Guardian Cryptic #29585

2025-01-07

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

State of Britain boosted with a victory song (7)

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5a

Chap needs a support of coursea ‘cow’ mainly! (7)

Generating...

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

definition: a manatee may be called a ‘sea cow’, with “mainly” as in ‘the main’=the sea MAN=”Chap” + A TEE [for a golf ball]=”A support of a [golf] course”

9a

Stew of sheep’s head and flounder (7)

Generating...

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

head letter of S-[heep] + WELTER=to be in turmoil=”flounder”

10a

Career Oscar? Not finalisedgo berserk! (3,4)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Silly novel ‘Four’ is at heart only half a book (9)

Generating...

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

anagram/”novel” of (Four is)*, with VOL-[ume]=”half a book” inside/”at heart”

12a

Heading off for relative release (5)

Generating...

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

[a]-UNTIE=”relative” with head letter taken off

13a

Dash off genuine short (5)

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15a

Don’t be so appreciativeit’s unrewarding (9)

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17a

No star fouled a sporting opponent (3,6)

Generating...

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

BIT as in ‘to bite’ – to bite another player might be to ‘foul a sporting opponent’

19a

Supplier, in quotes, ‘Corporation’ (5)

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22a

Apple disheartened by this device? (5)

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23a

New, albeit fancy, consumers’ drink (5,4)

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25a

Musical bag, lock container (7)

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26a

Hill in position above city (7)

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27a

South, if not cloud-covered (7)

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28a

Supermarket workers disposing of small notebooks (7)

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Down

1d

Retiring party, almost packed (7)

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2d

Contend with annexe inspection (7)

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3d

Secret royal houses in a past style (5)

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4d

Rarity who is excited to be allowed to fly (9)

Generating...

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

anagram/”excited” of (Rarity who)*

5d

Anti-capitalist’s sound old currency (5)

Generating...

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

definition refers to e.g. German Deutsche Mark currency, used before the euro sounds like ‘Marx’, as in Karl Marx (“Anti-capitalist”)

6d

College intrudes on UK tenant developing Massachusetts resort (9)

Generating...

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

C (College) inserted into an anagram/”developing” of (UK tenant)*

7d

What I have here: yarnnot a thing to prick you (7)

Generating...

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

THIS=”What I have here” + T-[ a ]-LE=”yarn” minus the ‘ a ‘ i.e. “not a “

8d

Aims to keep the French Sabbath going for ever (7)

Generating...

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

ENDS=”Aims”, around (“to keep”) LE=”the [in] French”, plus S (Sabbath)

14d

Dream about cry of encouragement abroad leading to resistance (9)

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16d

Short book Croatia translated, about performing as a gymnast (9)

Generating...

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

anagram/”translated” of (B Croatia)*, with B=”Short book” plus C (circa, “about”)

17d

‘God’ misspelt as such, after carriage return (7)

Generating...

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

definition: an ancient Greek god anagram/”misspelt” of (such)*, after reversal/”return” of CAB=”carriage”

18d

Is turning up with nothing to cut rent twisting? (7)

Generating...

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

reversal/”turning up” of IS (directly taken from surface), plus O=”nothing; both inside (“to cut” into) TORN=”rent”

20d

See 24

21d

Love, jumpy but not very demanding (7)

Generating...

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

O=zero=”Love” + NER-[v]-OUS=”jumpy” minus ‘v’ for “very”

23d

Stupid person, American, becomes an emperor (5)

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24d
20d

Climatology possibly makes Chinese react badly (5,7)

Generating...