Guardian Cryptic #29862

2025-11-26

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Across

7a

English city’s oldie, slippery customer? (4,4)

Generating...

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

BATH'S="English city's" (as in the city of Bath); OAP (Old Age Pensioner, "oldie")

9a

Trouble burning in our hearts (6)

flowerflowerflower
10a
24a

Vogue having captured leader in corset, shoot backfiring for Queen, say? (4,4)

Generating...
11a

Cuckoo with reason for travelling (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

22 down’s drowsiness when starved of oxygen (6)

Generating...

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

definition: a type of MONKEY LANGU-[O]-R="drowsiness" without O (symbol for oxygen)

14a

Protect where roofer might work around you (8)

Generating...

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

IN SLATE="where roofer might work" as in slate roofing, around U=letter pronounced as "you"

15a

Completely new draught with moon in orbit? (2,4)

Generating...

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

N (new) + TOT="draught" of a drink; with IO="moon" of Jupiter going around i.e. "in orbit"

17a

Hall in university toured by a groom (6)

Generating...

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

U="university", with A (from surface) + TRIM as a verb="groom" touring around

20a

Get the hump, perhaps, about hot sauce (8)

Generating...

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

BE CAMEL=have a hump like a camel="Get the hump, perhaps"; around H (hot)

22a

A parting gift in the near future (6)

Generating...

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

definition: soon, some time in the future A (from surface) inside ("parting" the letters of) MANNA="gift" as in 'manna from heaven'

23a

Clearly, power shower blocked by dirt in the end (3,7)

Generating...

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

FORCE="power" + RAIN="shower" with "end" of [dir]-T inside

24a

See 10

25a

22 down taking bait in silence (6)

flowerflowerflower
26a

That community welcomes girl back in Greek region (8)

Generating...

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

THEY="That community" around LASS="girl" reversed/"back"

Down

1d

Badger and a 22 down somewhere in the Far East (8)

Generating...

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

NAG="Badger" as in to pester; plus A (from surface) + SAKI=type of MONKEY (22 down)

2d

Trainer for example putting weed under stress, ultimately (4)

Generating...

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

definition as in a pair of trainers HOE=to "weed" a garden; after ultimate/last letter of [stres]-S

3d

22 down dropped brick? (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Rodent pinching skin of some 22 down (8)

Generating...

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

definition: a type of MONKEY MARMOT=type of "Rodent"; around the outer letters/"skin" of S-[om]-E

5d

Horse rider spoilt excited animal (10)

Generating...

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

definition: someone riding a posthorse or riding a horse drawing a carriage anagram/"excited" of (spoilt)*; plus LION="animal"

6d

22 down with spirit taking lid off tequila (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Egg and mushroom served up for setter (6)

Generating...

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

definition: a powder used as a gelling or setting NIT=a louse "Egg"; plus CEP=type of "mushroom"; all reversed/"served up"

13d

Go and visit butcher? (3,3,4)

Generating...

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

definition: to be let go from a job the phrase could also be read as getting a chop (slice of meat) from a butcher

16d

22 down on top of deciduous tree (8)

Generating...

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

a TAMARIN is a type of MONKEY (22 down), plus the top/first letter of D-[eciduous]

18d

22 down with couple of primates (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Elastic works, one held (6)

Generating...

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

PLANT="works" (e.g. a steel plant / a steelworks), around/holding I="one"

21d

Exact forms filled by Oxford’s principal, environmental duty (6)

Generating...

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

definition: duty as in a type of tax anagram/"forms" of (Exact)*, around the first/principal letter of O-[xford]

22d

Mischief maker in Araucaria with puzzle? (6)

Generating...

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

MONKEY combined "with puzzle" gives monkey-puzzle, a name for the Araucaria tree

24d

Silver 2 down paired with this for nut, reportedly? (4)

Generating...

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

answer to 2 down is SHOE CASH paired with SHOE sounds like (reportedly) 'cashew'="nut"