Independent Cryptic #11875

2024-10-31

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a
4a

(and 4 Across) Rudely crack a joke about posh writer (4,7)

Generating...
4a

See 1 Across

9a

Cost of woman's silver piercing (6)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Greasy spoon sold wraps in support of workers (8)

Generating...

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

CAFF (‘greasy spoon’) in or ‘wrapped by’ SOLD

11a

Up for one small television acting roleinitially one might expect better (4,4)

Generating...

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

FILM (‘Up’ for one – as an example) S (small) T A R (first or ‘initial’ letters of Television Acting Role)

12a

Pressed De Niro to perform (6)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Ultimately Jeb Bush succeeds occasionally funded by rock'n'roller (5,5)

Generating...

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

B (last or ‘final’ letter of Jeb) + HOLLY (bush) after or ‘succeeded by’ alternate or ‘occasional’ letters of f U n D e D b Y

15a

Dictator's changed course, seeking diplomacy (4)

Generating...

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

A homophone (‘dictator’s’) of TACKED (changed course)

17a

Look both ways (4)

Generating...

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

A palindrome (‘both ways’)

19a

Bankrupt trainer finally moving in to enhance his cycling (10)

Generating...

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

IMPROVE (enhance) with the ‘r’ (last or ‘final’ letter of trainer) moving to the end + HIS with the first letter moving to the end or ‘cycling’

22a

Communist leader embodying end of old East Germany survived (4,2)

Generating...

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

MAO (communist leader) round or ’embodying’ D (last letter or ‘end’ of old) E (east) D (Germany)

24a

Job maybe available at the startone that's clearly understood (4,4)

Generating...

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

BOOK (‘Job maybe’ – as in the Bible) with OPEN (available) in front or ‘at the start’

26a

Alert goes off during court defeat (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘goes off’) of ALERT in or ‘during’ WOO (court)

27a

Crossword compiler for The Sun? (6)

Generating...

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

Double definition

28a
29a

(and 29 Across) Helpless victim modelling with nothing on (7,4)

Generating...
29a

See 28 Across

Down

2d

Packing in large audiences to begin withquite the reversegetting worried (7)

Generating...

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

ARMED (‘packing’) round ( not in – ‘quite the reverse’) L A (first letters or ‘beginnings’ of large audiences)

3d

Went to groundsomehow Kane's missing a lot after vacation (5)

Generating...

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

K a NE (missing ‘a’) L o T (missing the middle letter or ‘after vacation’)

4d

Rubber trees adopted by essentially hawklike bird (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘rubber’) of TREES in or ‘adopted by K L (middle or ‘essential’ letters of hawklike)

5d

For example Love Island vote regularly overturned after early IT glitches (7,2)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘overturned’) of V o T e (alternate or ‘regular’ letters) after an anagram (‘glitches’) of EARLY IT

6d

At university prom ahead of time (2,5)

Generating...

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

UP (at university) FRONT (prom – as in promenade at the seaside)

7d

Possibly deliver Galloway's somewhat political vengeance (5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Complete National Insurance Contributions to cover time for digital improvement? (8)

Generating...

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

MA t URE (complete) with NIC (National Insurance Contributions) replacing or ‘covering’ ‘t’ (time)

14d

The masses discovering who'd win with vote on Love Island (3,6)

Generating...

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

w HO ‘d w I n (missing the the first and last letters or ‘dis-covered’) POLL (vote) O (love) I (island)

16d

Patron saint of medicine originally involved in new cure (8)

Generating...

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

ST (saint) O M (first or ‘original’ letters of of medicine) in an anagram (‘new’) of CURE

18d

Power conveyed by biggest characters of Richard E Grant? (7)

Generating...

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

P (power) + SENT (conveyed) after (‘by’) R E (capital letters or ‘biggest characters’ in Richard E)

20d

Sustain pair with tea but no starter (7)

Generating...

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

PR (pair) o OLONG (variety of tea) missing the first letter or ‘no starter’

21d

Sentimental lad largely taking man's place in automatic (7)

Generating...

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

RO man TIC (sentimental) with BO y (lad) missing the last letter or ‘largely’ replacing ‘man’

23d

Morning before adult sons gather (5)

Generating...

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

AM (morning) A (adult) SS (sons)

25d

Relaxed plans when papers dropped journalist (5)

Generating...

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

id EAS (plans) missing or ‘dropping’ ‘id’ (‘papers’) ED (editor – ‘journalist’)