Independent Cryptic #12007

2025-04-03

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Across

1a

Assemble around snake biting queen consort (11)

Generating...

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

COLLATE (bring together; assemble) containing (around) ( BOA [snake] containing [biting] R [Regina; queen])

7a

Grant for one in audio cut (3)

Generating...

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

HEW ( sounds like [in audio] HUGH [reference HUGH Grant [born 1960], English actor and example of [for one] somebody named Grant)

9a

Refuse to be knead-y? (7)

Generating...

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

RUBBISH (capable of being RUB bed or massaged; kneady could be defined similarly)

10a

Resting tennis players getting energy shot they want (2,5)

Generating...

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

ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals; tennis players) + E (energy) + ACE (a shot that tennis players want when they serve)

11a

Work department cleaving to black pound (5)

Generating...

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

HR (Human Resources; a work department) contained in (cleaving) ( TO + B [black, on lead pencils to signify softness])

12a

Put off welcoming staff, keeling over and brought to life (9)

Generating...

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

( DETER [put off] containing [welcoming] CANE [rod; staff]) all reversed (keeling over)

13a

Where Americans fought left-wing city about councillor (8)

Generating...

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

(‘ NAM [Viet NAM [where America fought] + RED (left-winger in politics] + LA [Los Angeles; American city]) all reversed (about)

15a

Credulous one visiting part of church (5)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Bitter tree bark shunned by wooden boat (5)

Generating...

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

ACER (tree) + B ARK excluding (shunned by) ARK (wooden boat)

19a

Two questions initially avoided by milk and egg place? (8)

Generating...

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

W HEN (question) excluding the first letter [initially avoided] W + W HO (question) excluding the first letter [initially avoided] W – giving two questions … + USE (exploit; milk)

22a

Sweet writer is thoughtless (9)

Generating...

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

FOOL (dessert; sweet) + HARDY (reference Thomas HARDY [1840 – 1928], English writer)

24a

Challenges of dead god (5)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Claims Pippin, say, from sixteen players I forgot to mention (7)

Generating...

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

SCRUM (in Rugby Union, 16 players form a scrum) + PS (postscript; something added after the main body of a text or letter, sometimes referring to a point that was forgotten originally)

26a

A Parisian, over barrel, deserted flat? (7)

Generating...

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

( UNE [one of the French forms of ‘a’] containing [over] TUN [barrel]) + D [deserted]

27a

TV showing at least six games (3)

Generating...

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

SET (a SET in tennis has at least six games) double definition

28a

Article having fallen, these remains smashed? (11)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (smashed) THESE REM A INS excluding (having fallen) A [indefinite article])

Down

1d

Look after clergyman (6)

Generating...

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

CURATE (a clergyman)

2d

Latecomer dancing with bridal party member (7,8)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Kind of question about personal skill? (7)

Generating...

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

AM I ABLE (a question about one’s own ability or skill)

4d

Different parent blowing top (5)

Generating...

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

M OTHER (parent) excluding (blowing) the first letter (top) M

5d

Vote against magazine slogan endorsing Trump over King (9)

Generating...

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

( NON [a vote against] + ME [Google tells me there used to be a magazine called ME ] + MAGA [Make America Great Again], a slogan endorsing Donald Trump [born 1946] for President) all reversed (over)

6d

Describe as good-looking, now? (7)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Cover PM maintaining line in sand, shortly seizing old city church (6,9)

Generating...

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

( HEATH [reference Edward HEATH {1916 – 2005}, former UK Prime Minister] containing [maintaining] L [line]) + IN + ([ SAN D excluding the final letter [briefly] D ] containing [seizing] UR [old Sumerian city-state in ancient Mesopotamia]) + CE (Church [of England])

8d

Did flatter grass outside hospital already save odd characters? (8)

Generating...
14d

Sunak supporting a bad actor turned religious leader (9)

Generating...

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

( A + HAM [poor actor]) reversed (turned) + RISHI (reference RISHI Sunak [born 1980], former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) – as this is a down entry, RISHI is ‘supporting’ the letters MAHA

16d

Spooner's excellent visitors in chat sites (8)

Generating...

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

Reverend Spooner would pronounce GABFESTS as FAB ( FAB ulous; excellent) GUESTS (visitors)

18d

American uncle and captain reflected nation (7)

Generating...

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

( SAM [reference Uncle SAM [the United States or its American people] + AHAB (reference Captain AHAB from the novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville [1819 – 1891]) all reversed (reflected)

20d

Lost red bats and grey one (7)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Additionally skipping European backing tracks? (1-5)

Generating...

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

B e SIDES (additionally) excluding (skipping) E (European)

23d

Poet's earlier cut from "You there, boy!" (5)

Generating...

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

YOU TH ere excluding (cut from) ERE (poetic form of before [earlier])