Guardian Cryptic #28933

2022-12-06

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Across

1a

Pub holds back 12 bottles of wine for festival (6)

Generating...

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

Reverse of CASE (12 bottles) in PH (Public House). Hebrew name for the festival of Passover

4a

Provider of juice to warhorse (7)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Members of the clergy 2 and 3? (9)

Generating...

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

2 and 3 are exanples of cardinal numbers

10a

Cereal for everyone kept in barrel (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Dog free of lead, might one take flight? (5)

Generating...

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

BEAGLE less its first letter

12a

Politician caught in awkward recline with unnatural material (9)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Put away slice (7)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Looter's assistant breaks into expensive car (6)

flowerflowerflower
17a

God sleeps on (or kips inside) in retirement (6)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Ranked 'secret', provided I quit (7)

Generating...

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

CLASSIFIED (secret) less IF I

22a

See how day developed with make-up (9)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Outspoken pub reducing headcount by 90%? (5)

Generating...

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

LOCAL (pub) with title first L (50) “reduced by 90%” to V (5)

26a

Colossal insect chasing soldier (5)

flowerflowerflower
27a

At first, critics likely upset if shown Finding Nemo? (9)

Generating...

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

C[ritics] L[ikely] + (IF SHOWN)*. Remembering Qaos’s last puzzle , which was themed around the film Finding Nemo , was a help with this one.

28a

Vampire actor, he punctured child's skin and drew blood (7)

Generating...

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

{Christopher) LEE + HE in C[hil]D

29a

Stun grenade in China made of wood ends disastrously (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram of the last letters of grenadE iN chinA madE oF wooD

Down

1d

Travellers going without support of boxers? (7)

Generating...

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

Not sure about this – is packer short for backpacker, which is someone who “travels without support”? And a box-er is also a packer. I was nearly there: the travellers are BACKPACKERS, from which we have to remove BACK = support

2d

A little bit of sherbet for good kid (5)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Standard Catholic ceremony on top of wrought iron (9)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Dismiss bank clerk (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Sum 500 + 500 + 1? (3,2)

flowerflowerflower
6d

They take special need cutting wild grass, endlessly (9)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Engine to drive Jack over Egypt on vacation (6)

Generating...

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

RAM (drive) + J + E[gyp]T

8d

Golfer swaps one party for another to make birdie? (6)

Generating...

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

[Nick] FALDO with DO (party) replaced by CON[servative]

14d

Soap delayed? Missing one link (9)

Generating...

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

CORRIE (nickname for Coronation Street) LATE less I

16d

500 against adult being bitten by naughty canine earlier (2,7)

Generating...

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

D (500) + V (versus, against) + A[dult] in CANINE*

18d

Tempted by rum used about December (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Rogue trader's modest about fancy bow (6)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Strangely upholding skinless mammal, in the main (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of [u]PHOLDIN[g]

21d

Mountain lass found in area around Kolkata (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Couple's welcome to churchnothing's forgotten (5)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Conservative lawbreaker ignoring the first leader (5)

flowerflowerflower