Independent Cryptic #12204

2025-11-19

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Distance Raleigh dashed carrying a bit of tobacco back from colony (9)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (dashed) RALEIGH containing (carrying) ( T [ first letter of {a bit of] T obacco}] + Y [ last letter of {back from} colon Y ])

6a

Sullen Frenchman yielding to wife must be tough (5)

Generating...

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

m OODY (sullen) with M (Monsieur; form of address for Frenchman) replaced by (yielding to) W (wife) to form WOODY

9a

Spirit leaves traitor midway through hanging (7)

Generating...

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

I am defeated by the wordplay here.

10a

Drink drivers arrested by copper beside a roundabout (7)

Generating...
11a

Past 007 George Lazenby finally splits (6)

Generating...

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

( E [ last letter of [finally] Georg E ] + Y [ last letter of [finally] Lazenb Y ]) contained in (split) BOND (James Bond was known as Agent 007, George Lazenby featured as Bond in just one film)

12a

Life Science's top hack to cut bad UVA rays almost completely (8)

flowerflowerflower
14a

King inspired by Quiet American author starts to eagerly read Steel? (9)

Generating...

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

R (Rex; King) contained in (inspired by) ( SH [quiet]) + A [American] + PEN [author]) + ER ( initial letters of [starts to] each of Eagerly and Read])

17a

Celebrity failing to finish Iron Man ? (4)

Generating...

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

STAR k (Iron Man is the alter ego of Anthony Edward Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) excluding the final letter K (failing to finish)

20a

NUT's general secretary? (4)

Generating...

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

HEAD (chief administrator, such as a General Secretary) double definition

21a

Spooner's favourite source of protein is seeds (9)

Generating...

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

CHICKPEAS ( Reverend Spooner would pronounce this as PICK [favourite] CHEESE [a source of protein])

24a

Isn’t it common to take motorsport trailer to Kentucky’s vast state? (8)

Generating...

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

( INNIT [a commonly voiced form of ISN’T IT ] containing (to take) F1 (Formula One; motorsport) + Y (l ast letter of [trailer to] Kentuck Y )

26a

Bear briefly capturing from the outset the heart of late British Queen? (6)

Generating...

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

POO h (reference the fictional bear Winnie the Pooh) excluding the final letter H (briefly) containing (capturing) ( T [ first letter of {from the outset] T he] + AT [ central letters of {middle of] l AT e])

29a

Green Party's pursuing a mission that's only half complete (7)

flowerflowerflower
30a

Slinky blue trousers trimmed bottom? Handy! (7)

flowerflowerflower
31a

Speckled cuckoo (5)

flowerflowerflower
32a

's head of printing excitedly secures [Grazia InStyle] 's core territory (9)

Generating...

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

( Anagram of [excitedly] GRAZIA and P [ first letter of {head of} P rinting]) containing (secures) ST ( letters within [core] in ST yle) – usually ‘core’ refers to the middle letters, but not in this case

Down

1d

Australia's tail-ender bowled in Test ground chucked up in sink (6)

Generating...

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

( A [ final letter of [tail-ender] Australi A + B [bowled]) contained in (in) OVAL (reference, for example,  The Oval Test Cricket ground in London – I know there are other Test grounds with Oval in the name) reversed (chucked up; down entry)

2d

Brace of 50s bagged by male cricketer (5)

Generating...

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

( L [Roman numeral for 50] + L [Roman numeral for 50] giving brace of 50s) contained in (bagged by) GUY (a male)

3d

Lodgers attempt to adopt French child female abandoned (8)

Generating...

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

TRY (attempt) containing (to adopt) EN f ANT (French word for ‘child’) excluding (abandoned) F (female)

4d

PM's somewhat divided England (4)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Boxer underwear brand purchased by hipster down under (5)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Suspicious about Catholic's fighting talk? (6)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Killer crossing street when visiting the woman that plays music (9)

Generating...

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

ORCA (killer [whale]) containing (crossing) ( ST [street] contained in [visiting] HER [the woman])

8d

The old country in Middle East tracks former militia (8)

flowerflowerflower
13d

N Homeland e (4)

Generating...

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

MESH ( hidden word in [saved by] showti ME’S H omeland)

15d

Desperate for a short? It’s a sign of winter! (9)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Get topless to make an impression (4)

Generating...

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

f ETCH (get) excluding the first letter F (topless)

18d

Henry needs to separate dog and Siamese once here (8)

Generating...

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

H (henry, unit of inductance) contained in (needs to separate) TAIL (follow; dog) + AND

19d

They're against work performed in theatre by models (8)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Scandal created by popular football managers on motor yacht (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Game to go into disco? (6)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Strip of tuna niçoise on base of veg (5)

flowerflowerflower
27d

Warning sign Gascoigne initially ignored (5)

Generating...

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

b AMBER (reference the forename of Bamber Gascoigne [1935 – 2022], original question master on University Challenge) excluding the first letter (initially ignored) B

28d

Fly close to drone (4)

Generating...

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

BUZZ (to drone) double definition