Guardian Cryptic #29874

2025-12-10

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

Baboon juvenile male breaks a great deal of equipment (6)

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4a

Mark learned about limiting inane gaming (6)

Generating...

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

<=READ ("learned", about ) limiting [ inane ] G (amin) G

9a

Abandoning front, dash in retreat (4)

Generating...

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

[ abandoning front ] (f) LAIR ("dash")

10a

Washing articles abroad in middle of night (10)

Generating...

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

LA , UN + DER ("articles abroad" (French and German)) + IN + [ middle of ] (ni) G (ht)

11a

Gust around summit almost causes delay (3,3)

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12a

Raised extravagantly, bored by house in British colony once (8)

Generating...

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

*(raised) [anag: extravagantly ] bored by Ho. (house) Rhodesia is the former name of Zimbabwe.

13a

Disheartened indifferent US soldier with a nervous disorder (9)

Generating...

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

[ disheartened ] NEU (t) RAL [indifferent] + GI ("US soldier") with A

15a

Square opening, partly round (4)

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16a

Help to keep Rudolph’s nose dry (4)

Generating...

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

AID ("help") to keep R (udolph) [ 's nose ]

17a

University somehow gained odd bits of land without any agreement? (9)

Generating...

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

U (university) + *(gained ln) [anag: somehow ] where LN is [ odd bits of ] L(a)N(d)

21a

Bard finally enters piece to improve Kipling poem (5,3)

Generating...

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

(bar) D [finally] enters GUN ("piece") + GAIN ("improve")

22a

Sorting out gearit’s daft (6)

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24a

Dishonest foreign wife with depression about guilt, off and on (10)

Generating...

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

FRAU (German for wife, so "foreign wife") with DENT ("depression") about (g) U (i) L (t) [ off and on ]

25a

Minister eschewing care of college fellow (4)

Generating...

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

DEA (co) N ("minister") eschewing c/o (care of)

26a

Programme objective penned by Eastern commander (6)

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27a

Again deposited half of reference papers (6)

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Down

1d

Fine particle in sample lunar geologists picked up (7)

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2d

Mostly generous old Bond villain (5)

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3d

Blue duo fell out (7)

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5d

Certainly, ‘name’ boards first-class Arab sailing vessel (3,3)

Generating...

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

N (name) boards A ("first-class") + DHOW ("Arab sailing vessel")

6d

Age-old British pastime is good, getting tougher without husband (9)

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7d

Scottish crime novelist joins European physicist (7)

Generating...

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

(Ian) RANKIN ("Scottish crime novelist") joins E (European) Ian Rankin is the creator of Scottish detective John Rebus, while Rankine most likely refers to WJM Rankine, a 19th century Scottish mathematician and physicist.

8d

Vigilante huntress stops violent gang rule (8,5)

Generating...

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

DIANA ("huntress", a Roman god) stops *(gang rule) [anag: violent ]

14d

Repeatedly aiming at the sides, urine damaged volume-measuring apparatus (4,5)

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16d

Tanks in a former Arabic union checked by, at the very least, Qatar, Iraq and Afghanistan (7)

Generating...

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

A + UAR (United Arab Republic) checked by [ at the very least ] Q (atar), I (raq) and A (fghanistan) The United Arab Republic was a brief political union between Egpyt and Syria that lasted about three years.

18d

Title changed on cover of boogie-woogie song (3,2,2)

Generating...

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

*(title) [anag: changed ] on [ cover of ] B (oogie-woogi) E

19d

Edgbaston extremely happy to host new national team (7)

Generating...

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

E (dgbasto) N [extremely] + GLAD ("happy") to host N (new)

20d

One of two kings died charging English hill, not getting over (6)

Generating...

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

D (died) charging E (English) + M (o) UND ("hill", not getting O (over, in cricket))

23d

Country where diva hosts Victor? (5)

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