Independent Cryptic #12254

2026-01-16

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Money: a sort of thing that runs short? (6)

Generating...

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

SPECIE s (a sort of thing) missing last letter or ‘runs short’

5a

Dutch explorer positioned to return with Queen say (6)

flowerflowerflower
8a

Upright performers in dance curtailed for royal venue (14)

Generating...

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

MORAL (upright) CAST (performers) in BALLE t (dance) missing last letter or ‘curtailed’

10a

Sudden change of course? Bad look suppressed by head of BBC (6)

flowerflowerflower
11a

'French parent and English' will gather sharp comment regarding descent (8)

Generating...

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

PERE (French for ‘father’ – parent) E (English) around or ‘gathering’ DIG (sharp comment)

12a

Expert very well accommodating Irish backing out (8)

Generating...

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

V (very) SO (well) around or ‘accommodating’ IR (Irish) and a reversal (‘backing’) of  OUT

13a

French attraction not having a lot of ale chilled (6)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Computer assistant in operating system is a godlike figure? (6)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Strange endless stories circulating in European Community (8)

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18a

Hapless detective so confused with clue leading to gold (8)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Make certain changes to username though not in the morning (6)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘changes’) to USERN am E without ‘am’ (in the morning)

21a

Surprise bass interrupting large number of dancers before text for you near the end (14)

Generating...

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

B (bass) inside or ‘interrupting’ DISCO MOB (large number of dancers) before U (text speak for you) LATE (near the end)

22a

Course taken by piano performer (6)

Generating...

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

LAYER (course) after or ‘taken by’ P (piano)

23a

Study one taken by a pupil in opposition (6)

Generating...

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

DEN (study) I (one) A L (pupil)

Down

2d

Certain type of pyramid? Sensible not having sex on top (13)

flowerflowerflower
3d

American musical live hosted by church group (7)

Generating...

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

AM (live) inside or ‘hosted by’ CE (church) LOT (group)

4d

Notorious rogue is punished around (9)

flowerflowerflower
5d

What you might call Elon Musk’s remuneration? (15)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Personnel regularly intervening in unhappy scrap (5)

Generating...

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

HR (personnel) ‘intervening regularly’ (in other words separately) in SAD (unhappy)

7d

Caribbean island not supporting most of Pacific island (7)

flowerflowerflower
9d

What might be a triple-X image say (13)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘what might be’) of A TRIPLE X IMAGE

13d

Part of garden in meaner bit of Brooklyn cased by agent (9)

Generating...

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

LOWER (meaner) B (first letter or ‘bit’ of Brooklyn) inside or ‘cased by’ FED (agent in the USA)

15d

Provoke line about Southern French composer (7)

Generating...

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

ROUSE (provoke) L (line) around S (southern)

17d

Kept up refusal in accepting L is fifth letter (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘kept up’) of NOPE (refusal) around (‘accepting’) L IS

19d

Black tie finally spare (5)

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