Guardian Cryptic #29074

2023-05-19

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Singer's Round 1 eliminationthat's a surprise (2,6)

Generating...

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

BOY GEORGE (singer) less the first O (round)

5a
15d

King fighting heartfelt rage over Duke? (6,3,5)

Generating...
9a

Hit useless horse (4,4)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Massage oil in beddon't get so excited! (4,2)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Flat's unfashionable, I agree (8)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Regrets I may harbour over man (6)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Shared love admitted by veiled ladyit isn't proper! (6,4)

Generating...

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

COMMON (shared) + O (love) in NUN (veiled lady)

18a

Lab assistant? (7,3)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Though not large, pleased to be given something handy (6)

Generating...

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

GLAD (pleased) less L + GET (to be given)

23a

Describing time travelling options, here's Hawking (8)

Generating...

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

T in OPTIONS*

24a

Presumably she wouldn't have voted for Brexit (6)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Initially Guardian setter's brilliant (or inferior?) (8)

Generating...

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

G[uardian] + I’M (setter’s) + CRACK (brilliant)

26a

Force under pressure males on drugs to stop dangerous races (3,3)

Generating...

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

HE + M (two “males”) + E (drugs) in TT (races). The definition is probably a reference to recent criticisms of racism, sexism and other problems in the Metropolitan Police, as identified in the Casey Report

27a

Had constitutional crisis finallyrang to get Queen involved (8)

Generating...

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

[crisi]S + R (queen) in TOLLED (rang), with “constitutional” meaning a walk

Down

1d

Hairy creature's sign of displeasure in bar (6)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Scandalous conclusionVlad getting thrown in cell! (6)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Money transfer rejected in beginning (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Crack down hard over personnel to survive (3,7)

Generating...

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

HR (Human Resources, Personnel) in GET TOUGH

6d

These could be Asian lot (8)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Telling disclosurenot against English (8)

Generating...

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

REVELATION (disclosure) less V (versus) E

8d

Topple the high flyer outside (8)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Eastern doctor working at sharp end displays a fuller figure (10)

flowerflowerflower
15d

See 5

16d

At first, dirty old man's uplifted during rarely clean entertainment (3,5)

Generating...

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

Reverse of D[irty] PA in CLEAN*

17d

He's a fount of knowledge? Group of ladies crease up (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Plaster over gashes used up, Charlie gathered (6)

Generating...

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

C in reverse of O[ver] CUTS

20d

Extra posh bloke? Quite (2-4)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Wound in side originally not dressed (6)

Generating...

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

S[ide] + NAKED. “Wound” is a handy word for setters: rhyming with “mooned” it can be a noun (as in the surface reading here), and with “round” a verb (as in the definition)