Guardian Cryptic #29705

2025-05-27

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Across

1a

Curious way to row (7)

flowerflowerflower
5a

Compartment in 16 where birds fight (7)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Loud isn’t very soft (5)

Generating...

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

F (forte, musical notation for “Loud”) + AIN’T=”isn’t”

10a

Say a word such as “it” at church (9)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Ruthless traders like places with tourists (5-9)

flowerflowerflower
13a

God’s sign of the end of winter, reportedly (4)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Intellectual bookworm initially gripped by Le Carré novel (8)

Generating...

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

initial letter of B-[ookworm] inside anagram/”novel” of (Le Carre)*

17a

Non-metric standard for beard and paper (8)

Generating...

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

triple definition: imperial rather than metric standard of measure; or an imperial is a type of beard; or an imperial is a size of paper

18a

Area of land when returning from Dover-Calais (4)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Ethical procedure affecting cod-piece factor (4,2,8)

flowerflowerflower
23a

It may ‘elp to seal (9)

Generating...

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

anagram of (elp to seal)* “It may” to indicate an anagram, by suggesting ‘it could be [a help to seal]’

24a

Wine temperature fine (5)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Plastic cups material from messy home at the heart of the Pyrenees (7)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Introduction of policy agreements suits everyone (7)

Generating...

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

first letter/”Introduction” of P-[olicy]; plus LEASES=”agreements”

Down

1d

Very loud, but ultimately quiet (4)

Generating...

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

SO=”Very” + F (Forte, musical notation for “loud”) + last/ultimate letter from [bu]-T

2d

Appleyard points out reason for interruption to match (4,7,4)

Generating...

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

anagram/”out” of (Appleyard points)*

3d

Spice Girls’ foremost fanme, at first (6)

Generating...

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

foremost letter of G-[irl], with NUT=”fan” plus ME (from surface) placed in front (“at first”)

4d

Scandalous revelation from former model (6)

Generating...
5d

Singing fellows from Switzerland in more trouble (8)

Generating...

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

CH (abbreviation, “Switzerland”), plus anagram/”trouble” of (in more)*

6d

Dealer, one shedding tears about publisher (8)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Liquorice sweets obtained from spacecraft token (10,5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Article and manuscript on the little people for those very folk (10)

flowerflowerflower
12d

Domestic flights (10)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Houston regularly invested in island wood tar (8)

Generating...

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

regular letters from [H]-O-[u]-S-[t]-O-[n], invested into CRETE=”island”

16d

Bomber will distort route (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Settle differencesor is it cosmetic? (4,2)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Law suit finally disposed offor a figure (6)

Generating...

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

STATU-[ T ]-E=”Law” with the final letter of [sui]- T removed / “disposed of”

22d

Where to see toned bodies? Covers of glossy magazines! (4)

Generating...

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

outer letters/”Covers” of G-[loss]-Y M-[agazine]-S