Times Cryptic #28781

2023-12-08

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Across

1a

Rush towards Rome? It's warmer! (6)

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4a

British don't have to fightthat need not be understood (5,3)

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10a

Signal folder can provide something enthralling (11)

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11a

Pole, say, heading off, finds somewhere to go (3)

Generating...

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

SLAV (Pole, say) without the first letter (heading off)

12a

Driver from westheading that way? (7)

Generating...

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

W (west) A GONER (heading that way?) To ‘go west’ means to die. Of course the surface is lovely here (and maybe even counts as a semi-&lit) because covered WAGONERs in the United States rode west. I recall seeing a better version of this wordplay somewhere, which was something like “Six feet under, or heading that way? (4,3)”.

14a

Description of sister we understand that's universally unpopular? (7)

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15a

Surprisingly, many falling in with parking issue regulation (6,8)

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17a

Versatile accessory, awfully swanky, misfires (5,4,5)

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21a

Ex-prisoner given word of encouragement for keeping in trim (7)

Generating...

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

OLÉ (word of encouragement) in (for keeping in) PARE (trim)

22a

Most lean on one, matchless all round (7)

Generating...

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

ON + I (one) with BEST (matchless) all around

23a

Such as refund returned periodically? (3)

Generating...

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

every other letter of REFUND, reversed (returned periodically) This is the noun form of DUE, as in “pay one’s dues”.

24a

Drinking too much, perhaps, and sharing a bit? (11)

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26a

Wrongly declare one's piece of data in note (8)

Generating...

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

I’S (one’s) STAT (piece of data) in ME (note)

27a

Handle number in retreat with minimum staff? (3-3)

Generating...

Down

1d

His few faults one loudly broaches? (8)

Generating...

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

HIS FEW anagrammed (faults) with I (one) F (loudly = forte, in music) inside (broaches) FISHWIFE is the referent of ‘one’ in this descriptive phrase. It’s a bit unfortunate that the clue also contains the pronoun ‘his’, because the clue could equally be referring to whoever ‘he’ is.

2d

One who's succeeded in broadcast once before (3)

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3d

Officer, one refusing to fight on his own, left (7)

Generating...

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

CO (one refusing to fight = conscientious objector) LONE (on his own) L (left)

5d

Boy phoning, ringing no Scottish or Italian number (2,5,1,6)

Generating...
6d

It's time unit of key personnel stood on two legs! (7)

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7d

Maybe oligarch's rage after charge for possessing island (11)

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8d

Seen in Roman square, a once leading British female missionary (6)

Generating...

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

A in (seen in) XVI (Roman square = 16) + ER (once leading British female)

9d

Medical procedure welcome before finding work (3-11)

Generating...
13d

Officers in reserve prepared retreats after fighting (4,7)

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16d

Something fashionably labelled might have had this shape (8)

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18d

Hit and stab in back (4-3)

Generating...
19d

What's most important, having family doctor at home (7)

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20d

Working practice of French secretary upset primates (6)

Generating...

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

MO (working practice = modus operandi) + DE (of [in] French) + PA (secretary), all reversed (upset)

25d

Doctrine generally somewhat clumsily recalled (3)

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