Independent Cryptic #11045

2022-03-08

Solve on Independent →

Across

7a

Papa is leader of men's movement (7)

Generating...

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

DADA (papa) IS M (first letter or ‘leader’ of men)

8a

Cosmetic surgery for man's penis performed by Spooner (4,3)

Generating...

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

Spoonerism of JOE’S (man’s) KNOB (penis)

9a

Show off going round in uniform (4)

Generating...

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

A reversal or ‘going round’ of BRAG (show off)

10a

Two muppets in show's opening getting bravos (9)

Generating...

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

ASS ASS (two muppets) IN S (first letter or ‘opening’ in show). We had to check the definition here as we had never heard of bravo being an assassin.

12a

Traditions rose up after 5th of November (5)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘up’) of ROSE after M (fifth letter in November )

13a

Bloom's outspoken after whiskey meal (3,5)

Generating...

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

A homophone (‘outspoken’) of FLOWER (bloom) after RYE (whiskey)

15a

Echo distorted the line (4)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Singer's ring captured by X-ray at first (5)

Generating...

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

O (ring) inside or ‘captured by’ TEN (X) and R (first letter of ray)

17a

Nick comes back with kilo of snacks (4)

Generating...

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

CUT (nick) reversed or ‘coming back’ with K (kilo)

18a

Sensible to embrace Love Island and behave like Romeo (8)

Generating...

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

WISE (sensible) around or ’embracing’ O (love) MAN (island)

20a

Victor Hugo's beginning to get into party (5)

Generating...

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

H (first letter or ‘beginning’ of Hugo) inside or ‘getting into’ CAMP (party)

21a

Yankee statesman is surprisingly "Mr Everton" (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘surprisingly’) of MR EVERTON

22a

Surrounded by the morning papers (4)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Charlie Sheen in audition for group (7)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Twirls following foxtrot finale, revealing underwear (7)

Generating...

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

EDDIES (twirls) after T (final letter in foxtrot)

Down

1d

Zulu loses head in war dance (4)

Generating...

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

s HAKA (Zulu leader) missing first letter or ‘losing head’

2d

Juliett with a gong touring rock festival (8)

Generating...

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

J (Juliett) A MBE (gong) around or ‘touring’ ORE (rock)

3d

People like ones regularly seen around the borders of India (6)

Generating...

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

This is almost a clue as definition. AS (like) oNeS (alternate or ‘regular’ letters) around I ndi A (first and last letters only or ‘borders’) .

4d

16D Rue Simon is an address in Quebec (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘tailored’ – 16 down) of RUE SIMON. Apologies to Tatrasman and Grecian – we didn’t notice the missing space when we wrote up the blog. The app we used to compile the blog ran the two words together.

5d

Nurse in Lima adjusted routine (6)

Generating...

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

EN (nurse) in an anagram (‘adjusted’) of LIMA

6d

Lots of bottoms in Last Tango In Paris (4)

Generating...

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

Last letters or ‘bottoms’ in lasT tangO iN pariS

11d

Dual carriageway over sierra is most unnatural (9)

Generating...

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

ST and ST (two ‘dual’ streets or ‘carriageways’) round RANGE (sierra)

12d

Virile, but motionless? (5)

Generating...

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

The speed MACH O (zero) would be motionless

14d

Open a French letter (5)

Generating...

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

UN (a in French) CAP (letter as in capital letter)

16d

Modified Rio delta variant (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Drink with golf partner in bag store (3,5)

Generating...

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

TEA (drink) CADDY (golf partner) – a place to store your tea bags

19d

Book Alfa Romeo battery recharge (6)

Generating...

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

A (Alfa) R (Romeo) REST (battery recharge)

20d

Reprimand from Oscar Peterson (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Beastly rival acquiring hotel at last (4)

Generating...

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

VIE (rival) around or ‘acquiring’ L (last letter of hotel)

23d

Part of Mike Ashley's retail empire (4)

flowerflowerflower