Independent Cryptic #11980

2025-03-03

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Across

1a

Popular groups for insignificant people (7)

Generating...

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

In(=popular) + sects

5a

Briefly deal with child's perfidy (7)

Generating...

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

Trea[t](=deal with shortened) + son(=child)

9a

Hasty stop to get sail (6,3)

Generating...

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

Flying(=hasty) + jib(=stop). I was unsure about jib for stop but one of the meanings of jib can be to balk at doing something or to refuse to move forwards, so that is a possible synonym.

10a

Confident about government's upswing (5)

Generating...

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

Sure about g{overnment}

11a

Reduce area of court (4)

Generating...

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

DD, the first definition used in the sense of “docking points from a team”.

13a

Linesman held by fraud enforcement (5)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Small details oddly missing in stamp (4)

Generating...

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

S{mall} + even letters (oddly missing) of d e t a i l s

16a

A new lord arranged to imprison northern laird (9)

Generating...

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

(A new lord)* around n{orthern}

19a

Worker and attendant leaving procession (3)

Generating...

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

[Page]ant

22a

That lady's selfless successor (3)

Generating...

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

He[i]r. Selfless indicates removal of “I”(=the self).

23a

See Jane Eyre's husband (9)

Generating...

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

DD. The first part refers to Rochester’s status as a diocese with the office of bishop in it.

25a

Odd Scottish suit found in card game (4)

Generating...

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

C{lubs}(=suit in cards) in Uno(=card game developed in the US)

27a

A way around county racecourse (5)

Generating...

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

A st{reet}(=way) around Co{unty}

29a

Not in favour of creating dynasty (4)

Generating...

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

[For]ming

32a

College employing adult tutor (5)

Generating...

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

Tech(=short for technical college) around a{dult}

33a

Sees spacecraft heading off in orbit (3,6)

Generating...

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

Eyes(=sees) + [r]ocket

35a

Finish off horror movie dealing with rotten meat (7)

Generating...

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

Carri[e](=Stephen King horror film) + on(=dealing with)

36a

Pays back Sweden after redevelopment of Geneva (7)

Generating...

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

Geneva* after S{weden}

Down

1d

Atheists find lies out (8)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Short cautious shot (3)

Generating...

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

Triple def. The first def is used in the sense of “two points shy of winning” and the third is in the sense of coconut shy.

3d

Tricks leaders of community of Nova Scotia (4)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Therefore short trip's run for visitor (9)

Generating...

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

So(=therefore) + journe[y] + r{un}

5d

Propose the Spanish cricketer returns (5)

Generating...

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

(El(=the in Spanish) + bat(=cricketer, as in opening bat))<

6d

Gaelic prince departs by himself (4)

Generating...

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

Don’t get this

7d

Native Americans cycling to see geological feature (5)

Generating...

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

Crees with the S cycling to the front. I thought that Cree was the plural form for the Native American people but dictionaries confirm it can be pluralised with an S.

8d

Reportedly struck the French obelisk (6)

flowerflowerflower
12d

Commander-in-Chief originally has piece of cake (5)

Generating...

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

C-in-C(=commander in chief) + h[as]

15d

In New York Joe may be served here (4)

Generating...

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

CD referring to joe as a US slang term for coffee.

17d

Ring work unit about Shrek? (4)

Generating...

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

O + erg<. An erg is a non-SI unit of work which is used in some specific contexts.

18d

Tommy perhaps crafting a cork and rope (4,5)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Teacher has note for soldiers performing as one (5)

Generating...

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

Tutor with the OR(=ordinary ranks i.e. soldiers) replaced by ti(=note in the doh,re,mi scale)

21d

Gas fitter half-heartedly repaired vessels (8)

Generating...

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

(Gas fi[t]ter)*

24d

Uncouth criticism curtailed after game (6)

Generating...

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

RU(=Rugby Union, a game) + stic[k](=criticism, as in “he got some stick for that”)

26d

Leader of church music (5)

Generating...

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

Ch{urch} + air(=music)

28d

Breastbones without a back (5)

Generating...

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

Stern[a](=plural of sternum, the breastbone)

30d

Indian meal left out for Asian national (4)

Generating...

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

Tha[l]i. Thali is an Indian meal consisting of several dishes of meat and vegetables.

31d

Charged with revolutionary on-line rubbish (4)

Generating...

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

(E rot)<

34d

Potassium, say, in storage unit (3)

flowerflowerflower