Independent Cryptic #11040

2022-03-02

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Writer making copper three dimensional (5)

Generating...

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

Bluth wants you to add BIC (writer) to CU (copper)

4a

Angels missing out on one Hotel New Hampshire (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘new’) of HAMPS h IRE missing one ‘h’ (hotel)

10a

Have habit that's a bit much - no more doctors keeping tabs (9)

Generating...

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

OVER (no more) DRS (doctors) around or ‘keeping’ ES (tabs as in drugs)

11a

See 7 Down

12a

Server dropping one drink (5)

Generating...

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

WA i TER (server) ‘dropping’ I (one)

13a

Minister assuming party position (3-2)

Generating...

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

MIN (minister) around or ‘assuming’ DO (party)

14a

Irving's first novel's last line is off-colour (3)

Generating...

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

I (Irving’s first letter) L (last letter of novel) L (line)

15a

Fiction Professor taking week's rest (3,4)

Generating...

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

LIE (fiction) DON (professor) around or ‘taking’ W (week)

17a

Toy Show (4)

Generating...

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

Double definition

20a

Digital photo of judge, for example (4)

Generating...

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

JP (justice of the peace – judge) EG (for example). We had EPIC here for a while with the parsing – E(digital) PIC (photo) but couldn’t work out what the definition was.

22a

Take me dancing with gangster, ultimately becoming part of mob (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘dancing’) of TAKE ME and R (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of gangster). The collective noun for meerkats is a mob.

25a

Staff regularly reading magazines (3)

Generating...

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

Regular letters in MagAziNes

26a

Cast out and about with musical, mostly touring (5)

Generating...

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

EVIT a (musical with last letter removed or ‘mostly’) around or ‘touring’ C (about)

27a

Lengthy pedestrian crossing built up (5)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Regrets accommodating fifty guides (5)

Generating...

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

RUES (regrets) around or ‘accommodating’ L (fifty)

29a

In retrospect, number is up for invested wealth (9)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘in retrospect’) of NO (number) IS and UP with FOR inside or ‘invested’

30a

Vegetable put, essentially, by one of Irving's characters, in salt water (5,3)

Generating...

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

U (middle or ‘essential’ letter of sugar put ) GARP (the lead character in John Irving’s novel – The World According to Garp) in SEA (salt water). Thanks Bluth

31a

Steals 6 seconds (5)

Generating...

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

EDGE (a synonym for ‘advantage’ – 6 down) S (seconds). We had to check this but Chambers has STEAL and EDGE as synonyms in the Thesaurus

Down

1d

Old Republican, Romney halved weight in prison accommodation (8)

Generating...

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

ROM (half of Romney) W (weight) inside CELL (prison accommodation)

2d

Setting Free The Bears is pants (8)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Alcoholic drink thrown up somewhat predictably (5)

flowerflowerflower
5d

He finally paused awkwardly and relaxed (5,2)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘awkwardly’) of E (final letter in he) and PAUSED

6d

Very adult books saw covers getting interest (9)

Generating...

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

V (very) A (adult) NT (New Testament – ‘books’) inside or ‘covered by’ ADAGE (saw)

7d
11a

(and 11 Across) Twisted River echoes form of epic poetry (6,5)

Generating...
8d

Cloth, largely covering English breakfast? (6)

Generating...

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

MUSLI n (cloth) with last letter missing or ‘largely’ around or ‘covering’ E (English)

9d

Initially Owen Meany worked as a petty officer with clerical duties (6)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘worked’) of O (first or ‘initial’ letter of Owen) and MEANY. We had to check the definition here.

16d

Quiet journalists wearing glasses start to rattle tyrant (9)

Generating...

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

P (quiet) PRESS (journalists) inside or ‘wearing’ OO (glasses) + R (first letter or ‘start’ to rattle)

18d

Missing exercise (8)

Generating...

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

Double definition

19d

Bosses welcoming hospital department's trainees (8)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Sight exam's soft for Charlie (7)

Generating...

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

G c SE (exam) with LIMP (soft) replacing C (Charlie). This one took a little longer to parse than others.

22d

Manner of drug overdose (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Smiles smugly as text describes distress (6)

flowerflowerflower
24d

International organisation cleared out petrol refined by government to remove the lead (6)

Generating...

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

UN (United Nations – ‘international organisation’) P etro L (first and last letters only or ‘cleared out’) U (refined) G (Government)

27d

Show bust and get all naked for audience (5)

Generating...

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

Middle letters  (‘get all naked’) of sHOw bUSt gEt