Independent Cryptic #11930

2025-01-03

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Underground enthusiasts heading for certain states (6)

flowerflowerflower
5a

Flowering plant’s trouble: kept regressing (6)

Generating...

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

( AIL [trouble] + HAD [kept]) all reversed (regression)

8a

Mechanic and master at work (9)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Calls round to meet saint (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Bede perhaps coming in to read a manuscript (4)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Public transport lines filling routes by going all over the place (10)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Tried for better position Scotsman was observing (8)

flowerflowerflower
15a

US celebrity cancelling finale to include European art form (5)

Generating...

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

( OPRA H [Winfrey {born 1954}], US celebrity excluding (cancelling] the last letter [finale] H ) containing (including) E (European)

17a

Moved quickly - discovered with time to spare (5)

Generating...

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

T RACED (found; discovered) excluding (to spare) T (time)

19a

Irregular soldier’s skill adopted by Italian city resident (8)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Irreverent about former monarch and very resistant to change? (10)

Generating...

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

IMPIOUS (irreverent) containing ( ER [Elizabeth Regina, former Queen of England] + V [very])

23a

Very good book about Newton - though I wouldn’t think it would do for you! (4)

Generating...

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

( SO [very good] containing [about]) N [newton; derived SI unit of force]) + B (book)

25a

Understand husband will give up son in plot (5)

Generating...

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

( GRA S P [understand] + H [husband]) excluding (will give up) S (son)

26a

Chemical secretion increasingly reflected in dial (9)

Generating...

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

MORE (increasingly) reversed (reflected) and contained in (in) PHONE (dial a number, although nowadays you are more likely to press numbered buttons than dial)

27a

Sailors tucking into meat about the time things are developing (6)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Meal excellent with additional helping of one ingredient (6)

Generating...

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

SUPER (excellent) containing an extra P ( with additional helping of one ingredient [letter]) to form SUP ( P ) ER

Down

2d

I am turning up amongst a people not using English language (7)

Generating...

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

( I AM ) reversed (turning  up; down entry) contained in (amongst) ( A + RAC E [people] excluding [not using] E [English])

3d

French are imprisoning the old observers (4)

flowerflowerflower
4d

A few remain unsettled at heart in English county (8)

Generating...

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

SOME (a few) + R E S T (remain) with the two middle letters (at heart]) swapped round (unsettled) to form R S E T

5d

No good blocking state payment for computer security item (6)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Vessel associated with a tower? (9)

flowerflowerflower
7d

One group of soldiers abandoning French city base (7)

Generating...

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

I (Roman numeral for one) + G RE NOBLE (French city) excluding (abandoning) RE (Royal Engineers, group of soldiers)

8d

Hurrying to arrest fool? It’s very sad (11)

flowerflowerflower
10d

Supporting environmental targets subject to law about pollution (11)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Hide porn when getting treatment with new brain chemical (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Endless inducement to imprison fascist leader is a healthy sign (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Mad American‘s signal to bring in unruly pack (7)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Range around US city looking up inducing fainting fit (7)

Generating...

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

SCOPE (range) containing (around) NY (New York; US city) reversed (looking up; down entry)

21d

Get rid of power in fuel with some energy extracted (6)

Generating...

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

P (power) contained in (in) DI E SEL (fuel] excluding [extracted] the first [one of] E [energy])

24d

Decoration though denied second top award in pageantry (4)

Generating...

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

POMP OM (decoration) excluding (denied) the second occurrence of [second] OM (Order of Merit; a top award)