Independent Cryptic #1780

2024-04-07

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Across

1a

Monsters mostly guzzle on bison’s heart (7)

Generating...

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

[ mostly ] GORG (e) ("guzzle") + ON + (bi) S (on) [ 's heart ]

5a

Enthusiastic display of half-time pies and Bovril? (7)

Generating...

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

UK football fans will often partake in a pie and a Bovril at half-time, so they could be described as FAN FARE

9a

Peeled fruit to bring to bear (5)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Poland blocks cruises at sea displaying religious clothing (9)

Generating...

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

PL (International Vehicle Registration code for "Poland") blocks *(cruises) [anag: at sea ]

11a

Acclaimed new nursing area of university (10)

Generating...

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

*(acclaimed) [anag: new ] nursing A

12a

Occasionally falling from Estonia's volcano (4)

Generating...

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

[ occasional (letters) falling from ] E (s) T (o) N (i) A

14a

Provide waffle right before I carve up pâté sandwiches (11)

Generating...

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

PATE sandwiches R (right) before *(i carve) [anag: up ]

18a

Model Sierra almost market leader in UK soon? (11)

flowerflowerflower
21a

Division is Guardian's responsibility (4)

Generating...

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

Double definition

22a

Madame in on criminal network identification (10)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Basis to restrict beer and ... (9)

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26a

... sex after heading to Long Island clubs is within the law (5)

Generating...

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

IT ("sex") after L (long) + I (island) + C (clubs)

27a

Do ice dancing near South East London? (7)

Generating...

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

*(do ice) [anag: dancing ] near SE (South East)

28a

The trouble and I take a circuitous route (7)

Generating...

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

ME AND 'ER ("the trouble and I") In Cockney rhyming slang, trouble and strife = wife, and Cockney's would traditionally pronouce HER as 'ER.

Down

1d

Bollinger manufactures bottles of Mosel? (6)

flowerflowerflower
2d

I say are you writing up boring event with touchdown zone? (6)

Generating...

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

Homophone [ I say ] of ARE YOU + [ writing up ] <=YAWN ("boring event")

3d

Take too many clothes off and ruin film (10)

Generating...

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

Double definition

4d

Quietly one pockets 2/3 of bus fare in Japan (5)

Generating...

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

SH ("quietly") + I (one) pockets [ 2/3 of ] (b) US

5d

Ranch dressing one genuine reason to leave restaurant in a hurry (9)

Generating...

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

FARM ("ranch") dressing A (one) + REAL ("genuine")

6d

Flower with blue and white roots (4)

Generating...

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

Cryptic defintion – the NILE River ("flower", i.e. that which flows) has two major sources, the Blue Nile and the White Nile.

7d

Wimbledon champion taking time to become US Grand Slammer? (8)

Generating...

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

(Carlos) ALCARAZ (the current men's "Wimbledon champion") taking T Alcatraz was an infamous prison (or "slammer") on an island in San Francisco (well worth a visit if you're ever in the vicinity)

8d

Close screens partners are entangled! (8)

Generating...

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

END ("close") screens SN (South and North, "partners" in bridge) + ARE

13d

Crestfallen or tickled about discovering oil? (10)

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15d

Christian perhaps rising to speak in a flowery manner (9)

Generating...

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

<=BALE ("Christian, perhaps, rising ) + ORATE ("to speak")

16d

Desk jockeys were inside and treated like pieces of meat (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Party animal turns up volume of opera lyrics (8)

Generating...

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

LIB (Liberal "party") + <=OTTER ("animal", turns up)

19d

What Detective Chief Superintendent typically did to get rank (6)

Generating...

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

A Detective Chief Superintendent may well have RAN CID (Criminal Investigation Department)

20d

This could be Eccles High Street (6)

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23d

Top performers regularly at the farm (5)

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24d

Herald is bent on being heard (4)

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