Independent Cryptic #11699

2024-04-09

Solve on Independent →

Across

7a

Enemy's cover protected by spy on the other side (6)

Generating...

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

Outer letters (cover) of E [nem] Y , contained in (protected by) BOND (spy: the name’s Bond . . . James Bond).

8a

Wife to go down after hot datethat's a bonus (8)

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9a

Giant athletic climber (8)

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10a

Imagine not having an Independent cryptic puzzle! (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram (cryptic) of [i] MAGINE with one I (abbreviation for Independent) removed.

11a

Pull it together to dump fiancée at last during drink (8)

Generating...

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

CRAP (dump = slang for defecate) + last letter of [fiance] E , inserted into (during) SUP (to drink).

12a

Most boring cricket match involving Durham's tail-enders (6)

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13a

Wilde's second poem written in friend's house (11)

Generating...

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

Second letter of [w] I [lde] + SONNET (poem), written inside MATE (friend). More usually spelled with one N, but Collins accepts the NN variant: a small house, or a flat with its own external door to the street.

18a

Mum shot dead in the shadows (6)

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20a

Frank or Luke's place? (8)

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22a

Two vessels travelling west in city (6)

Generating...

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

WOK (a cooking vessel) + ARK (a sea-going vessel), all reversed (going west = reading from right to left). City in Poland.

23a

Exercise securing high salary freeze (8)

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24a

First to review online follower's business (8)

Generating...

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

First letter of R [eview] + E (e- = prefix indicating electronic or online) + TAILER (follower).

25a

She doesn't appear to eat contents of bowl (6)

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Down

1d

Extremely rare broadcast of Irish writer's triumph (7)

Generating...

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

End letters (extremes) of R [ar] E , then a homophone (broadcast = spoken on the radio) of JOYCE (Irish writer James Joyce).

2d

Boat dispatched to save swimmer somewhere in Africa (8)

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3d

Mutilated head on stick (6)

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4d

Rattle steel nut loose (8)

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5d

Swear about loud football hooligans (6)

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6d

Spot book on language with preface missing (7)

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8d

Present coverage featured in 7A 8A 12A 13A 1D 14D 15D 16D and 21D (13)

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14d

Way for American to act crabby? (8)

Generating...

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

Definition and cryptic definition. US word for a footpath at the side of a road (in the UK we’d call it the pavement, though in the US that word rather confusingly means the road surface); or to walk sideways as a crab typically does.

15d

Perhaps Dennis bores by going on and on (8)

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16d

Get hard cuddling Rosemary? Sweetie! (7)

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17d

Don't stop parking sensor going off (7)

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19d

Youngster put up with crap Fiat (6)

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21d

Some nudist ran down beach (6)

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