Independent Cryptic #11964

2025-02-12

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Across

1a

Fleet is stuck (4)

Generating...

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

FAST (firm; fixed; stuck) double definition

3a

Secure cash in Boston to conserve church decoration (4,6)

Generating...

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

WIN (secure) + ( DIMES [example of coins {cash} in Boston, USA] containing [to conserve] CH [church])

10a

Fish in jelly, 25% off (3)

Generating...

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

A GAR (a jelly prepared from seaweeds of various kinds used in bacteria-culture, medicine, glue-making, silk-dressing, and cooking) excluding (off) the first A , one of 4 [25%] l etters in the word, to leave GAR

11a

That is found in side streets (2,3)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Planet scenes with Earth deleted (5)

Generating...

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

VENU E S (scenes of action) excluding (deleted) E , in this case the second E

13a

Scare female away, yes? (5)

Generating...

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

F RIGHT (a scare) excluding (away) F (female)

14a

End it on a high: put oil on body (8)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Primate kept secret about love with minister (7)

Generating...

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

HID (kept secret) containing (about) ( O [character representing zero, the love score in tennis] + MIN [minister])

18a

Amphibian bit staff (7)

Generating...

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

TAD (a [little] bit) + POLE (staff)

20a

Attack a German woman who eats people after removing the head (7)

Generating...

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

A + G (German) + O GRESS (woman who eats people) excluding the first letter (after removing the head) O

22a

Break very overdue - it's after ten (7)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Recommend drink close to home but American declined (8)

Generating...

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

( ADVOC A AT [liqueur containing raw eggs and flavourings; drink] + E [ last letter of {close to} HOM E ]) excluding (but … declined) the second or third A (American)

25a

What a student might be when backing Muslim (5)

Generating...

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

( IN NUS [National Union of Students] -a student might be a member of the NUS ) all reversed (when backing)

28a

Book house by ocean (5)

flowerflowerflower
29a

Far-right politician punched by wife for a second time (5)

Generating...
30a

Take action to employ soprano, moving forward (3)

Generating...

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

U S E (employ) with the S (soprano) moving forward to front of the word to form S UE

31a

Aim of a Kabaddi player is uncertain (5,3,2)

Generating...

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

TOUCH AND GO (descriptive of a critical or precariously balanced situation; uncertain) double definition

32a

Irritable in overcrowded gym (4)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Worked out to inspire man, a leader, nominally (10)

Generating...

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

FIGURED (worked out) containing (to inspire) ( HE [a man] + A )

2d

Quietly called nationalist out for expressive gesture (5)

Generating...

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

SH (hush; [go] quietly) + RU N G (called) excluding (out) N (Nationalist)

4d

I clean revolting Dutch supermarket (7)

Generating...

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

I + an anagram of (revolting) CLEAN + D (Dutch)

5d

American leaving waste around old city (7)

Generating...

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

( DETRIT US [waste] excluding [leaving] US (United States [American]) containing (around) O (old)

6d

Own new port (5)

flowerflowerflower
7d

State nominates criminal (9)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Scandal, primarily, has destroyed band (4)

Generating...

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

S ( first letter of [primarily] S candal) + an anagram of (destroyed) HAS

9d

Appallingly, tip a cent - a meagre amount (8)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Earl in colourful uniform gets shipment sent again (10)

Generating...

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

E (earl) contained in (in) ( RED [colourful] + LIVERY [uniform, usually applied to the clothing of guildsmen or servants])

17d

Some say cat gave birth in African port (9)

Generating...

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

MOG (cat) + ‘ AD (had) + ISHU (sounds like [some say] ISSUE [children] ) which taken together as a sentence could be interpreted as CAT HAD ISSUE (cat gave birth)

19d

Relatively worthless report about Republican (8)

Generating...

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

DOSSIER (set of documents, that might comprise a report) containing (about) R (Republican)

21d

Pick a fight with boy eating pastry dish (5,2)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Contest extension in house inspection (7)

flowerflowerflower
24d

It's a surprise to have periodical stocked in Northern Irish town (5)

flowerflowerflower
26d

Smelled onions and weed regularly (5)

Generating...

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

NOS ( letters 2, 4 and 6 [regularly] of O N I O N S ) + ED ( letters 2 and 4 [regularly] of W E E D )

27d

Memo from Conservative twat (4)

Generating...

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

C (Conservative) + HIT (twat is a slang term meaning to strike or hit)