Independent Cryptic #12102

2025-07-23

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Across

1a

Prohibition restricting sound a lot in good time? (14)

Generating...

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

BAN (prohibition) around RIGHT (sound = healthy), then DEARLY (a lot, as in “they paid dearly for it”).

9a

Lacking nose Tycho ultimately miserable for nothing (9)

Generating...

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

Last letter (ultimately) of [tych] O + DOUR (miserable) + FREE (for nothing = at no cost). “Nose” as in wine-speak = scent. The surface suggests the Renaissance astronomer Tycho Brahe, who lost part of his nose in a duel during his student days and wore a metal prosthesis for the rest of his life.

10a

Have fun next to Australian desert basin (5)

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11a

Flower stand close to mortuary (5)

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12a

Partner scratching left foot in room in Yorkshire town (9)

Generating...

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

OTHER HA [lf] (slang for a spouse or partner), without L (abbreviation for left) + F (perhaps an abbreviation for foot, though “ft” is probably more common), all inside RM (abbreviation for room).

13a

Grandma reportedly nurtured Indian side (8)

Generating...

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

NAN (grandma) + sound-alike (reportedly) of BRED (nurtured). Side = shortening of “side dish” = something served alongside a meal.

15a

Revolutionary activists scared to fly (6)

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17a

Here's Johnny! in the end is blasphemy (6)

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19a

Poles welcoming second dirty woman (8)

Generating...

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

S + N (abbreviations for South and North Poles), containing LATTER (the second of two things). Disparaging term for a woman who doesn’t care about keeping things clean and tidy.

22a

Scorch earth in destroyed capital (9)

Generating...

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

CHAR (scorch = damage due to heat) + E (abbreviation for earth, in wiring diagrams), inside BUST (destroyed). The capital of Romania.

23a

Intoxicated after beginning to taste cut of meat (5)

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24a

Columns in Excel are too narrow and initially the wrong way round (5)

Generating...

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

Initial letters of E [xcel] A [re] T [oo] N [arrow] A [nd], all reversed (the wrong way round). Plural of anta: a square pillar (column) at the end of a wall or at the side of a doorway.

25a

Assign guy perhaps to get diamond? (9)

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26a

Amazingly society goes berserk for Vogue ? (14)

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Down

1d

Overweight ex-cricketer illuminated? (14)

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2d

A Welshman a Scotsman and an African (7)

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3d

Prince Hector (5)

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4d

Cultivated city with wondrous mausoleum I drove around (8)

Generating...

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

AGRA (city in India containing the mausoleum Taj Mahal ), then I with RAN (drove = controlled) around it. Relating to cultivated land.

5d

End up with some terrible ragout for starters and main course in Moldova (6)

Generating...

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

END reversed (up, in a down clue) + starting letters of S [ome] T [errible] R [agout]. Major river (main watercourse) in Moldova, also spelled Dniester.

6d

One's upset metaphorically - appalling claptrap about Spain (9)

Generating...

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

Anagram (appalling) of CLAPTRAP around E (abbreviation for España = Spain). Metaphorically, to upset the apple cart = to cause trouble.

7d

Large number claiming answer is to strike (7)

Generating...

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

L (abbreviation for large) + ETHER (an anaesthetic = something that makes you numb = number), containing A (abbreviation for answer). Leather, as a verb = to hit (especially with a whip).

8d

He's seen a camper melting topping for pasta dish? (14)

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14d

Pointedly look again when in service stations? (9)

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16d

Some boats float off poorly restrained (8)

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18d

One stopping on the Tube for crap musical performance (7)

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20d

Sons of war heroes record one American soldier holding on (7)

Generating...

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

EP (abbreviation for extended-play record) + I (one in Roman numerals), then GI (American soldier) holding ON . In Greek mythology, the “Seven against Thebes” died heroically in battle, and then their sons (known as the Epigoni or “descendants”) started another war a few years later to avenge their fathers. No, I didn’t know that, but the wordplay made a plausible-looking Greek word and Wikipedia confirmed it.

21d

Frilly trousers as an example gift (6)

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23d

Four fish (5)

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