Guardian Cryptic #29925

2026-02-09

Solve on Guardian →

Across

1a

2/6 in old money? (6,2,5)

Generating...

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

2 + 6 = 8.

10a

It celebrates departure of an evil god destroyed (7,2)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘destroyed’) of ‘an evil god’.

11a

On occasions, tramp didn’t get an easy score (3-2)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters (‘on occasions’) of ‘ T r A m P d I d N t’.

12a

Country information I included in confidentiality contract (5)

Generating...

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

A charade of I (‘information’) plus NDIA, an envelope (‘included in’) of ‘I’ in NDA (non-disclosure agreement, ‘confidentiality contract’)

13a

Attempt at extortion that will ruffle feathers? (9)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Such characters provide the beginnings of Picasso’s nuanced mural? (7)

Generating...

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

PI, NU and MU (‘the beginnings of PI casso NU anced MU ral’) are all Greek characters.

16a

Change page URLit helps filter out rackets (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘change’) of ‘page URL’.

18a

Fuss by former pupil is disgusting (7)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Display stand for similar types of things (7)

Generating...

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

I can only dismiss this as a weak cryptic definition. It hardly counts as a double definition: a WHATNOT is a miscellaneous item, or a stand for displaying them, but the two meanings are intimately related, and the second part of the clue , ‘similar types of things’ would seem to require a plural. Not, I feel, Anto’s happiest clue.

21a

Ferment noble rot and add energy for something sweet (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘ferment’) of ‘noble rot’, for the chocolate brand. The surface refers to wines: ‘noble rot’, Botrytis cinerea ( pourriture noble or edelfäule ) is a mould which renders grapeskins porous, and the juice thus more concentrated, so that its sweetness may be used to make wines such as Chateau d’Yquem and other sweet Sauternes, and German sweet wines culminating in trockenbeerenauslese.

23a

Composition of famous auteur writing from the heart (5)

Generating...

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

Middle letters (‘from the heart’) of ‘fa MO us au TE ur wri T ing’.

24a

Degrees to which this creature is venomous? (5)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Short article helping to create another version (9)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Footballer to send on after midpoint (6,7)

flowerflowerflower

Down

2d

Tablet cover shows internet identification (2,7)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Check in with a friend (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Indication family member is unemployed (5,2)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Settle for period film (7)

flowerflowerflower
6d

At home, try partaking in drink that’s close by (2,3,4)

flowerflowerflower
7d

One wallowing in directorship position (5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Eventually exhausted having fun (3,2,4,4)

flowerflowerflower
9d

Individual bedroom fitting you may be embarrassed about (3,5,5)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Popular English stage worker is a bit ungainly (9)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Ringlet he adjusted making it more extended (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘adjusted’) of ‘ringlet he’.

19d

Desire setter has is damaging (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of EROS (‘desire’) plus I’VE (‘setter has’).

20d

In attendance, contributing to WTO that’s questioning direction of travel (5,2)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Stink over honourit may come as a surprise? (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Queen’s speech perhaps initially made its appearance on wireless (5)

flowerflowerflower