Independent Cryptic #11966

2025-02-14

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Millions invested in circuit illumination (4)

flowerflowerflower
3a

US magazine circulation about constant for periods (10)

Generating...

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

TIME (US magazine) SALES (circulation) round C (constant)

9a

Spy tied up heartlessly (4)

Generating...

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

BO u ND (tied up) missing the middle letter or ‘heartless’

10a

‘Radical men’ misrepresenting description of many councils (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Mistimed run for start of spring? It’s ludicrous (12)

Generating...

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

We think this is: an anagram (‘mistimed’) of RUN replacing ‘s’ (first letter or ‘start’ of spring) in s EASONABLE (‘start of spring?’) but ‘start of spring’ is doing double duty – any other thoughts out there?

15a

Billiards shot rebounded on one fellow repeatedly (2-3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘rebounded’) of ON I (one) + F F (‘fellow repeatedly’)

16a

Top woman’s court case cut short, beset by demonstration? (9)

Generating...

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

TRIA l (court case) missing the last letter or ‘cut short’ in or ‘beset by’ MARCH (demonstration)

18a

More severe in pursuit of each person appearing out of the sunrise (9)

Generating...

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

STERNER (more severe) after EA (each)

19a

A cry resounding in lane (5)

Generating...

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

A + a reversal (resounding) of YELL (cry)

20a

Island to retain beans after intervention by university? Not likely (1,6,5)

Generating...

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

IS (island) HOLD (retain) COCOA (beans) round or ‘after intervention by’ U (university)

24a

Unearthing a van with exotic wheels (10)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Club without openers for opening day (4)

Generating...

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

WO (without) O D (first letters or ‘openers’ of opening day)

26a

Resolution to limit tidal feature (10)

Generating...

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

TIE (limit) BREAKER (wave – ‘tidal feature’)

27a

Attend course (4)

Generating...

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

BE AT (attend) – we had to check ‘course’ = ‘beat’ – it’s as in a policeman’s beat (when they used to be on the streets)

Down

1d

Suitable for retraining, not following left-wingers (10)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘retraining’) of SUITABLE f OR without the ‘f’ (following)

2d

Timid character circling a point where temperature’s dropped in large building (5-5)

Generating...

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

MOUSE (timid character) round or ‘circling’ A NOR t H (point) missing or ‘dropping’ ‘t’ (temperature)

4d

Small area of land in flames, destroyed, with nothing retained (4,2,3)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘destroyed’) of IN FLAMES round or ‘retaining’ O (nothing)

5d

Some article demarcated American affliction (5)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Policeman curtailed case in error, trying to please (12)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘in error’) of POLICEMAN and CAS e missing the last letter or ‘curtailed’

7d

Country network died (4)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Bad spillage, litres to be removed (4)

Generating...

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

S l ICK (spillage – of oil at sea) missing the ‘l’ (litres)

11d

Have shilling for ales, getting drunk, getting drunk (4-4-4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘getting drunk’) of HAVE S (shilling) FOR ALES – a new phrase for us

13d

No source of stomach upsets in Somerset town? That’ll make you merry (10)

Generating...

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

c OLICS (stomach upsets) missing the first letter or ‘source’ in FROME (Somerset town)

14d

In the beginning, half of them watch French star, not British (3,4,3)

Generating...

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

TH em (half only) EYE (watch) b ARDOT (Brigitte Bardot – ‘French star’) missing ‘b’ (British)

17d

Free toilets: go first, before end of game (4,5)

Generating...

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

LOOS (toilets) after TURN (go) before E (last letter or ‘end’ of game)

21d

Old islands turning up in port area of Rome (5)

Generating...

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

O (old) + a reversal (‘turning up’) of AITS (islands)

22d

Borders of fine, light fabric (4)

Generating...

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

First and last letters or ‘borders’ of F in E L igh T

23d

Pain expert accepting husband (4)

Generating...

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

ACE (expert) round or ‘accepting’ H (husband)