Independent Cryptic #11400

2023-04-26

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Across

1a

Classically attractive comedian going after film role (7-8)

Generating...

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

CARD (comedian) after or ‘supporting’ PICTURE (film) and POST (role)

9a

Get wind of African country when making Mo Salah's first international (7)

Generating...

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

mo ROCCO (African country) with ‘mo’ changed to S (first letter of Salah) I (international)

10a

Discredited, forgetting I twice passed on Mastermind (7)

Generating...

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

D i ED (passed) without or ‘forgetting’ the ‘i’ after (‘on’) BRA i N (Mastermind) also missing the ‘i’ (‘forgetting I twice’)

11a

English lawyer died first - leading to post-mortem (7)

Generating...

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

E (English) BRIEF (lawyer) with D (died) first

13a

Machine operator's senior going over packing area on time (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘going over’) of ELDER (senior) round or ‘packing’ A (area) after (‘on’ again) T (time)

14a
15a

(and 15 Across) Somehow he sees us double number (4,5,5)

Generating...
15a

See 14 Across

18a
20a

(and 20 Across) Band that shows promise getting buzz after gig (10,4)

Generating...
20a

See 18 Across

23a

Difficult politician left former partner's business at the outset (7)

Generating...

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

MP (politician) L (left) EX (former partner) with CO (company – ‘business’) first, or ‘at the outset’

24a

Posh females splitting fish dish (7)

Generating...

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

U (posh) FF (females) in or ‘splitting’ SOLE (fish)

25a

Club having staff for event (7)

Generating...

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

IRON (club, in golf) MAN (staff)

27a

Crooned revolutionary song - it's punchy (7)

Generating...

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

SANG (crooned) + a reversal (‘revolutionary’) of AIR (song)

28a

He helps to even up supply and exceed normal limits (4,3,8)

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Down

1d

Cast of soap with bold routine - ultimately, something you might see on Strictly? (4,5)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘cast’) of SOAP and BOLD + E (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of routine)

2d

Reindeer's sweet company when the temperature drops - and safe for all (7)

Generating...

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

h ARIBO (sweet company) with the ‘h’ (hot’) changed to C (cold) – ‘dropping the temperature’ + U (universal – ‘safe for all’)

3d

Union's leader on nurses looking after heart of this poor child (6)

Generating...

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

U (first letter or ‘leader’ of Union) RCN (Royal College of Nursing – ‘nurses’) round or ‘looking after’ HI (middle letters or ‘heart’ of ‘this’)

4d

Orgies occasionally boosted self-esteem (3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘boosted’) of the alternate (‘occasional’) letters of OrGiEs

5d

Ring little brother up (3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘up’) of BRO (abbreviation for ‘brother’)

6d

Cross the Rubicon - initially reluctant (8)

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7d

'Enhanced' man did hen do - oddly missing half of toga (5,2)

Generating...

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

Even-numbered letters (‘oddly missing’) of mAn DiD hEn Do + TO ga (first two letters or ‘half of’)

8d

Get round as band do Auld Lang Syne last of all (5)

Generating...

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

Last letters of banD dO AulD LanG SynE

12d

Florida mum's upset over vote yielding defeat (7)

Generating...

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

FL (Florida) + an anagram (‘upset’) of MUM + O (over) + X (vote)

13d

Items papers used in place of hard news (7)

Generating...

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

T h INGS (items) with the ‘h’ (hard) replaced by ID (papers)

16d

Exclude damaged Easter egg (9)

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17d

It could be 18 Across to begin with - set it around motorway (3,5)

Generating...

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

A (first letter or ‘beginning’ of across) + GEL (set) IT round M1 (motorway)

19d

Frisks group of doctors during strike in recession (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘in recession’) of BMA (British Medical Association – ‘group of doctors’) in or ‘during’ SLOG (strike)

21d

No reason to start blaze (7)

Generating...

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

NO with INFER (reason) in front or ‘to start’

22d

One of five content to leave cheese and fruit (6)

Generating...

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

QUIN (quintuplet – ‘one in five’) + C hees E (without the middle letters or ‘content to leave’)

23d

Ape shot outside Malawi's capital (5)

Generating...

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

CHIP (shot – as in golf) round M (first letter or ‘capital’ of Malawi)

26d

New phone company is born (3)

Generating...

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

N (new) EE (phone company)

27d

Child star on the radio (3)

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