Independent Cryptic #12108

2025-07-30

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Across

1a

Test bank book (8)

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5a

Clean house again (6)

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9a

Swede meets girl one's controlling mentor (8)

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10a

Conservative doesn't win in quiet residential roads (6)

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12a

Idiot welcomes Oscar namely (5)

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13a

Dictator's propagated way to produce prairie turnip (9)

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14a

Exotic vacation axed in scheme to save money (12)

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18a

Period of time with Truss mixing gin is enthralling (12)

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21a

Go with Man Friday after supper? (9)

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23a

Precise demand (5)

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24a

Iris or Declan or Tim? (6)

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25a

Scattered community essentially hard work stated revolutionary (8)

Generating...

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

( AR [central letters of; essentially] h AR d) + OP [opus; work] + SAID [stated]) all reversed (revolutionary)

26a

Artist reaches out after Australian expelled (6)

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27a

Undated Daily Record follows leading collection of fabulous animals (8)

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Down

1d

Damaged pot contains remains of Afghan people (6)

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2d

0-0 score with boring exchange of passes (6)

Generating...

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

I am not sure of the parsing here, but suggest W (with) contained in (boring) ( O NET O suggesting 0-0 [nil-nil score]?)

3d

Lethal big waves in pool (9)

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4d

SLUG NEWS? They can reduce friction (12)

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6d

Was in front after own goal and gave dirty look (5)

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7d

Victor rejects taking clothes off for nobleman (8)

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8d

Old compilers run to the front to get loopy prizes (8)

Generating...

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

( O [old] + SETTE R S [crossword compilers]) with the R going to the beginning [moving to the front] to form R O SETTES

11d

Very brief protest against pay perhaps to do with response to nuclear attack (12)

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15d

What wrongdoer owes to Spooner: crockery? (9)

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16d

American spotted problem in general (8)

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17d

Very quick writer held up by erotic dancing (8)

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19d

Cushion eggs in Italian city (6)

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20d

Raunchy and extremely sexy nursing group (6)

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22d

Husband in lovely position (5)

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