Independent Cryptic #12297

2026-03-07

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Group of artists in a cryptic crossword? (11)

Generating...

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

Cryptic clue: Dire Straits = ARTIST

7a

Setter's leg-over? (3)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Distinctive characters about to abandon race with gold (5)

Generating...

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

About [C] to abandon [removed from] race [RAE] with gold [AU]

10a

Unabating insect swarms surrounding hospital (9)

Generating...

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

Anag (“swarms”) INSECT surrounding hospital [SAN = Sanitorium]

11a

Scarcity of baked beans since Jesus was born (7)

Generating...

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

Anag (“baked”] BEANS since Jesus was born [CE]

12a

Artist's secretary seen west of Bury (7)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Slidings played across the middle of piano (9)

Generating...

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

Anag [“played”] SLIDINGS across [around] the middle of piano [A]

15a

Star from One Direction's first disc #1 in Latvia (4)

Generating...

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

One [I] direction’s first [D] disc [O] #1 in Latvia [L]

18a

Rats for example really dislike being skinned (4)

Generating...

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

Really like [LOATHE] being skinned [ L OATH E ]

19a

Opening strokes on one's belly? (9)

Generating...

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

Opening [VENT] strokes [RALLY]

21a

Twisting brown river untouched by civilisation (7)

Generating...

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

Twisting [back to front] brown [TAN = NAT] river [URAL]

23a

Getting rid of cheap material (7)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Wilder bird of prey losing power it produces (9)

Generating...

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

Wilder [GENE] bird of prey losing power [RA P TOR]

26a

Wipe clean before entertaining discontented artists (5)

Generating...

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

Before [ERE] entertaining [around] discontented  artists [A RTIST S]

27a

Till broken by whiskey company? (3)

Generating...

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

Till [ TO] broken by [around] whiskey [W]

28a

Resident Medical Officer probes the data for in-house regulators (11)

Generating...

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

Resident Medical Officer [MO] probes [inside] the data [ THE STATS]

Down

1d

Doctor with a degree in theatre studies? (5)

Generating...

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

Doctor [DR] with a degree [A MA]

2d

Taking terrible risk 20 devoid of top and other clothing (9)

Generating...

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

Taking [around] anag. [“Terrible”] risk [=SKIR] 20 devoid of top [ A RARAT[

3d

Strictest designation after Hemingway enters the canon? (8)

Generating...

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

Cryptic: if Hemingway entered the canon he would be designated as St. Ernest!

4d

Struggling artist offloading two Teslas with electronic hoist (5)

Generating...

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

Anag [“struggling”] ARTIST offloading [removing] two Tesla’s [ T T] with electronic [E]

5d

Opening feature? (9)

Generating...

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

Double definition. Inception is the 2010 feature film by Christopher Nolan

6d

Bird is in hide (6)

Generating...

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

Is [IS] in hide [SKIN]

7d

Admit that ultimately the old lady must come first (5)

Generating...

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

That ultimately [T] the old lady [GRAN] must come first

8d

Lines representing reality outside without using metaphor (9)

Generating...

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

Lines [LL] representing [anagram] REALITY outside

13d

Depart this life? O dead beheaded warrior farewell! (9)

Generating...

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

Depart this life [GO] o dead [O D] beheaded warrior [ K NIGHT]

14d

Insignificant volume? Turn the fourth of controls to eleven (9)

Generating...

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

Anag [“turn”] fourth of controls [T] + ELEVEN

16d

Famous Buddhist artist straddling a pack animal topless (9)

Generating...

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

Artist [DALI] straddling [around] a[A] pack animal [LLAMA] topless

17d

Black bats (these ones?) (8)

Generating...

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

Black [B] bats [RACKETS]

20d

Mount new art after artist ruined atelier's openings (6)

Generating...

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

New ART [anag] after artist ruined ateliers openings [first letters = ARA]

22d

Dance move at the end of function (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Go away and cry when one's bottom is pinched (5)

Generating...

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

Cry [SCREAM] when one’s bottom [E] is pinched [removed]

24d

Stab to remove articles from battered sausage (5)

Generating...

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

Remove articles [A A] from battered [anag] SAUSAGE