Independent Cryptic #12005

2025-04-01

Solve on Independent →

Across

9a

A scoundrel keeping maiden quiet in charity home (9)

Generating...

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

A LOUSE (scoundrel) around or ‘keeping’ M (maiden) SH (quiet)

10a

Funereal music, say, in cathedral (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Prince affected manner that is plain (7)

flowerflowerflower
12a

I am critical of limiting old quarantine (7)

Generating...

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

I SLATE (am critical of) around or ‘limiting’ O (old)

13a

Prosecute meat company finally regarding quantities of fat (5)

Generating...

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

SUE (prosecute) and last or ‘final’ letters of meaT companY

14a

Unit’s soldiers holding position - ammunition here? (9)

Generating...

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

BAND (unit) OR (soldiers) around or ‘holding’ LIE (position)

16a

Pregnancy service, clean, intact, in Luxembourg area after moving (9,6)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘after moving’) of CLEAN INTACT IN L (Luxembourg) and A (area)

19a

Millions in the demo displaying heat? (9)

Generating...

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

M (millions) in THE RALLY (demo)

21a

Party raver’s target of the munchies? (5)

Generating...

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

DO (party) NUT (raver)

22a

Runs through periods without leadership involving China (7)

Generating...

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

t IMES (periods) without first letter or ‘leadership’ around or ‘involving’ PAL (china)

23a

Toss-up about arrangement for arts in remedial centre (7)

Generating...

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

LOB (toss-up) reversed or ‘about’ with an anagram (‘arrangement’) of ARTS inside or ‘in’. We first thought that this was parsed as LOB (toss) with up as the reversal indicator and ‘about’ as the inclusion indictor. However, it’s an across clue so it wouldn’t work.

24a

Members of House of Lords: paragons losing power? (5)

Generating...

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

p EARLS (paragons) without or ‘losing’ ‘p’ (power)

25a

Nine steps for remedying lack of ability (9)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Degree - university exam success - worker’s topic in French literature? (10)

Generating...

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

MA (degree) U (university) PASS (exam success) ANT (worker)

2d

I intended to skip Australia after embracing bloke dwelling within (8)

Generating...

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

I ME a NT (intended) without or ‘skipping’ A (Australia) around or ’embracing’ MAN (bloke)

3d

Alcoholic drink? Wary about sin (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Modest prize money denied entrant in fourth place (4)

Generating...

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

PUR s E (prize money) without or ‘denying’ ‘s’ (fourth letter or ‘entrant in fourth place’)

5d

Unusual orange lily around the country (10)

flowerflowerflower
6d

A flier manoeuvring round ring twice showing source of lift? (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘manoeuvring’) of A FLIER around O and O (‘ring twice’)

7d

Writer’s taken up line penned by outstanding mountain dweller (6)

Generating...

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

Reversal (‘taken up’) of PEN (writer) + L (line) inside or ‘penned by’ A1 (outstanding)

8d

Kind charity people will show it (4)

flowerflowerflower
14d

It’s no freighter - but it has quantities of cotton, dry inside, with it (10)

Generating...

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

BALES (quantities of cotton) with TT (teetotal – ‘dry’) inside + HIP (with it)

15d

Performer elicits art when playing (10)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Note: idiot seen around endless affray is unidentified (8)

Generating...

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

N (note) ASS (idiot) around MELE e (affray) missing last letter or ‘endless’

18d

Square support in golf: heading for nice, slightly-reduced score? (8)

Generating...

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

NINE (square) TEE (support in golf) N (first letter or ‘heading’ for nice). The score referred to here is 20.

20d

Recording anger about money in big business (6)

Generating...

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

EP (recording) IRE (anger) about M (money)

21d

Hungarian-born conductor held in adoration (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Putting second half first, issue newspaper article (4)

Generating...

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

EMIT (issue) with second half placed first

23d

Gathering round initially for a drink (4)

Generating...

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

BEE (gathering) R (first or ‘initial’ letter of round)