Guardian Cryptic #29659

2025-04-03

Solve on Guardian →

Across

7a

Spot feature of Guinness? (9)

Generating...

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

definition: WHITEHEAD as in a spot caused by acne Guinness beer has a white head of foam

8a

Speciality of mini league footballgrandstand finishes (5)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Supporter at home greeting stroke of genius (9)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Flock of birds initially encountered in hide (5)

Generating...

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

initial of E-[ncountered] in SKIN=”hide”

12a

Red Adair essentially leaving comfort food (6)

Generating...

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

CHE (Che Guevara)=”Red” as in a socialist/communist + the middle (essential part) of [Ad]- a -[ir] removed from E a SE=”comfort”

13a

Homeless individual got confused with tip from Scotland Yard (5,3)

Generating...

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

anagram/”confused” of (got S Yard)*, taking only the tip of S-[cotland]

16a

Nervous minute ringing wife (7)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Farm animals chasing European gnome (7)

Generating...

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

definition: a “gnome” can be a pithy saying, an EPIGRAM PIG and RAM=”Farm animals” after E (European)

22a

Digital safeguards badly hit non-digital phones? (8)

Generating...

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

for definition, ‘digits’ as in fingers anagram/”badly” of (hit)*, plus M- O -BILES=”phones” non-digital i.e. minus O =0=’the digit zero’ edit thanks to Niltac in the comments: also minus the I=1=’the digit one’

25a
20d

Post covering education in parliament (6)

flowerflowerflower
27a

See 5 Down

28a

Old style piece by Frank perhaps (5,4)

flowerflowerflower
29a

Socks worn by United and Villa? (5)

Generating...

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

HOSE=”Socks” around U (United)

30a

eBay upset about stain by journalist’s description of 27? (5-4)

Generating...

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

definition: mice in general have beady eyes, and ‘beady-eyed mouse’ is the name of a species anagram/”upset” of (eBay)*, around DYE=”stain”, plus ED (editor, journalist)

Down

1d

Building where PM’s exorcised evil (6)

Generating...

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

[Winston] CHURCH- ill =former UK Prime Minister (PM), minus ill =”evil”

2d

End of asparagus spear is commanding attention (8)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Australian (15) in Star Wars pilot (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Gather imaginary friend’s almost on the way (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d
27a

Sick meme you circulated is inconsequential (6,5)

Generating...
6d

England dropping ball and lacking colour (6)

Generating...

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

ALBI-O-N=”England”, with the O=circle shape=”ball” dropping to a lower/later position

11d

Mouth organ scales (4)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Beetle announced entrance (3)

Generating...

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

definition: a type of dung beetle sounds like (announced): ‘door’=”entrance”

15d

Stick from tree (3)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Setter in Times makes boob (3)

Generating...

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

I=[the] “Setter” of this crossword; inside T (time) twice i.e. “Times” plural

17d

Case lost by legal company once (3)

Generating...

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

definition: ICI or Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company [L]-ICI-[t]=”legal” without its outer letters or “Case”

18d

is the last one of these on course for fix (4)

Generating...

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

definition: a HOLE as in a tough situation, a “fix” for wordplay, include the clue number: “18… is the last [HOLE / one of these] on [a golf] course”

20d

See 25

21d

Medusa’s unfortunately taken for granted (7)

Generating...

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

anagram/”unfortunately” of (Medusa’s)*

23d

Rings foot of rare bird (6)

Generating...

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

two “Rings”: HOOP and O; plus the last letter/foot of [rar]-E

24d

Ill-treatment of uniform admitted by Girl Guide at last (6)

Generating...

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

U (uniform, NATO alphabet), inside MISS=”Girl”; plus last of [Guid]-E

25d

Zoe Saldana on vacation with spy legend ordered quick Mexican (6,8)

Generating...
26d

Risk of flooding ultimately in European river (6)

Generating...

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

ultimate letter of [floodin]-G in DANE=”European” + R (river)