Independent Cryptic #12245

2026-01-06

Solve on Independent →

Across

5a

Regularly suss out band together as is the custom (7)

Generating...

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

Alternate or ‘regular’ letters in sUsS oUt and ALLY (band together)

7a

Put down answer in red biro? (7)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Newspaper page dealt with after rejecting first piece of copy (4)

Generating...

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

c OPED (dealt with) missing ‘c’ or ‘rejecting first piece (letter) of copy’

10a

District with everyone beginning to steal tyre parts (9)

Generating...

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

SIDE (district) W (with) ALL (everyone) and S (first letter or ‘beginning’ to steal)

12a

Couple swapping pale and innocent (5)

Generating...

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

PASTY (pale) with the ‘s’ and ‘t’ (a ‘couple’ of letters) swapped around

13a

One stylishly elegant: country's principal girl at welcoming clubs (8)

Generating...

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

C (first letter or ‘principal’ in country) LASS (girl) + AT around or ‘welcoming’ C (clubs)

15a

Yankee tough leaving hotel garden (4)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Continuum of taxonomic lineage to some extent (5)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Opposed to tips for Asian tandoori (4)

Generating...

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

First and last letters or ‘tips’ to AsiaN TandoorI

18a

Surely curious about one's first female pronoun (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘curious’) of SURELY around O (first letter of one) + F (female)

20a

Mad London gangster loudly associating with two unknown characters (5)

flowerflowerflower
21a

World's richest man cycling by front of market getting fruit (9)

Generating...

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

ELON MUSK (world’s richest man) ‘cycling’ by M (first letter or ‘front’ of market)

22a

Withdrawing took home cheese (4)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Darts player is more tiddly (7)

Generating...

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

We are being asked to think of tiddly as being little so something that is ‘more tiddly’ could be LITTLER

25a

Food cooked so eat it (7)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Party manager's plea to manage expectations? (4)

Generating...

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

A cryptic defintion

2d

Mawkish conniving American husband's boring (6)

Generating...

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

SLY (conniving) round or ‘bored by’ US (American) H (husband)

3d

Harry owes cash for present (8)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Fish and wedges hospital binned (4)

Generating...

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

h EELS (wedges) without or ‘binning’ ‘h’ (hospital)

6d

Motor slick lad in drainpipes gave the once-over (7)

flowerflowerflower
8d

After advance laconic wit sent up book (5)

Generating...

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

A (advance) + a reversal (‘sent up’) of SALT (laconic wit)

11d

Devious new clue following edit (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘new’) of CLUE, F (following) and EDIT

12d

Long ago in Greece I thought mountain turning closed (5)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Smart girl sent to Coventry then central Merseyside (5)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Found cups minute with a cafe treat (8)

Generating...

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

CREATE (found) around or ‘cupping’ M (minute) + A

17d

As a blaze gets out of control save book and plants (7)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘out of control’) of AS A b LAZE without or ‘saving’ ‘b’ (book)

19d

Model again on plonk ... (5)

flowerflowerflower
20d

... is unable to bed captivating woman (6)

flowerflowerflower
21d

What might include Xmas card from flipping brother who hates Noel? (4)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘flipping’) of LIAM – who seems to dislike his brother NOEL (Gallagher)

23d

Like park signs except the odd ones (4)

Generating...

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

pArK sIgNs (even letters only)