Independent Cryptic #12148

2025-09-15

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Champion's returned or come again? (4)

Generating...

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

Reversal (returned) of OR + EH (come again?)

3a

Children work doubly quick (8)

Generating...

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

CH + OP twice

9a

If inn spilt it recklessly I have to really complain perhaps (15)

Generating...

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

Anagram (recklessly) of IF INN SPILT IT + I’VE

11a

Secretly mixed gin and tonic with last bit of ouzo (9)

Generating...

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

Anagram (mixed) of GIN TONIC + ouz[ O ]

12a

Craving Australian cheese? Not half! (4)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Cross after article's cut (7)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Vegetables we had kept in shed oddly small (6)

Generating...

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

Insertion (kept in) of WE’D in odd letters of S h E d + S

17a

Frightened about entering South Africa with communist (6)

Generating...

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

C (about) inside S [outh] A [frica] + RED

19a

Appropriate short garment (7)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Young bird - king leaves with it (4)

Generating...

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

CHIC [k] minus K (king leaves)

21a

Tense animal knocks down recording equipment (9)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Unsteadily grip ice a nervier climber (15)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Shout of alarm by knight in tight spot showing submission (8)

Generating...

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

Insertion of EEK + N (chess notation for a knight) into MESS

26a

Hand over chapter before editor expects initially (4)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Where you might find doctors from America enthralled by effervescent Hot Lips (8)

Generating...

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

Insertion (enthralled by) of A [merica] inside anagram (effervescent) of HOT LIPS

2d

Priest breaking Roman Catholic object considered sacred (5)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Shocking the man wearing old uniform as top's removed (7)

Generating...

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

HE (the man) + IN (wearing) O + U (uniform in the Nato phonetic alphabet) + S (aS without its top)

5d

Terribly evil predator is fighting man (14)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Waving the sign he raises (9)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Sigh of relief not many heard (4)

Generating...

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

Soundalike of ‘few’

8d

Actor might be given this part with sense of purpose (14)

flowerflowerflower
10d

Rhino is emitting gripping sound (5)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Reaches for crackers ignoring female's quick nag? (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Keep parking next to store (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Features of French dogs (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Theme in music I potentially picked up (5)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Manage crossing second thicket (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Egg on volunteers using motivation primarily (4)

flowerflowerflower