Independent Cryptic #12292

2026-03-02

Solve on Independent →

Across

8a

Romantic page ruined by the woman filming boss (15)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Shoulder muscle twisted in a court (6)

Generating...

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

Reversal (twisted) of PEC (pectoral muscle) inside A (from surface) CT (court)

10a

What one must do to get product like tissues? (8)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Laid back country club once cleared out tourists with different ways of speaking (8)

Generating...

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

Reversal (back) of LAID + EC (the European Community, former name of what is now the EU, so a club of countries/country club once) + outer letters (cleared out) of T ourist S

12a

Annoying to be discovered in Ormskirk in guesthouse (6)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Very loud echo absorbed by book has an impact (7)

Generating...

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

FF + E inside ACTS (book of the New Testament)

16a

Brother escaping from erupting subregion describing rocks (7)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Block up hideout heading off to provide protein (6)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Musical mother on her return welcomed by hotel (8)

Generating...

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

Reversal (on her return) of MA inside (welcomed by) HILTON (hotel)

24a

Nuts to take out credit for son's million pounds (8)

Generating...

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

[cr] ACKERS (nuts, mad) with CR (credit) replaced by S (son) and M (millions)

25a

Looked after distribution of refunds fellow ignored (6)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Hit back at noble queen and king taking over diplomat's hotel by day (15)

Generating...

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

COUNT (noble) + ER (the late Queen Elizabeth, of blessed memory, whose shade still frequents many a cryptic) + ATTAC [h] E (diplomat, with the H for hotel replaced/taken over by K for king) + D (day)

Down

1d

Young girl's spoken of primary injury (8)

Generating...

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

Soundalike (spoken of) of ‘miss’ (young girl) + CHIEF (primary). Def as in ‘I’ve done myself a mischief’

2d

Ring concerning first annulment (6)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Almost quote Tom say coming up with plan (6)

Generating...

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

Reversal (coming up, in a down clue) of CIT [e] (almost quote) + CAT (tom, say)

4d

Tense cabinet maker breaking spectacles on route to the highest level (7)

Generating...

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

T (tense) + insertion (breaking) of PM (prime ministers appoint cabinets, so cabinet maker…) into OO (spectacles) + ST (route)

5d

Cooking back in Sunderland instead of Gateshead is boring (8)

Generating...

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

[g] RILLING with the G (Gateshead) changed to a D (back in Sunderland)

6d

With season curtailed deer trekking northwards scatter (8)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Essentially admit nothing about rearing falcon (6)

Generating...

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

M (central letter – essentially – of adMit) + reversal (rearing) of NIL RE (nothing about)

14d

Tempting every second member of gang in Chittenden to come round (8)

Generating...

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

Reversal (to come round) of alternate letters (every second member) of G a N g I n C h I t T e N d E n

15d

Offered soft beds with covers removed (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Still locked editor's holding up a French competition anyone can enter (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Up to this point the American footballers lacking energy and resistance (7)

flowerflowerflower
20d

Oscar-winner regularly lied introducing leading parts for Marilyn Monroe (originally Norma) (6)

Generating...

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

Alternate letters of L i E d + initial letters (leading parts) of M arilyn M onroe O riginally N orma. Jack Lemmon won two Oscars, in 1955 and 1973, but not, sadly, for Some Like It Hot

22d

Tiny writer eating bit of iced fruitcake (6)

Generating...

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

ME (writer) around (eating) I (bit of iced) NUT (fruitcake)

23d

Cyril's rewritten words (6)

flowerflowerflower