Guardian Cryptic #29387

2024-05-20

Solve on Guardian →

Across

9a

Observing what may happen to exam papers (9)

Generating...

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

… if there is a problem with the first attempt at marking.

10a

Put down a foot (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Small, devout wish for one using a jet (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of S (‘small’) plus PRAYER (‘devout wish’).

12a

Level with a wild animal, runs into it (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘into it’) of R (‘runs’) in ‘a’ plus BEAST (‘wild animal’).

13a

Probity not altogether necessary in valedictory notice (4)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Where president can’t be backed into a corner? (4,6)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Girl from Spain has to rely on soldiers (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of E ( España , ‘Spain’, IVR) plus LEAN (‘rely’) plus OR (Other Ranks, ‘soldiers’).

17a

Artist I see talking in broadcast soaps (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘in’) of ‘I’ plus C (sounds like ‘see talking’) in PASSO, an anagram (‘broadcast’) of ‘soaps’.

19a

A depth measure including temperature is extraordinary (10)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘including’) of T (‘temperatire’) in ‘a’ plus SOUNDING (‘depth measure’).

22a

Fielder is a little short bloke (4)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Asian national heading off to travel (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘to travel’) of ‘[n]ational’ minus its first letter (‘heading off’).

25a

Try Livingstone, and pay attention (7)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Two weeks by fort in darkness (5)

Generating...

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

A fortNIGHT is ‘two weeks’.

27a

Where spirits may be found, ghost troubled girl (4,5)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Short of water, holding up progress in repairing enclosures (3,5,7)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Slowly pay off armies to disband (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘disband’) of ‘armies to’. Or amortize.

3d

Horses eat grass, I’m told (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Leeds to London traveller perhaps nowhere near a bank (3-5)

Generating...

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

M1 DRIVER (‘Leeds to London traveller perhaps’).

5d

Piece of skin torn by silver pin (6)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Give away pouch with grain, if hiding (9)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘hiding’) of ‘if’ in SAC (‘pouch’) plus RICE (‘grain’).

7d

Expedition hunting for browser (6)

Generating...

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

Double or perhaps triple definition; a SAFARI is any journey, particularly one searching for animals, and Apple’s main web browser.

8d

Get comfortable in Tennessee, tho’ far off (7,4,4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘off’) of ‘Tennessee tho far’.

15d

Cause anger as I sat down to dinner wearing mink (9)

Generating...

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

IN FUR I ATE (‘I sat down to dinner wearing mink’ – more detail than in the answer).

17d

Heavily criticise article about the Roman church (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

A smashing racing vehicle (5,3)

flowerflowerflower
20d

After a time, bristly snout goes in here? (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of T (‘time’) plus ROUGH (‘bristly’) with an extended definition referring to a pig.

21d

Democrat replacing nasty hereditary ruler (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of D (‘Denocrat’) plus YNAST, an anagram (‘replacing’) of ‘nasty’.

23d

Loose horse in stall (5)

flowerflowerflower