Guardian Cryptic #28923

2022-11-24

Solve on Guardian →

Across

9a

Performing twice in Tosca is stimulating for a soloist? (9)

Generating...

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

Anagram of ( Performing ) [ 2 x ( twice ) IN + TOSCA ].

10a

Refurbished loo contains very old moulding (5)

Generating...

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

Anagram of ( Refurbished ) LOO containing ( contains ) [ V(abbrev. for “very”) + O(abbrev. for “old”) ].

11a

Demanding person from Oldham needing a break? (7)

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12a

African fish's name maybe grasped by sailors (7)

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13a

Conservative going kind of pink, concerned with speech (4)

Generating...

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

C(abbrev. for a member of the Conservative Party) deleted from ( going ) “coral”(a shade/kind of pink colour).

14a

Person grilling odd sandwiches is not out to lunch (10)

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16a

What reprobates do after some tobacco's in pocket (5,2)

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17a

Boxing a long time, clobber despicable people (7)

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19a

Establishing distance from two directions before time rambling (10)

Generating...

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

E,S(abbrev. for two directions, east and south respectively) plus ( before ) T(abbrev. “time”) + RANGING(rambling/spreading in different directions).

22a

Cash returns for Jack, say (4)

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24a

Invest and invest, investing reserve (5-2)

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25a

Liking less parking in transport (7)

Generating...

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

“penchant”(a liking/an inclination to) minus ( less ) “p”(abbrev. for “parking”).

26a

Plain Welsh seaside resort, no northern dud (5)

Generating...

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

“Llandudno”(a seaside resort in Wales) minus ( no ) “dud”.

27a

Screen star in a period of abstention cutting alcohol (9)

Generating...

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

[ A + LENT(a period of abstention for Christians) ] contained in ( cutting ) VINO(alcohol, specifically, wine).

Down

1d

Passion dominates game, we hear, in pointless tennis position (4,8,3)

Generating...

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

[ LOVE ALL](the score/position in a tennis match when neither side has scored a point/is pointless) containing ( …, in … ) homophone of ( …, we hear ) “conkers”(a children’s game played with conkers, nuts of the horse chestnut tree).

2d

Spy Indian princess rejecting article without thanks (4,4)

Generating...

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

“maharani”(an Indian ruling princess) minus ( rejecting ) “an”(article in grammar) containing ( without ) TA(short for thank you/thanks).

3d

One showing Mary pastry case from trattoria (5)

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4d

Opener gets run out in captivating draw (4,4)

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5d

Many runs perhaps in Twenty20? (6)

Generating...

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

SCORES( Twenty and 20 ), Twenty20 being a format of cricket, in which, of course, runs are scored.

6d

Shrewder retaining ball, male player (9)

Generating...

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

WISER(shrewder/smarter) containing ( retaining ) [ O(letter shaped like a ball) + MAN(a male) ].

7d

Thoroughly soppy git by place of retreat (6)

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8d

Blunt answer's received about legislative measure (5,10)

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15d

Take in various keys, say, and polish roughly (6-3)

Generating...

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

A0( … roughly ) AND POLISH .

17d

Gaudy little skirts are popular with consumers (8)

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18d

One nameless dreamer with a bouquet (8)

Generating...

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

A(one/a single) + “romantic”(a dreamer/one with idealised views of reality) minus ( …less ) “n”(abbrev. for “name”).

20d

Revolutionary Communist wears brown, without exception (2,1,3)

Generating...

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

Reversal of ( Revolutionary ) MAO(Zedong, Chinese Communist) contained in ( wears ) TAN(a brownish colour).

21d

Banking centre, say, raised what's held in Russian banks (6)

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23d

Son has ice cream or small cake (5)

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