Independent Cryptic #11857

2024-10-10

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Beautiful creation Pisan admits is leaning to one side (8)

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6a

That man breaks first commandment (6)

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9a

Back with girlfriend initially excited (4)

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10a

Plan part of Christmas term in detail (10)

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11a

Mediator interrupted Republican mad he's not up front (12)

Generating...

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

BROKE (interrupted) + R (abbreviation for Republican), with an anagram (mad) of HE’S NOT at the start (up front). I didn’t know this phrase but the dictionaries did: an impartial mediator who attempts to resolve a dispute.

13a

Workers having day out order a cab (6)

Generating...

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

HAN [d] S (workers, as in “all hands on deck”) without the D (abbreviation for day), then OM (abbreviation for Order of Merit). Horse-drawn cab.

14a

Play wearing medical dressing that's really strong tissue (8)

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16a

Dodgy coins ref used for evidence in court (8)

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19a

Hate word in clue that requires alternate letters to be removed (6)

Generating...

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

OATH (word, as in “I give you my word” = a promise), inserted into [c] L [u] E with alternate letters removed. This seems a rather obvious way to indicate the construction, but there may be some reason for it.

21a

New trike Eddy bust in two f****** days (12)

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24a

Automatic control which bags queen the largest share (10)

Generating...

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

THAT (which, as in “the house which Jack built”), containing ER (the late Queen Elizabeth) + MOST (the largest share).

25a

50% of brides-to-be flipping innocent (4)

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26a

Eat for a laugh when talking (6)

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27a

Meet Charlie by the side of the road (8)

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Down

2d

Blunt language of slogan upset nervous conductor (10)

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3d

Cat hair covers Irving's coat (7)

Generating...

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

TRESS (a long lock of hair: generally used in the plural “tresses”), covering the outer letters (coat) of I [rvin] G .

4d

Occasionally battlefield's full of English climbing it (9)

Generating...

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

SOMME’S (the WWI battlefield is), containing (full of) E (abbreviation for English) + IT reversed (climbing).

5d

New Barking riots left hole under bridge (7)

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6d

Bill catches large fish (5)

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7d

Smell that's iffy probed by doctor without interest (7)

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8d

Ship back from Calais on purpose (4)

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12d

Inconsiderate aunt exposed family in article (10)

Generating...

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

[a] UN [t] without the outer letters (exposed), then KIN (family) in THING .

15d

Song recalling Texas girl with underwear on (9)

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17d

Back last runner at 'aydock? (7)

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18d

Lean brainbox who collaborated with Watson heard from Spooner with mystery (7)

Generating...

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

Spoonerism of TIP (lean = slant away from the vertical) + CRICK (no, nothing to do with Sherlock Holmes: it’s Francis Crick, who worked with James Watson on the first published description of the double helix structure of DNA. In fact they relied on the work of a number of others, notably Rosalind Franklin, who didn’t get nearly enough credit at the time.) Some readers will no doubt complain that this isn’t a real Spoonerism because TIP CRICK isn’t a thing; I tend to agree.

20d

Like a neck twisted sideways (7)

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22d

Place to sleep temperature requiring jumpers on (5)

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23d

Body part Henry trapped in vice (4)

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