not keen on this, as schist and schism[atic] are very closely related (from the Greek for “split”)

14a

Mike's dumped by Faith for a girl from Aberdeen? (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

ISLAM less M

16a

Rich female leaves boozer (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

FLUSH less F, with the boozer being a heavy drinker, not a pub as the surface suggests

18a

Hotshot packing current luggage for flights (10)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

I (electric current) in STAR + CASES

21a

Damage jewellery pocketing one gem criminally, triggering alarm (14)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Exam covers scripture that is initially from Bhutan? (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

I.E. NT in ORAL

24a

Swift work, say, with spades followed by a fag (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

S[pades] + A + TIRE (to fag) – reference to Jonathan Swift, satirist

25a

Wrecking ball breaking trinkets and furniture (8)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Abhor detective's case, pre-trial (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

The “case” of DetectivE + TEST

Down

1d

What some birds do in Virginia for sport (4)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Really, it's where to find Naomi saving time (2,5)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Naomi is found IN [the book of] RUTH, and we insert a T in that

3d

Dull soldier, donning shorts, riding horse (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

GI (soldier) in SLUGS + H[orse]

5d

Giving an abstract answer after monarch's deposed in period of July Revolution? (11)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

SUMMER (“period of July”) less ER + A[nswer] + RISING

6d

A head of America proclaimed truce (6)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Reserve this place in Nice on protruding coastline (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Supports corset-wearing graduate (9)

flowerflowerflower
12d

Conservative's response first put on line (11)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Climbing mountains, call to be extravagant (6,3)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Gangster stole crack (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Mostly painless transitions for King Charles? (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Anagram of PAINLES[s]

19d

Dawn French article boring English teacher's turned up (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

UN (French indefinite article) in reverse of E SIR’S

20d

Tip for writer from Pound - flipping junk! (3,3)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Ducks crossing lake hide (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

L in PET (ducks, term of affection)