Independent Cryptic #12227

2025-12-16

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Inclination to harpoon grand American whale (7)

Generating...

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

RAMP (inclination = slope), inserted into (harpooning) G (abbreviation for grand) + US (American). Name used for various marine creatures including the killer whale.

5a

Giving new face to seductress in capital of Germany (7)

Generating...

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

VAMP (as a noun = seductress) + IN (from clue text) + first letter (capital) of G [ermany]. Vamp, as a verb (more usually “revamp”) = to refurbish = to give something a new face (appearance).

9a

Lunar features in large part of planet I start to admit (5)

Generating...

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

Most of (large part of) MAR [s] (a planet) + I (from clue text) + starting letter of A [dmit]. Dark areas on the Moon’s surface, named from the Latin word for “seas”, because that’s what people thought they were before we had the technology to explore them properly.

10a

Former city tending to oust a radical (9)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Somehow depict howl in a deep voice (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Independent r (4)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Most of orders provided by right-wing forces will be in error (6)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Nationalists backing South Africa’s verse (6)

Generating...

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

NATS (abbreviation for nationalists) reversed (backing), then ZA (ISO 3166 country code for South Africa, from Dutch Zuid-Afrika ). Stanza = a verse in a poem or song.

19a

Clear evidence of injury I had (6)

Generating...

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

LIMP (something that might be evidence of a leg injury) + I’D (short form of “I had”).

20a

A lot of pages applied to the way to watch movies now? (6)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Ability to track meaningless bits of data I ignored (4)

flowerflowerflower
24a

One vehicle’s crashed through screen? Keep talking (10)

Generating...

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

I (one in Roman numerals) + BUS (large passenger vehicle), inserted into (crashed through) FILTER (screen). In parliamentary procedures, to talk at length in a debate in order to delay a vote.

27a

It’s Google that’s replaced scientist (9)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Witty comment getting behind English kit (5)

Generating...

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

QUIP (a witty comment) after E (abbreviation for English). Kit, as a verb = equip = provide equipment to.

29a

European right to interrupt associate sharply (7)

Generating...

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

E (abbreviation for European) + RT (abbreviation for right), inserted into (interrupting) ALLY (associate).

30a

Military leader not yet promoted? Leader of regiment for 31 days (7)

Generating...

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

OC (abbreviation for Officer Commanding = military leader) + TO BE (future but not yet, suggesting that the officer has not yet been promoted to OC) + leading letter of R [egiment].

Down

1d

Good folk taking things steadily are risk takers (8)

flowerflowerflower
2d

A dispute with repeated opening point (5)

Generating...

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

A (from clue text) + ROW (dispute), with the opening letter of R[ow] repeated.

3d

Very quiet religious mission sent out to cover America (10)

Generating...

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

PI (abbreviation for pious = religious, generally used in a derogatory sense to mean sanctimonious) + anagram (sent out) of MISSION , containing A (abbreviation for America). Italian-derived musical term for very quiet.

4d

Relief only after securing account (6)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Long-standing conflict? Former soldier cheers welcoming conclusion (8)

Generating...

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

VET (short for veteran = former soldier) + TA (cheers = slang for thank you), containing END (conclusion).

6d

Jazz composer premieres in Manhattan - one nods knowingly (4)

Generating...

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

First letters (premieres) of M [anhattan] O [ne] N [ods] K [nowingly]. Jazz composer Thelonious Monk.

7d

Shed light on botched raidindignant about that (9)

flowerflowerflower
8d

One provoking guard regularly having to flee (6)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters (regularly) of G [u] A [r] D , then FLY (to flee = run away). A large fly that bites animals, or (metaphorically) a persistently challenging or annoying person.

13d

Guitar? Aim to play it idly for a time (10)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Source of flour? Woman accepting dicky quality (9)

Generating...

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

MS (title for a woman) containing ILL (dicky = unwell), then TONE (quality, as in “muscle tone”).

17d

Hesitation shown by bird unknown seen around south of France (8)

Generating...

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

TIT (small garden or woodland bird) + Y (mathematical symbol for an unknown quantity), around MIDI (French colloquial term for the southern part of France).

18d

One’s press release will include line of questionable delicacy (8)

Generating...

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

I’M (one’s = one is, which really means “a person in general would be”, but may be used as an alternative to “I am”) + PR (abbreviation for press release), containing ROPE (line = a piece of rope used for a specific purpose, especially in nautical usage).

21d

Orchestral piece informally - a rich source containing heart of Elgar on reflection (6)

Generating...

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

A MINE (as in “a mine of information” = a rich source), containing the middle letter (heart) of [el] G [ar], all reversed (on reflection). Extended definition: informal name for Elgar’s orchestral piece Enigma Variations , which contains musical portraits of the composer and several of his friends.

22d

Writer seen around street cafe (6)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Part of glove so cut down by doctor (5)

flowerflowerflower
26d

Quickly eat sandwich with zero content? (4)

Generating...

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

BLT (abbreviation for a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich) containing O (zero).