Independent Cryptic #1796

2024-07-28

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Across

1a

Groovy district in an English county? (7)

Generating...

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

RUT-LAND(how you might describe a district/a region that has ruts/grooves in it).

5a

Adult rabbit going outside to get drink (7)

Generating...

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

A(abbrev. for “adult”) + LOP(a kind of rabbit, one with floppy ears) containing ( going outside ) COP(to get/to catch).

9a

Inspector's wife visiting stormy isle (5)

Generating...

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

W(abbrev. for “wife”) contained in ( visiting ) anagram of ( stormy ) ISLE .

10a

Single portion fills in snack in two sections (9)

Generating...

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

[ I(Roman numeral for “one”/single) + PART(a portion/section of a whole) ] contained in ( fills in ) BITE(a snack/a titbit).

11a

Disease in which mercy a goal potentially (10)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Kay previously called for joint (4)

Generating...

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

K(the letter “Kay”) + NEE(previously called/name when born, used to introduce a married woman’s maiden name).

14a

Singer one seen in uproarious 20 2: we must leave! (6,5)

Generating...

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

I(Roman numeral for “one”) contained in ( seen in ) anagram of ( uproarious ) “ FAWLTY TOWERS “(answer to clue 20down 2down) minus ( … must leave ) “ we “.

18a

Endlessly dangerous Romeo up for fun indoors (7,4)

Generating...

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

Last letter deleted from ( Endlessly ) “parlous”(archaic term for “dangerous”/perilous) + R(letter represented by “Romeo” in the phonetic alphabet) + GAME(up for/eager and willing to do something challenging).

21a

Prickly shrub took an upward course (4)

Generating...

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

Double defn:  1st: Thorny/prickly shrub.

22a

Plant at least three detectives in Vauxhall? (10)

Generating...

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

[ PI(abbrev. for “private investigator”/detective) + DIS(abbrev. for more than 1 “Detective Inspector”) ](making 3 or more detectives) contained in ( in ) ASTRA(a model of car manufactured by Vauxhall Motors Limited).

25a

Office workers' duck croaks having swallowed article (3,6)

Generating...

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

TEAL(a small freshwater duck) + DIES(in slang, croaks/kicks the bucket) containing ( having swallowed ) A(article in English grammar).

26a

Principle that is absorbing Democrat completely? Almost! (5)

Generating...

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

IE(abbrev. for “id est”/that is) containing ( absorbing ) D(abbrev. for “Democrat”) + “all”(completely/entirely) minus its last letter ( Almost ).

27a

Dope dealer in seconds confessed in A&E (7)

Generating...

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

[ S(abbrev. for “seconds”, in time notation) + SANG(slang for “confessed”/admitted to committing a crime, and perhaps implicating others as well) ] contained in ( in ) [ A and E ].

28a

Grass and tree riddled with insects (7)

Generating...

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

TI(a genus of tropical trees) + MOTHY(riddled/infested with moths, a group of insects).

Down

1d

Get the next round in? (6)

Generating...

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

Cryptic defn: Not a round of drinks, but an amount of ammunition in order to fire another single shot from a weapon.

2d

See 20 Down

3d

Arrogance shown in an RC feast? (10)

Generating...

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

Double defn: 1st: …/presumption; and 2nd: A feast in honour of the reception of Mary bodily into heaven, celebrated by Roman Catholics.

4d

Remove trousersbad egg to miss a good thrashing (5)

Generating...

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

Anagram of ( … thrashing ) “ bad egg ” minus { “ a ” + “g”(abbrev. for “good”) ].

5d

Shock when pair climbing spotted mount (9)

Generating...

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

APPAL(to shock/horrify) + reversal of ( … climbing , in a down clue) [ AS(when/at that particular moment, as in “as you enter”) + OO(I’m not sure about this: letters representing a pair of eyes? Spectacles? Breasts? Or is it just a pair of letters) ].

6d

I'm surprised by king in Irish city (4)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Margaret covering one with Nancy's black dressing-gown (8)

Generating...

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

PEG(short version of the name “Margaret”) containing ( covering ) I(Roman numeral for “one”) plus ( with ) NOIR(“black” in the language of Nancy, a French city).

8d

In crowd Treebeard for one holds out (8)

Generating...

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

PRESS(a crowd/a mass of closely packed people or things) containing ( In … ) ENT(species of tree-like people whose leader was Treebeard, in J.R.R. Tolkein’s fantasy, The Lord of the Rings).

13d

Austere existence is seen among cats at war with mice (10)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Husband in jeopardy back in times past finds pig (9)

Generating...

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

[ H(abbrev. for “husband”) contained in ( in ) reversal of ( … back ) RISK(jeopardy/danger) ] contained in ( in ) YORE(times past/long ago).

16d

French pop excessive American consumes for entertainment (8)

Generating...

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

PÈRE(French for “father”, for which “pop” is an informal term) contained in ( … consumes ) [ OTT(abbrev. for “over the top”/excessive) + A(abbrev. for “American”) ].

17d

Lock spring breaks giving uninvited access? (8)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Setter barking shows way (6)

flowerflowerflower
20d
2d

(and 2 Down) Drag queen's chasing buggy we hear in sitcom (6,6)

Generating...
23d

Map detailit describes three main points (5)

Generating...

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

IT containing ( describes ) N,S,E(abbrev. for , respectively, “north, south, east”, three main compass points).

24d

Wrongdoer renouncing evil without real worth (4)

Generating...

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

“villain”(wrongdoer/a criminal) minus ( renouncing ) “ill”(evil/harm).