Independent Cryptic #12119

2025-08-12

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Clerk’s content - after small slummy pad it will be digs for him (9)

Generating...

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

Clerk’s content – after small slummy pad it will be digs for him S (=small, in sizes) + HOVEL (=slummy pad, i.e. shabby accommodation) + <c> LER <k> (“content” means middle letters only are used); the “digs” of the definition refers not to accommodation, but to excavation!

6a

High level of support initially seen on pitch (5)

Generating...

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

High level of support initially seen on pitch S <een> (“initially” means first letter only) + TILT (pitch, of a ship); cf. walking on stilts

9a

I agree with the German editor (7)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Cold capital city on limits of the normal weather (7)

Generating...

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

Cold capital city on limits of the normal weather C (=cold, as on tap) + LIMA (=capital city, of Peru) + T <h>E (“limits of” means first and last letters only)

11a

Some sheep wool patterned onto cloth (5)

Generating...

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

Some sheep // wool patterned onto cloth Double definition: a flock is both “some sheep” and “(particles of) wool patterned onto cloth”

12a

Zero gravity? - held by secure cord with something else (8)

Generating...

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

Zero gravity? – held by secure cord with something else [O (=zero, pictorially) + G (=gravity)] in TETHER (=secure cord)

14a

Around 1st of Nov increase assistance for free (6)

Generating...

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

Around 1 st of November increase assistance for free N <ovember> (“1 st of” means first letter only) in [UP (increase, raise, as verb) + AID (=assistance)]

15a

Privately eccentric cinema artist (8)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Arcane oddball coteries (8)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Grey example of river carp (6)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Falls for regressive regulations leading to depressions (8)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Street’s internet access mostly high-speed (5)

Generating...

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

Street’s internet access mostly high-speed WI-F <i> (=internet access; “mostly” indicates last letter dropped) in ST (=street)

27a

Most primitive indigenous peoples having time to move east (7)

Generating...

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

Most primitive indigenous peoples having time to move east NA T IVES (=indigenous peoples; “having time (=T) to move east” means letter “t” moves to later place in the word; in art, primitive means simple, unsophisticated

28a

One SW county has 25% off similar compounds (7)

Generating...

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

One SW county has 25% off similar compounds I (=one) + SOMERS <et> (=SW county; “having 25% off” means 2 of 8 letters are dropped)

29a

To some extent when arch goes over winch is required (5)

Generating...

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

To some extent when arch goes over winch is required Reversed (“goes over”) and hidden (“to some extent”) in “wh EN ARC h”

30a

Dealt very roughly as a preventative measure (9)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Move around aimlessly pale and sickly following sun (4)

Generating...

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

Move around aimlessly , pale and sickly following sun S (=sun) + WAN (=pale and sickly)

2d

A plover flying - it will cross the gap (7)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Final part mutated in core of certain glands (9)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Play about a city Romeo ending in heartbreak (4)

Generating...

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

Play about a city Romeo ending in heartbreak LA (=a city) + R (=Romeo, in NATO alphabet) + <heartbrea> K (“ending in” means last letter only); to lark is to play about, frolic

5d

Little critters chewed acorns round Colorado (8)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Going over step inside entirely inside - maybe a long shot (5)

Generating...

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

Going over, step inside, entirely inside – maybe a long shot Reversed (=going over) and hidden (=entirely inside) in “st EP INS ide”; to snipe is to shoot at from a distance, hence “maybe a long shot”

7d

Russian boy with weedkiller becomes a ‘Scottish’ hero? (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

The last question in a row - is a beer drunk with Kelvin? (10)

Generating...

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

The last question in a row – is a beer drunk with Kelvin? *(A BEER + K (=Kelvin) in TIER (=row, level)

13d

Fast percussion playing (10)

flowerflowerflower
16d

It thickens line on castle that’s a bit short in drawing (9)

Generating...

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

It thickens line on castle that’s a bit short in drawing [ROW (=line) + ROO <k> (=castle, in chess; “that’s a bit short” means last letter is dropped)] in ART (=drawing)

17d

Poetic hero Sheila’s regularly seen with a battered hat (8)

Generating...

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

Poetic hero Sheila’s regularly seen with a battered hat <s> H <e> I <l> A (“regularly” means alternate letters only are used) + *(WITH A); “battered” is anagram indicator; the reference is to the 1855 epic poem The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

19d

Essentially vocal rain dances for wind instrument (7)

flowerflowerflower
21d

Confined with no food’s intrinsically concerning (7)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Feudal lord for instance in fiction (5)

Generating...

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

Feudal lord for instance in fiction E.G. (=for instance) in LIE (=fiction, untruth)

25d

Equipment that’s electronic - it’s used to test opinions (4)

flowerflowerflower
26d

Wordgame is insubstantial but not “beginning with W” (4)

Generating...

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

Wordgame is insubstantial but not “beginning with “W”” <w> ISPY (=insubstantial, flimsy; “not beginning with “W”” means letter “w” is dropped)