Independent Cryptic #11956

2025-02-03

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Gore as President could turn out to be an economic disaster (15)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Wild herb Jones discovered outside Baltic capital (7)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Face shock therapy in a manner of speaking (7)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Wedge of cheese for starters served with German wine (5)

Generating...

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

A charade of C for the initial letter of ‘cheese’ and HOCK.

12a

Mostly well-mannered dude taking over university committee (9)

Generating...

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

A charade of POLIT[E] and an insertion of U in BRO. The insertion indicator is ‘taking over’.

13a

Crassly name-drops one replacing old web designer (9)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Goddess has The King of Spain wearing absolutely nothing (5)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Prosecute retired doctor arrested put on board coach (5)

Generating...

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

An insertion of MB for ‘Doctor’ in SUE reversed. The insertion indicator is ‘arrested’. EMBUS to ‘put on a bus’? We’ll be deplaning next, heaven forfend.

18a

Nitre swirling around - it's a problem for the eyes (9)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Ageing banker in Paris exuding Gucci's latest perfume (9)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Producer of light sailing dinghy (5)

Generating...

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

A dd.

24a

Popular guerrilla leader is a non-believer (7)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Back in Delhi Tam sabotaged cash crop (7)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Controversially re-elected on anti European peace initiative (15)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Time to visit our girls cheese rolling here? (15)

Generating...

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

An insertion of T in (OUR GIRLS CHEESE)* with ‘rolling’ as the anagrind and ‘to visit’ as the insertion indicator. A cad, and a very good one at that. That massively dangerous annual cheese rolling event is in Brockworth, Gloucestershire. This quote gives you a flavour: ‘Canadian competitor Delaney Irving won the ladies race in 2023, despite finishing unconscious, and only learning of her victory in the medical enclosure.’

2d

Base swine exposing Ionic descendants from Theban war dead (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of E for the mathematical ‘base’, PIG and [I]ONI[C].

3d

Unappreciated M Ryan's sometime co-star is bored by the French (9)

Generating...

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

An insertion of LES for one of the words for ‘the’ in French in T HANKS, who was M Ryan’s co-star in a number of movies.

4d

Check out Hislop's organ when excited! (5)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Russian scheme to dominate alien world being explored (9)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Sting - intelligent and stylish (5)

Generating...

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

A triple definition.

7d

Rapper that might get into Coke as a means to chill? (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Idea floated by last government leaves NHS disheartened (15)

flowerflowerflower
14d

5 sick in Eastern European port (9)

Generating...

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

A charade of MARS (the Red Planet), and ILL inserted into two Es, one for ‘Eastern’ and one for ‘European’. The insertion indicator is ‘in’. This is the French spelling; some authorities also allow MARSEILLES as an English spelling.

15d

Completed almost all Sildenafil supply (9)

Generating...

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

(SILDENAFI[L])* with supply, read as ‘in a supple way’, as the anagrind.

17d

Favour nurse in suit (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Awful driver crossing street sustained by American snack (7)

Generating...

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

An insertion of ST in TOAD followed by A. The insertion indicator is ‘crossing’. Referring to Toad of Toad Hall, who had a bit of a rep as being a less than careful driver.

21d

Country hospital taking care of upper-class duke (5)

Generating...

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

An insertion of U and D in SAN. The insertion indicator is ‘taking care of’.

22d

Licence to Kill Bill initially forbidden (5)

flowerflowerflower