Guardian Cryptic #29663

2025-04-08

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Across

8a

After short dash caught fish that’s come too close (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of EN (‘short dash’ – in printing, an en is a unit of width, and an en dash is a short one, but I think it is a bit of a stretch to define en as a short dash, unless perhaps it is a common usage among printers) plus C (‘caught’) plus ROACH (‘fish’).

9a

Does some housework, run off feet (6)

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10a

Comes into lots of land: who from abroad is squatting? (8)

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11a

Gift of story book (6)

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12a

Spread animosity at uni, filthy swine? I already knew about that (2,4,4,2,3)

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15a

Competitor, one who has turned up without filling in card (5)

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16a

Check on a rod for fish (5)

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20a

Tusker has to be in pain, carrying round this on the face? (6,9)

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21a

Gap that all can see in ruined canal (6)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘in’) of U (film rating, ‘that all can see’) in LACNA, an anagram (‘ruined’) of ‘canal’.

23a

Abjuring alcohol, holding parties sadly’s ending in farce (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of TRAVEST, an envelope (‘holding’) of RAVES (‘parties’) in TT (teetotal, ‘abjuring alcohol’); plus Y (‘sadl Y ‘s ending’)

25a

Hours on knees ultimately enthusiastic about ancestor worship (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of S (‘knee S ultimately’) plus H (‘hours’) plus INTO (‘enthusiastic about’).

26a

Put hands together on mouth creating gibberish (8)

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Down

1d

Keep rapping: that may lead to a scrum (5-2)

Generating...

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

In rugby league, if a player fumbles the ball, with hand or arm, and it moves forward to hit the ground or an opposing player, in most cases a scrum is called; the wordplay would be without the hyphen.

2d

Less comfortable indoors, young relative takes in US state one part at a time (10)

Generating...

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

DAUGHTER (‘young relative’) with RI (Rhode Island, ‘US state’) inserted, the two letters separately (‘one part at a time’).

3d

Agree not to vote, even in France (4)

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4d

Overgrown with prickles, front of house is with predictable exceptions totally covered (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘covered’) of H (‘front of H ouse’) plus ‘is’ in TTLY (‘with predictable exceptions, T o T a L l Y’ ).

5d

Madman in church starts to rebuke several people unable to keep quiet (10)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘in’) of HATTER (‘madman’) in CE (‘church’) plus RS (‘starts to R ebuke S everal’).

6d

One bird following another (4)

Generating...

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

A charade of F (‘following’) plus OWL (‘another’ – bird, that is).

7d

Repairman captures a snake (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘captures’) of ‘a’ in MENDER (‘repairman’).

13d

Interpreter cis for now, might we hear? (10)

Generating...

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

A somewhat whimsical sound-alike (‘might we hear’) of TRANS LATER (‘cis for now’ – ‘cis’ and TRANS are the near and far sides respectively).

14d

Pouch closed, filled with noodle soup: capital! (10)

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17d

Change a nasty sweet filling (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘nasty’) of ‘change a’.

18d

In part of joint, a thousand erotic moves (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of M (‘Roman numeral, ‘a thousand’) plus ORTICE, an anagram (‘moves’) of ‘erotic’; a mortice (or mortise) and tenon is a woodworking joint.

19d

Two infusions to finish off menu in country house (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of CHA plus TEA (‘two infusions’) plus U (‘finish off men U ‘).

22d

Some beautiful Namibians, one on each arm (4)

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24d

A wife always on holiday? (4)

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