Guardian Cryptic #28935

2022-12-08

Solve on Guardian →

Across

9a

Shambles! No good Queen covering up final note from Freddie Mercury (9)

Generating...

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

MESS (shambles) + NG (no good) ER (queen) all round [freddi]E

10a

Match of variable quality (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Brass still coating rupees from the east (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (from the east) of EVEN (still) round R (rupees)

12a

Breaking law, even US journalists must consider this (4,5)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Silver and such like? One investigates prices (7)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Look, I'm visibly happy to get picked up (7)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Summon a naked malefactor to accept fine (5)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Grunts from pigs quietly going out (3)

Generating...

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

An anagram (out) of [p]IGS minus p (quietly going) – grunt is slang for a common soldier (GI)

20a

German you sent west pocketing pound for tip (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (sent west) of DU (German ‘you’) round PEN (pound)

21a

King, when retiring, strokes bird (7)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Steel, say, was shown by artist beset by defamation (7)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Palladium rejected because screw contains iron (9)

Generating...

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

A reversal (rejected) of AS (because) + GUARD (screw) round FE (iron) – the Palladium was a wooden statue of Pallas , on which the safety of Troy depended, hence any type of safeguard

26a

Left over fag rolledit helps me think clearly (5)

Generating...

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

L (left) + O (over) + a reversal (rolled) of CIG (fag)

28a

Moving spades, detect components of nickel (5)

Generating...

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

SCENT (detect) with the S (spades) moved to the end

29a

Gag staff must keep wearing? This is irregular (9)

Generating...

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

MUTE (gag) + MAN (staff) round IN (wearing) – see here for Minuteman

Down

1d

Indication submariner is surfacing (4)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Raducanu's back, more confident one wants high returns (6)

Generating...

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

[raducanu]U + SURER (more confident)

3d

Around opening, one hammered sheet for platinum? (10)

Generating...

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

An anagram (hammered) of SHEET round VENT (opening) I (one)

4d

Spies a place where men go (6)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Chrome etc with a lot of rust on Sierras, oddly (8)

Generating...

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

BROW[n] (a lot of rust) + odd letters of SiErRaS

6d

Clap about engineers turning up fuel (4)

Generating...

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

A reversal (turning up) of VD (clap) round Royal Engineers – ‘the clap’ is slang for gonorrhoea

7d

Speculators loudly vote for gold (5-3)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Large pole's covered in lead (4)

Generating...

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

CUE (pole) round L (large)

13d

Leaders removing one dent in iron (5)

flowerflowerflower
15d

European queen with talent for being calm (10)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Made to run by header from Lucy Bronze? (5)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Start to lose heart after fan rejects intro from Lady Gaga (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Copper Age road men rebuilt (8)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Criminal admitting racket in transported goods (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Government, say, blocking revolutionary ruler (6)

Generating...
24d

Rifle butt might contain this (4)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Zest to put away doughnut or substantial puff (4)

flowerflowerflower
27d

More than one tin article in case of canvas (4)

Generating...

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

AN (indefinite article) in C[anva]S