Guardian Cryptic #29786

2025-08-29

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Across

7a

Spartan friend at heart (9)

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8a

Islander agreed in Munich to accompany vehicle (5)

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9a

Divert kids and react excitedly (9)

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10a

Blunt force ultimately shown by military, one sailor dismissed? (5)

Generating...

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

definition: Emily Blunt the actress [wiki] last/ultimate letter of [forc]-E + MIL-[ I TAR ]-Y losing I =”one” and TAR =”sailor”

12a

Nancy’s in the Centre again (6)

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13a

Officer content listening to match (8)

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16a

Extend beyond and above the knees (7)

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19a

Pet and grope swimmer (7)

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22a

Outsider with sexy trousers? (4,4)

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25a

When up this might conceal courage (6)

Generating...

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

wordplay “When up…” refers to the phrase ‘bottle up’ which would mean “conceal”

27a

Finished once more supplying buttered, identical sandwiches (5)

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28a

Couple again hands to those who put things right (9)

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29a

Double top (which is checkout) easy for beginners (5)

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30a

Son said: ‘I’m ordering for entrée’ (9)

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Down

1d

Budget period lacking information provider (6)

Generating...

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

not sure, think this might be [GENE]-RATION=”period” minus GENE=something that carries/provides information

2d

Dire roof needing repair, this might prevent disaster (4,4)

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3d

Author caught in Welsh town (6)

Generating...

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

the author is J M Barrie [wiki] sounds like (‘caught’): ‘Barry’=”Welsh town”

4d

Everyman is a former English footballer (7)

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5d

Singer turned up with coat, it was found over the road (6)

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6d

Songbird exhausted eating each of ants at first (6)

Generating...

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

BD=B-[ir]-D exhausted of its inner letters; around/eating: ALL=”each of” plus A-[nts] at first

11d

Family essentially returned to capital (4)

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14d

One-time British company involved in pharmaceutic industry (3)

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15d

The cycling character (3)

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16d

Product from well-limited stews (3)

Generating...

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

definition refers to oil wells I think this is [b]-OIL-[s]=”stews”, limited to only its inner letters

17d

Tense, absent from school for a long time (3)

Generating...

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

E-[T]-ON=Eton College=”school”, with T (Tense) absent

18d

Native American ignoring a priest suffering (4)

Generating...

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

[AP]-ACHE=”Native American” minus A (from surface) and P (priest)

20d

Art school briefly enjoyable before travelling, not being old (8)

Generating...

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

FU-[n]=”briefly enjoyable” + T-[O]-URISM=”travelling” without O (old)

21d

Comes to by nurses (7)

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23d

Numbers of consecutive punches (3-3)

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24d

Girl suppressing a long hiccup (6)

Generating...

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

definition: a ‘hiccup’ as in something that goes wrong, a setback G-[a]-L=”Girl”, losing/suppressing “a” (from surface) plus ITCH=”ache” (edit thanks to KVa in comments)

25d

Supporter against FA banning children in large republic (6)

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26d

Hole up in sound mattress (3,3)

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