Guardian Cryptic #29602

2025-01-27

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Clean up dog, perhaps, sweet little youngster (6)

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5a

Skin treatment: couple it with dressing (8)

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9a

More flashy in short underwear (8)

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10a

Back on the floor? (6)

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11a

Stubborn person has something afoot (4)

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12a

Reckon one comes in to support band leader (5,5)

Generating...

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

COUNT (reckon) + I (one) in BASE (support)

13a

Forced smile eating posh breakfast (6)

Generating...

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

An anagram (forced) of SMILE round U (posh)

14a

Formal agreements in dissertation to be read out (8)

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16a

No one left, since you insist (3,5)

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19a

Abrasive, turn up with computer equipment (6)

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21a

This admission to castle is a let-down (10)

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23a

18 letters returned in the course of duty (4)

Generating...

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

A reversal (returned) of A TO R (18 letters)

24a

Remember to phone again (6)

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25a

Sleep on this problem? No way (8)

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26a

Lender makes these improvements (8)

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27a

Vivacious agent going round lifeboat (6)

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Down

2d

Classic story of armoured unit suffering with flu (3,6,6)

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3d

Have groups of urban youths set on son? (7)

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4d

Apparently nervous, time being such a ghoulish hour (9)

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5d

Almost perfect clothes for hobby (7)

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6d

Superior group displaced (5)

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7d

Pledge to welcome head of government that’s put up in sailing ship (7)

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8d

Assurance over one round of cards is a swindle (10,5)

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15d

Indicates they miss most of the stops (9)

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17d

Basic facts that could end up cooked? (3,4)

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18d

Youth once fails to get soft toys (7)

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20d

This comes under the hammer, two graduates holding the edge (7)

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22d

Keepsake from barrel I collected (5)

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