Independent Cryptic #12031

2025-05-01

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Across

1a

Short tree-lined road in Leeds perhaps shows pothole? (6)

Generating...

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

AV ( AV enue [tree-lined road) contained in (in) CITY (Leeds is an example of an English city)

4a

Template used for a decoration (8)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Rebellious Republican overruled by Democrat more than is necessary (6)

Generating...

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

UN R ULY (rebellious) with R (Republican) replaced by (overruled by) D (Democrat)

10a

Ninety tablets hidden in body parts - that's too much! (2,6)

Generating...

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

( XC [Roman numerals for 90] + ES [ecstasy tablets]) contained in (hidden in) TOES (body parts)

12a

Book review of Life in France includes street event on the South coast (8)

Generating...

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

B (book) + ( LA VIE [French for life; Life in France] reversed [review] containing [includes] ST [event])

13a

Co-author? (3,3)

Generating...

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

PEN PAL (co-author is a cryptic definition of PEN PAL )

15a

Criticised loudly being spellbound (4)

Generating...

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

RAPT ( sounds like [loudly] RAPPED [criticised])

16a

Early warning: terribly bad news shortly coming around (6,4)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (terribly) BAD NEW S excluding the last letter (shortly) S , containing (coming around) FORE (warning shouted on a golf course when a ball might hit someone)

19a

Italian national strangely welcomes extremists from Piemonte but not together (10)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (strangely) NATIONAL containing (welcomes) P and E ( outer letters of [extremists] P iemont E ) i n separate positions (but not together)

20a

Friendly type (4)

Generating...

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

KIND (sort; type) double definition

23a

French detective ignoring head of MI6, it's a feather in his cap (6)

Generating...

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

M AIGRET (French fictional detective created by Georges Simenon [1903 – 1989], Belgian author) excluding (ignoring) M (first letter [head of] M I6)

25a

Demand family member to break into end of conversation (6,2)

Generating...

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

SIS ( SIS ter; family member) contained in (to break) INTO ) + N ( last letter of [end of] conversatio N

27a

Maybe see twinkles, giving quick looks (3-5)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Piece of music arranged in record time? The opposite (6)

Generating...

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

( EP [Extended Play record] + T ) contained in (in) SET (arranged) – this is the opposite of the words in the clue ‘arranged in record time’.

29a

Seconds away from ex-PM, not telling the truth, having a fight (8)

Generating...

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

T R USS (reference Liz TRUSS [born 1975], UK Prime Minister from 5th September 2022 to 24th October 2022) excluding the second letter (second away) R + L Y ING (not telling the truth) excluding the second letter (second away) Y

30a

For Macron nothing separates France from Germany, an ally (6)

Generating...

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

RIEN (French [President Macron] for ‘nothing’) contained in (separates) ( F [International Vehicle Registration for France] + D [International Vehicle Registration for Germany])

Down

1d

Charlie's a big awkward person, one who loves nightlife (7)

Generating...

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

C (cocaine [Charlie]) + LUBBER [awkward, big, clumsy person])

2d

As mentioned earlier corrupt adviser's happy to intervene (4,5)

Generating...

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

UP (happy) contained in (to intervene) an anagram of (corrupt) ADVISER

3d

One's supporting unbelievable composer (6)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Book a singer-songwriter called Tori (4)

Generating...

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

AMOS (reference the American singer-songwriter Tori AMOS [born 1963]) double definition

6d

Sociologist's network swamped by rising River Test (3,5)

Generating...

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

WEB (network) contained in (swamped by) ( R [river] + EXAM [test]) all reversed [rising; down entry])

7d

Belgian city in which you won't find an insignificant person (5)

Generating...

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

AN TWERP (Belgian city) excluding (in which you won’t find) AN

8d

Lead character in Sophocles' Electra (7)

Generating...

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

EPSILON (E, first letter of [lead] E lectra [play written by Sophocles])

11d

Appropriate appearance to become widely known (4,3)

Generating...

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

TAKE (steal; appropriate) + AIR (appearance)

14d

Pub changing hands at last: drama for Swiss lakeside town (7)

Generating...

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

LOCA L (pub) changing the final letter from L [left hand] to R [right hand] – changing hands) + NO (traditional Japanese style of drama)

17d

Old Greek prince maybe let loose (9)

Generating...

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

ARISTO ( ARISTO crat [a prince for example]) + an anagram of (loose) LET

18d

A person involved in blame game produces fertiliser (8)

Generating...

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

ONE (a person) contained in (involved in) an anagram of (game) BLAME

19d

Want some time off? Mr Davey goes away next (7)

Generating...

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

NE ED A REST ? (want some time off?) excluding (goes away) ED (Reference ED Davey [born 1965], leader of the Liberal Democrats in the UK)

21d

Gifted revolutionary, not dead (7)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Straight adult aboard ship (6)

flowerflowerflower
24d

Mathematician rejects answer but accepts 2.718 as estimate (5)

Generating...

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

G A USS (reference Carl Friedrich GAUSS [1777 – 1855], German mathematician) excluding (rejects) A (answer) but includes (accepts) E (e = 2.718…. is the base of Natural logarithms)

26d

"Females only" sign (4)

Generating...

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

O (character representing zero) + MEN — zero men implies ‘Females only’