Guardian Cryptic #29615

2025-02-11

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Pull old-fashioned woman over for being a slowcoach (7)

Generating...

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

reversal of (indicated by “over”) DRAG (pull) GAL (old fashioned woman)<

5a

Have gangs taken over society? (7)

Generating...

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

insertion of S (society) into POSSES (gangs)

10a

Colour at the heart of nebula that’s exploding (4)

Generating...

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

anagram of [EBUL]* (heart of nEBULa) with anagrind of “that’s exploding”

11a

Publicises actors moving into Norfolk area (10)

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12a

Metal device Apple might make for Reagan? (4)

Generating...

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

A play on the Apple brand all beginning with i-player, i-phone & etc – so i-Ron – Ronald Reagan, erstwhile US president

13a

Labour leader’s suppressing rage following Conservative mistakes (8)

Generating...

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

C (conservative) with the following (from the clue) L (Labour leader) + S (apostrophe s from the clue) around (suppressing) ANGER (rage)

14a

Young people take drugs into strange building (9)

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16a

Supporters welcome end of power plants (5)

Generating...

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

TEES (supporters) around (welcome) R (end of poweR) – with a nice lift and separate on the power plants

17a

Treatment of waste 50% removed for you and me (5)

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19a

Playwright: I see Earnest initially getting cold feet (9)

Generating...

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

charade of COWARD (Noel Coward – playwright – wrote Brief Encounters among other plays) + I (from the clue) C (text speak – unindicated) + E (Earnest initially) – and I think the Earnest is a misdirection to Oscar Wilde’s Importance of being Earnest.

23a

Queen’s champion backing artificial intelligence (8)

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24a

Low centre of pants to reveal some flesh (4)

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25a

Bring tea baked in tin with vegetable (6,4)

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26a

Starter’s delightful, they say, in part (4)

Generating...

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

i think this is a soundalike of “super” (delightful), but only part thereof

27a

Adult exits station, not about to leave eating posh dessert (7)

Generating...

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

The station is PaDDINGton – without the A for adult (exits) and TON (not about) and inserting U (posh) to get PUDDING

28a

Elegant friend of Barbie in yellow (7)

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Down

2d

One-time great still not caught (2,5)

Generating...

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

Not sure of the parsing of this one, got it from the definition and crossers adding in later – A (one) + T (time) + LARGE (great) – from the first few posts.

3d

Party conference speaker betting the election ends in disaster (5)

Generating...

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

anagram of the ends of (indicated by ends in disaster) conferenc E speake R betttin G th E electio N

4d

Stealing jewellery worn by Bob, model (7)

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6d

Fancy hotel ad: ‘Not English or dated’ (3-3)

Generating...

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

Anagram (fancy) of (HOTeL AD)* without the E (not English)

7d

Looked over scrambled egg, amazed (9)

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8d

Group available to be released (3,4)

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9d

New road cannot be remade flat (3-10)

Generating...

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

anagram of N (new) + ROAD + CANNOT + BE – with anagrind of “remade” for flat in as in bottles of spring water

15d

Owl, say, to peck enthusiast according to Spooner (9)

Generating...

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

Spoonerism of bite (peck) nerd (enthusiast)

18d

Before heading to UK, this criminal kidnaps husband with unknown dog (4,3)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (THIS)* (criminal) around H (Husband) = SHI H T + Z (unknown) before U (heading for UK)

20d

Drink mixed in baths (7)

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21d

The end is near, capturing Russia in retreat (7)

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22d

Fabulous creature to wear piece of cloth inside (6)

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24d

1,099 probed by ussound? (5)

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