Guardian Cryptic #29040

2023-04-10

Solve on Guardian →

Across

7a

Opening letter, I nail it up the wall (7)

flowerflowerflower
8a

Caretaker to retire initially after New Year (7)

Generating...

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

TO + R-[etire], after JAN I (Jan 1 / January 1st / "New Year")

9a

A little fox engages much bigger animals (4)

flowerflowerflower
10a

A part of speech? (9)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Squad heartily taking two females for drink (5)

Generating...

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

the central letters ('heart') from s-QUA-d, plus F F (short for 'female', two times)

13a

Currently a bit uncomfortable? (8)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Boy holding end of the leash (4)

Generating...

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

LAD="Boy" holding the "end"/final letter of th-E

16a

Thorny plant becomes coated, they say (5)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Team triumphed (4)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Moving here soon, such a tiny town (3-5)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Colourful sort of light in West (5)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Do press on, struggling in such a walk? (9)

flowerflowerflower
22a

An office may have this property (4)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Hippie: bet on one losing head (3,4)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Pirouette on the cricket field? (3,4)

Generating...

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

a type of bowling in cricket a pirouette is a spin around one foot/leg

Down

1d

Stone working with axes (4)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Bear away flag (8)

Generating...

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

STAND=endure="Bear", plus " a way " becomes A + RD=" way "

3d

Service provided in mountain region (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Poisonous plant made nark convulsive (8)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Making music, really hot (6)

flowerflowerflower
6d

In Paris I receive fine for facetious remark (4)

flowerflowerflower
11d

Not use these clothes enough? (9)

Generating...

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

UNDERWEAR could be read as 'under-wear' as in under-use the clothes, not use the clothes enough

12d

Powerful piece from rock band (5)

flowerflowerflower
14d

London police, endless subject (5)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Description of desert? Wrong (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Stupid? Not this crossword (8)

Generating...

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

this crossword has clues, and is therefore not CLUELESS

19d

Well done, Henry! (6)

Generating...

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

Hooray Henry is a term for a brash young upper-class man

20d

Dye plant marks snake (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Bring up small seat (4)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Ignore the captain (4)

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