Independent Cryptic #12098

2025-07-18

Solve on Independent →

Across

7a

I will enter church or part of cathedral (5)

Generating...

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

I contained in (will enter) ( CH [church] + OR )

8a

Defeat in debate with no opening for amused response (8)

Generating...

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

s LAUGHTER (demolish in argument; defeat in debate) excluding (with no) S ( the first letter [opening]) S

10a

Sleep over but appearing upset for sure (7)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Somewhat unpleasant time dodging criticism is hard (7)

Generating...

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

S t ICK (criticism) excluding (dodging) T (time) + IS + H (hard, as in the description of pencil lead)

12a

American praise curtailed and retracted? That’s normal (5)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Wet weather? Sheep getting mostly lined up inside (9)

Generating...

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

RAM (male sheep) containing (getting … inside) IN STOR e (forthcoming; imminent; lined up) excluding the final letter (mostly) E

15a

Quantity of vegetation there being no energy in what veggies decline (3)

Generating...

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

M e AT (a foodstuff declined by vegetarians) excluding (there being no) E (energy)

16a

Investments - Henry to avoid small amounts (7)

Generating...

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

S h AVINGS (small pieces [amounts], especially of wood,  thinly sliced [shaved] from a bigger piece) excluding (to avoid) H (henry; SI unit of electrical inductance)

19a

Obligation to work hard? Not right (3)

Generating...

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

TI r E (to work hard) excluding (not) R (right)

20a

Characteristic features offering pitfalls around IT test (9)

flowerflowerflower
23a

City in which I may broach accepted standards (5)

Generating...

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

I contained in (may broatch) PARS (accepted standards)

24a

Greek characterno Catholic in my opinion backsliding (7)

Generating...

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

( NO + RC [Roman Catholic] + IMO [in my opinion, abbreviation in text messaging]) all reversed (backsliding)

25a

Favouring air a lot in life (7)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Information challenge implicating male police officer (8)

Generating...

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

GEN (information) + ( DARE [challenge] containing [implicating] M [male])

28a

Rest and shelter accommodated by South Pole initially (5)

Generating...

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

LEE (shelter) contained in (accommodated by) ( S [South] + P [ first letter of {initially} P ole])

Down

1d

Navy amongst school of whales in body of water (4)

Generating...

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

( N [navy] contained in [amongst] POD [small group or school of whales])

2d

Problems: town’s foremost functions involving bar where power’s off (8)

Generating...

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

T ( first letter of [foremost] T own) + ( ROLES [functions] containing [involving] p UB [public house; bar] excluding [off] P [power])

3d

Roofworker heading for skyscraper subsequently (6)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Topic: Queen has deductive flair about it on reflection (8)

Generating...

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

QU + ( NOSE [deductive flair] containing [about] IT ) reversed (on reflection)

5d

Surprises husband wearing footwear (6)

flowerflowerflower
6d

I get aboard front part of fairground ride something taking to the skies (10)

Generating...

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

( I + COP [sieze or catch; get]) contained in (aboard) HELTER (first [front] part of HELTER Skelter [a fairground ride])

7d

Accomplishment regarding something local I observed in study (12)

Generating...

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

( ON [regarding] + SUMMAT [dialect {local term} for ‘something’] + I ) contained in [observed in] CON (study)

9d

Why specimen gets corrupted with last of grime? I was often dirty from work (12)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (gets corrupted) WHY SPECIMEN and E ( final letter of [last of] grim E )

13d

Scrapping virus alert? Beyond one’s authority (10)

flowerflowerflower
17d

A lot of poetry about international name in drink suppliers (8)

Generating...

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

VERS e (poetry) excluding the final letter (a lot of) E , containing (about) ( INT [ INT ernational + N [name])

18d

Hold back drink over equipment familiar to (8)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Poor imitation of wages that will secure staff (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Taxidermist with no time for bear (6)

Generating...

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

S t UFFER (a term descriptive of a taxidermist) excluding (with no) T (time)

26d

Stopped without father getting worn-out (4)

Generating...

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

pa USED (stopped) excluding (without) PA (father)