Guardian Cryptic #29843

2025-11-04

Solve on Guardian →

Across

7a

Couples go around it, vegetation covering the lot (8)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Business’s crushing bloody beliefs! (6)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘crushing’) of RED (‘bloody’) in CO’S (‘business’s’).

10a

Colleague (clot!) dumps wife (4)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Variant of ‘Mao flu’ carried by US composer in disguise (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

How to end a verbal communication problem (4-2)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Enterprise, say, of burglars finally breaking into celebrity joint (8)

Generating...

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

An envelope (‘breaking into’) of S (‘burglar S finally’) in STAR (‘celebrity’) plus HIP (‘joint’), for the craft in Star Trek .

15a

Pan’s range of talents (not sex primarily!) (7)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Ecstasy ring encouraged to carry injector (7)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Organisation with criminal department initially open to access (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of UN (‘organisation’) plus FENCE (‘criminal’) plus D (‘ D epartment initially’).

22a

Insect might escape (6)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Player isn’t playing with broom? End of concert! (10)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘playing’) of ‘isnt’ plus ‘broom’ plus T (‘end of concer T ‘).

24a

Musical refrain led by Henry (4)

Generating...

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

A charade of H (‘Henry’) plus AIR (‘refrain’).

25a

Short period before southern agency turns over decorative piece (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of MO (‘short period’) plus S (‘southern’) plus AIC, a reversal (‘turns over’) of CIA (‘agency’).

26a

One of the Krays, possibly Reg, retired full of dread (8)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Distinctive feature of hot finale from Diana Krall improvised around Miles (8)

Generating...

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

A charade of H (‘hot’) plus A (‘finale from Dian A ‘) plus LLAMRK, an envlope (‘around’) of M (‘miles’) in LLARK, an anagram (‘improvised’) of ‘Krall’.

2d
24d

Compere’s toy army (4,4)

Generating...
3d

Criminal group takes coverthat’s old hat! (3,3)

flowerflowerflower
4d

True quality of a cold copper blue (8)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Schoolkids in worshipremove from security list? (10)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Trim foreign girl, not right for wild boy (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Bush maligned Maoism (6)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Lemonade drunk in gallon containers, the moderate way! (6,4)

flowerflowerflower
16d

The lead on Eddie Cochran’s arrangement for Trespass (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘arrangement’) of E (‘the lead from E ddie’) plus ‘Cochran’.

18d

Traveller wants to carry back organ (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Creating a border, don’t start being non-committal (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Mean to get slimmer (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Greek character leading pocket uprising (6)

flowerflowerflower
24d

See 2