Guardian Cryptic #29700

2025-05-21

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Newspaper seller in survey wanting youth back (7)

flowerflowerflower
5a

On the rise, she finally featured in City of Angels and You’ve Got Mail (7)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘featured in’) of E (‘sh E finally’) in LA (Los Angeles, ‘City of Angels’ plus PING (various related uses in computing, including a message sent over the internet: ‘You’ve got mail’).

10a

See 22 Down

11a

Who’s for arena? (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Come down in city in 29 after landing, originally (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of L (‘ L anding originally’) plus ESSEN (‘city in 29’ – GERMANY).

13a

Relic back in bag in city in 29 (8)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘in’) of G (‘back in ba G ‘) in HANOVER (‘city in 29’ – GERMANY).

14a

Fish placed by entrance for chick (9)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Charmingas a city in 29? (5)

Generating...

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

A typical Pauline whimsy – BONN-Y (‘as a city in 29’ – GERMANY).

17a

Champ in city in 29, one knocked out (5)

Generating...

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

A subtraction: MUNICH (‘city in 29’ – GERMANY) minus the I (‘one knocked out’).

19a

My band, set to play classic song (5,2,2)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Settler, swimmer from city in 29, could you say? (8)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Dog trouble securing a lead (6)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘securing’) of ‘a’ in MANGE (‘dog trouble’).

26a

Deponent wearing fluttering sari in catchment area (5,5)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Possible opener further up by one’s ear? (4)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Catch partners in North America gatecrashing earlier (7)

Generating...

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

A double envelope (‘in’ and ”gatecrashing’) of SN (‘parners’ – in bridge, for example) in NA (‘North America’) in ERE (‘earlier’). At a guess, some may treat this as a single envelope with contents NS NA, with ‘in’ doing nothing in particular.

29a

Country, origin unspecified (7)

flowerflowerflower

Down

2d

Striker of note, a fantasy (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of CHIMER (‘striker’ – a clock, for example) plus A (‘note’ of musical scale’) – or, if you prefer CHIMER (‘striker of note’) plus ‘a’.

3d

Doctor leaving Dresden for surgerymust partner? (5)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘for surgery’) of ‘[Dr]esden’ minus DR (‘doctor leaving’). The definition is a reference to the expression “Needs must (when the devil drives)”.

4d

Strikers in reserve team (7)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Three points and incarceration of drink driver? (6)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘incarceration’) of GIN (‘drink’) in E N E (‘three points’ of the compass).

7d

Hoot when swerving a lot passing leader in paniccrash still? (9)

Generating...

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

A charade of P (‘leader in P anic’) plus HOTO, an anagram (‘when swerving’) of ‘hoot’ plus BOMB (‘a lot’ in price). To PHOTOBOMB is to appear unwelcomely in a ‘still’ taken for another purpose.

8d

Cotton has old lady itching (7)

flowerflowerflower
9d

English not too shabby, might as well enter test? (7,2,4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘shabby’) of ‘English not too’.

15d

In rotation, work on an epic (9)

Generating...

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

A charade of CYCLOPE, an envelolpe (‘in’) of OP (‘work’) in CYCLE (‘rotation’); plus ‘an’.

18d

Fairy-tale ending for you and I in panto after transformation (7)

Generating...

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

An charade of U {‘ending for yo U ‘ – no textspeak here) plus TOPIAN, an envelope (‘in’) of ‘I’ in TOPAN, an anagram (‘after transformation’) of ‘panto’.

20d

Agent called before, one day turning up earlier (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of NOMI, a reversal (‘turning up’ in a down light) of I MON (‘one day’ – Monday) plus NÉE (‘called before’). One definition of a NOMINEE is a person who acts on behalf of another, especially to keep the latter’s identity hidden.

21d

Player from 29 (3,4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘from’) of GERMANY (’29’).

22d
10a

Sentence about city in 29’s growth limit (10)

Generating...
25d

Somewhat benign, a humane prophet (5)

flowerflowerflower