Guardian Cryptic #29259

2023-12-21

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Foolish investors quit without pounds? Their partners are dummies (14)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘without’) of L (‘pounds’) in VENTRIOQUISTS, an anagram (‘foolish’) of ‘investors quit’.

8a

President Macron's rejection holds team back (5)

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9a

One on board red ship by isle (8)

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11a

Mo Salah's header caught by home team's no. 1, a six-footer (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘caught by’) of S (‘ S alah’s heading’) in IN (‘home’) plus T (‘ T eam’s no. 1′) plus ANT (an insect, ‘a six-footer’).

12a

One might fix a guy's target in game, over time (4,3)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘over’) of T (‘time’) in TEN PIN (‘target in game’). I would call it a tent peg.

13a

I appreciate that setter regularly showing discernment (5)

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15a

Raw bananas eaten by Indian running after a naturalist (9)

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17a

Give up tackling problem? Hum and haw (9)

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20a

Greens periodically seen around desert region (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘around’) of VEG (vegetables, ‘greens’) plus EN (‘periodically s E e N ‘).

21a

General area for sufferers heading for shelter (7)

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23a

Model soldier left without energy (7)

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25a

Hero apt to struggle grasping Latin Mass (8)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘grasping’) of L (‘Latin’) in PETHORA, an anagram (‘to struggle’) of ‘hero apt’.

26a

Irritating complaint in German written out twice? (5)

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27a

Excite a single scoundrel, taking Sierra for spin (4,2,4,4)

Generating...

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

A charade of TURN ON (‘excite’) plus ONE (‘a’) plus S (‘single’) plus HEEL (‘scoundrel’). It works better when I read the whole clue. The S is NATO alphabet ‘Sierra’, of course; thanks to Tim C @4, the first to point this out.

Down

1d

Very suggestively dumping American out of spite (12)

Generating...

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

A charade of V (‘very’) plus INDIC[a]TIVELY (‘suggestively’) minus the A (‘dumping A merican’).

2d

Bond star turns up, engaging lover once (5)

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3d

Vacuous, niggling Liberal parties seem familiar (4,1,4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘parties’) of NG (‘vacuous N igglin G ‘) plus ‘liberal’.

4d

See director with Ms Blanchett on set (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘on’?) of CATE (‘Ms Blanchett’) in LO (‘see’) plus D (‘director’).

5d

Virtuous person in funny clothing, maybe a knight (7)

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6d

Playwright lives around top of Scottish mountain (5)

Generating...

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

A wonky envelope: BEN (‘Scottish mountain’) with IS (‘lives’) around B, its top.

7d

Stepping on slope in front of Ted Heath (9)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘in’) of RAMP (‘slope’) in T (‘front of T ed’) plus LING (‘heath’ – which may refer, perhaps loosely, to heather or ling)

10d

Two Old Testament reprobates kneel trembling in stable (2,2,4,4)

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14d

Frenchman's cry as Bruce Lee almost stumbles (5,4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘stumbles’) of ‘as Bruce Le[e]’ minus the last letter (‘almost’).

16d

Topless Roman gent? A total flipping idiot (9)

Generating...

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

A charade of [s]IGNOR (‘Roman gent’ – modern Rome) minus the first letter (‘topless’); plus ‘A’ plus MUS, a reversal (‘flipping’) of SUM (‘total’).

18d

What follows Dombey, touring round etc. (3,2,2)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘touring’) of O (’round’) in AND SON (‘what follows Dombey’, the novel by Dickens).

19d

Account for Essex's banks not attractive (7)

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22d

Don't stop performing somewhere in west London? (5)

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24d

Fabulous contents of bottle that is opened by dope (5)

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