Guardian Cryptic #28950

2022-12-26

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Across

9a

Lecture 50% of voters (5)

Generating...

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

50% of [elect]-ORATE=”voters”

10a

Leading astronaut Aldrin excited to tour space, producing this? (9)

Generating...

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

definition: alternative spelling of adrenaline leading letter of A-stronaut, plus anagram/”excited” of (Aldrin)*, around EN=a “space” in typography

11a

Food in tum digested and forgotten (3,2,4)

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12a

Hit hard in stomach with power (5)

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13a

5p bagel also in news (7)

Generating...

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

the definition is “5” (5 down, BRIDGE) as a pontoon is type of floating bridge P (taken from “5p”, without the definition “5”) + O (a “bagel” is a score of 0 games in a tennis set) + TOO=”also” in NN (N=”new”, NN=”news”)

15a

He symbolically turns over box to pack soldiers (7)

Generating...

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

definition: He is the chemical symbol for the ELEMENT helium reversal/”turns over” of TELE (television, “box”), around MEN=”soldiers”

17a

Australian pop star has change of heart in prayer (5)

Generating...

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

KY-L-IE Minogue is the “Australian pop star”, change the central letter/”heart” from L to R

18a

Muse wasting time with old age (3)

Generating...

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

ERA TO is one of the Muses in Greek mythology, minus T (time) and O (old)

20a

Knock over drinks in fit of temper (5)

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22a

Does having two wines back-to-back take energy? (3,4)

Generating...

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

definition: plural of doe (a female deer) RED plus RED reversed (“two wines back to back”), around E (energy)

25a

Row about 500 + 500 + 50 being small? (7)

Generating...

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

definition: a small being TIER=”Row” around D + D + L=”500 + 500 + 50″ in Roman numerals

26a

Man eaten by pet shark (5)

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27a

Comic actor's raise? Want over a billion (4,5)

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30a

Criminal in Venice stealing Tesla for reward (9)

Generating...

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

anagram/”Criminal” of (in Venice)*, around T (Tesla the SI unit of magnetic flux density)

31a

Make it possible to roll about in mud, topless (5)

Generating...

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

w-ALLOW=”roll around in mud”, minus the top letter

Down

1d

Mostly loose, set out alone (4)

Generating...

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

anagram/”set out” of (loos)*, most of the letters from “loose”

2d

Sporting organisation enters review of catch? (8)

Generating...

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

FA (Football Association, “Sporting organisation”), plus anagram/”review” of (enters)*

3d

Number one in lifting 80% excess weight (4)

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4d

Tolerance of light opera (8)

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5d

Diarist Jones spilling tea, sounding cross (6)

Generating...

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

definition: cross=bridge as verbs, e.g. to span a stretch of water BRIDGE-t Jones of the film (and novel) Bridget Jones’s Diary , minus T (sounds like “tea”)

6d

One in Paris serving up puddings without a care (10)

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7d

Draw ace quartet, ignoring the odds: about 50:50 (6)

Generating...

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

A (Ace), plus q- U -a- R -t- E -t ignoring the odd letters, all around/”about” L L (50 and 50 in Roman numerals)

8d

Party welcoming a break (4)

Generating...

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

definition: as in ‘snap/break in half’ SNP (Scottish National Party), around A

13d

Rod's extremely responsible travelling north after parking fine (5)

Generating...

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

definition: a poker as in a rod used to stir a fire the extreme letters of R-esponsibl-E, reversed upwards/”travelling north”, and after P (parking) + OK=”fine”

14d

Getting excessively annoyed when husband leaves stuffing (10)

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16d

Sailor tackles exercise to get lighter (5)

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19d

Penny's dropping off bits and pieces (8)

Generating...

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

P (Penny) taken off p-ARTICLES=”bits”

21d

Honest priest found in cocktail bar by Luddite extremists (8)

Generating...

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

ELI (Biblical “priest”) inside RAB, plus extreme letters from L-uddit-E I think RAB as an anagram of “bar”, with “cocktail” as a hint at ‘mixing’ RAB could also be a reversal of “bar” – if “cock” can be read as in turn or lift, with tail referring to the bottom end of the word

23d

Actress fording river gets thoroughly wet (6)

Generating...

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

definition: to wet thoroughly Actress Judi DENCH, around R (river)

24d

Return to check little girl's tucked in (6)

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26d

Steal the King's first born (4)

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28d

Show off clothes in reflection (4)

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29d

Fruit and some milk? I wish! (4)

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