Guardian Cryptic #29762

2025-08-01

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Across

9a

Sportsperson heading off to tour India is more insecure (9)

Generating...

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

I[ndia] in [C]RICKETER

10a

A top dog? (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Unpleasant bumps from Westbound tube (5)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Public school lying about boarding pays for additional comments (9)

Generating...

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

Reverse of ETON in FOOTS (pays for – “foots the bill”)

13a

Philosopher to take stock in conversation (7)

flowerflowerflower
14a

A way to stop boozers getting guts (7)

Generating...

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

A RD in INNS

17a

JD Vance admitting a part of personality is dull (5)

Generating...

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

A in V[ice] P[resident] + ID (a part of one’s personality in Freudian psychology)

19a

Time for one naked picture (3)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Gallery screening The Last Of Us makes sense (5)

Generating...

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

[u]S in TATE

21a

Poor hospital registrar initially overwhelmed by gas in kidney unit (7)

Generating...

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

First letters of Poor Hospital Registrar in NEON. A nephron is a structure found in the kidneys

22a

One replacing Yankee in movie series to show flesh (7)

Generating...

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

CARRY ON (film series) with Y replaced by I

24a

Granny and her daughter saved by outlaw superhero (9)

Generating...

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

NANA (Granny) + MA (her daughter) in BAN (outlaw). Bananaman is a superhero appearing in children’s comics and a TV series

26a

Talent spotter not the first to take name and number (5)

Generating...

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

N[ame] in [s]COUT

28a

American Idiot capturing the heart of James Garner (5)

Generating...

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

[ja]M[es] in A[merican] ASS

29a

Chief of Argos once organised one-man AGM (9)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

American people putting up with monster (4)

Generating...

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

Reverse of W[ith] ORC (monster in The Lord of the Rings )

2d

Mark E Smith’s head rattles (6)

Generating...

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

SCAR (mark) + E + S[mith]

3d

Journalist playing final for Wycombe Wanderers (10)

Generating...

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

Anagram of [wycomb]E WANDERERS

4d

Wicked stars in Fulham stores (6)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Trevor maybe right to wear yellow? (8)

Generating...

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

R in BOOKING (e.g. a yellow card in football etc). Trevor Brooking is a former footballer and pundit

6d

Beginning of Roll Over Beethoven’s finale (4)

Generating...

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

Reverse of WAD (roll – e.g. of banknotes) + [Beethove]N

7d

Johnny-come-latelies finished sweet in seconds (8)

Generating...

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

UP (finished) + TART in S S

8d

Rod Stewart’s original music (4)

Generating...

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

BAR (a rod) + S[tewart]

13d

15 in close-up (5)

Generating...

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

A sneaky one, with just 1 (crow) as the definition; V (5) in reverse of NEAR (close)

15d

1 ball-breaker (10)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Winger supporting Middlesbrough’s centre-back (5)

Generating...

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

The middle letter of [middle]s[brough] + TERN (bird, winger)

18d

Briefly stop by 1 peacock (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Dr No’s junk mail consisting of one word only (8)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Couples from OnlyFans regularly plugging radio chat (6)

Generating...

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

ON[ly]FA[ns] in CB (radio chat system)

23d

Animal Magic occasionally pulled up over endless crap (6)

Generating...

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

GUAN[o] (bird droppings) in reverse of alternate letters of mAgIc

24d

Dress up for 1 (4)

Generating...

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

Reverse of GARB – to brag is to CROW

25d

Where you might see a birdie from Payne Stewart (4)

flowerflowerflower
27d

High-pitched sound can grate at first (4)

Generating...

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

TIN (a can) + G[rate]