Independent Cryptic #11939

2025-01-14

Solve on Independent →

Across

9a

Weed out taking back LSD E and speed (9)

Generating...

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

The word order is somewhat misleading here: it’s E (for the surface, we can read this as a slang abbreviation for the drug ecstasy) + RATE (speed), containing ACID (slang for LSD = abbreviation for the hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide) reversed (back).

10a

Vessel carrying vital liquid in 23 or (5)

Generating...

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

Hidden answer (in . . .) in [arcadi] A OR TA [getes], which is what we get after resolving the references to 23d and 6d. A blood vessel.

11a

Dog Henry discovered with no lead (5)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Investigator concerned with sound of spook (9)

Generating...

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

IN (concerned with, as in “a career in finance”) + homophone (sound) of SPECTRE (ghost = spook).

13a

Approaching eccentric grannie (7)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Let me in Rough Crossing - a small space for lead perhaps? (7)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Right sort of ale? (4)

flowerflowerflower
18a

W Professional Foul r (5)

Generating...

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

Anagram (foul) of HACK + last letter (term) of [professiona] L .

20a

Man possibly taken for a ride in the interior (4)

Generating...

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

Inner letters (in the interior) of [m] ISLE [d] (taken for a ride = slang for deliberately deceived). Definition by example: the Isle of Man.

24a

Wariness after colt's moved nearer centre in public sale (7)

Generating...

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

CAUTION (wariness), with the C (abbreviation for colt, in horse-racing statistics) moved a couple of places towards the centre of the word.

25a

Ill-prepared like a lazy Eng Lit candidate? Yes (7)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Writing material I expanded for radio - essentially unkind somehow (9)

flowerflowerflower
29a

Frantic fear and trepidation initially concerning (5)

Generating...

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

Anagram (frantic) of FEAR + initial letter of T [repidation]. A slightly obscure definition but one recognised by the dictionaries: as in “to enquire after someone’s health”.

30a

I will leave prodigy for a related group (5)

flowerflowerflower
31a

After a tripe spread I have a laxative (9)

Generating...

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

I’VE (contraction of “I have”) after an anagram (spread) of A TRIPE . Not to be confused with an aperitif, which comes from the same Latin / French root word but means something very different.

Down

1d

She has a flashy mate a male in prison (6)

Generating...

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

A + HE (male), in PEN (prison). Female (mate) of a peacock; it’s the male that has the big flashy tail.

2d

A gap where canula bends (6)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Town east of Glasgow centre of coiffure equipment? (7)

Generating...

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

Inner letters (centre) of [h] AIRDRIE [r] (also spelled hairdryer: coffure equipment).

4d

Variable in flight (6)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Home fit for a hermit? Squire’s gutted as hell (8)

Generating...

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

S [quir] E (gutted = inner letters removed) + AS HELL . The “hermit” is a hermit crab, which doesn’t have a hard outer shell and makes its home in the discarded shell of some other sea creature.

6d

Flowers to discern inscribed in chair back (7)

Generating...

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

GET (to discern = understand, as in “you still don’t get it”), in SEAT (chair) reversed (back). Flowering plants otherwise known as marigolds.

7d

She makes a good speech acting in gold braid (8)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Artist from China with inner determination (8)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Partial farewell for a sheep (3)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Interpretations and sources in Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead in filleted Shakespeare works (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram (. . . works) of a lot of separate bits: first letters (sources) of R [osencrantz] + G [uildenstern], A (abbreviation for are = unit of area = 100 square metres), D (abbreviation for dead), IN , and S [hakespear] E (filleted = inner letters removed).

17d

Adult seen on closed-circuit: “I damage car maybe - it’s not on purpose” (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Obstruct current in two taps (apparently) (8)

Generating...

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

I (scientific symbol for electrical current) in H AND C (two taps: abbreviations for hot and cold water taps) + AP (ap. = abbreviation for apparent or apparently, according to Chambers). Handicap, as a verb = to hinder or obstruct.

21d

Empty-headed happy youth (3)

Generating...

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

[g] LAD (happy) without the first letter (head).

22d

Artist’s photo like that will do (7)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Song about rascal in idyllic setting (7)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Maintenance of small instrument restraining piano on record (6)

Generating...

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

UKE (short for ukulele, like a guitar but smaller = small instrument) containing P (p, in musical notation = abbreviation for Italian piano = quietly), then EP (abbreviation for extended-play record).

26d

A major star’s alternative broadcast (6)

flowerflowerflower
27d

City edition is maybe out this way? (6)

flowerflowerflower