Guardian Cryptic #29580

2025-01-01

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Across

5a

Hollywood director left bigger screens (6)

Generating...

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

An envlope (‘screens’) of L (‘left’) in WIDER (‘bigger’), for Billy Wilder, the diretor of Sunset Boulevard, Some Like it Hot and many other films.

6a

Lush exterior of diaphanous resins (6)

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9a

Accessoriesboring items put on that woman shortened (6)

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10a

Assistant returning in a flash if you’re prepared to fork out (2,1,5)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘in’) of AP, a reversal (‘returning’) of PA (personal ‘assistant’) in A TRICE (‘a flash’).

11a

Motown star is good? Indeed! (4)

Generating...

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

A charade of G (‘good’) plus AYE (‘indeed’), for Marvin Gaye.

12a

Has a craving to eat 1501 peaches (10)

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13a

Wary jockeys in difficultiesa dozen of them are in this grid (11)

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18a

I wasted coins engaging agent to show some attractions of chemistry (5,5)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘engaging’) of BOND (‘agent’ 007) in ‘I’ plus ONICS, an anagram (‘wasted’) of ‘coins’.

21a

Buff host with no clothing is what could alarm Sky viewer (4)

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22a

Erotic quality in caress that’s out of control (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘that’s out of control’) of ‘in caress’.

23a

Steer car? One may go on foot (6)

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24a

Back from holsbit of a laugh and wine in Split (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of S (‘back from hol S ‘) plus HA (‘bit of a laugh’) plus RED (‘wine’).

25a

Cooks a kind of bread in fires, now and again (6)

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Down

1d

Pilot, with excited cry, getting large bit of machinery (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of FLY (verb, ‘pilot’ a plane) plus WHEE (‘excited cry’) plus L (‘large’).

2d

Son, breaking pieces, taps good egg (6)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘breaking’) of S (‘son’) in MEN (‘pieces’ eg in chess) plus CH (cold and hot ‘taps’).

3d

Appealing face of police chief (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of P (‘face of P olice’) plus LEADING (‘chief’).

4d

Knocked over Scottish port and syrupit’s on a Swede’s floor (3,3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘knocked over’) of AYR (‘Scottish port’) plus GUR (‘syrup’? gur is a name for jaggery, a sugar product, but it is solidified, and I have not been able to find a rference which might identify it with the syrup from which it derives).

5d

Musical sound effect radio collaborator brought up (3-3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘brought up’ in a down light) of [Lord] HAW-HAW, the nickname of broadcasters of Nazi propaganda, principally William Joyce, in the Second World War (‘radio collaborator’).

7d

Safe spot to catch dog (6)

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8d

Reasonable to protect soldiers from small country (3,8)

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14d

What chatterbox did ruined Baby Reindeer’s second half (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘ruined’) of ‘baby’ plus ‘[rein]deer’ (‘second half’).

15d

Chocolates or last portion of fruit ripples (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of T (‘last bit of frui T ‘) plus RUFFLES (‘ripples’).

16d

Model catching painter in confused situation (6)

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17d

Tough lioness ultimately keeping old squirrels away (6)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘keeping’) of O (‘old’) in HARD (‘tough’) plus S (‘liones S ultimately’).

19d

During 11/05, fellow makes polite request (2,1,3)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘during’) of F (‘fellow’) in I I (’11’) MAY (‘5’).

20d

Awful, boring cover of Smiths tracks (6)

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