Independent Cryptic #11616

2024-01-03

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

God of war sending master of weaponry to the front (4)

Generating...

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

ARMS (weaponry) moving or ‘sending’ M (master) to the front

4a

Arctic city bordered by two rivers (5)

Generating...

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

LA (city) contained in or ‘bordered by’ PO and R (two rivers)

7a

Dirty priest pulled from wreck (4)

Generating...

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

S p OIL (wreck) with P (priest) missing or ‘pulled from’

9a

Where should I drop off barrels full of gold paint? (6)

Generating...

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

BED (where I should drop off) B (barrels) around or ‘full of’ AU (gold)

10a

Miles above the ground collecting temperature data (8)

Generating...

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

M (miles) AERIAL (above the ground) around or ‘collecting’ T (temperature)

11a

Special red wine I'd drunk making one legless (10)

Generating...

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

S (special) and an anagram (‘drunk’) of RED WINE I’D – a sidewinder is a type of snake

12a

Rich duke assuming king's role in castle (4)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Float boat (6)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Trump is making a comeback with something seedy? (8)

flowerflowerflower
17a

C note ignored by player (8)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Dry boards chip and split (6)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Put to work some decades until going into retirement (4)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Mixed metaphors involving Earth's climate (10)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘mixed’) of METAPHORS around or ‘involving’ E (earth)

25a

Inspector runs after aroused voyeurs (8)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Wisdom perhaps of old people? (6)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Large area with national borders essentially (4)

Generating...

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

A clue-as-definition: L (large) A (area) N (national) and D (middle or ‘essential’ letter of borders)

28a

Coming over every so often to cheer her up (5)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters (‘every so often’) and reversed (‘coming over’) in To ChEeR hEr

29a

Take the Sun King’s military vehicle (4)

flowerflowerflower

Down

2d

A rocky romance fuelled by one drink (9)

Generating...

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

A + an anagram (‘rocky’) of ROMANCE around or ‘fuelled by’ I (one)

3d

Second-rate accommodation (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Liberal sort of supports local produce (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Fruit tree died covered in sticky stuff (5)

Generating...

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

LIME (fruit tree) D (died)

6d

Pest controller putting some bitumen all over (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘all over’) of PART (some) TAR (bitumen)

7d

Mum noisily prepares breakfast? (9)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Independent setter interrupted by a good idea (5)

Generating...

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

I (independent) ME (setter) around or ‘interrupted by’ A G (good)

14d

Fell runner occasionally stopped around entrance to valley (9)

Generating...

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

NOSE (‘runner occasionally’) DIED (stopped) around or ‘containing’ V (first letter or ‘entrance’ to valley)

15d

Pet rabbit husband's neglected (3)

Generating...

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

C h AT (rabbit) without or ‘neglecting’ h (husband)

16d

Ultimately erratic in nature subject to change (9)

Generating...

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

A clue-as-definition – C (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of erratic) in an anagram (‘subject to change’) of IN NATURE

18d

Review articles discussed works of fiction (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Bats best in a helmet (7)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Kit used for exploration primarily in sea? (5)

Generating...

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

A clue-as-definition: CUB (kit – young animal) replacing or ‘used for’ the ‘e’ (first or ‘primary’ letter of exploration) in S e A

23d

Farmer getting components for combine (5)

flowerflowerflower
24d

Wood cabin sheltering emotionless rangers? (5)

Generating...

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

HUT (cabin) around or ‘sheltering’ R anger S (missing anger or ’emotionless’)