Guardian Cryptic #29676

2025-04-23

Solve on Guardian →

Across

7a
9a

Goods transporter in Basingstokeevery now and then he pops out (8,6)

Generating...
9a

See 7

10a

A singer’s up to something dodgy (2,2)

Generating...

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

A TIT (a singer))

11a

Picasso had one hot, tense, fleeting encounter with secretary at the outset (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Epidemic and surgeon’s focus turns to a little quinine tablet (6)

Generating...

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

PLAgUE (epidemic) with the g (‘focus’ of sur g eon) changed to Q[uinine]

14a

Dock where tide originally has King Canute unsettled (8)

Generating...

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

T[ide] + R (king) + an anagram (unsettled) of CANUTE

15a
17a

Bible’s clue to get over sin (7,7)

Generating...
17a

See 15

20a

Perhaps jumbo’s assuming animal sanctuary is somewhere near Mayfair? (4,4)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Drunk drilling on the outside hides power tool (6)

Generating...

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

Yet another new word I’ve learned for the male member: we have to substitute D[rillin]G for p (power) in TO[p]ER (drunk)

23a

Perfect copy with small shed to keep computer (10)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Spouse briefly taking in a stray (4)

Generating...

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

WIF[e] (spouse, briefly) round A

25a
26a

Hear Clinique supply round gold dish (6,8)

Generating...
26a

See 25

Down

1d

European wine lakeIndependent starts story with good intentions (5,3)

Generating...

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

This is the one that got away: I was hoping that light would dawn after the hour or so’s sleep between the early-hours solve and writing the blog but it hasn’t happened, I’m afraid, so it’s over to you. Please see comments 1-6 – thanks all.

2d

Notice jam setting (4)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Son, 2 having cut top off a piece of cake (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Subtle satire occasionally stops oppression (8)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters (occasionally) of S a T i R e in ABUSE (oppression)

5d

Southern racist moving back to front through dictionary to arrive at ‘rejected’ (10)

Generating...

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

S (southern) + RACIST, with the T moved to the front) in O xford E nglish D ictionary

6d

Small county with unlimited accommodation (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d
19d

Enter squad and fully explain (2,4,6)

Generating...
13d

25 – 31 days and finally work is replacing the man’s order (5,5)

Generating...

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

QUIC[he] (answer to 25ac) with he (the man) replaced by [wor]K + MARCH (31 days)

16d

Certain Times is holding evidence of censorship? (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Ready to follow plot that is found in old books (8)

Generating...

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

BED (plot) + I.E. (that is) in O (old) + New Testament (books)

19d

See 8

21d

Mail say Labour’s half-cut member is leading (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

What’s up with Conservative housing proposition? (6)

Generating...

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

A reversal(up, in a down clue) of EH (what) in TORY (conservative)

24d

River Don (4)

flowerflowerflower