Independent Cryptic #12269

2026-02-03

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Perhaps young ladies returning diamonds like waste from coal mine? (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘returning’) of EG (perhaps) GALS (young ladies) + D (diamonds)

5a

Old-fashioned craft which might help you shape hedges (7)

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9a

Treacherous type regularly wanting in on correspondence (5)

Generating...

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

RAT (‘treacherous type’) I n O n (alternate letters or ‘regularly wanting’)

10a

Sober sailors can essentially get any number a little tipsy (9)

Generating...

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

ABS (sailors – able-bodied seamen) TIN (can) E (middle or ‘essential’ letter of get) N (any number) T (first letter or ‘a little’ of tipsy)

11a

Old lady's emotional missing ace showing dominance (9)

Generating...

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

MA’S (old lady’s) TE a RFUL (emotional) missing the ‘a’ (ace)

12a

Church event's cost covering base for font (4)

Generating...

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

FEE (cost) round or ‘covering’ T (last letter or ‘base’ of font)

14a

Invigorated once more enter 'DEJA VU' in a puzzle? (11)

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18a

Posh bandmate reportedly produced sugary stuff (11)

Generating...

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

GINGER (one of Posh’s bandmates in the Spice Girls) + a homophone (‘reportedly’) of BRED (produced)

21a

You shouldn't have to bedeck outsiders in off-the-peg garment (4)

Generating...

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

TA (‘you shouldn’t have’) round or ‘bedecking’ O ff-the-pe G (first and last letters or ‘outsiders’)

22a

Groundhog Day s (9)

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25a

Riot at art nouveau restaurant (9)

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26a

Move with beat ... it takes two (5)

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27a

Attractive person with little quirk penned one third of a sestet? (7)

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28a

On vacation drenched awnings turned European street most miserable (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘turned’) of D renche D A wning S with the middle letters missing or ‘on vacation’ + E (European) ST (street)

Down

1d

Save seafood that's cold not hot (6)

Generating...

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

S h RIMP (seafood) with the ‘h’ (hot) replaced by C (cold)

2d

Taking part in dry run for show (6)

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3d

Extremely grave old writer cracks systems for calculating lengths (10)

Generating...

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

GE (first and last letters or ‘extremes’ of grave) O (old) ME (writer) TRIES (cracks)

4d

Bashful perhaps having served up some half-raw dinners (5)

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5d

Church saint privy to wit - no point complaining about it (9)

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6d

Today's crossword setter offers the same again (4)

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7d

Things on sleigh possibly dispatched in advance by one of the poles (8)

Generating...

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

SENT (dispatched) in PRE (advance) S (south – one of the poles)

8d

Retired padre's losing head about barely revised versions (8)

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13d

Philistine in uniform shortly denudes ground home to kitty (10)

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15d

Apple turnover used to feed this fussy person (9)

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16d

It cracks gemstone finally burnished on edge (8)

Generating...

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

IT in or ‘cracking’ AGATE (gemstone) + D (last or ‘final’ letter of burnished)

17d

A horse's boxing farmyard animal's ears and arse? (8)

Generating...

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

A NAGS (horse’s) round or ‘boxing’ RAM (farmyard animal)

19d

Fruit tart contains trace of nutsMethuselah ultimately leaves it (6)

Generating...

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

QUIC h E (tart) round or ‘containing’ N (first letter or ‘trace’ of nuts) and missing ‘h’ (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of Methuselah)

20d

Be frugal with every last bit of useable stock made available (6)

Generating...

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

E K E (last letters or ‘bits’ of useable stock made) + OUT (available)

23d

Baked loaves after scrapping starter of Easter eggs? (5)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘baked’) of LOAV e S missing or ‘scrapping the ‘e’ (first letter or ‘starter’ of Easter)

24d

Where sewer keeps things in perpetuity (4)

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