Times Cryptic #29144

2025-02-04

Solve on Times →

Across

1a

Riddler cross after hips broken by Batman, finally (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram [broken] of HIPS + X (cross), containing [broken by] {Batma}N [finally]. The Riddle of the Sphinx is from Greek mythology and was supposedly put to to all those who passed through Thebes. The riddle is: What has one voice but goes on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening? AnswerThe answer to the riddle is a human being, who crawls as a baby, stands on two legs as an adult, and walks with a stick in old age.

4a

Glass boat (8)

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10a

Beach vehicle, due to bear north, full of problems (4,5)

Generating...

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

DUE containing [to bear] N (north), BUGGY (full of problems). I lost time here on my first thought, SAND YACHT, but I had to give up on it.

11a

Carry out crooked payment for union (5)

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12a

Returns to an irregular galactic body (7,4)

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14a

Musical more popular in Uruguay at first? (3)

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15a

Support Times on position trader takes on market (5,2)

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17a

Poet fooling around endlessly (6)

Generating...

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

LARKIN{g} (fooling around) [endlessly]

19a

Inter Milan's leader bet on getting beaten (6)

Generating...

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

Anagram [getting beaten] of M{ilan’s} [leader] BET ON

21a

Block board game piece (7)

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23a

Bit of needlework in gallery shunned by European (3)

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24a

Show fairy strange god (6,5)

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26a

Island not featured in Scream film (5)

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27a

Room left for launch zone (9)

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29a

Ancient way of cooking lard is OK (4,4)

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30a

Person at academy exhibits work (6)

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Down

1d

Take action to welcome Europeans and Africans (8)

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2d

Back uniform for religious adherent (5)

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3d

Centre of upside-down cake (3)

Generating...
5d

Keen kiosk gets rid of last sparkler (7)

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6d

Boss to get the drinks in? (5,6)

Generating...

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

ORDER A ROUND (get the drinks in)

7d

Fresh tear in cheap paper (9)

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8d

Guy ran off in piece of sci-fi literature (3,3)

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9d

Business with a commodity initially embraced by millennials? (6)

Generating...

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

A, then C{ommodity} [initially] contained [embraced] by GEN Y (millennials). I know nothing of such things, but I understand this covers births from early 1980s to around 2000.

13d

Flower and wine stolen before game (3-3,5)

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16d

Gold character left uncovered (2,7)

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18d

Mike stops to make a meal in the afternoon (5,3)

Generating...

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

M (Mike  – NATO) is contained by [stops] CREATE (make), A

20d

Italian city's expression of gratitude for drinks supplier (7)

Generating...

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

BARI’S (Italian city’s), TA (expression of gratitude). A city port I learned from crosswords only recently.

21d

Church exam for singers (6)

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22d

Secret police's period of inactivity (6)

Generating...

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

STASI’S (secret police’s). This came up clued with reference to the STASI in my blog last Tuesday and since then I have also seen it in a Guardian puzzle. Can we put it back in its box please?

25d

A foreign greeting set up another? (5)

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28d

Introspective music contributing to pensive mood (3)

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