Independent Cryptic #1776

2024-03-10

Solve on Independent →

Across

1a

Anticipate chopping all wood (6)

Generating...

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

“forestall”(to anticipate an event and take action to prevent or obstruct it) minus ( chopping ) “ all “.

4a

However stock rotates one's behind (8)

Generating...

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

BUT(however/though) + 1st letter goes to the end ( … rotates ) STOCK .

10a

Arbitrator earned suspect votes (9)

Generating...

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

REF(short for “referee”, an arbitrator/judge) + anagram of ( … suspect ) EARNED .

11a

Demolish stable and flat (5)

Generating...

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

Triple defn: 1st: …/raze to the ground; 2nd: …/calm and steady; and 3: …/having a smooth horizontal surface.

12a

One might take ore fragment from seam in error (5)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Controlled ship stuffed initially with preserved fish (9)

Generating...

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

1st letter of ( … initially ) “ stuffed ” plus ( with ) KIPPERED(preserved fish/cured a herring or other fish).

14a

Party involved in drink fiasco (7)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Reveal 4 - low number (4)

Generating...

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

MOO(low/sound made by cattle) + N(an indefinite number, as in ” there are n reasons for it”).

19a

A bird shedding hard patch (4)

Generating...

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

A + “rhea”(a flightless bird) minus ( shedding ) “h”(abbrev. for “hard”).

21a

Can we hear stew cooking? It's a life-saver (7)

Generating...

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

Homophone of ( … we hear ) “may”(can/has the possibility to) + anagram of ( … cooking ) STEW .

24a

Organise the karate rally (9)

flowerflowerflower
25a

First of murderers - Cain - wild and frenzied (5)

Generating...

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

1st letter of ( First of ) “ murderers ” + anagram of ( … – wild ) CAIN .

26a

Girl regularly entertained by French city's spicy dish (5)

Generating...

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

2nd and 4th letters of ( … regularly ) “ Girl ” contained in ( entertained by ) PAU(French city or commune).

27a

Animals here include badger between outskirts of Milwaukee and Great Lake (9)

Generating...

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

NAG(to badger/harass) contained in ( include … between ) [ 1st and last letters of ( outskirts of ) “ Milwaukee ” plus ( and ) ERIE(one of the Great Lakes in North America) ].

28a

Bee flying with 25A feeling (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram of ( … flying … ) [ BEE plus ( with ) MANIAC(answer to 25 across) ].

29a

Behead bears? Not us (6)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Principal in favour of some turning up on time (8)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Lots of oil here on fancy clothes (8)

Generating...

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

RE(on/with reference to) + FINERY(fancy clothes/Sunday best).

3d

Love god rebuffed by Romeo becomes increasingly irritated (5)

Generating...

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

Reversal of ( … rebuffed ) EROS(Greek god of erotic love) plus ( by ) R(letter in the phonetic alphabet represented by “Rome”).

5d

Heavy metal you said? (7)

Generating...

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

Homophone of ( … said ) “you”.

6d

Call them regularly and help out United (9)

Generating...

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

1st and 3rd letters of ( … regularly ) “ them ” plus ( and ) anagram of ( … out ) HELP + ONE(united/as a single entity).

7d

Underground chamber opening in California state institution at last (6)

Generating...

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

1st letter of ( opening in … ) “ California ” + AVER(to state/declare) + last letter of ( … at last ) “ institution “.

8d

They're often dressed as revolutionary youths (6)

Generating...

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

Reversal of ( … revolutionary ) AS + LADS(youths/young guys).

9d

Becomes parody as last of employees is demoted (6)

Generating...

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

[ SEND UP ](a parody/spoof) with last letter of ( as last of ) “ employees ” moved down in position ( is demoted ).

15d

With a start he's held up inside store (9)

Generating...

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

W(abbrev. for “with”) + A + ROUSE(to start/startle hunted game from its lair or cover) containing ( … inside ) reversal of ( …’s held up , in a down clue) HE .

17d

Milk supplier sure went crazy (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Two sons' 24 adhesive labels (8)

Generating...

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

S,S(two x abbrev. for “son”) [ containing ( TAKE ) TICKER(informal term for “ HEART “) ](answer to 24 across).

20d

Cook starts to appreciate making a nice pasty (7)

Generating...

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

Anagram of ( Cook ) [ 1st letters, respectively, of ( starts to ) “ appreciate making ” + A + NICE ].

21d

Monstrous dog devours a knight (6)

Generating...

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

MUTT(a dog/a mongrel) containing ( devours ) [ A + N(symbol for a knight, the chess-piece) ].

22d

One with purse covered in gold returned in perfect state (6)

Generating...

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

Reversal of ( …, returned ) { [ I(Roman numeral for “one”) plus ( with ) POT(purse/winner’s prize money) ] contained in ( covered in ) AU(symbol for the chemical element, gold) }.

23d

Key void in piece of space-station (6)

Generating...

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

“ Key ” minus its inner letter ( void ) contained in ( in ) SLAB(a large thick flat piece).

25d

Little kid picked up strength (5)

Generating...

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

Homophone of ( … picked up ) “mite”(little kid/small child).