Independent Cryptic #12302

2026-03-13

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Across

1a

Cat very much recalled when hosting piece of animation (6)

Generating...

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

A reversal (recalled) of TOO (very much) round (‘hosting’) CEL (piece of animation)

5a

Location of historic US economic crisis? Remains bad initially horribly low (8)

Generating...

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

DUST (remains) B (first or ‘initial’ letter of bad) + an anagram (‘horribly’) of LOW

9a

Stuff in bin appears wet filthy (10)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Least likely to persist (4)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Poulenc’s variation - ultimate in exquisite richness (8)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Fine times pursuing dog in need of exercise? (6)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Possible limitation of first castle (4)

Generating...

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

F OR T (the first or last letters or ‘limitations’ of ‘first’)

15a

Insouciance from song in E by couple of sopranos (8)

Generating...

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

AIR (song) IN E S S (two sopranos)

18a

Praise everybody getting university involved in Charles Lamb (8)

Generating...

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

ALL (everyone) + U (university) ‘involved’ in ELIA (Charles Lamb)

19a

Relative’s place regularly visited in part of London (4)

Generating...

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

h AUNT (place regularly visited) missing the ‘h’ – traditionally, Londoners from the East End drop their ‘h’s when speaking

21a

One cheers enthralled by a virtual reality film franchise (6)

Generating...

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

A TA (‘cheers’ – thank you) in (‘enthralled by’) A VR (virtual reality)

23a

Metal treatment involving time just a bit (8)

Generating...

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

TIN (metal) CURE (treatment) round (‘involving’) T (time)

25a

After a job? (4)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Disqualified one active in e.g. libel (10)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Parisian delicacy? Parisian is importing a load (8)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Delicate hanging around for one bequest (6)

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Down

2d

Secure line during party (5)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Piggy drunk top off bottle rolling around on floor of lounge? (9)

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4d

Office work - binding including third of reports (6)

Generating...

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

TYING (binding) round (‘including’) P (third letter of reports)

5d

US flat tax? Need Trump plan curtailed amended (15)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Go to court about source of rotten discharge guaranteed success (8)

Generating...

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

SUE (go to court) round R (first letter or ‘source’ of rotten) + FIRE (discharge)

7d

Beginning to sink into Welsh lake? Probably not this wood (5)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Was wrong to embrace hot graduate in part of rest-room (9)

Generating...

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

WAS SIN (wrong) round (’embracing’) H (hot) BA (graduate)

14d

Not seeing even bits of plain when within plain (9)

Generating...

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

L I (2nd & 4th – ‘even’ – letters or ‘bits’ of ‘plain’) in OBVIOUS (plain)

16d

Close call note making electrical equipment safe (9)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Cheer in Government after America withdraws moving quickly (8)

Generating...

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

HURR a Y (cheer) IN G (government) missing (‘withdrawing’) A (America)

20d

A bad American playwright (6)

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22d

Fish served in ornate trattoria (5)

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24d

Memorial regarding defeat getting cut down (5)

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