Guardian Cryptic #29869

2025-12-04

Solve on Guardian →

Across

9a

Continuing past main road turning right? Absolutely! (9)

Generating...

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

definition: the past imperfect tense is used for actions that were continuing in the past MI=the M1=”main road” reversed/”turning right”; plus PERFECT (e.g. said in reply to a suggestion)=”Absolutely” edit thanks to Quirister in comments: reversal indicator “turning” and PERFECT from “right? Absolutely”

10a

Over here taking puff, it’s exhilarating (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

German takes road east and puts his foot down (7)

Generating...

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

definition: to put one’s foot down meaning to accelerate HANS=”German [name]”; around ST (street, “road”) plus E (east)

12a

Wrongly flippant about ancient region (7)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Set aside vote to sack leader (5)

Generating...

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

[b]-ALLOT=”vote” without the leading letter

14a

Put right over what reactionary branch of mathematics? (3,6)

Generating...

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

SET=”Put” plus TORY=Conservative=”right”; around/”over” EH=exclamation similar to ‘what?’ reversed/”reactionary”

16a

Card rejected, sisters got angry on being detainedapology noted (4,4,7)

Generating...

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

definition: the name of a song [wiki] ; “noted” meaning ‘set to musical notes’ SIM (sim card for a phone)=”Card” reversed/”rejected”; plus anagram/”angry’ of (sisters got)* with RE=about, concerning=”on” detained inside

19a

Foreign seamen’s applications kept upfrontthey’ll all be handled the same (9)

Generating...

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

for definition: ‘handle’ as in a name, which will be shared / “the same” between namesakes anagram/”Foreign” of (seamen’s a k )*, with the a k from the “upfront” first letters of a -[pplications] k -[ept]

21a
6d

Become a total bore, might you say? (2,3,5,3)

Generating...
22a

Still escorting Desperate Dora, a very old date (4,3)

Generating...

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

YET=”Still” around anagram/”Desperate” of (Dora)*

23a

Ground with different entrance nearer the action (7)

Generating...

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

[A]-NFIELD the football stadium=”Ground”, with a different first letter/”entrance”

24a

Passed out moving closer to Bermuda Triangle (5)

Generating...

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

definition: the triangular shape associated with a capital Greek letter delta DE-[A]-LT=”Passed out [e.g. playing cards]”; moving the letter A which is the end/”closer” of Bermud-[A]

25a

Don very deficient in self-regard? F-------! (9)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

One holding up other road users (10)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Premature ejaculation initially upsettingmaybe it’s the French letters (8)

Generating...

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

initials of P-[remature] E-[jaculation] reversed/”upsetting”; plus anagram/”maybe” of (it’s)*, plus LES=”the [in] French”

3d

Minister a bore about his subject (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Guy called out for drinks (4)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Half of street parking removed, snaps seeing constraints (10)

flowerflowerflower
6d

See 21 Across

7d

Cut in pub brawl in Mexican neighbourhood (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Picked up small bird (4)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Joiner Snug’s first key tipact differently (6,4)

Generating...

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

first letter of S-[nug], plus anagram/”differently” of (key tip act)*

15d

Previous times OKruns during training steady (10)

Generating...

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

YES=”OK”; plus R (runs, cricket scoring abbreviation) inside anagram/”training” of (steady)*

17d

Rock band’s origin occasionally embellished (8)

Generating...

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

anagram/”embellished” of (bands o i i)*; with the last three letters of the anagram fodder taken occasionally from o-[r]-i-[g]-i-[n]

18d

Cast! She finally got callback regarding American Beauty (8)

Generating...

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

definition: an American spelling of aesthetic, which means ‘regarding beauty’ anagram/”Cast” of (She t)*, with t from final letter of [go]-t; plus reversal/”back” of CITE=”call”

20d

Very few spotted? (6)

Generating...

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

could also be ready as ‘measles-like’ i.e. having spots like measles

21d

Have a good laugh at bull that’s cute? (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Why worry about alien? (4)

Generating...

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

definition: reference to the alien character from Star Wars [wiki] Y (letter pronounced as “Why”); plus ADO=”worry” reversed/”about”

23d

Going over the top, Romeo’s tackling very hard (4)

Generating...

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

reversal/”Going over” of NO I (No. 1, number one, “the top”); with R (Romeo, NATO alphabet) inside