Independent Cryptic #1871

2026-01-04

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Across

1a

Crooked pole musketeer shortened in novel (8)

Generating...

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

ATHO [s] (one of the three musketeers in the Dumas novel, shortened) inside BOOK (novel)

5a

Antelope's smell masked by even nastier one (6)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Jog about with bodyguard (8)

Generating...

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

RE (about) + MINDER (bodyguard). The definition seems grammatically a little off to me – the connection between jogging one’s memory and getting a reminder is clear enough, but can a jog be a reminder? Chambers doesn’t quite give a definitive answer but maybe someone can supply a plausible case where the two are interchangeable

10a

Gun shot that ricochets to hit second target (6)

Generating...

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

Double definition, the second referring to a shot eg in billiards, where the cue ball strikes one ball and then a second to score points

12a

Watering holes in prime spots along road she sees (5)

Generating...

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

Second, third, fifth, seventh and 11th letters (in prime spots) in r OA d S h E see S

13a

Ring Spooner's dropping down from pine tree? (9)

Generating...

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

Spoonerism of ‘cone fall’

14a

Three peaks followed by a war film (12)

Generating...

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

TOR (peak) + A three times. Tora! Tora! Tora! is a 1970 film about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941

18a

Everyone's bags in laundry switched at the start (12)

Generating...

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

Insertion of LANDS (bags) in ALUNDRY (laundry with its first two letters switched)

21a

Today trucks not starting? That's OK (9)

Generating...

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

NOW (today) + [L] ORRIES (trucks not starting)

23a

Winter Olympics venue incredibly cold with hail (5)

Generating...

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

SO (very) + C + HI (hail). Sochi hosted the Winter Olympics in 2014

24a

Canteen ought to accommodate as many as required (6)

flowerflowerflower
25a

Party at home hosted by friend's boss (8)

Generating...

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

DO (party) + insertion (hosted by) of IN (home) in MATE

26a

Chain I blunder into when reversing (6)

Generating...

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

Insertion (into) of I ERR (I blunder) into a reversal of AS (when)

27a

Dragon losing a head showing complacency? (8)

Generating...

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

SM [a] UG (the name of the dragon in The Hobbit , without the A) + NESS (head)

Down

1d

Lowly lord keeps Tesla in farmyard (6)

Generating...

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

BARON (the lowest rank of the British peerage, so ‘lowly lord’) around T (keeps Tesla). A barton is primarily (though not only) a West Country term for a large farm or small manor rather than a farmyard as such, though in Thomas Hardy’s wonderful Christmas poem ‘The Oxen’ it might arguably refer to a barn. However, Chambers does give the single definition ‘a farmyard’, so I can’t quibble. Except to make the heretical point that Chambers isn’t always right

2d

Just about time to support charity that's collected nothing (6)

Generating...

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

T (time) beneath (to support) ALMS (charity) around O (that’s collected nothing)

3d

Crew eat as if it's a picnic (9)

Generating...

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

HANDS (crew) + DOWN (eat), definition hinting at ease of achieving or accomplishing something

4d

Human pope struggling with sin trying to be better (12)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Make happy story up with treasure at the end (5)

Generating...

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

Reversal (up, in a down clue) of TALE (story) + E (last letter of treasure)

7d

Cork area cheap house that's typical in Ireland (8)

Generating...

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

BUNG (cork) + A (area) + LOW (cheap)

8d

Broken ankle curtailed girl's play (8)

Generating...

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

Anagram (broken) of ANKLE GIR [L] (curtailed girl)

11d

Bananas grown at Sodom are happily taken up ... (12)

flowerflowerflower
15d

Very noticeable Mark's inside with his feet up (9)

Generating...

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

[m] AR [k] {mark’s inside letters) + RESTING

16d

Associate of French commandos hides below (8)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Punch weed catching left nostril that suddenly spurts (8)

Generating...

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

BLOW (punch) + insertion (catching) of L inside HOE (weed, as a verb)

19d

Fix electronic stuff that's discarded swapping parts (6)

Generating...

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

E (electronic) + SCRAP (stuff that’s discarded) switching places (swapping parts)

20d

Small screen parts taken up by EastEnders ' Lexi Pearce (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

King and I upset queen understood (5)

Generating...

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

R (Rex, king) + reversal (upset) of EGO + R (Regina, queen)