Independent Cryptic #12086

2025-07-04

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Flowering plant entwined in some latch (9)

flowerflowerflower
6a

Olympic performer several overlooked at the end (5)

Generating...

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

DIVER s (several) missing last letter or ‘overlooked at the end’

9a

Observing last ones in the colony escaping? Securing four still around (9)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Father struggled to ignore one with flags (5)

Generating...

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

PA (father) V i ED (struggled) missing or ‘ignoring’ I (one)

11a

Playing chess to alarm - here’s an easy win (12)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Live way out around far side of forests (5)

Generating...

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

EXIT (way out) around S (the last letter or ‘far side’ of forests)

15a

Experienced hand not initially more daring when trapping deer (9)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Favour support being installed in a lot of toilets (9)

flowerflowerflower
18a

TV merchandise perhaps that is rolling in money (5)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Dictionary I caught including Greek letter in smaller-scale notes (12)

Generating...

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

CHAMBERS (dictionary) I C (caught) around or ‘including’ MU (Greek latter) – Chamber music is composed for a small group of instruments

22a

Little area containing zero living things (5)

Generating...

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

BIT (little) A (area) around or ‘containing’ O (zero)

23a

Cheerful to study bottle containing intravenous drip (9)

Generating...

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

CON (to study) VIAL (bottle) around or ‘containing’ IV (intravenous drip)

24a

Relaxed when held in the attention of some Londoners (5)

flowerflowerflower
25a

American laboratory’s American mission: blocking defeat (9)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Bungle in classic TV show (4)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Kept up a lot of commotion about river’s tidal feature (4)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘kept up’) of FUS s (commotion) missing last letter or ‘a lot of’ around ‘R (river)

3d

I start to ridicule copper in helmet say - and what it conceals? (7)

Generating...

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

I R (first letter or ‘start’ of ridicule) CU (copper) in HAT (‘helmet, say’)

4d

Leave with no standard of measurement fixed in test of branch of geometry (15)

Generating...

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

GO (leave) NO METRIC (standard of measurement) in TRIAL (test)

5d

French novel in which male rues England after a disaster (15)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Nothing is upset in department’s security (7)

Generating...

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

O (nothing) and a reversal (‘upset’) of IS in DEPT (department)

7d

Against one repeatedly getting cross about English in Disraeli novel (10)

Generating...

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

V (against) I (one) repeated + ANGRY (cross) ‘about’ E (English)

8d

Woman’s upset about detective initially making a mistake - this isn’t a clue (10)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘upset’) of HER (woman’s) about D (first or ‘initial’ letter of detective) + ERRING (making a mistake)

12d

Nasty of the French getting sanctimonious over old message (10)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Very big name adopting one cause mostly about live births (10)

Generating...

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

V (very) VIP (big name) around or ‘adopting’ I (one) + AROUS e (cause) missing last letter or ‘mostly’

17d

Popular directors occupying ship? (7)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Minor transactions Italy needed running out of time (7)

Generating...

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

TR (transactions) I (Italy) VI t AL (needed) missing or ‘running out of ‘t’ (time)

20d

Movie reflecting part of dream life (4)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Extra luxurious with husband absent (4)

Generating...

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

PLUS h (luxurious) with ‘h’ (husband) missing (‘absent’)