Guardian Cryptic #29638

2025-03-10

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Across

1a

Grasshopper fouled D-Day kit (7)

flowerflowerflower
5a

Look likely to make an honest offer (3,4)

Generating...

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

definition: to bid fair is to seem likely e.g. 'the project bids fair to succeed' to bid fair or to make a fair bid could also mean "to make an honest offer"

9a

Riddle of the Jumblies’ craft (5)

Generating...

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

definition: a riddle is a type of sieve reference to Edward Lear's poem The Jumblies which starts "They went to sea in a Sieve, they did"

10a

Let walrus swim in lake (9)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Car may tour a couple of lochs at the very least (9)

Generating...

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

MINI=brand of "Car", plus MAY (from surface) going around ("tour"): two letters L (short for loch) ="a couple of lochs"

12a

Two novices go to ski here (5)

Generating...

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

definition: a region of the Alps TYRO and L (short for learner) are two words for novice

13a

Invariable outfit I had (5)

Generating...

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

RIG="outfit" + I'D="I had"

15a

Irritably, William accepts deferred payments (9)

flowerflowerflower
18a

She may offer sick camper aid (9)

Generating...

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

anagram/"sick" of (camper aid)*

19a

Shout out, giving this direction (5)

flowerflowerflower
21a

1-0 for United (2,3)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Reproached at length and clipped round side of head (9)

Generating...

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

to clip someone round the side of their head could mean to hit or bash their ear

25a

Husband, unpack the vegetables (9)

flowerflowerflower
26a

What may arrive with biscuits some mutt’s about to eat for all to see (5)

Generating...

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

definition: a type of cheese, something that may be served with biscuits A DOG="some mutt" reversed/"about" and around/"to eat": U (Universal rating for films, "for all to see")

27a

Leaving space for astronauts (7)

Generating...

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

when astronauts leave space, they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere

28a

Recklessly determined, but fail after entrance (2-2-3)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Coins and notes only, they say, in disputed region (7)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Sweetly pretty princess growing up: she’s 11 or 12 perhaps (9)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Hope engineers can plug reservoir (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

It’s needed for the rest of the partners (6,3)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Lead off folk and blues singer that shows guts (5)

Generating...

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

remove "Lead" from Lead BELLY, the name of a "folk and blues singer" [wiki]

6d

Some Irish devices stop working (4,5)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Announced change for place of wedding (5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Sport convention in the country (7)

flowerflowerflower
14d

One’s utmost effort in French is condemned upfront (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Part of shoe considered torn (9)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Undeclared reserves that melt away when the heat is on? (5,4)

Generating...

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

definition: undeclared reserves of money [that might melt away / disappear when there is 'heat' from the authorities] "melt away…" is also suggestive of SLUSH in the sense of snow/ice

18d

More disapproving of Mike opening elementary book (7)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Need to do this, suffering dry heat? (7)

Generating...

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

anagram/"suffering" of (dry heat)*

22d

Cat’s very light weight (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

At rear of pasture, thin tree (5)

flowerflowerflower
24d

Problems a good grocer halved (5)

Generating...

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

for definition e.g. 'to give someone trouble' / 'to give someone aggro' A (from surface) + G (good) + half of GRO-[cer]