Independent Cryptic #12240

2025-12-31

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

51 ladies' men regularly making contact (6)

Generating...

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

LI (51 in roman numerals) + lAdIeS mEn (alternate letters only or ‘regularly’)

4a

That woman taking drugs outside is escorting (8)

flowerflowerflower
9a

General making son finally abandon biting of nails (6)

Generating...

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

U s UAL (general) with ‘s’ (son) changed to NG (‘final’ letters in abandon biting)

10a

Appreciative of say charcoal going on fireplaceless smoke at last (8)

Generating...

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

FU e L (charcoal, say) after or ‘going on’ GRATE (fireplace) missing (‘less’) ‘e’ (last letter of smoke)

12a

Agent's gamble on game with small note (9)

Generating...

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

BET (gamble) after or ‘on’ GO (game) + WEE (small) N (note)

13a

Line raised for example by director briefly when turning over (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘turning over’) of EG (for example) DIR (director briefly)

14a

Astronomer 19 20 working to cover eclipse essentially (14)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘working’) of ILLEGAL GOALIE (19d and 20d) around or ‘covering’ I (middle or ‘essential’ letter of eclipse)

17a

Humour failing at the start - ignore pun about bird (14)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Beat hour to book tours (5)

Generating...

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

HR (hour) in or ‘toured by’ TO B (book)

23a

Voice of Looney Tunes ' biggest characters appearing in Daffy cartoon (9)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Rod's sorryas Spooner told panel (8)

Generating...

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

A Spoonerism of CANE’S (rod’s) WHAT (sorry?)

25a

Genghis Khan was one second before 12 noon and a little lunch (6)

Generating...

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

MO (second) before GO between (12ac) N (noon) and L (first letter or ‘a little’ of lunch). A rather devious device here which had us head-scratching. You have to lift and separate the answer to 12ac.

26a

Scandinavian passportperhaps for wife resulting in supplementary fare (8)

Generating...

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

S w EDISH (Scandinavian) with ID (passport perhaps) replacing ‘w’ (wife)

27a

Former PM keeping dry in a shelter (6)

Generating...

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

TT (teetotal – ‘dry’) inside A LEE (shelter)

Down

1d

Prince is banished retiring conclusivelyhence King can relax (6)

Generating...

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

LOU is (Prince) without or ‘banishing’ ‘is’ and a reversal (‘retirement’) of E G N (last or ‘conclusive’ letters of hencE kinG CaN)

2d

Something offering support under a broken legits problems are largely symbolic (7)

Generating...

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

BRA (something offering support) under A and an anagram (‘broken’) of LEG

3d

Writer has turned darker (9)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Money to support small band after initially Paul Young leaves (12)

Generating...

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

GREENS (money) underneath or ‘supporting’ S (small) RING (band) after P (initial letter in Paul)

6d

Go into hospital department with medical drama (5)

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7d

One doesn't believe in field manoeuvres (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

All in good timeassuming this writer's in shopping arcade (8)

Generating...

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

ALL ‘inside’ G (good) ERA (time) around or ‘assuming’ I (this writer)

11d

Flashy item couriers supply (12)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Stella maybe determined to follow tail of football hooligan? (9)

Generating...

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

LAGER (Stella maybe) OUT (determined) after or ‘following’ L (last letter or ‘tail’ of football). We wondered about ‘out’ and ‘determined’ being synonyms – but if somebody is ‘out to get you’, they are ‘determined to get you’.

16d

Has amphibians adopting relatively recent settlements (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Celebrated using timeshare arrangement constituent secured (7)

Generating...

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

PART (constituent) TIED (secured) with the ‘t’s being ‘shared’ – a ‘timeshare arrangement’

19d

Criminal and murderer scratching walls on prisonnothing escapes (7)

Generating...

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

k ILLE r (murderer) without first and last letters or ‘scratching walls’ + GA o L (prison) with ‘o’ (nothing) missing or ‘escaping’

20d

American cutting record up specifically number one? (6)

Generating...

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

A (American) inside (‘cutting’) a reversal (‘up’) of LOG (record) + IE (that is – ‘specifically’)

22d

Located immoral diamonds (5)

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