Guardian Cryptic #29220

2023-11-06

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Across

1a

Proposition, very above board (7)

Generating...

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

SO=”very” + LICIT=”above board”

5a

Some confectionery spoils on counter (4,3)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Fabulous old author? (5)

Generating...

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

cryptic definition: “Fabulous” meaning ‘like in fable’ or perhaps ‘to do with fables’ – Aesop is known for a collection of Fables [wiki]

10a

Act timidly, but one could show claws (9)

Generating...

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

“one could show claws” referring to the FOOT of a PUSSY cat

11a

Source some bread, a Chinese savoury (6,4)

Generating...

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

SPRING=”Source” + ROLL=”some bread”

12a

Computer filmed Shakespeare's prince (3)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Unfortunate outcomes of a song for chorus in musical (12)

Generating...

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

A (from surface) + STROPHE=”song for [a Greek] chorus”; all in CATS the “musical” [wiki]

18a

Mammal and steed both sea-sick (9,3)

Generating...

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

HORSE=”steed” + anagram/”sick” of (both sea)*

21a

Injunction makes group finish early (3)

Generating...

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

BAN-[d]=”group”, finishing early without its last letter

22a

Commit a charge for each cat or dog? (10)

Generating...

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

a PER PET RATE (i.e. a rate charged per pet)=”a charge for each cat or dog?”

25a

Boring, girl contemplating (9)

Generating...

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

UNA=name for a “girl” + MUSING=”contemplating”

26a

Plant personnel tucking into sandwich (5)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Pronouncing the sibilant in "epigrams" (7)

Generating...

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

SAYING [the sound of the letter] S=”Pronouncing the sibilant”

28a

Baked beans go into feeder (7)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

After fights, English scattered (6)

Generating...

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

SPARS=”fights” with E (English) after

2d

Remarkable result brings distinction (6)

Generating...

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

anagram/”Remarkable” of (result)*

3d

Unusual change closes free city (10)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Get smaller and lighter (5)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Bunch up at Christmas, hoping for a kiss? (9)

Generating...

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

cryptic definition: a “Bunch” as in a bouquet of flowers, placed “up” above people, rather than “Bunch up” as a phrase meaning to get close together

6d

Welshman coming first in relay heat, you second (4)

Generating...

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

first letters from R-elay H-eat Y-ou S-econd

7d

Tea announced: sort of funny fuss (8)

Generating...

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

BROU sounds like (“announced”) ‘brew’=”Tea”, plus HAHA=”sort of funny” as in the phrase ‘funny haha, or funny peculiar?’

8d

Not forgiving, like an incomplete Bible (8)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Modern painters rendered Trappist so (3,7)

flowerflowerflower
15d

His cat let out for exercise (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Music from university players (3,5)

Generating...

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

reference to Oxford or Cambridge ‘blues’, players representing those universities in sports competitions

17d

Fe-female PM (4,4)

Generating...

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

definition: nickname for Margaret Thatcher [wiki] IRON (chemical element with symbol “Fe”) + LADY=”female”

19d

Unknown barge travels into capital (6)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Insect that secretly picks up pillow talk? (6)

Generating...

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

a BUG (listening device) in a BED “secretly picks up pillow talk”

23d

Sun worshipper perhaps again leaving India, under pressure (5)

Generating...

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

AGA-i-N, leaving the letter i (India, in the NATO alphabet); and after/under P (pressure)

24d

Opportunity: vegetable 1p off (4)

Generating...

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

TURN-ip=”vegetable”, minus “1p” with i=1