Guardian Cryptic #29868

2025-12-03

Solve on Guardian →

Across

8a

Packed Oslo twice up for development (8)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Get into a habit that is holding back career (5)

Generating...

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

Reverse of RUN (to career) in I.E.

10a

No longer the thing, to retire? (4)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Means to go east of state road (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Pretentious sitcom character by chance catching cold in this country (6)

Generating...

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

C[old] in UK, all in BET (chance). The character is Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”) from the sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. The Special Instructions say that “the clue for 12ac has been amended to provide the correct complement of vowels”: I didn’t see the previously incorrect version

14a

My name isgoodnessdirt! (8)

Generating...

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

I’M (my name is) + PURITY (goodness). A very weak clue in my opinion, with PURITY having the exact same meaning in both definition and wordplay

16a

Date agreed? Possibly lower (7)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Musician reversing taxi, grabbed by the male police officer (1,1,1,4)

Generating...

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

Reverse of CAB in HE PC. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach was one of the many children of Johann Sebastian, and a notable composer in his own right

21a

Key used in song of praisea bugbear (8)

Generating...

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

A (musical key) in ANTHEM + A

23a

Paper is, however, full of decay (6)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Now into April and start of Spring presidential reviews of troops? (5-5)

Generating...
26a

Give up blow? (4)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Loud footwear is tacky (5)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Paint bird and cat soaking up sun (8)

Generating...

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

EMU + S[un] in LION

Down

1d

Every reason you should order sex on cue! (2,6)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Clean break when book replaced by daughter (4)

Generating...

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

BUST (break) with B replaced by D

3d

Follow the sun and be destroyed? (2,4)

flowerflowerflower
4d

One month before electronic components will be contamination-free (7)

Generating...

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

A SEPT + IC (integrated circuit)

5d

Smart but somewhat inhibited (4)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Paying member, inferior to writer, Regina (10)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Caught ascending with loss of pressure to achieve take-off (6)

Generating...

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

Reverse of TRAPPED less one P

13d

Handy means of felling oak with the car’s explosive power (6,4)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Report the old man (3)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Something spotted when one had got up, eyes opening (3)

Generating...

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

Reverse of I’D (one had) + E[yes]

19d

Commercial produce around tree cut (4,4)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Stand is protecting England’s earliest plants (7)

Generating...

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

DAIS (stand) + E in IS

22d

Parvenu ancestral housing shade (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Hikeor gym exercise? (4,2)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Fool around with second hand (4)

Generating...

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

Reverse of SAP + S[econd]

26d

Klimt’s definitive work? Plonker! (4)

flowerflowerflower