Guardian Cryptic #29270

2024-01-04

Solve on Guardian →

Across

8a

Animal's awfully cute rear (8)

flowerflowerflower
9a

To obtain acknowledgement, order direct (6)

Generating...

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

anagram/”order” of (direct)* “To obtain” in the surface is part of the instructions (to get to a definition of “acknowledgement”, do this…)

10a

Have a break! Have a ginger biscuit! (4)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Having many factories on River Test (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Aerial transport suggested for the prairies (6)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Book on trendy South Coast resort (8)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Reprimands favourite fellow travellers? (7)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Hatbands for mourners (7)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Rugby international follows a VIP eccentric to clubhouse (8)

Generating...

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

LION=”Rugby international”, after anagram/”eccentric” of (a VIP)* the British and Irish Lions are a rugby union team [wiki]

22a

Foreigner needs help back into lodging (6)

Generating...

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

AID=”help” reversed/”back” inside INN=”lodging”

23a

Spin doctor live, on tour (10)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Exhausted marksman (4)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Stop dead and liberate heartless zombie (6)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Contents from small Red strongholds (8)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Lawn weed? Cut the whole lot up (8)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Bulbits brightness? (4)

Generating...

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

not sure about this – LAMP can refer to a light bulb, and is associated with brightness, but I can’t see more than that edit: Simon S in the comments suggests L + AMP (50 amp) I think I have seen “50 amp” in wordplay before to give LAMP

3d

Vengeful trio that is wearing winter outfits (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Originally named 'Beds'to change is necessary (5-2)

Generating...

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

for definition, e.g. ‘if needs-be’ / ‘if necessary’ NEE (née, “Originally named”), plus anagram/”to change” of (Beds)*

5d

Middle East and Sicily somehow give rise to unfriendly grin (3,5)

Generating...

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

anagram/(the letters “somehow give rise to…”) of (ME Sicily)*, with ME short for Middle East

6d

Horribly wrong, like certain Satie compositions (4-6)

Generating...

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

I had to look this up: the composer Satie wrote Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear [wiki]

7d

One of the Kardashians upset over a party for emperor (6)

Generating...

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

definition: a term referring to the emperor of Japan KIM=”One of the Kardashians” [wiki] reversed/”upset”; plus A (from surface) + DO=”party”

13d

Surprising dim person I kept behind bars (10)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Magistrates taking native American families around UN (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Chooses to run again arranging ad and poster (2-6)

flowerflowerflower
19d

St Paul's destination, travelling to China (7)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Egyptian god from tops of ancient monument near ruins (4,2)

Generating...

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

top letters of A-ncient M-onument; plus anagram/”ruins” of (near)*

22d

Pub 'Half of 21' for fictional purposes (2,4)

flowerflowerflower
24d

Precipitation ultimately unknown in Tamworth, perhaps? (4)

Generating...

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

last/ultimate letter from [unknow]-N, in SOW (Tamworth is a breed of pig)