Independent Cryptic #12146

2025-09-12

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Artist coming in accompanied by ill-looking person (6)

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4a

Bad response: Liberal remains chasing support (8)

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9a

An American recalled consuming a Finnish speciality (5)

Generating...

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

( AN + US [American]) reversed (recalled) containing (consuming) A

10a

US state released no inmates (9)

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11a

Request access to bring in a lot of food (8)

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12a

Put out about curtailment of long sentence offering enlightenment (6)

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14a

Singular right-wing policy narrative (9)

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15a

Divine party? Sensible to abandon one (5)

Generating...

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

DO (party) + W i SE (sensible) excluding (to abandon) I (Roman numeral for one)

17a

Trips I had interrupting a lot of relaxation (5)

Generating...

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

I’D contained in (interrupting) RES t (relaxation) excluding the final letter (a lot of) T

19a

Inflammation? Skill is to limit brief time with it (9)

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21a

American dietitian reduced interest associated with meat (6)

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23a

Wild din swamped by forward flourish (8)

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26a

Liberation in two-thirds of ladies possibly linked to sexual urge (9)

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27a

I turn down accepting ordinary way of speaking (5)

Generating...

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

I + DIM (turn down) containing (accepting) O (ordinary)

28a

Routine line adopted by British pianist without consideration (8)

Generating...

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

RUT (routine) + ( L [line] c ontained in [adopted by] HESS [reference Dame Myra HESS [1890 – 1965], British concert pianist)

29a

Verses of the speaker held back amongst hers sadly (6)

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Down

1d

Liquid running short around South - leakage? (5)

Generating...

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

WATE r (a liquid) excluding the final letter R (running short) containing (around) S (South)

2d

Drunken lout had excessive drugs? That’s maturity? (9)

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3d

Attempt to suppress historic disaster (7)

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5d

Relative looking haggard? Not good (4)

Generating...

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

g AUNT (haggard) excluding (not) the letter G (good)

6d

Pay for ongoing promotion having received new support (7)

Generating...

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

( KEEP [money paid  for food and lodging; pay for ongoing{?}] + AD [ AD vertisement; promotion]) all containing (having received) N (new)

7d

Unwell - a third reduced - after consuming old garlic dressing (5)

Generating...

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

AILI ( 4 of the 6 [1/3 reduced] l etters in AILI ng [ill]) containing (after consuming) O (old)

8d

That chap’s simple and cruel (9)

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10d

My lecture cut short interrupted by drunken noise of legendary stature (8)

Generating...

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

MY + ( TAL k [lecture] excluding the final letter K [cut short] containing [interrupted by] HIC [a word representing the sound sometimes made by a drunken person])

13d

After ingesting cocaine favoured examination of the chest (8)

Generating...

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

( PET [favoured] containing [ingesting] C [cocaine]) + ORAL (a form of examination)

14d

Murderer with change of heart? One wanders all over the place (9)

Generating...

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

STRA N GLER (murderer) with the central letter (heart) N replaced by G (change of heart)

16d

Wisecrack? Habitual response is following it in West Midlands at first (9)

Generating...

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

( IT + TIC [habitual response] + IS ) contained in ( W [West] + M [ inital letter of {at first}] M idlands) – we have TIC ‘following’ IT when we read left to right.

18d

Small and reduced amount of light about a disgraceful act (7)

Generating...

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

S (small) + ( CANDL e [form of light] excluding the last letter E [reduced] containing [about) A )

20d

Bleed part of leg cut at top - seem likely to overflow? (7)

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22d

A black stain seeing removal of second religious leader (5)

Generating...

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

A + B (black, when describing pencil lead) + B l OT (stain) excluding the second letter L [seeing removal of second]

24d

Chairperson losing time touring Middle Eastern houses (5)

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25d

Responsibility sees our team supporting cricket side (4)

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