Independent Cryptic #12281

2026-02-17

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Fish died after net unfortunately snarled (9)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (unfortunately) NET + ANGLE (to fish) + D (died)

6a

Prepares to fire helmsman, from the sound of it (5)

Generating...

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

COCKS ( sounds like [from the sound of it] COX [ COX swain; helmsman of a lifeboat])

9a

The last couple leaving servitude arranged benefits (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (arranged) SERVITU de excluding the final two letters [the last couple leaving) DE

10a

Ban flipping setter then take over (7)

Generating...

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

ME (setter) and GRAB (take) each reversed individually (flipping) + O (over)

11a

Optimistically expecting hard work and energy (4)

Generating...

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

H (hard, usually seen in description of pencil lead) + OP ( OP us; work) + E (energy)

12a

Burst of energy? Possibly, shrugs au pair evenly (5,4)

Generating...

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

Anagram of (possibly) SHRUGS and UAR (letters 2 , 4 and 6 [evenly] of a U p A i R )

15a

One with authority to kill legally inserting IV (9)

Generating...

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

EXECUTE (kill legally) containing (inserting) IV

18a

It's a small thing to put on the song Cockney chap's forgotten (5)

Generating...

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

TH e s ONG excluding (forgotten) ‘ ES [cockney expression for man’s [ h E’S ] excluding the H that Cockneys drop when speaking)

21a

Trust answer entertained by suitable husband (5)

Generating...

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

( A [answer] contained in [entertained by] FIT [suitable]) + H (husband)

23a

Producer of music performed badly injured, missing note (9)

Generating...

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

DID (performed) + an anagram of (badly) I n JURED excluding (missing) N (note)

25a

Stupidly still pays for sequences of numbers (9)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Duck or ducks from Slovenia (4)

Generating...

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

LOVE ( DUCKS is a term of affection for one LOVE d in parts of England) double definition

31a

Working at home before entering office (7)

Generating...

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

IN (at home) + GOING (working, of a clock or watch for example)

33a

Regularly ignored - I'm sorry - once cool African country (7)

Generating...

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

MOROCCO ( letters remaining in i’ M s O r R y O n C e C o O l when characters 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 13 and 15 [regularly] are excluded [ignored])

34a

Avoiding time, dread what might follow trial (5)

Generating...

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

t ERROR (dread) excluding (avoiding) T (time)

35a

Practise economy, extremely likely without effect (9)

Generating...

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

USE LESS (practise economy) + LY ( outer letters of [extremely] L ikel Y )

Down

1d

Resentment of another Nobel Venezuelan originally received (4)

Generating...

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

EN (the letter N [ first letter of [originally] N obel) + VY [this pair of letters is pronounced VEE [ the letter V, first letter {originally} of V enezuelan] in the word ENVY ) – together EN and VY are pronounced  and received by the ears as ENVY.

2d

What's covered by casual shirt, approximately (5)

Generating...

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

T (T-shirt; casual shirt) + OR SO (approximately)

3d

What you hope to see through sunglasses? Water in Cannes, having just arrived there (7)

Generating...

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

NO UV (no ultra violet light; good sunglasses are supposed to eliminate or block ultra-violet rays) + EAU (French [Cannes] for water)

4d

Case of lascivious American with Epstein essentially filling cravings (5)

Generating...

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

( US [United States; American] + T [ central letter of {essentially} Eps T ein]) contained in (filling) LS ( outer letters of [case of] L asciviou S )

5d

Outstanding leader of Denmark uplifting continental bloc (3)

Generating...

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

D ( first letter of [leader of] D enmark) + EU (European Union [continental bloc]) reversed (uplifting; down entry)

6d

Jazz fan bored by nude club (7)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Cuba on top of uprising from briefly united island (5)

Generating...

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

C (International Vehicle Registration for Cuba) + FRO m excluding the final letter M (breifly) reversed (uprising; down entry) + U (United)

8d

Disinclination to move hotel supporting small fortune (5)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Desire to acquire Greenland without at first notifying loyal allied nations (5)

Generating...

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

GREE nlan D excluding (without) the initial (at first) letters of each of N otifying, L oyal, A llied and N ations

14d

Muscle complaint (4)

Generating...

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

BEEF (a complaint) double definition

16d

Priest restricted by piles coming back (3)

Generating...

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

ELI ( reversed [coming back] hidden word in [restricted by] p ILE s)

17d

River plants etc. go missing (5)

Generating...

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

INDUS try (factories or manufacturing plants) excluding (missing) TRY

19d

Band bird missing its wings (3)

Generating...

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

r OBI n (a bird) excluding (missing) the outer letters (its wings) R and N

20d
30d

(and 30 Down) Overindulgence? Belly filled with large superfluity in the end underlying weight? (8)

Generating...

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

[ GLUT ] TONY

22d

Hurry to contain hostile Right with increasing relief (7)

Generating...

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

( HIE [hurry] containing [to contain] ILL [hostile]) + R (right)

24d

Add to general unravelling (7)

flowerflowerflower
25d

Assuming high opinion of own self, exerted leverage in speech (5)

Generating...

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

PRIDE ( sounds like [in speech] PRIED [exerted leverage])

26d

Perhaps Yellowstone employee top Republican axed might be upset? (5)

Generating...

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

r ANGER (Yellowstone National Park will employ Rangers) excluding the first [top] l etter R (Republican)

27d

Where thousands died a few pocketing millions (5)

Generating...

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

SOME (a few) containing (pocketing) M (millions)

29d

Against US immigration agents' singular failings (5)

Generating...

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

V (versus; against) + ICE (American Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ IC E] agents) + S (singular)

30d

See 20 Down

32d

Emptied firearm and its contents thus missing antelope (3)

Generating...

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

G u N (firearm) excluding the central letter (emptied) U + U ( that same central letter [contents of the three-letter word g U n)