Times Cryptic #28801

2024-01-01

Solve on Times →

Across

1a

Obsequious? No city chaps can be so! (11)

flowerflowerflower
7a

Caligula's so cruel, almost to the end (3)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Timetable for Mass (9)

Generating...

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

if you are ‘for a metric mass’, a crossword setter might say you are ‘pro gramme’

10a

Run off with reactionary East European (5)

Generating...

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

E POLE reversed

11a

Tree from Mediterranean island, I hear (7)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Best fashion show on TV? (3,4)

flowerflowerflower
13a

Soldier beginning to goad weakest in group (5)

Generating...

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

G RUNT; specifically, originally at any rate, a soldier who endured the horrors of Vietnam

15a

Wearing expensive coat I dined, provoking anger (9)

Generating...

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

IN FUR (wearing expensive clothes) I ATE

17a

Order unit to intercept arms (9)

Generating...

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

I in ORDNANCE

19a

Road round Corsica perhaps making one annoyed (5)

flowerflowerflower
20a

About to join expert in boat (7)

flowerflowerflower
22a

Boy's inspired ideato visit Santa here? (7)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Biblical mother-in-law I complain about (5)

Generating...

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

I MOAN reversed; Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth, the great-grandmother of David (shepherd-cum-king)

25a

Way in which great strides are made? (6,3)

Generating...

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

strides here are trousers; street in London off Regent Street, known for its upmarket purveyors of clobber

27a

Type to cheat, billions going missing (3)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Support scruffy modern teens (11)

flowerflowerflower

Down

1d

Concession made by idiot after change of heart (3)

Generating...

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

sap changes to SOP

2d

Arrested in putsch, king has cause to breathe with difficulty (5)

Generating...

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

R in COUP

3d

Polish administrator putting down resistance (7)

Generating...
4d

You might have to pay for this confession (9)

flowerflowerflower
5d

Little covered in Times post (5)

flowerflowerflower
6d

Increasingly tawdry stunt involving ambassador (7)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Delay, putting nothing unusual in stable (9)

Generating...

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

O NEW in STALL (not delay here – that’s the drefinition – but the place where animals reside)

8d

Being sensible, reached deal after arrangement (5-6)

flowerflowerflower
11d

Constant congestion unsettled the authorities (11)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Drove dangerously, as funeral director did? (9)

Generating...

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

I parse this as a literal followed by wordplay, since ‘undertook’ cannot be literally what an undertaker does

16d

Kindly butcher providing this for glutton? (4-5)

Generating...
18d

Possible Belfast firm that is preserving singular cooking method (7)

Generating...

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

NI CO followed by S in IE (‘that is preserving singular’) ; I’d never say no to a good Niçoise salad (or salade Niçoise, if you like it a bit Frencher)

19d

University, particular one associated with Republican defeat (7)

Generating...

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

U LSE (London School of Economics) after REP

21d

Relaxed, being pressed to dismiss His Majesty (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Get on with some scallywag, re-employed (5)

flowerflowerflower
26d

Feeble cook keeling over, losing face (3)

flowerflowerflower