Independent Cryptic #11909

2024-12-10

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Bower is covering earl in shade (7)

Generating...

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

IS replacing or ‘covering’ ‘e’ (earl) in VIOL e T (shade)

5a

Safe area for city's peculiar dialect (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘peculiar’) of DIALECT

9a

Engineering vehicle's original handle for George Eliot (5)

Generating...

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

E (Engineering) VAN’S (vehicle’s) – George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans

10a

Ethnic region mostly Turkish - and fractured (9)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Clubs bats? (9)

flowerflowerflower
12a

The oaf inside many a hoodlum (5)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Bishop leaving Letters to the Corinthians for others (4)

Generating...

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

B (bishop) missing or ‘leaving’ b ETAS (Corinthian/Greek letters) – ETAS are ‘other’ Greek letters

15a

This is meant to arrest one returning from Mediterranean island (8)

Generating...

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

SIC (‘this is meant’) + a reversal (‘returning’) of NAIL (arrest) I (one)

18a

Near Portsmouth where fish could be fresh (8)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Occasionally admits husband's a looker (4)

Generating...

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

Alternate or ‘occasional’ letters in aDmItS + H (husband)

22a

Involved in prank levitating part of a pin over a foot (5)

flowerflowerflower
24a

According to legend people originally lived outside Rome in catacombs (9)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Musicians becoming increasingly geriatric wrapping up (9)

flowerflowerflower
27a

One who'll perhaps fold - very feeble losing pawn to gain tempo (5)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Fought ex-PM ignoring resistance - she did this for 44 days (7)

Generating...

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

T r USS (Liz Truss, ‘ex-PM’) missing or ‘ignoring’ R (resistance) + LED (what she did for 44 days as PM)

29a

Disregarded extremely mean Republican party harangue (7)

Generating...

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

m EA n (missing or ‘disregarding’ the first and last letters or ‘extremes’) R (Republican) BASH (party)

Down

1d

Queen from the south supporting what Catullus wrote for sex capital (6)

Generating...

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

ANNE (Queen) reversed or ‘from the south’ underneath or ‘supporting’ VI (six in Roman numerals –  ‘what Catullus wrote’ for ‘sex’ – Latin for six)

2d

Most of fruit you reportedly bake in the sun for ape (9)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Place inside popular painted flats? (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Appropriate children disagree (9)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Hint to capture rook against deviating line (5)

Generating...

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

CUE (hint) around or ‘capturing’ R (rook) V (against)

6d

Used three wheels to move directly around the speed of light (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘moving’) of DIRECTLY around C (speed of light)

7d

Trouble and strife originating in Amsterdam (5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Check this out - new president-elect informally addressed city (6)

Generating...

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

LO (check this out) N (new) DON informal name for Donald Trump, the president-elect

14d

Obstruct progress? As well not perhaps (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

About time to replace a knight in continuously changing list (9)

Generating...

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

CA (about) T (time) replacing ‘a n’ (knight) in an ALOGUE (continually changing)

17d

Country motorists touring American trail - one left going the wrong way (9)

Generating...

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

AA (motorists as in Automobile Association) around or ‘touring’ US (American) TRAIL with I L (one left) reversed or ‘going the wrong way’

20d

Golf range's risky move (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Islay still can make this stop (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Rulers' reservations after expression of disapproval (5)

Generating...

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

boo KINGS (reservations) without or ‘expressing’ ‘boo’ (disapproval)

24d

Sozzled American buddy forgetting name (5)

Generating...

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

FRIE n D (buddy) without n (name)

25d

Organ player ultimately wrong to be upset (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘upset’) of R (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of player) EVIL (wrong)