Times Cryptic #29038

2024-10-03

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Across

1a

Officer back with tea (6,4)

flowerflowerflower
6a

Friend attending Mass this Sunday? (4)

Generating...

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

Friend is PALM, add M[ass]. The emphatic this indicates you’re looking for a particular Sunday in the Christian calendar, the one before Easter.

9a

I get out with difficulty after salesman turns blue (10)

Generating...

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

This version is the blue shade of the flowers of a woodland evergreen plant. I WINKLE is a version of I get out with difficulty, which comes after a reversed (turns) REP for salesman.

10a

One in front resembling a peacock (4)

Generating...

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

“Proud  as a peacock”: place a digit I in VAN for front.

12a

Universal Earth mentor? Fantastic! (6,6)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Buffoon, one of several appearing together on short London street (9)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Tedium something of an unspoken nuisance (5)

flowerflowerflower
18a

Mike in unresponsive state? Just a short break (5)

Generating...

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

M[ike] (NATO alphabet) in COMA, an unresponsive state.

19a

Wait here for food, money and some coke, possibly (5,4)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Withdrawing name for a post in religious organisation? (12)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Judge of the Bible not available for foreign author (4)

Generating...

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

André, French Nobel laureate. The judge of the Bible is GIDEON. If a dish is not available, it’s not ON, so remove it.

25a

A share certificate, not one arranged for credit (10)

Generating...

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

As in some of the Psalms are ascribed to King David. A, plus SCRIP for a share certificate, plus an anagram (arranged) of NOT I.

26a

Seabird's opportunity to be heard (4)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Vaguely indicated a beat: cued at last, drum messed up (10)

Generating...

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

An anagram (messed up) where you have to assemble the material: A BEAT plus the last of [cue]D plus DRUM.

Down

1d

Concessions for high voices? (4)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Caterpillar maybe avoiding hill, climbs barrow (4)

Generating...

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

A TRACTOR may have caterpillar tracks, remove the TOR hill, and reverse (climbs).

3d

Pristine toy soldiers, participants in civil war (3,5,4)

Generating...

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

As organised by Cromwell to become an effective Parliamentarian fighting force. Straight word swaps.

4d

Chewy artist? (5)

Generating...

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

Edvard, he of The Scream, presumably caused by chewing a toffee with a leaky tooth.

5d

Well done: in a daze, showing patience (9)

Generating...

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

OLÉ is, of course, well done in Spanish, inserted into TRANCE for daze.

7d

A chap has troublesome issue about new copyist (10)

Generating...

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

The apostle Paul did not write his letter to the Romans, his amanuensis Tertius did – fun pub quiz question. A chap gives A MAN, followed by an anagram (troublesome) of ISSUE with N[ew] included.

8d

Three-card trick on film is capital (10)

flowerflowerflower
11d

I might be hearing "icicle", apparently (12)

Generating...

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

An icicle hangs or drops from the eaves.

13d

Restrain part of hand that is a bit redundant (5,5)

flowerflowerflower
14d

One walking along composing porn? Dear me! (10)

flowerflowerflower
16d

Exiled without husband after old city became more industrial (9)

Generating...

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

The old city is UR, followed by BANISHED for exiled without its H[usband].

21d

Article missing its last odd loose thread (5)

flowerflowerflower
22d

In good condition to cover area in short order (4)

Generating...

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

A very precise definition (2nd in Chambers). In good condition is FIT, insert A[rea].

23d

Woman's death overcoming one (4)

Generating...

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

Death is END, insert I.