Independent Cryptic #11910

2024-12-11

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Across

1a

Save shellfish when temperature is lowered (6)

Generating...

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

S [h] RIMP (shellfish), with the H changed to C (temperature lowered from hot to cold). To spend as little money as possible.

4a

Perhaps runner beside winding road could be animal killer (7)

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9a

Oberon has right to replace Puck at last but gets fungal growth (9)

Generating...

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

FAIRY [k] ING (Oberon, king of the fairies, for example in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream ), with R (abbreviation for right) replacing the K which is the last letter of [puc]K. A circular ring of mushrooms in an area of grass, or a ring of darker or vigorously-growing grass caused by fungi in the soil underneath.

10a

Eccles briefly disorientated in Greek island (5)

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11a

Cry about Republican fight (5)

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12a

Fancy tea parties outside Bostonian industry end in trouble (9)

Generating...

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

Anagram (parties) of TEA , outside LABOR (US, therefore Bostonian, spelling of labour = work = industry), then the end letter of [troubl] E . Of course the Boston Tea Party wasn’t really a party but was definitely trouble.

13a

Rejects James perhaps after overturning snowmobile? (7)

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15a

When visiting Camino de Santiago the pilgrim returns as prophet (6)

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17a

Dress bishop with new mitre (6)

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19a

Animal welfare group appeal for assistance is old hat (7)

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22a

Former Prime Minister: I am rubbish at Chinese (9)

Generating...

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

I’M RANK (I am very bad = I am rubbish) + HAN (the ethnic group representing most of the population of China = Chinese). Former Test cricketer, and later Prime Minister of Pakistan 2018-2022.

24a

Hang out with American in part of West Africa (5)

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26a

Man claiming European is inferior (5)

Generating...

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

CHAP (slang for man) containing E (abbreviation for European). Cheap as in “a cheap imitation”, with the emphasis on lower quality more than on lower price.

27a

Trick Chicago airport's pilot officer about cloak (9)

Generating...

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

DO (trick, as a verb = deceive) + O’HARE (Chicago’s main international airport) + PO (abbreviation for pilot officer), all reversed (about). Also called opera cloak: a long hooded cloak worn over formal evening clothes.

28a

Gerald Ford's introduction aroused warning signal (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram (aroused) of GERALD + first letter (introduction) of F [ord].

29a

Marxist leaders in Ethiopia ensured Mengistu free from blame (6)

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Down

1d

Extremely wonderful editor provides temporary place to stay (7)

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2d

Regularly break into an Indian side (5)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters (regularly) of [b] R [e] A [k] I [n] T [o] A [n]. Side = short for “side dish” on a menu, in this case yogurt with additions such as cucumber, mint and/or spices.

3d

Ship might sink following drills (9)

Generating...

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

MAY (might = has the option to) + LOWER (sink = move down), with F (abbreviation for following) inserted into it (. . . drills). Sailing ship that took the Pilgrims from England to America.

4d

Businessman runs away from electronic puzzle upset (7)

Generating...

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

E (e- = prefix meaning electronic) + TANG [r] AM (a puzzle that involves arranging basic shaped pieces into a larger complex shape), with the R (abbreviation for runs, in cricket scoring) taken away, all reversed (upset = upwards in a down clue).

5d

Speed must empower nurses (5)

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6d

Days later supply energetic particles (9)

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7d

Pretty soprano replaces tenor? That's more imprudent (6)

Generating...

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

RA [t] HER (pretty, as in “pretty good” = rather good), with S (abbreviation for soprano) replacing T (abbreviation for tenor). More rash = less careful.

8d

Reportedly trade mushrooms for guns (6)

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14d

Lead phased out which receives attention (9)

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16d

Join in with objective reversing committee's conclusion (9)

Generating...

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

IN , then TARGET (objective) reversed, then the last letter (conclusion) of [committe] E .

18d

Henry Sopel for example included in publication for game (7)

Generating...

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

H (abbreviation for henry, a unit of electrical inductance) + JON (for example the journalist and broadcaster Jon Sopel), included in MAG (slang abbreviation for magazine = publication). Chinese game: similar to the card game rummy but more complex, and played with tile-shaped pieces rather than cards.

19d

Pureed nut boxed by a customer (6)

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20d

Group of defenders bother stuck up celebrity (7)

Generating...

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

MOD (MoD = abbreviation for Ministry of Defence = group of defenders) + RATS (rats! = bother! = a mild expression of annoyance), all reversed (stuck up = upwards in a down clue).

21d

One who longs to eat crab's head or claw (6)

Generating...

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

PINER (someone who pines = longs for something), containing (to eat) the first letter (head) of C [rab].

23d

Single friend wanting love in foreign land (5)

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25d

Nothing inserted in bottom moved upwards (5)

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