Guardian Cryptic #29704

2025-05-26

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Across

8a

Cut flowers arranged around it over in shop (8)

Generating...

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

Reverse of IT in BOUQUE[t]

9a

Almost mate, having backed capture (6)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Man on board eclipsing second most powerful Russian once (4)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Penalties for pupils getting one plus six wrong (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Decorate sides of bridge and what it overlooks (6)

Generating...

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

B[ridg]E + DECK (what the bridge of a ship overlooks)

14a

Close bonds providing coverage for retirement (8)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Noble and outstanding saints protecting church (7)

Generating...

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

CH in DUE (outstanding, as a debt) + S S (saints)

17a

Expert in fix put at risk (7)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Express sorrow about large error so unlike good worker (8)

Generating...

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

L[arge] in SOB + BISH (an error)

22a

Can eye present case, any part of which can be this (6)

Generating...

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

A can, an eye, a present and a case can all be OPENED

23a

Began after I confused student about it (10)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Contemptuously reactgratuitous advice sent back? (4)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Tolerate European poet, quintessentially English (6)

Generating...

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

BROOK (tolerate) + E[uropean), giving Rupert Brooke , often regarded as a quintessentially English poet, particularly for his poem The Soldier , with its lines “If I should die, think only this of me:/That there’s some corner of a foreign field/That is for ever England”.

26a

Eastern family with disease barely surviving (5,3)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Philosopher’s wedding preparation initially cancelled (8)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Member of famous quartet proclaimed as celebrity (4)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Narrow escape from destruction of quakes (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

From bunch of letters in squares, ponder answer (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Female garment, for instance, both down and up in new fiction (8)

Generating...

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

EG and its reverse GE, separately in N[ew] LIE (fiction)

6d

Script with typo? Calm performance barely finished (10)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Part of Labrador first named in indigenous language (6)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Jumble in the box I twice show (10)

Generating...

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

Anagram of IN THE BOX I I

16d

It’ll transform us into superpowersome work essential (5,3)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Honoured in retirement Aussie sprinters, holding flag up (8)

Generating...

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

Reverse of TIRE (to flag) in EMUS

19d

Demolish or rebuild the 2 or 10 (7)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Extra material tailors put inside vessels (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Decree from old king or queen followed by uproar about article (6)

Generating...

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

O[ld] + R (king or queen) + A (indefinite article) in DIN

24d

Little good to be found in evil omen (4)

Generating...

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

G in SIN