Independent Cryptic #10874

2021-08-19

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Across

1a

Damp fog gathers round (5)

Generating...

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

MIST (fog) containing (gathering) O (round).

4a

Dirty trick reported at the same time (9)

Generating...

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

MEAN (dirty = slang for unfair, as in “dirty deal”) + homophone (reported) of WILE (trick).

9a

Getting hold of recipe, magistrate fixed a meal (9)

Generating...

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

BEAK (slightly old-fashioned slang for magistrate, schoolmaster, or similar authority figure) containing (getting hold of) R (abbreviation for Latin recipe = take, in medicine formulations), then FAST (fixed, as in “stuck fast”).

10a

A leader of Brexiteers needs striking roughly (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Gallery lost half of Caravaggio works (6)

Generating...

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

L (abbreviation for lost, as in records of a sports team’s recent results: W3, D1, L2) + anagram (works) of the second half of [carav] AGGIO . Loggia = an open balcony in a theatre = gallery. (Or a covered arcade attached to a building.)

12a

His luck changed, close to someone similar (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram (changed) of HIS LUCK , then the closing letter of [someon] E .

14a

Acquiring shopping area by hospital, joins property owners (12)

Generating...

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

SOLDERS (joins, in metal), containing (acquiring) MALL (shopping area) + H (abbreviation for hotel). Smallholder = someone owning and operating a small farm, often a one-family enterprise.

17a

Wretched record playing well into the night? (12)

Generating...

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

DISC (record = music recording) + ON (playing) + SO LATE (well into the night?).

20a

Mark cuts grass, uncomplaining (8)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Artistic technique mostly creating mood (6)

Generating...

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

TEMPER [a] (historic painting technique using pigments mixed with egg yolk), without the last letter (mostly). As in a bad temper = a bad mood.

23a

One fellow abandons dinosaur droppings (5)

Generating...

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

[i] GUANO [don] (a type of dinosaur), abandoning I (one in Roman numerals) and DON (fellow = university academic staff member).

24a

At home, tucked into pineapple drink (9)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Hems can go high for this dress (9)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Article with extremely macabre subject (5)

Generating...

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

THE (definite article) + end letters (extremes) of M [acabr] E .

Down

1d

To rally crowd, I tell a story about head of state (8)

Generating...

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

MOB (crowd) + I + LIE (tell a story), around the first letter (head) of S [tate]. Mobilise = rally = encourage into action.

2d

Graphic symbol or image daughter redesigned (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram (redesigned) of OR IMAGE + D (d = abbreviation for daughter, in genealogy listings giving the number of children). A language-independent pictorial symbol, such as the “waste-bin” image representing “delete”.

3d

Could be to yield, wanting minimum of kerfuffle? (4,2,5,4)

Generating...

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

Anagram (could be) of TO YIELD WANTING with the minimum (just the first letter) of K [erfuffle]. Clue-as-definition: take it lying down = accept a situation without causing a fuss. I think I’ve only ever heard this phrase used in a negative sense, as in “don’t take it lying down”.

4d

Starter of mutton to devour? (4)

Generating...

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

First letter (starter) of M [utton], then EAT (devour). Clue-as-definition, with the question mark indicating a definition by example.

5d

Advanced plumbing needs little time to be installedamazing (10)

Generating...

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

A (advanced, as in A-level exams) + SOUNDING (plumbing, as in plumbing the depth of the sea), with T (short for time, so “little time”) inserted (installed).

6d

We're told if a force 10 on wayby this? (7,8)

Generating...

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

Homophone (we’re told) of WHETHER (if), then an anagram (10 = reference to 10a ABOUT) of A FORCE , then ST (short for street = way). Extended definition. if there’s a Force 10 storm on the way, you’d hope the weather forecast would tell you so.

7d

Well-known passage from mystic on I Ching (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Charlie drops out of Middle English course (6)

Generating...

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

[c] ENTRE (middle), without the C (Charlie in the radio alphabet), then E (abbreviation for English). A dish served as a starter before the main course of a meal; or in North American English it can mean the main course itself.

13d

Hall porters recognise suspect outside college (10)

Generating...

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

Anagram (suspect, as an adjective = dubious) of RECOGNISE , outside C (abbreviation for college).

15d

Place for holidaymakers affected the audience's view (8)

Generating...

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

CAMP (affected, as an adjective = contrived or over-acted) + homophone (the audience’s) of SIGHT (view).

16d

On reflection, did wrong pinching one monarch's bottom (8)

Generating...

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

ERRED (did wrong), reversed (on reflection), containing (pinching) I (one in Roman numerals) + ER (Elizabeth Regina = monarch).

18d

Josh is boring jerk? Very sad (6)

flowerflowerflower
19d

It's an adventure, missing commercial flight (6)

Generating...

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

ESCAP [ad] E (adventure), missing AD (advertisement = commercial).

22d

Broadcast live in the morning (4)

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