Independent Cryptic #12081

2025-06-28

Solve on Independent →

Across

6a

Hosts leaders of active Russian movement in extreme secrecy (6)

flowerflowerflower
7a

Moderate spring call (7)

Generating...

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

SPA (spring) RING (call)

9a

Mumbling objection about terminology (5)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Diagram of sequences from fellow depressed companion with talent (9)

Generating...

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

F (fellow) LOW (depressed) CH (Companion of Honour) ART (talent)

12a

Too much cycling for little child (3)

Generating...

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

OTT (‘too much’) with the last letter moved to the front or ‘cycling’

13a

Unsuitable pixie needn't go swimming (11)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Perhaps the first Elizabeth R for cruciverbalists? (7)

Generating...

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

R is the first letter or HEAD of RED (‘for cruciverbalists’) – Elizabeth 1 was renowned for her red hair

15a

Subject of script Diaz meant to be read in regular instalments (7)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters (‘regular instalments’) in s C r I p T d I a Z m E a N t

18a

Historic Red Wedding? (11)

Generating...

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

Cryptic definition – a play on the fact that the SOVIET UNION (=wedding) was an ‘historic’ communist (red) country

21a

Limit EU farming policy (3)

Generating...

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

Double definition – the second being the Common Agricultural Policy

23a

Are digits manipulated for parliamentary family? (9)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Organic compound's manufactured there (5)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Back East Germany in Norwegian (7)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Temporary shelter's sign broken by worker (6)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Indecisive Prince of Hungary with charm that's not universal (6)

Generating...

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

H (Hungary) AM u LET (charm) missing the ‘u’ (universal)

2d

Issued electronic order to send duke down (8)

Generating...

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

E (electronic) MANDATE (order) with the D (duke) moved to the end or ‘sent down’

3d

The French Teletubby runs in ecstasy after a hare (8)

Generating...

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

LE (French for ‘the’) PO (Teletubby) R (runs) IN E (ecstasy)

4d

Voting system cool Democrat valued (6)

Generating...

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

PR (Proportional Representation – ‘voting system’) ICE (cool) D (democrat)

5d

Mad Parisians might take a dip here it's said (6)

Generating...

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

A homophone (‘it’s said’) of IN SEINE (where Parisians might take a dip)

8d

periscope.tv exercised potential (11)

flowerflowerflower
10d

Reference books deal with computer interfaces outside Delaware (11)

Generating...

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

FIELD (deal with) GUIS (graphical user interfaces – ‘computer interfaces’) round DE (Delaware)

11d

Brown carries one ton - that's a huge figure! (5)

Generating...

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

TAN (brown) round or ‘carrying’ I (one) T (ton)

14d

Files of king snakes (5)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Fiddler can finally speak before start of recital (8)

Generating...

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

TIN (can) K (last or ‘final’ letter of speak) ERE (before) R (first letter or ‘start’ of recital)

17d

Reportedly menagerie feature in Channel Islands provides growth for American (8)

Generating...

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

A homophone (‘reportedly’) of ZOO (menagerie) + CHIN (feature) in CI (Channel Islands)

19d

Piece from piano reverberates around city (6)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Say half of gnomes go without ordinary boozy concoction (6)

Generating...

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

EG (say) GNO mes (half only) + G o missing or ‘without’ ‘o’ (ordinary)

22d

Aperitif lifted Spanish gent and salesman (6)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘lifted’) of DON (Spanish gent) REP (salesman)