Independent Cryptic #12233

2025-12-23

Solve on Independent →

Across

7a

Capital city the writer's visiting (4)

Generating...

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

I’M (I am; the writer is) contained in (visiting) LA (Los Angeles; a city)

8a

Corporation's software abandoned half written (5)

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10a

Rosemary sometimes writing Her Former Majesty in pencil (4)

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11a

Cycling with back pulled in likewise revealing gear (6)

Generating...

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

BIKIN g (cycling) excluding (pulled) the last letter (back) G + I n also (likewise) excluding the final letter (pulled) N

12a

There once was a woman from Tipperary? Doesn't work in this Irish city (8)

Generating...

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

LIMERICK (a LIMERICK is a form of humorous verse with a particular pattern of syllables in each line.  ‘There once was a woman from Tipperary [11 syllables] doesn’t fit the pattern required for the first line, so this doesn’t work for Tipperary [another Irish city]) – this clue ould be classified as double definition

13a

Vacuous criminal makes mad blunders (8)

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15a

Succeeded picking up inconveniently positioned plant root (5)

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17a

Underwear maybe porters put lower for an earl (6)

Generating...

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

B e ERS (porter is a type of beer) with OX (an animal that lows; lower) replacing (for) the first of two (an) E s (earl) to form B OX ER

19a

Parade participant heading off someone with a bow (6)

Generating...

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

m ARCHER (parade participant) excluding (off) the first lette r (header) M

22a

Oddly identified no address to return automobile (5)

Generating...

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

SEDAN ( letters 9 , 7 , 5 , 3 and 1 [oddly identified] of N o A d D r E s S) reversed

24a

Unfortunately omit name for fossil (8)

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26a

Born in a home sadly ignoring social conventions (8)

Generating...

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

B (born) + an anagram of (sadly) IN A HOME

29a

As Hegseth would say bomb West Asian country (6)

Generating...

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

I am not sure of the wordplay here.  Pete Hesgeth is the US Secretary of War.  The only reference I can find to his wishing to attack TURKEY is in an online description of a recent South Park cartoon episode where Hesgeth is portrayed as being unhappy with a TURKEY [bird] party or festival and chooses to attack te event)

31a

Point following better point (4)

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32a

Place in the ground I access after Everton's opener (5)

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33a

Old tax man from Glasgow? (4)

Generating...

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

SCOT (descriptive of a man from Glasgow, the largest city in SCOT land) double definition

Down

1d

Medium-sized milk dish leading couples selected (4)

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2d

Job needed this report of doctor's clients (8)

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3d

Spoil popular reefs in the middle of the sea (6)

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4d

Hairstyle for every maiden (4)

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5d

Village footpath or pedestrian shelters (6)

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6d

Cold-blooded predator caught legendary bird (4)

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9d

Perfect language (6)

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14d

Brought up dirt having swallowed nationalist pride (5)

Generating...

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

SOIL (dirt) reversed (brought up; down entry) containing (having swallowed) N (nationalist)

15d

Something additional arising each spring (3)

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16d

Turn inside out nevertheless keeping some of the contents (5)

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18d

Setter starts to seem unnecessarily nuanced (3)

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20d

Act that unites legislative body (8)

Generating...

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

CONGRESS (a national legislative body) double definition

21d

London borough abolishing old hereditary title (6)

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23d

Hamburger perhaps for one trying to lose weight (6)

Generating...

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

DIETER (someone trying to lose weight by eating less or more healthily) double definition

25d

Finished after debut in acting amateur with lower energy (6)

Generating...

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

MATURE ( the letters in a MAT E UR following [after] the first A [ first letter of {debut of} A cting] with the E [energy] moved further down the letters to form MATUR E )

27d

Egg-shaped figure over goal therefore removed (4)

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28d

Limitation of pupil under instruction originally upset teacher (4)

Generating...

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

I ( first letter of [originally] I nstruction) + (under in this down entry) SIR (form of address for a male teacher) reversed (upset)

30d

Embodiment of love painful on the rebound (4)

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