Guardian Cryptic #29575

2024-12-26

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Across

1a

Belittle fine hair, reportedly grizzled (9)

Generating...

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

DOWN (fine hair) + “greyed” (grizzled)

6a

Liberal dons prosper and flourish (5)

Generating...

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

L in BOOM (to prosper)

9a

Vessel of canoers that oddly disappeared (5)

Generating...

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

The even letters of cAnOeRs ThAt

10a

Vacuity of Victor, annoying in spades (9)

Generating...

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

V[ictor] + (IN SPADES)*

11a

Radical female sib enthralled by French painter (10)

Generating...

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

F[emale) TWIN (sibling) in [Fernamd] LEGER . Chambers has this as a hyphenated word, but other sources may differ

12a

Bones huge as boomerangs (4)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Argue with Republican point of view (7)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Virile chap, explosive and well practised (7)

flowerflowerflower
17a

President pursued by fat lover (7)

flowerflowerflower
19a

United relegated from league after midfielder’s first international benefit (7)

Generating...

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

M[idfielder] I[nternational) + LEAGUE less U. Benefit as in “you won’t get much mileage out of that”

20a

Heartily necking beer and cabbage (4)

Generating...

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

The “heart” of necKing + ALE

22a

Fed up of bad serfs running amok (7,3)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Secrets of earl and girl behind boozer (9)

Generating...

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

E[arl] + SOT + ERICA

26a

Limited name-dropping is entertaining (5)

Generating...

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

After removing the misleading hyphgen we get N[ame] “entertained by” SCAT (animal’s dropping)

27a

Fulfil desire to be master (5)

flowerflowerflower
28a

New Englander in Danish territory (9)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Slowly speak of attraction, and pull at last (5)

Generating...

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

DRAW (attacrion) + [pul]L

2d

Computer model of firearm we designed (9)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Scot sawing a leg off (10)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Start to adjust ball bearing very early (7)

Generating...

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

A[djust] + V[ery] in DANCE (ball)

5d

Completely timeless vamp is supremely powerful woman (7)

Generating...

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

TEMPTRESS (vamp) less both Ts

6d

Asked criminal to cover me, heading off (4)

Generating...

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

BAD (criminal) + [m]E

7d

Complies with order, knocking stuffing out of yobs (5)

Generating...

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

OBE (order) + Y[ob]S

8d

Badly manage squeamish and lethargic nurses (9)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Stuffed admiral in hold (4,6)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Timid setters have to entertain a couple of kings (4-5)

Generating...

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

A K K in WE (setters) NEED

16d

Lover wearing scent picked up at counter (9)

Generating...

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

IN (wearing) + reverse (“picked up”) of AROMA + reverse (counter) of AT

18d

Sweetie left in bottle (7)

Generating...

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

L in DARING (courage, bottle)

19d

Recalling one’s bet is bad move (7)

Generating...

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

Reverse of I’M (one’s) + STAKE

21d

Can probably empty potty (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Thick journalist is doomed (5)

flowerflowerflower
24d

Observed articulate contretemps (4)

flowerflowerflower