Guardian Cryptic #29373

2024-05-03

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Praise? It follows Dua Lipa regularly around (7)

Generating...

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

Reverse of DUA L[i]P[a] + IT

5a

Original artist getting call to entertain clubs (7)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Singer at front to shake booty (4)

Generating...

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

S[inger] + WAG

11a

Fly Emirates, mainly when touring historical record (6,4)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Age creeps up for retirement, one admitted (6)

Generating...

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

A (one) in reverse of NOSES (creeps up)

13a

Cheer as Best is substituted for United (8)

Generating...

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

OPTIMUM (best) with IS replacing U

14a

Artists make these dance beats for audience (9)

Generating...

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

TRIP (dance, as in “trip the light fantastic”) + homophone of “ticks” (beats, e.g. from a clock)

16a

Store remains on street (5)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Mark on back of James Bond (5)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Jack after Oscar competes with leading male actor (5,4)

Generating...

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

M[ale] + O[scar] + VIES + TAR (sailor, jack)

23a

Showering after time working out (8)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Walls to restrain chef’s bad language (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram of the “walls” of RestraiN + CHEF

26a

Reduced drink meeting desirable partners: they might smoke when taking out honey (10)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Leave vote to break up European appeal (4)

Generating...

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

X (symbol for a vote) in E[uropean] IT (sex appeal)

28a

To escape, he picked hotel in Italy: couple turned up (7)

Generating...

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

H[otel] + reverse of IN I[taly] DUO. Houdini picked locks to do some of his escapology tricks

29a

Loving song and dance fronting band (7)

flowerflowerflower

Down

2d

Perhaps first out of cheap dress (3,4)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Pushes stream with song’s intro at the end (5)

Generating...

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

SURGE (stream) with S[ong] moved to the end

4d

Opening stage surrounded by desire (7)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Surgically remove fat, essentially bit of belly to fill out behind (6)

Generating...

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

[f]A[t] + B[elly] + LATE (behind) – I’m not sure how “fill out” works: it seems to imply something like ALBATE

7d

Secret society forming friends (9)

Generating...

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

INTIMATE (secret) + S[ociety]

8d

They don’t like people getting on stage performing with mics oddly off (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of STAGE + mIcS minus its odd letters

9d

Flattering song mouthed to dancing (6-7)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Photo taken: filled up outside? (9)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Sink port wine, finally getting drunk at party (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of PORT + [win]E, + DO (party)

20d

Filled in top of form to get employed (7)

Generating...

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

IN + F[orm] + USED

21d

Here, trade union stops conflict (7)

Generating...

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

U[nion] in ACTION

22d

West Indies, perhaps getting over just after duck (6)

Generating...

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

W.I. + reverse of EG (perhaps) + ON (just after). I thought “widgeon” was the more common spelling of this bird, but Chambers it (the spelling, not the bird) is “now rare[…]”

25d

Not all disagreements upset Arab leader (5)

flowerflowerflower