Guardian Cryptic #29354

2024-04-11

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Clubs are able to sell back drink (6)

Generating...

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

C (clubs) + a reversal (back) of CAN GO (are able to sell, I think)

4a

Moderate payment in advance expected to arrive (6)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Boat with advanced instrument for making deep soundings (4)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Discount Conservative being supported by meeting on record (10)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Order cheap clothes child rejected (6)

Generating...

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

A reversal (rejected) of TAT (cheap clothes) + KID (child)

12a

Condition that makes one restless? (8)

Generating...

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

Cryptic (?) definition

13a

Officer belonging to precinct protecting chief of police (9)

Generating...

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

IN (belonging to) SECTOR round P[olice]

15a

Boring sample comprising carbon and rock (4)

flowerflowerflower
16a

See report have an effect (4)

Generating...

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

Triple definition

17a

Taking on English politician making false claims about leader of opposition (9)

Generating...

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

E (English) + MP (politician) + LYING (making false claims) round O[pposition]

21a

Criticise article about temple (8)

flowerflowerflower
22a

File that may be used to support newspaper article (6)

Generating...

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

Another clever triple definition

24a

Impasse broken by British person working with me (10)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Expert tackling new problem one may have to face (4)

Generating...

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

ACE (expert) round N (new) – witty surface

26a

Joint bank statement revealing some doubts (6)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Ambassador is partial to caramel cheesecake (6)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Warning gold is going down in sale (7)

Generating...

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

AUCTION (sale) with AU (gold) moving down

2d

Acknowledge actor's gift (5)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Doctor cites case of agoraphobic recluse (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (doctor) of CITES + A[goraphobi]C

5d

Anxious to be seen as chaste? (6)

Generating...

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

A whimsical double definition – (Collins: ‘EASY: sexually available’)

6d

Novel by me is odd and free from physical constraints (9)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Author audibly expressed regret for destruction of life-support system (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Green energy company operated illegally retaining six employees regularly at fault (13)

Generating...

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

ENRON (company operated illegally round VI (six) + MEN (employees) + alternate letters (regularly) of aT fAuLt

14d

China tea lab brewed is delicious (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Rat's characteristic yellow pigment (7)

flowerflowerflower
18d

All excited about cold drink of milk (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (excited) of ALL round C (cold) TEA (drink)

19d

Person put forward new rule in overbearing manner after taking sides (7)

Generating...

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

I need help here: it was only at the point of posting that I realised that I hadn’t managed to untangle all the parsing here, so, rather than delay the blog, I’ll hand over to you. Thanks to everyone for the help: I had a real blind spot there. N (new) + [d]OMINEE]r] (rule in overbearing manner) taking ‘sides’ away

20d

Go back on unrealistic promise we'd made ultimately (6)

Generating...

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

RE (on) + last letters (ultimately) of [unrealisti]C [promis]E [we’]D [mad]E

23d

Start to learn every single actor's first name (5)

Generating...

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

L[earn] + EACH (every) – I found several actors called Leach and couldn’t choose between them and it was only when writing up the blog and getting to GRANT (symmetrically placed in the grid) at 2dn that I saw the significance of ‘first name’: Cary Grant was born Archibald Alec LEACH – and he starred in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE which suddenly leapt out at me in rows 2, 8 and 14 – a very satisfying conclusion