Independent Cryptic #12040

2025-05-12

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Bananas split best from the end (8)

flowerflowerflower
6a

Just small hint (6)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Spoil one's partner (6)

Generating...

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

Charade of I’M + PAIR (one’s, or one is, partner). It took me a while to realise that this works only if “partner” and “pair” are construed not as nouns (as the surface grammar would seem to insist) but as verbs, as in “partner/pair up” with someone. Very cunning

10a

Large lady sings at the end of Salome broadcast (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram (broadcast) of SINGS AT E (the end of Salome)

11a

Stingy tea hosted by university board (12)

Generating...

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

Insertion (hosted by) of CHAR into UNI + TABLE

13a

Short chap who puts his finger up inside filthy place (6)

Generating...

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

Insertion of UMP (chap who puts his finger up) into STY

15a

"You're welcome," unlikely after "No thanks" (3,2,3)

Generating...

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

NO TA (no thanks) + TALL (unlikely, as in tall story)

16a

African croc swims among carp (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram (swims) of CROC inside MOAN

18a

Family on father's side turned brown in time (6)

Generating...

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

Reversal (turned) of TAN in AGE. The definition connotes people descended from a common male ancestor. A new word for me

19a

Nonsensical fellow reassigned aircrews in lounge (5,7)

Generating...

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

Anagram (reassigned) of AIRCREWS inside LOLL

22a

Difficulty meeting once a year, some paper claims (8)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Irish county town's bar good at all times (6)

Generating...

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

Subtraction of G (bar good) from GALWAY’S

24a

Rickshaw takes two Anatolians leaving third behind (3,3)

Generating...

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

TUrK TUrK (two Anatolians) each without the third letter

25a

Start at the end of riddle, they teach you (8)

Generating...

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

STRAINER (riddle) with the first letter moved to the end

Down

2d

Strange people full of one thought (10)

Generating...

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

RUM NATION (strange people) around I (full of one)

3d

Loud noise making bottom hot in lesson (5)

Generating...

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

CLASs with its final letter (bottom, in a down clue) changed to H

4d

Show a little light on one side of ship? (7)

flowerflowerflower
5d

New telethon begins, time to react to poverty (7,4,4)

Generating...

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

Anagram (new) of TELETHON BEGINS, plus T

6d

Popular quartet back in concert after quiet rest day (7)

Generating...

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

ABBA (popular quartet) + T (last letter of ‘concert’) after SH (quiet)

7d

With holes made in the cupboard, possibly test temperature inside for hens (4-5)

Generating...

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

MOT (test) +HEAT + EN (inside of ‘hENs’). I suppose the ‘possibly’ could equally apply either to the definition or to the word ‘test’, given that other kinds of test are available

8d

See, nearly see, no longer see? (4)

flowerflowerflower
12d

Member of the team keeps tardy worker on track (10)

Generating...

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

PLAYER (member of the team) around (keeps) LATE

14d

According to Spooner, diver could earn extra (9)

Generating...

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

Spoonerism of LOON MIGHT (diver could)

17d

Sticking-up hair that's unpleasant under hood (7)

Generating...

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

ICK (that’s unpleasant) beneath COWL

18d

Gulf state prepared with US president dropping round (7)

Generating...

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

Charade of A LA (prepared with) and OBAMA minus the O (dropping round). The gulf in question, of course, isn’t the Arabian one but the one that orange-lovers now call the Gulf of America

20d

Seats on the front and back of garden tree (5)

Generating...

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

“Seats on the front” could mean those in ROW A, plus N (back of garden)

21d

Singer sounding like 8? (4)

Generating...

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

LU + LU, with LOSE (8d) being an ostensible soundalike for LUs (as in, more than one LU)