Independent Cryptic #12208

2025-11-24

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Partly abstaining bit of alcohol knocked back with some frequency (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of SEMI TT (‘partly abstaining’) and A for the first letter of ‘alcohol’, all reversed.

5a

See filmmakers fight anti-intellectual (7)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Continue to probe a journalist under the table (9)

Generating...

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

An insertion of LAST in PER and ED. The insertion indicator is ‘to probe’. ‘The King Edwards are 90p per/a kilo.’

10a

Played together to express annoyance at tagger retreating (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Provoke Gregorian at the outset with year missing from their calendar? (4)

Generating...

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

A charade of G for the initial letter of ‘Gregorian’ and O AD. The year zero does not exist in the AD calendar; its first year was AD1. Which a while ago led to long and fruitless discussions about whether the new millennium started on January 1st 2000 or January 1st 2001. There are more important things to worry about.

12a

Misleading diversion on circular route overwhelms cycling crowd (10)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Success in later life of mathematician from South Asia? (12)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Supplying food for virgin mixed with poison (12)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Outings with classmates I fled as described? (10)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Soldiers finish off seconds here? (4)

Generating...

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

A cd.

24a

Middle Eastern character drops first Oscar for sound recording (5)

Generating...

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

A charade of S[AUDI] and O for Oscar from the phonetic alphabet.

25a

Tee at this place watch out for golfer accordingly (9)

Generating...

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

A charade of T, HERE and FORE.

26a

Sporadically train delivery person forgetting international return quickly (7)

Generating...

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

A charade of RI for the even letters of tRaIn and POST[I]E.

27a

Spinning throw breaks dish (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal of LOB and GAPS.

Down

1d

Broken chord spoilt opera gig (8)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Leaves can stop train early with total closure to railway (8)

Generating...

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

Great surface. It’s a charade of TEAC[H], ADD and Y for the last letter of ‘railway’.

3d

Tale of god and outline of truth? (4)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Computer program checks background of a rejected priest (11)

Generating...

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

A charade of SCREENS, A and REV reversed.

5d

Liberal to ask for proof of age providing protection for viewer (3)

Generating...

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

A charade of L and ID. The ‘viewer’ is the eye.

6d

Complex MOT renewal in plant (10)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Fixed rate home secure for future (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Grumble with swinger's joint (6)

Generating...

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

A charade of W and HINGE.

13d

Fighting has mainly imposed on US? (11)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Those escaping criticism pocket wages at banks to acquire wine business (10)

Generating...

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

An insertion of RED and CO in SAC and W[AGE]S. The insertion indicator is ‘to acquire’.

16d

Dumb mob evidently upset conceals attack from above (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Fragile comic actor's quietly dropped mild expletive (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Episode not being broadcast replacing lead with American (6)

Generating...

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

Major is inviting you to replace the first letter of OFF AIR with A.

20d

Lampoon sweet individuals wanting love in retirement (6)

Generating...

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

A reversal of PUD [O]NES.

23d

Picked up kitchen tool second in series (4)

Generating...

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

Aural wordplay (‘picked up’) of BEATER.

25d

Digit before irrational number (3)

Generating...

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

A charade of TO and E. e is a mathematical constant, an irrational number, and the base of natural logarithms.