Times Cryptic #28753

2023-11-06

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Across

1a

A little place in the county, the very thing (6)

flowerflowerflower
5a

In dark, run over sunshade (8)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Be arrogant as actor, concealing source of wealth (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

MINE in DOER

10a

Beginning to avoid betrayal in moderation (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

[t]REASON

11a

A daughter wearing bracelets at hotel in the country (10)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

A D in BANGLES H

13a

Sympathy as prime minister fails to complete year (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

PIT[t] Y

14a

Position for diving for fish (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

double definition (DD), the first referring to a position in diving in which the diver’s body is bent at the waist and their chest lies flat against their thighs. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME!

15a

Rock resident as two pubs finally close, full of foolish chatter (7,3)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

YAP (foolish chatter) in BAR BAR (two pubs) last letter of [clos]E; YAP has a nominal use meaning annoying or stupid speech

18a

Mint producing something less than the King's Shilling? (10)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

there were I suppose twelve pennies in a King’s shilling, which is  a slang term referring to the advance (earnest) payment, which used to be given to recruits in the UK armed forces; PENNYROYAL is a species of flowering plant in the mint family. I assumed it was something you sucked…

20a

Pursue female, as dog may? (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

WOO F

21a

They poetically address European port, mostly (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

ODES[sa]; it’s a bit unusual to be asked to delete the two final letters of a word, but never say never…alternatively, they changed the spelling of the city while I wasn’t looking: ODES[a]

23a

Cobblers put up with endless pressure after cash arrangement (10)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

COD (cash on demand – cash arrangement) SWALLO[w] (to put up with something without its ending letter) P (pressure); alternatively, just biff and move on

25a

Manifest horror, about to be caught by swindle (6)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Contradicted, gets help (8)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Cinema-lover maybe is at a bizarre film (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

FAN anagram* of IS AT; Disney film of the 40s

29a

Thirty-one days hail, the length of a festival (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

an octave is a Catholic festival with an (inclusively counted) eight-day length; Luxembourg, I learn, has an Octave Festival which is actually a double-octave one, celebrated over two weeks.

Down

2d

Bringing to mind corrupt 29 I have as support (9)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

OCTAVE* IVE (I have > I’ve supporting it, or propping it up in a down clue); the editor likes to pop one of these Guardianesque cross-referencing clues in from time to time, so we can all throw our arms up in the air and talk about declining standards, policemen getting younger each year, kids having it too easy at school, comedy shows no longer being funny, etc. etc. ‘Corrupt’ is the anagram indicator.

3d

Stones record, about an hour (7)

flowerflowerflower
4d

One curled in disgust, not from ecstasy (3)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

‘not from’ is TO, ecstasy is, I am told, E; well, you have toe-curling things, so you could have one curled in disgust. A tad Guardianesque, peut-être?

5d

Welcoming pair to spend time with in bout of self-indulgence (5)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

PR (pair) in SEE (to spend time with)

6d

Sweet world, getting permit for king to visit (11)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

HM (His Majesty > king) in MARS (world) ALLOW (permit)

7d

Ask again about what cider is like (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

RE (about – again) APPLY (what cider is like – geddit?!)

8d

Decline to accept too big a bed (5)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

OS (outsize > too big) in ROT (decline)

12d

Novelist Marcel, but as translated (6,5)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Man who painted a little light (3)

flowerflowerflower
17d

Composer's verification about Köchel number that is "5" (9)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

just a matter of getting the spelling right in this one. I’ve tried hard to like other stuff of Sergei’s apart from Romeo and Juliet but have never quite pulled it off. Oh! the parsing: K (Köchel number, AKA K, referencing the fellow who catalogued Mozart’s music) in PROOF (verification) IE (that is > id est) V (five)

19d

Finally discern a nice smell that is arising (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

[discer]N A SCENT

20d

Long-established oil producers, not in Middle East (4-3)

Generating...
22d

Ace hospital scoundrel turned over in Russian retreat (5)

flowerflowerflower
24d

Follow parent, in principle (5)

flowerflowerflower
27d

One and the same language (3)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:

I DO (i.e. ditto > the same); an invented language derived from Reformed Esperanto. I rest my case…