Independent Cryptic #12286

2026-02-23

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Bound to drink around end of week (4)

Generating...

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

Sip(=drink) around [wee]k

4a

Places with few grasses or leaves (7)

flowerflowerflower
10a

13 perhaps head off to find antelope in the Pyrenees (5)

Generating...

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

[W]izard. The izard is another name for the Pyrenean chamois.

11a

Moth ultimately ensnared by dreadful trapdoor spider? (9)

Generating...

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

[Mot]h in trapdoor*.

12a

Tightest locks on street securing back of house (7)

Generating...

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

(Mane(=locks i.e. hair) + st{reet}) around [hous]e

13a

Short route following French sea bird (6)

Generating...

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

Lin[k](or possibly lin[e]) after mer(=French word for sea)

15a

Host runs out in revealing swimsuit (5)

Generating...

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

Th[r]ong(=host, as in a large group of people)

17a

Opposing trains set off (9)

Generating...

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

(Trains set)*

20a

Amateur recording movie shot in high definition initially earns Oscar (9)

Generating...

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

(Movie* in h{igh} d{efinition}) + e[arns] O[scar]

21a

Old money train discovered (5)

Generating...

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

[E]ducat[e](discovered=dis-covered)

22a

White whale maybe seen through special binoculars (6)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Rare poem about a missing penguin? (7)

Generating...

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

(R[a]re poem)*. The emperor is a species of penguin.

27a

Sign formal document retaining account (9)

Generating...

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

Charter(=formal document) around ac{count}

29a

Must be off - heading to town - cheers! (5)

flowerflowerflower
30a

Watch Bob leaving date (7)

Generating...

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

[S]takeout(Bob here used in the sense of s{hilling})

31a

Throws away out-of-date jams? (4)

Generating...

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

Bin[d]s(=jams in the sense of difficult positions with d{ate} removed)

Down

2d

Light anchor king found on border (5)

Generating...

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

K{ing} on edge(=border)

3d

Penny was on top holding one in bed tight (9)

Generating...

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

(P{enny} led(=was on top)) around aster(=type of flower, hence in a flowerbed)

4d

Time for everyone to stop raving over bit of information (5)

Generating...

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

(T{ime} + U(=for everyone in cinema classification)) in mad<(=raving)

5d

Stunned pair is inside safe and sound finally (9)

Generating...

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

((P{ai}r is) in sure) +[soun]d

6d

Almost ready for final message (3)

Generating...

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

Rip[e](=ready)

7d

Stirs around drink (4)

Generating...

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

Ados<(=stirs as a noun)

8d

Michigan school's principal meets one fired after strike causing conflict (8)

Generating...

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

Mi{chigan}(postal abbrev) + s[chool] + match(=something that fires up after being struck)

9d

Weird old man smuggled medium parts for use in trap (10)

Generating...

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

Pa(=old man i.e. father) + ran(=smuggled) + (m{edium} in(=parts) oral(=for use in trap, where trap is slang for mouth))

14d

Copper infiltrates where bottles of ale are stored? Wrong (10)

Generating...

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

Cu(=symbol for copper) in "in a crate"(=where bottles of ale are stored)

16d

I've got a big cooked topside of beef cut to try (9)

Generating...

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

(I've got a [b]ig]* (b[eef] removed)

18d

Cycling old woman stopping to skewer some seafood (9)

Generating...

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

(Crone(=old woman) with the first two letters cycling to the back) in stab(=skewer)

19d

Test cases sorted out for lesson (8)

Generating...

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

Trial(=test) around(=cases) out*(anagram signalled by sorted)

23d

Group of over one hundred and twenty regularly shunned (5)

Generating...

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

O{ver} + c(=one hundred) + even letters removed from t w e n t y

25d

Druid perhaps with power once more ousting leader of Iceni (5)

Generating...

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

P{ower} ag[i]an

26d

Rabbit's tail shortened near beginning of surgery (4)

Generating...

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

Cut(=shortened) after s[urgery]

28d

Mum fleeing ocean predator in old boat (3)

Generating...

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

[Sh]ark, with mum used in the sense of staying silent.