Independent Cryptic #12026

2025-04-25

Solve on Independent →

Across

9a

Fruit, good source of oil (5)

Generating...

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

G (good) + RAPE (plant cultivated for oil-producing seeds; source of oil)

10a

Gum tree but not river to receive an assurance (9)

Generating...

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

( GUAR [ GUAR gum is a powder ground from GUAR seeds, used in the food industry as a thickening agent and stabilizer] + T R EE excluding [but not] R [river]) all containing (to receive) AN

11a

Impertinence shown by two around dock back in part of Türkiye (9)

Generating...

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

GALL (impudence; impertinence) + ( II [Roman numeral for two] containing [around] LOP (cut; dock] reversed (back)

12a

Cycling World for the French enthusiast (5)

Generating...

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

MON DE (French word for ‘world’) with the letters shifted two places to the right and round to the front (cycling) to form DE MON

13a

Some kimono binder? (3)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Persistent poet returned, getting led about (5-6)

Generating...

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

HARDY (reference Thomas HARDY [1840 – 1928], English novelist and poet) reversed (returned) and contained in (getting … about) HEADED (led)

16a

More formal elementary text needs additional money (7)

Generating...

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

PRIMER (elementary text) containing (needs) an extra (additional) M (money, when used in monetary supply measures such as M0, M1 etc)

19a

Young fellow with suppressed spirits in Australian desert (7)

Generating...

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

SON (young fellow) containing (with suppressed) IMPS (wicked spirits)

21a

Dating nerds could make you very distressed (5-6)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Half-hearted support shows decline (3)

Generating...

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

RO O T (support – Bradford’s gives ROOT as a synonym for ‘support’) excluding one of the middle Os [half-hearted])

25a

Spurious endeavour aboard naval vessel in retreat (5)

Generating...

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

( GO [a venture; an endeavour] contained in (aboard) SUB [SUBmarine; naval vessel]) all reversed (in retreat)

27a

Strip of land shimmering in Alpine sun (9)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Party paper avoiding foremost distraction? (4,5)

Generating...

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

SIDE (party in a dispute, for instance) + T ISSUE (type of paper) excluding the first letter (avoiding foremost) T

29a

Quote reflected introducing touch of heresy in creed (5)

Generating...

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

CITE (quote) reversed (reflected) containing (introducing) H (first letter of [touch of] H eresy)

Down

1d

Threatening behaviour increased around last of some sector of population (3,5)

Generating...

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

( AGGRO [threatening behaviour] + UP [increased]) containing (around) E (final letter of [last of] SOME)

2d

Onychophagia? That’s exciting (4-6)

Generating...

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

NAIL-BITING (an onychophagist is a nail-biter, so onychophagia is NAIL-BITING )

3d

Meditative approach: it’s hard, though a high point (6)

Generating...

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

ZEN (followers of ZEN [an Japanese branch of Buddhism] take a meditative approach to life) + IT + H (hard, on lead pencils)

4d

A podium position involving Spain from long ago (3-3)

Generating...

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

A + ( GOLD [a GOLD medallist earns a place on the podium] containing [involving] E [International Vehicle Registration for Spain {Espana}])

5d

Large letters surpass sloping letters? (8)

Generating...

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

CAP (surpass) + ITALS (italic or sloping letters)

6d

Imagine father having papers covering year (8)

Generating...

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

( DAD [father] + REAM [a quantity of paper; papers]) containing (covering) Y (year)

7d

Small item in potato (mashed) (4)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Desired Asian money - turned over hideaway (6)

Generating...

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

YEN (Japanese [Asian] money) + DEN (hideaway) reversed (turned over)

15d

Showing agitation? Is time to tuck into some beer, perhaps (10)

Generating...

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

( IS + T [time]) contained in (tuck into) DRAUGHT (beer stored in bulk)

17d

End of game on vessel reveals camaraderie (8)

Generating...

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

MATE (check MATE , a position that signifies the end of a game of chess) + SHIP (vessel)

18d

Bring back border stance after incursion by European (8)

Generating...

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

( RIM [border] + POSE [stance]) containing (incursion by) E (European)

20d

Bird fan to bring new birds into view? (8)

Generating...

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

NUT (enthusiast; fan) + HATCH (bring out from the egg; bring new birds into view)

21d

Morning commuter vehicle hot, leading to sudden attack (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Stupid agreement to invert solution to puzzle (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Arctic explorer’s new answer: turning North-East (6)

Generating...

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

N (new) + ANS (answer) + NE (North East) reversed (turning)

26d

French writer’s influence not university (4)

Generating...

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

G U IDE (influence) excluding (not) U (university)