Independent Cryptic #11902

2024-12-02

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

In charge of manifest briefly (4)

flowerflowerflower
4a

Time to question staff about flipping tough boss (10)

Generating...

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

A charade of T, ASK, MAST and RE reversed.

9a

‘Banks of tomorrow’ impress Treasury? Not true (6)

Generating...

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

The outside letters of the third, fourth and fifth words of the clue, and a very stretchy definition, in my view. And I don’t really see the point of the inverted commas.

10a

High-speed hand-walking contest is a very dangerous competition (8)

Generating...

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

A cd cum dd.

11a

Dependent on drugs did cadet collapse? (8)

flowerflowerflower
13a

This shows pressure is zero impediment (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of IS, O and BAR.

14a

There are three in there four in that one and six in my pocket (10)

Generating...

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

Well, that’s exactly the number of consonants in each of those words or phrases.

16a

Fellow worried about cheese (4)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Fourth in Nicolas Cage’s golf tournament (4)

Generating...

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

A charade of O for the fourth letter of ‘Nicolas’ and PEN.

18a

Old footballer’s right to devour fashion mag and Bridget Jones’s Diary ? (10)

Generating...

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

An insertion of ELLE for the magazine in [George] BESTS and R. A slightly bizarre combination of items, but a chance to remind everyone that Helen Fielding’s bestseller, and the subsequent movies, were originally a column in the Independent .

20a

Co-operation in Parkrun is one-sided (6)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Spooner’s instruction to amphibious car driver to take a break and check the vehicle (8)

Generating...

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

A Spoonerism of TOAD REST, referring to the Toad in Toad of Toad Hall.

23a

City endlessly pay tribute to American/Scottish singer (8)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Put your foot down in second and first (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of IN, S and IST.

26a

Decaf lefty stirred in an unnatural way (10)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Cycling brand to make listening devices (4)

Generating...

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

SEAR, with the first letter moved to the end (‘cycling’).

Down

2d

Swear there’s nothing in car (3)

Generating...

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

An insertion of O in VW. The insertion indicator is ‘there’s … in’.

3d

He stepped down as 25 turned up - ciao! (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Take a chance or rather don’t when clothes shopping (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Ollie’s partner almost finished composing rude song “stay firm” (15)

Generating...
6d

Autobiographical book from Bard in English and French: Raconteurs en vacance ? (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of ME and MOI (the self-referential ‘Bard’ in English and French) and R[ACONTEUR]S. The title could translate (in AmEng at least) as ‘Storytellers on vacation’; but if you’re going to fiddle about including foreign languages, then you need to make sure it’s correct, which this isn’t. It’s en vacance s .

7d

Miserable soul broken by clergyman - that hurts frightfully at first (9)

Generating...

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

An insertion of RR, OW and F for the initial letter of ‘frightfully’ in SOUL. The insertion indicator is ‘broken by’.

8d

Speller considered ‘nefarious’ - “Nrepeat the word? Rightends with S” (11)

Generating...

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

This wouldn’t win any competition for elegant cluing, I fancy. A charade of EN for N, CHANT, R and ESS for S.

12d

Dwindling workplace doing this to make something cool (11)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Soft rock from 5? (9)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Forbid one to leave peaceful meal (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Unlikely to 5 thus unexpectedly hails King Henry’s rearguard (7)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Take a spoonful to eat primarily (5)

Generating...

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

The initial letters of the first five words of the clue, and a cad.

25d

Teacher is tripping over end of ruler (3)

Generating...

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

A reversal of IS followed by R for the final letter of ‘ruler’.