Independent Cryptic #12197

2025-11-11

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Time on holiday to get smashed? (5)

flowerflowerflower
4a

Sega's hedgehog holds variable speed for many players (9)

Generating...

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

SONIC (‘the hedgehog’ – in the Sega game) round our ‘holding’ Y (variable) MPH (speed)

9a

Chinese site that sells unlimited legal degrees (7)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Setter perhaps twisted language (7)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Pack Tesla with Ribena in the back? Bosh! (5)

Generating...

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

T (Tesla) A (last letter or ‘back’ in Ribena) ROT (bosh!)

12a

Fashionable company try circumventing twit in camouflage? (9)

Generating...

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

IN (fashionable) CO (company) GO (try) round (‘circumventing’) NIT (twit)

13a

Theatre is turned into great unopened shopping centre (9)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘turned’) of IS in MUCH (great) + m ALL (shopping centre) missing the first letter or ‘unopened’

15a

I see each Democrat winning (5)

Generating...

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

AH (I see) EA (each) D (Democrat)

16a

Revolving piece that secures a climber (5)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Man upset with tunnel cancellation (9)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Stones fill this good party album with oomph (9)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Eyed food by gallery reception's entrance (5)

Generating...

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

TATE (gallery) R (first letter or ‘entrance’ of reception)

24a

Area Republican periodically studies cool style (7)

Generating...

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

A (area) R (Republican) + alternate or ‘periodic’ letters of sTuDiEs CoOl

25a

Author recommends boring case of books (7)

Generating...

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

URGES (recommends) in (‘boring’) B S (first and last letters or ‘case’ of books) – Anthony Burgess is well known for writing A Clockwork Orange which was published in 1962.

26a

Passing rain's oddly penetrating shelter (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘oddly’) of RAIN’S in or ‘penetrating’ TENT (shelter)

27a

Money produced for auditors (5)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Brute to receive canonisation shortly? (5)

Generating...

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

BE A ST (saint ‘shortly’) – ‘receive canonisation’

2d

Might crooked regimes produce them? (7)

Generating...

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

A clue-as-definition: an anagram (‘crooked’) of REGIMES

3d

Genesis refuge turned up one-time serpent (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘turned up’) of ARK (‘Genesis refuge’) + I (one) T (time)

4d

Potential for lasting tangles over in America (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘over’) of MATS (tangles) + IN A (America)

5d

Charming soldier still not finished chasing mum (7)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Go Hillary up Everest? (9)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Salt commonplace south of Ulster? (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Playing with string in feline agreement (9)

Generating...

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

ON (playing) CORD (string) in CAT (feline)

13d

Hostile country insect biting Floridian's rear (9)

Generating...

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

MALI (country) GNAT (insect) round or ‘biting’ N (last letter or ‘rear’ of Floridian)

14d

Constant conservativemoderate? Not so much (9)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Select some meathead as trainer to the stars (7)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Agree to certain download before cruise (7)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Staff receiving rise sits on it? No way (7)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Desperate old band wearing fringes of tulle (7)

Generating...

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

EX (old) + REM (band) in or ‘wearing’ T E (first and last letters or ‘fringe’ of tulle)

22d

Scotch broth pulse (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Voice amplified and levelled (5)

flowerflowerflower