Independent Cryptic #11719

2024-05-02

Solve on Independent →

Across

7a
9a

(and 8 Across, 9 Across) Square creep catches group of 19 (4,4,5)

Generating...
8a

See 7 Across

9a

See 7 Across

11a

British unit did get 26 endlessly when at sea (13)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (at sea) DID GET and HUR T (entry at 26 across) excluding the final letter (endlessly) T and WHEN

12a

Naughty pair I let in zoology class (8)

flowerflowerflower
14a

After drinks journalist tripped (6)

Generating...

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

LAPS (drinks) + ED ( ED itor; journalist)

15a

French composer takes part in formal discussions (13)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Ezra Norton loses 20 11 on River Trent? (6)

Generating...

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

R (river) + EZ (Ezra) + NOR TON excluding (loses) TON [20 HUNDREDWEIGHT {entry at 11 across}])

21a

German chancellor presents small business model in speech (8)

Generating...

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

BISMARCK ( sounds like [in speech] BIZ (abbreviation {small} for business) MARK or MARQUE [model])

24a

Barons unhappy with a dinner in US city (3,10)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Greedy sort of bank in Paraguay hacked by current German government (5)

Generating...

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

PIGGY [greedy) another definition

26a

Actor once a day gets tense in the back (4)

Generating...

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

T HUR (Thursday, a day of the week, with the T (tense) moved to the end [in the back] to form HUR T )

27a

One of the Eloi after losing heart comes back again (4)

Generating...

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

WE E NA (the only named member of the Eloi [the leisure class]  in HG Wells novel, The Time Machine) excluding the central letter (losing heart) E and then reversed (comes back)

Down

1d

Concoction full of Argentinian fruit (6)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Anne plays with a lot of babies (8)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Irish republican breaking law over in Merseyside location (6)

Generating...

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

( IR [Irish] + R [Republican]) contained in (breaking) LAW reversed (over)

4d

Anita oddly cuddles rotter in Canadian region (6)

flowerflowerflower
5d

End the call for inhibition (4-2)

Generating...

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

HANG-UP (an inhibition) double definition

6d

American with ale gut developed fundamental muscle? (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (developed) U S (American) and ALE GUT

10d

Drink for the French lieutenantbottles of Irish wine (6)

Generating...

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

MER (French word for sea; in English, drink is an informal term for the sea) + ( LT [Lieutenant] containing [bottles] O ‘ [Gaelic or Irish abbreviation for ‘descendant of son of’])

13d

Cover up topless swimmer (3)

Generating...

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

H IDE (cover up) excluding the first letter (topless) H

15d

Delivered baby's family needsmaterial for garments (8)

Generating...

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

DEER’S KIN ( sounds like [delivered] DEAR’S [baby’s] KIN {family])

16d

He composed Sweeney Todd? (6)

Generating...

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

BARBER (Sweeney Todd was a men’s hairdresser, BARBER ) double definition

17d

One flighty brute, not sick of Proust (3)

Generating...

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

AN I MAL (brute) excluding (not) MAL ( MAL adie, French [Proust] word for ‘sickness’)

18d

Instruments needed for getting into car in Asia (8)

Generating...

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

OCARINAS ( hidden word in [needed for] INT O CAR IN AS IA)

20d

The years of immaturity, say, soon will be over (6)

Generating...

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

( EG [for example) + ANON [soon]) all reversed (will be over)

21d

Intensely study book to get ahead of others (4,2)

Generating...

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

B (book) + ONE UP (advantage or lead one others)

22d

Beds used by active working girls when retiring (6)

Generating...

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

( A [active] + TARTS [prostitutes; working girls]) all reversed (when retiring)

23d

Not so far from Cork? (6)

Generating...

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

A cork is a stopper or CLOSER for a bottle double definition