Guardian Cryptic #29669

2025-04-15

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Fibre in hummus is a legume (5)

flowerflowerflower
4a

I’m high and far from dry (9)

Generating...

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

Cryptic (?) definition – reference to the expression ‘high and dry’

9a

Agitator: Rep. apathetic butwhat did you say? (9)

Generating...

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

I can’t make anything at all of this, I’m afraid – please see comments 2 and 3: thanks to Hadrian and Wayne

10a

Toni’s absent, a simpleton, daft sap you’ll find here (5)

Generating...

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

An anagram (daft) of A [si]MPLE[ton] minus TONIS

11a

One fellow with beer admitted to weight that keeps going up in Africa (11)

Generating...

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

I MAN (one fellow) + JAR (beer) in KILO (weight)

13a

Finally see the squirrel fish (3)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Trim small trees (7)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Abandonedsomewhat absurdis U.S. education (7)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Like one favouring Harriers or their namesake (7)

flowerflowerflower
19a

See 27

22a

French word for ‘test’ (3)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Bleeding menaces causing a flap (7,4)

Generating...

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

I don’t understand this at all

24a

Concerning number of roach trails identified at intervals (5)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters of r O a C h T r A i L s

25a

Draw some of sun’s heat twice (9)

flowerflowerflower
27a
17d

Aspiring to level of Tom, Jade and Quincy? (7,2,4,3,7)

Generating...
28a

Wear that’s loud and massive (5)

Generating...

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

I’m not sure about this: ‘loud’ often indicates a homophone and GREAT sounds like ‘grate’, which can mean ‘wear’: Collins has ‘scrape’ for both of these words

Down

1d

On reflection ultimately calamitous, U.K. to consume excessively American puzzles (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (on reflection) of [calamitou]S U K + OD (overdose – consume excessively) + US

2d

Less complicated to act coy around 50 (7)

Generating...

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

SIMPER (act coy) round L (fifty)

3d

Pin on (3)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Temporary authorities on the subject of convenience (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Country where you might find High Dudgeon and Greater Wrath? (7)

Generating...

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

High Dudgeon and Greater Wrath are synonyms for IRE and could conceivably be place names, like Little Snoring and Lower Slaughter ,  for instance

6d

e.g. making good use of the things that you find? (6,5)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Classical musician: entreat hospital for returning(7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (returning) of SUE (entreat) + H (hospital) + PRO (for) for the legendary musician

8d

fought director, toppling leader, conquered (7)

flowerflowerflower
12d

Physicist: evil liar, curt twisted manipulator (11)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Hardly professional exam? I’m lying here (7)

flowerflowerflower
17d

See 27 Across

18d

Gammon rejected food in European city (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Volunteers given Japanese soup in ground (5,2)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Clever-clogs: Sting, that is (7)

Generating...

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

SMART (sting) + i.e. (that is)

21d

Fancyor fishy (7)

flowerflowerflower
26d

Regularly engage poacher needing this? (3)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters of E n G a G e – or so I thought, until I looked at the comments on the Guardian thread, advising the use of the ‘reveal’ button and found that the ‘correct’ answer was ERG; I can’t find any explanation of either the definition or the wordplay (Stop Press: it has now been changed to EGG)