Independent Cryptic #12056

2025-05-30

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Across

5a

Positioned one King I see like 21? (7)

Generating...

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

Positioned one King, I see, like 21? SAT (=positioned, placed) + I (=one) + R (=king, i.e. rex) + I + C (=see, in textspeak); satiric(al) is “like Swift (=entry at 21)”

7a

Unknown person nevertheless putting women first (7)

Generating...

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

Unknown person nevertheless putting women first HO W EVER (=nevertheless); “putting women (=W) first” means letter “w” moves to front of word

10a

Come round after Hogmanay? Fellow in binge in US goes behind trees (9)

Generating...

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

Come round after Hogmanay? Fellow in binge in US goes behind trees FIRS (=trees) + [F (=fellow) in TOOT (= (drinking) binge, in US)]; to first-foot is to be the first person to visit a house after the beginning of the new year, hence “come round after Hogmanay”

11a

Daughter and husband leaving jetty in Mini (5)

Generating...

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

Daughter and husband leaving jetty in Mini D (=daughter) + W <h> ARF (=jetty; “ husband (=H) leaving” means letter “h” is dropped)

12a

Fool's mostly quaint and formal way of speaking (5)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Academic to encourage soldiers about old French (9)

Generating...

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

Academic to encourage soldiers about old French [O (=old, as in OT) + F (=French)] in [PRESS (=encourage, press) + OR (=soldiers, i.e. Other Ranks)]

16a

Irritate mum after dispersing collection of insects (11)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Swipe horn criminally in possession (9)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Resort recalled in story about capital of Italy (5)

Generating...

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

Resort recalled in story about capital of Italy I (=Italy, in IVR) in TALE (=story); “recalled” is anagram indicator; Eilat is a resort town in southern Israel

21a

Examination about Welsh or Irish writer (5)

Generating...
22a

Enamelware: is ready to crack copy (9)

Generating...

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

Enamelware is ready to crack copy [IS + ON (=ready, all set)] in CLONE (=copy, reproduction); cloisonné is work with enamel inlaid in compartments formed by small fillets of metal

24a

Bar brawl around Christmas not unknown (7)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Californian city intent on squashing vulgar refusal by Senate ultimately (7)

Generating...

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

Californian city intent on squashing vulgar refusal by Senate ultimately [NAH (=vulgar refusal) + <senat> E (“ultimately” means last letter only)] in AIM (=intent); Anaheim is a city in Southern California outside Los Angeles

Down

1d

Corn for grinding needing no special stones (4)

Generating...

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

Corn for grinding needing no special stones GRI <s> T (=corn for grinding; “needing no special (=S)” means letter “s” is dropped

2d

Carry out claim with chops getting cooked (10)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Study origin of wine consumed by heavy drinker (4)

Generating...

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

Study origin of wine consumed by heavy drinker W <ine> (“origin of” means first letter only) in SOT (=heavy drinker); cf. He’s swotting for his exams

4d

Censor to decline to respond after line in edition twisted (10)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Catch speech while eating a lot of cheese (6)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Clean internet up after three hundred years (13)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Perfect representation of a serviceman wobbling astride barrel (13)

Generating...

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

Perfect representation of a serviceman, wobbling, astride barrel BL (=barrel) in *(A SERVICEMAN); “wobbling” is anagram indicator

9d

Soldiers supporting source of military change (6)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Holes allowing foot to slip out? It's the last thing you want to hear (10)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Down with professional in cricket ground awaiting confirmation (10)

Generating...

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

Down with professional in cricket ground, awaiting confirmation [NAP (=down, on surface of cloth) + PRO (=professional)] in OVAL (=cricket ground)

17d

Big dog pulls ahead of old monarch (6)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Source of water power straddling river (6)

Generating...

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

Source of water power straddling river R (=river) in STEAM (=power)

22d

Indefinable something within confines of cheery town (4)

Generating...

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

Indefinable something withing confines of cheery town IT (=indefinable something, as in She’s got it ) in C <heer> Y (“confines” of means first and last letters only)

23d

Son tucked into fish (4)

Generating...

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

Son tucked into fish S (=son) + HAD (=tucked into, i.e. had to eat); a shad is a fish related to the herring