Independent Cryptic #12017

2025-04-15

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Across

1a

Short bloke in front of The Fat Duck (7)

Generating...

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

MAL E (bloke) excluding the final letter (short) E + (in front of) LARD (the fat) – The Fat Duck is a fine dining restaurant in the village of Bray in England.

5a

Campaign involving vintage soul singer (7)

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9a

Actor reversing in Rover (5)

Generating...

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

DAMON (reference the American actor Matt DAMON [born 1970]) reversed (reversing)

10a

Educationalist and author entertained by member of Bros (9)

Generating...

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

VERNE (reference Jules VERNE [1828 – 1905], French author) contained in (entertained by) GOSS (two members of the British band Bros are the twin brothers Luke and Matt GOSS [born 1968])

11a

Natural time out in friendly (9)

Generating...

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

CONGENI T AL (dating from birth; natural) excluding (out) T (time)

12a

Female knocked back old flame in Bordeaux? (5)

Generating...

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

EX (former partner; old flame) reversed (knocked back) contained in (in) VIN (wine, a Bordeaux, for example)

13a

Nail bar is dodgy front for drugs (4)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (dodgy) BAR + D ( first letter of [front for] D rugs

15a

My name is Bill, or maybe not? (8)

Generating...

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

I’M (my name is) + POSTER (advertising display; bill)

18a

Jazzy number about lawyer could be one from Hamilton (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (jazzy) NUMBER containing (about) DA (abbreviation for an American District Attorney; lawyer)

19a

Gloomy part of soundtrack Radiohead rejected (4)

Generating...

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

DARK ( reversed [rejected] hidden word in [part of] soundtrac K RAD iohead)

22a

Orchestra in auditorium introducing Beethoven's 3rd (5)

Generating...
24a

Vandal from ancient city wearing mostly maroon (9)

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26a

Bad Manners in Nina Simone song (9)

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27a

George was one snaring a monster (5)

Generating...

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

BEST (reference George BEST [1946 – 2005], Northern Irish footballer) containing (snaring) A

28a

Cock ring included in list (7)

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29a

President elected after changing style (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (changing) STYLE + IN (elected)

Down

1d

Danger of Grecian getting charged with stick-up (6)

Generating...

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

ME (Grecian is the setter of this crossword) containing (getting charged with) CANE (stick) reversed (up; down entry)

2d

Fruit supplier about to be overwhelmed by Del Monte out-of-date bananas (5,4)

Generating...

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

RE (with reference to; about) contained in (overwhelmed by) an anagram of D EL MONTE excluding (out of) D (date) – Del Monte is a food production and distribution company with a strong focus on fruit supply

3d

Make confused move like 1A ditching wife (5)

Generating...

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

W ADDLE (a MALLARD [entry at 1 across] moves in a WADDL ing motion) excluding (ditching) W (wife)

4d

August day meant going topless (9)

Generating...

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

D (day) + S IGNIFIED (meant) excluding the first letter (going topless) S

5d

Kent player casting out line for carp (5)

Generating...

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

CAVI L L (reference Henry CAVILL [born 1983], British actor who has played Clark Kent [Superman] in the DC Extended Universe media franchise) excluding (casting out) L (line)

6d

Everything essentially lifted on date nothing changed (9)

Generating...

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

UN IVER SE (everything) with the middle four letters (essentially) IVER reversed (lifted; down entry) to form UN REVI SE + D (date)

7d

Farewells missing one of two people (1,4)

Generating...

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

AD I EUX (farewells) excluding (missing) I (Roman numeral for one)

8d

Moderation failing in New Age (6)

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14d

Most remarkable diamonds and money stolen by East End criminal (9)

Generating...

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

( D [diamonds] and M [money] separately contained in (stolen by) an anagram of (criminal) EAST END

16d

Writer is easily exhausted grasping new version of Freudian theory (5,4)

Generating...

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

PEN (writer) + IS + EY ( letters remaining in E asil Y when the central letters asil are removed [exhausted] containing [grasping] [ N {new} + V {version}])

17d

Arsey Lady Gaga getting time from Genesis (5,4)

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20d

Affair right over the head of Holly Hunter (6)

Generating...

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

( CASE [an incident; an affair] + R [right]) containing (over) H (first letter of [head of] Holly

21d

God is dehumanised being in sci-fi film (6)

Generating...

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

IT (impersonal subject or object; dehumanised being) contained in (in) TRON (science fiction film released in 1982)

23d

Erica Jong's second language (5)

Generating...

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

LING (heather; erica is a type of heather) + O ( second letter of [‘s second] j O ng)

24d

Object Big Bird kept inside drawer (5)

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25d

Non-conformist piece from Hilaire Belloc (5)

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