Independent Cryptic #12038

2025-05-09

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Across

1a

Recalled capture while charging tank - brave (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘recalled’) of NAIL (capture) in or ‘charging’ VAT (tank)

5a

Capacity for business? SA city without it - odd (6)

Generating...

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

QU it O (South American city, capital of Ecuador) missing ‘it’ + RUM (odd)

8a

Conjectured manicurist will work with talc (14)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Instrument cracked by couple of daughters, one opposing innovation (7)

Generating...

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

LUTE (instrument) round or ‘cracked by’ DD (couple of daughters) I (one)

12a

Soothe King: reckon to see off Baron (7)

Generating...

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

R (rex – King) b ELIEVE (reckon) missing or ‘seeing off’ ‘b’ (Baron)

13a

Timid, making alarmed sound after head of mouse appears (4)

Generating...

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

EEK (alarmed sound) after M (first letter or ‘head’ of mouse)

14a

English company reasoning correctly regarding the environment (10)

Generating...

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

E (English) CO (company) LOGICAL (reasoning correctly)

17a

Horrid caws wheeling around plough (4,6)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Offensive drink returned by hospital (4)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘returned’) of SUP (drink) + H (hospital)

20a

Northern territory south of Spanish area, mostly? (7)

Generating...

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

S (south) IBERIA (‘Spanish area mostly’ – it also includes Portugal)

22a

Energy failed, not initially radiated (7)

Generating...

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

E (energy) o MITTED (failed) missing the first letter or ‘not initially’

24a

Popular grimy novel I’m to adapt, as far as anyone can recall (2,6,6)

Generating...

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

IN (popular) + an anagram (‘to adapt’) of GRIMY NOVEL I’M

26a

Programming language possibly without content, albeit new (6)

Generating...

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

P ossibl Y missing the middle letters or ‘without content’ + THO (albeit) N (new)

27a

Society engaged in heading off alien worker (7)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Outspoken and against pub not opening (5)

Generating...

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

V (versus – ‘against’) l OCAL (pub) missing the first letter or ‘not opening’

2d

Ghastly snide slur making sensational appearance (9)

flowerflowerflower
3d

God of the dead is found beneath a central point (6)

Generating...

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

IS after A NUB (central point)

4d

It’s a position taken up (3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘taken up’) of SIT (position)

5d

Pointed missiles - sign Nationalist has gone off ready for a fight (11)

Generating...

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

QUARRELS (‘pointed missiles’ – arrows for a crossbow) OME n (sign) with the ‘n’ (Nationalist) missing or ‘gone off’

6d

Aware of mathematical quantity unknown in essential science? (8)

Generating...

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

ONTO (aware of) LOG (mathematical quantity) Y (unknown)

7d

America, for one, upset management (5)

flowerflowerflower
9d

Government department line adopted by former PM (6)

flowerflowerflower
11d

Erotica on X, I fancy, should get extreme criticism (11)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Unpretentious way of working with stone (6)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Outsource works - civil? (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Rude dash is entering church (8)

Generating...

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

HURL (dash) IS ‘entering’ CH (church)

19d

Unambiguous gossip about financial centre? (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Plump? That’s thin, with extra character (5)

Generating...

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

BONY (thin) with an extra N (character)

23d

Article from long ago penned by academic, most senior fellow (5)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Spanish artist not unknown in old Portuguese territory (3)

Generating...

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

GO y A (Spanish artist) without the ‘y’ (unknown)