Independent Cryptic #12263

2026-01-27

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Across

1a

Greek's equine haunch photo (6)

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5a

Injure heel on driver's side (6)

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10a

Steady hands split bananas in fridge (10)

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11a

A couple of stitches in your ear tolerable (4)

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12a

A kid with feet up perhaps (6)

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13a

Half of drawing revealed secret bones (8)

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14a

Member on visit to zoo saving unknown parrot (8)

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16a

London suburb close to Ruislip nearer the heart (6)

Generating...

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

<ruisli> P (“close to” means last letter only) + INNER (=nearer the heart); Pinner is a suburb in NW London in the borough of Harrow

17a

Pothead skinned knee in brief rage (6)

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19a

Costa recalled seedy nuts as seen below (8)

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21a

Traveller's stomach flipped during arrival (8)

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23a

Cosmo d (6)

Generating...

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

*(COSMO) + H <eidi> (“front of” means first letter only); “doctored” is anagram indicator; to neck is to smooch, snog, canoodle

25a

Every so often my ankles turn (4)

Generating...

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

M <y> A <n> K <l> E <s>; “every so often” means alternate letters only are used; to turn is to form, cast, fashion, hence “make”

26a

Red footballer repelled attack getting the bit between his teeth? (10)

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27a

Hare isn't missing any toes perhaps (6)

Generating...

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

Cryptically, if a person “has ten”, then he “isn’t missing any toes, perhaps”!; to hare is to rush, hurry, hasten

28a

Strap around thigh compressing artery walls (6)

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Down

2d

Revolutionary addressing African dictator of little brain (5)

Generating...

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

TO (=addressing, of letter or speech) + IDI (=African dictator, i.e. Idi Amin of Uganda); “revolutionary” indicates vertical reversal; here, idiot appears to be being used adjectivally, idiotic

3d

Fish like cod don't have tails cut up (7)

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4d

Worker putting nail through tongue perhaps nurse keeps confined (9)

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6d

Sweet Glaswegian's bottom ogled regularly (5)

Generating...

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

FUD (=Glaswegian’s bottom, i.e. a Scottish word for buttocks ) + <o> G <l> E <d> (“regularly” means alternate letters only)

7d

European back from China say (7)

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8d

Find nothing really under layer of cartilage (9)

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9d

E.g. ass working Bude seafront carrying British (13)

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15d

13 expert thought a poet's oesophagus somewhat twisted (9)

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16d

Wearing PE kit lower leg's very cold (9)

Generating...

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

SHIN (=lower leg) in [PE + RIG (=kit, gear)]

18d

Unable to feel American casualty's digits? (7)

Generating...

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

NUMB (=unable to feel, lacking sensation) + ER (=American casualty, i.e. Emergency Room)’S

20d

Parasite in nose GP treated right (7)

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22d

Growth on lip hurt after time (5)

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24d

Vulgar Conservative showing too much cheek? (5)

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