Independent Cryptic #12283

2026-02-19

Solve on Independent →

Across

9a

One of two possibly having left this place unclad (5)

Generating...

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

n OT HER e (‘having left this place’) missing the first and last letters or ‘unclad’

10a

In that region, Hungary lies to the west (3)

Generating...

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

H (Hungary) with IS (lies) in front or ‘to the west’

11a

In both directions I see a commotion (3-2)

Generating...

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

OH (I see) after a reversal of OH (‘in both directions’) + A

12a

Cool, not having old pile sell at a low price (2,5)

Generating...

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

GO C old (cool) missing ‘old’ + HEAP (pile)

13a

Hit on the fact that the spirit of the Caribbean was flowing freely (7)

Generating...

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

RUM (spirit of the Caribbean) BLED (was flowing freely)

14a

Henry working with wrapping present (2,4)

Generating...

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

H (Henry) in or ‘wrapped by’ ON (working) AND (with)

16a

E.g. Menace, Destroyer and Governess, finally on the heels of optimistic bunch? (7)

Generating...

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

A clue-as-definition?: AS (e.g.) E R S (last or ‘final’ letters of Menace, Destroyer and Governess) after C H (last letters or ‘heels’ of optimistic bunch) – A reference to ‘The Chase’ TV programme

19a

Enjoyable German channel (3)

Generating...

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

Double definition – the first being German for ‘good’ (enjoyable)

20a

Love is returned by crack director (7)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘returned’) of NIL (love) after CHAP (crack) – Charlie Chaplin was usually seen wearing a 7/15

21a

International event; international lingo (3)

Generating...

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

I (international) DO (event)

22a

As a joke, eyes kissing when moving south east (7)

Generating...

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

OSCULAR (kissing) with S (south) moved to the right or ‘east’

24a

Secured additional part of Greater Manchester (6)

Generating...

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

Is this a triple definition? BOLT-ON could be ‘secured’ as an adjective or ‘additional part’ as a noun and BOLTON is ‘part’ of Greater Manchester – ‘part’ doing double duty

28a

Remarkable turnout, so unable to offer seconds (7)

Generating...

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

Alternate or ‘every second’ letters in t U r N o U t S o U n A b L e

29a

Player in the auditorium you’ve no reason to question (7)

Generating...

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

A homophone (‘in the auditorium’) of WHY DOUBT (‘you’ve no reason to question’) – our last one in, as we have never heard of a WIDEOUT – apparently a player in American football

31a

Parisian who turned up recording device (5)

Generating...

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

QUI (French for ‘who’) + a reversal (‘turned’) of UP

32a

Religious party to join union (3)

flowerflowerflower
33a

Nothing particularly good in reserve (2,3)

Generating...

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

O (nothing) NICE (particularly good)

Down

1d

“Club” singer taking over, that surprises me! (3,6)

Generating...

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

O (over) in or ‘taken by’ BY GEORGE (‘that surprises me!’) – the Culture Club singer usually wore a 7/15

2d

Fashionable young thing, Kay Short (4)

Generating...

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

CHIC k (young thing) missing the ‘k’ or ‘Kay short’)

3d

Disorderly non-members knocking out some poor guy in changing room (2,4)

Generating...

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

An anagram (‘disorderly’) of N o N-ME m B e R s without an anagram (‘poor’) of ‘some’ – a reference to a children’s cartoon character who has adventures wearing various costumes from a fancy-dress shop, but who’s ‘normal’ attire includes a 7/15

4d

Out of hospital, the reason to admit one’s soft, weak and feeble (5)

Generating...

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

W h Y (the reason) missing or ‘out of’ ‘h’ (hospital) round or ‘admitting’ I’M (one’s) P (soft). As per comment 4: J Wellington WIMPY was a 7/15-wearing character in the Popeye cartoons

5d

Perhaps Clementine, Charlotte and Lauryn will have to share a cell (9)

Generating...

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

CHURCH (Charlotte Church – Welsh singer) and HILL (Lauryn Hill – American singer) sharing the last/first ‘h’ or ‘cell’ – Clementine was Winston Churchill’s wife – he was frequently seen wearing a 7/15

6d
27d

(and 27 Down) Band sacked woman missing vocal elements in hotspots (8,5)

Generating...
7d
15d

(and 15 Down) Mistake Wayne’s inspiration for clash of heads? This is on Riddler (6,3)

Generating...
8d

See 17 Down

15d

See 7 Down

17d
8d

(and 8 Down) Universal parts are light, just to promote 50 actors (6,3,5)

Generating...
18d

Ladies and gents got ready to strike Avenger (4,5)

Generating...

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

JOHNS (‘ladies and gents’ – toilets) TEED (‘got ready to strike’ – on a golf course) – John Steed is a fictional spy who wore a 7/15 in The Avengers TV series in the 60s and 70s

20d

Thick skin envelops cubic body mass (8)

Generating...

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

CALLUS (thick skin) round or ‘enveloping’ CU (cubic) – Professor CALCULUS is another 7/15-wearing character in The Adventures of Tintin

21d

See 23 Down

23d
21d

(and 21 Down) Macabre hairy relative practisin’ sex in bed (6,3)

Generating...
25d

Some casual work retiring PM takes in Dutch Department (3,3)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘retiring’) of BOJO (Boris Johnson, former PM) ‘taking in’ D (Dutch) D (department) – the fictional 7/15-wearing henchman to Goldfinger in the James Bond novel and film

26d

A division secretly devising gadgets to clean up Muslim dress (5)

Generating...

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

A reversal (‘up’) of A Q (‘division secretly devising gadgets’ – in James Bond novels) RUB (clean)

27d

See 6 Down

30d

Into getting hammered, overdoing the amber nectar? (2,2)

flowerflowerflower