Independent Cryptic #11993

2025-03-18

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Across

1a

Show appreciation of program with two-fold backing (7)

Generating...

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

APP (APPLlcation; a computer program) + DUAL (two-fold) reversed (backing)

5a

Wipe out leaders of triads breaking from espionage (6)

Generating...

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

ESPIONAGE is made of three blocks of three letters (triads).  If you exclude (breaking from)  the first letter (leader of) of each block of three letters, E SP , I ON and A GE you are left with SPONGE

8a

Have a go at shifting seconds, selling wall cladding (10)

Generating...

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

PAN (criticise; have a go at) + S ELLING (with the S [seconds] moved to the end [shifting]) to form ELLING S

9a

Hot sun provided turning angle (4)

Generating...

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

( H [hot] + S [sun] + IF [provided]) all reversed (turning)

10a

Rash complaint initially elicited, caught by winding maze (6)

Generating...

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

E ( first letter of [initially] E licited ) + C (caught) + an anagram of (winding) MAZE

11a

Cut out about ... about ... about ... and make trim? (8)

Generating...

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

EXCISE (cut out) containing (about) ( RE [with reference to; about] reversed [about])

12a

Gave another relation one half of secret antique (6)

Generating...

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

RET ( second 3 of 6 [half] letters in sec RET ) + OLD (ancient)

14a

An element of developing maturity though not absolute (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (developing) M A TURITY excluding (not) A (absolute)

17a

Perhaps the place to find dates in a computer (7)

Generating...

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

PALM TOP (the TOP of a PALM tree is a place to find dates)

20a

Blasted exams before start of summer seasons? (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (blasted) EXAMS + S ( first letter of [start of] S easons)

24a

Part of terrain was heavy accompaniment to run-off (8)

Generating...

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

RAINWASH ( hidden word in [part of] TER RAIN WAS H EAVY)

26a

A tiny piece of delicately confected cake (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (confected) A TINY and D ( first letter of [piece of] D elicately)

27a

Music by The Stones? (4)

Generating...

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

ROCK (stones are a form of ROCK ) double definition

28a

How to worship a sort of noble deity? (10)

flowerflowerflower
29a

Rusty subframe perhaps is an inducement (6)

Generating...

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

CAR ROT (descriptive of the effect of a rusty subframe of a vehicle, for example)

30a

Retired white somewhere on vacation died, slipped away (7)

Generating...

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

PALE (white) reversed (retired) + SE (l etters remaining in S OMEWHER E when the central letters OMEWHER are removed [on vacation]) + D (died)

Down

1d

Touring capitals, an artist’s song to the Chilean pine (9)

Generating...

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

( A [an] + RA [member of the Royal Academy of Arts; artist] + ARIA [song]) containing (touring) UC (upper case; capital letters)

2d

Reorganise prep etc as a rule (7)

flowerflowerflower
3d

A welcome forecast for bad weather? (7)

Generating...

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

ALL HAIL (if the weather forecast is simply ‘ ALL HAIL ‘ , then there is going to be bad weather)

4d

Nude swimming round banks of divine coastal city (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (swimming) NUDE containing (round) DE ( outer letters of [banks of] D ivine E )

5d

Maybe he’s wanted distinctive feature to be adopted by cult (7)

Generating...

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

USP (Unique Selling Point; distinctive feature) contained in (to be adopted by) SECT (a form of cult)

6d

Cop runs off with diamonds, which is out of order (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (out of order) R (runs) OFF and [with] ICE [diamonds)

7d

Lots of wind beginning to surge in bowels (5)

Generating...

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

S ( first letter of [beginning to] S URGE) contained in (in) GUTS (bowels)

13d

It’s associated with meal cooked at one end of office (3)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (cooked) AT and O ( letter at the beginning [one end of] O FFICE)

15d

It’s associated with meal cooked at one end of office (3)

Generating...

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

TEA (something associated with a meal, or even a meal in its own right)

16d

Unoccupied land is so outstanding (9)

Generating...

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

UNSETTLED (descriptive of a payment that has not yet been paid; outstanding) double definition

18d

Overheard girl’s nickname (7)

Generating...

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

MONIKER (sounds like [overheard] MONICA [girl’s name])

19d

Vaguely inferior oats for getting mashed (2,1,4)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Rich wine produced on island right by top of Africa (7)

Generating...

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

MADE (produced) + I (island) + R (right) + A ( first letter of [top of] A frica)

22d

Slides across the snow, kissing ground (7)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Beneath heading in Chambers he’s about to look up ‘mousetrap’ say (6)

Generating...

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

C ( first letter of [heading] C hambers) + ( HE containing [about] SEE [look] reversed [up; down entry])

25d

A not quite high-bridged nose (5)

Generating...

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

A + ROMA N (round and bold [high-bridged] description of a nose) excluding the final letter (not quite) N