Guardian Cryptic #29268

2024-01-02

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Macho man embraces something irrational and dumb (6)

flowerflowerflower
5a

Well off, but bound by summons to where convict marks time (4,4)

Generating...

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

*(well) [anag: off ] bound by CALL ("summons")

9a

Trusted friends at college begin here (4,4)

Generating...

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

MAIN MEN ("trusted friends") at U (university, so "college") Why not just use university, rather than college?

10a

Meat from wild animals, not named at first (6)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Actress reportedly to bear chess prodigy (6,6)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Germanic invader beheadedsome nerve! (4)

Generating...

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

[ beheaded ] (s) AXON ("Germanic invader") In zoology, an axon is an extension of a nerve cell that transmits pulses away from the cell.

14a

For a special occasion, taking tea? I don't think so! (2,6)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Feudal drudge returns with mop that's not found in big cities (5,3)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Feature of retrograde love song (4)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Fare with a pea in each part, I hearor a lot of them? (8,4)

flowerflowerflower
23a

One who won't drink and drive, in practice (3,3)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Rent by oneself for much less (3,5)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Words of daring, say, embraced by champions (4,4)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Modern currency? Scream 'opt out!' (6)

flowerflowerflower

Down

2d

'Bird' found in 'White Album' (4)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Rogue cop seen in Christmas décor (4,5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Forlorn, hollow dummy covers behind (6)

Generating...

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

[ hollow ] D (umm) Y covers REAR ("behind")

5d

Strangely, casual attire on you at first elicits words of warning (10,5)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Was humiliated in café? (4,4)

Generating...

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

A reverse anagram – *(face) [anag: lost ] = CAFE

7d

Greedy types reported in Prince's domain (5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Sweetheart losing head over former sweetheart's heartless malediction? I'm not buying it (4,6)

flowerflowerflower
12d

Humongous T. rex demolished a brewed lager (5-5)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Fictional relative's tuna-salad-and-cracker-eating bird (4,5)

Generating...

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

*(tuna) [anag: salad ] + POLLY ("cracker eating bird") "Polly wants a cracker" is a common phrase in English, which has appeared in the novel Treasure Island and in a Nirvana song of the same name, although its actual origin is unknown, and Aunt Polly was Tom Sawyer's guardian in Mark Twain's novel.

16d

Greta munches a Pacific nation's bean (8)

Generating...

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

(Greta) GARBO munches A + NZ (New Zealand, so "Pacific nation")

19d

Lyrical author followed by jerk (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Creature sounding like a buzzard, they say (5)

flowerflowerflower
22d

King Charlie in bind (4)

flowerflowerflower