Independent Cryptic #11814

2024-08-21

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Across

1a

70's surfing film that's famous today (12)

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9a

Can it divide an onion? (7)

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10a

New member posted but initially deleted tirade (7)

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11a

Small account sent over Henry means to pay (4)

Generating...

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

S (abbreviation for small) + AC (abbreviation for account), all reversed (sent over), then H (abbreviation for Henry, a unit of electrical inductance).

12a

Bump into fellow seal hunter back in canteen (10)

Generating...

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

CO (as a prefix = fellow = companion, as in co-pilot), then ORCA (otherwise known as the killer whale, which eats seals and oither marine life) reversed (back) within MESS (a military canteen or dining-room). Bump into = come across = to meet [someone] by chance.

14a

Son who cooked before daughter washed (8)

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15a

Amazon v Inland Revenue (6)

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18a

The more expensive turkey perhaps animal that eats right (6)

Generating...

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

BEAST (animal) containing (that eats . . .) R (abbreviation for right). Breast meat from poultry is typically more expensive than leg meat.

19a

Italian motorway that is divided by its separate sections (8)

Generating...

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

M (abbreviation for motorway, as in M1) + IE (i.e. = abbreviation for Latin id est = that is), containing (divided by) LANES (separate sections into which a motorway is divided). From the Italian city of Milan.

20a

Former partner traps bird outside (10)

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23a

Lift outfit so it twirls (4)

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26a

Terrible mistake started with massage (7)

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27a

Make lonely Conservative law lord date nurses (7)

Generating...

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

C (abbreviation for Conservative) + LUD (variant of “lord” used when addressing a judge in court, usually “m’lud” for “my lord”), all surrounded by (. . . nurses) SEE (date = have a romantic meeting with someone). A verb usually used in the passive form: we might talk about a place or person as “secluded”, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen “to seclude” meaning to shut away from view.

28a

Dry clothes Serena and Nick modelled - smashing kit! (12)

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Down

1d

No-frills airline intentionally like that (5)

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2d

Old PM close to perfecting the sound of a younger man? (9)

Generating...

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

Last letter (close) of [perfectin] G , then LAD’S TONE (the sound of a young man’s voice). William Ewart Gladstone, 19th-century Prime Minister.

3d

Macpherson report the first of lots (4)

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4d

Gas from egg Seth considered funny (8)

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5d

Riddle one: who came second with second first? (5)

Generating...

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

I (one in Roman numerals) + EVE (the second human in the Biblical creation story, after Adam), with S (abbreviation for second) at the beginning (first). Riddle = a coarse sieve.

6d

Lack of fireworks in act sadly left one old lady cross (10)

Generating...

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

Anagram (sadly) of IN ACT , then L (abbreviation for left) + I (one in Roman numerals) + MA (old lady = slang for mother) + X (a cross). Anticlimax = lack of fireworks = something that isn’t as exciting as expected.

7d

Gosh look at that ring round the sun (4)

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8d

Shell-like probe in photos cop examined (8)

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13d

Riddle number two: set out at four? (10)

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14d

Green bus travelling lower class (8)

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16d

Astonished bridge player interrupts a brawl (9)

Generating...

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

WEST (one of the four players in the card game of bridge) inserted into A RUCK (a brawl).

17d

Phone sibling after years clearing bad blood (8)

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21d

Squeeze it before applying Clearasil perhaps (4)

Generating...

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

Cryptic-ish definition: the cryptic element is that our first thought is probably the unpleasant surface image of squeezing a spot, rather than squeezing the tube of medication to apply to it.

22d

Haggard woman in article is very pale (5)

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24d

Result of hard exercise with bench presses? (5)

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25d

Seconds in Japanese sci-fi story last minutes (4)

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