Times Cryptic #29253

2025-06-11

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Across

1a

No saint, unscrupulous individual is filled with constant agitation (9)

Generating...

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

[S]HYSTER, IS with C inserted. Agitation seems a little of an understatement for hysterics, but there you are.

6a

Volume dial adjusted for sound (5)

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9a

One handy face card turning up in every deal? (4-2-3-6)

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10a

Dull university medic on Scots peak (6)

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

BEN (as in Ben Nevis), U [niversity], MB = medic. Dull as a verb, “dull the senses”.

11a

In some way wonder about retaining seat (2,2,4)

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13a

Shrub put in particular island area (10)

Generating...

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

POINT, I, A, with SET = put inserted. Particular can be a noun meaning a point, e.g. a detail on a form. An example of this (originally Mexican) plant appears every Christmas in our house, the red and green one, but I’d have spelt it wrongly if you asked me before this clue; it’s not pointsettia, it’s apparently named after an American chap called Joel Robert Poinsett, who was US Minister to Mexico in the 1820s.

14a

Ascend, lopping first branch (4)

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16a

Amorously kiss head-turner? (4)

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17a

Barbican church away from East in flood (10)

Generating...

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

CH[urch] TO W (away from east) all inside WATER = flood.

19a

Actor, male, scarcely dropping line (3,5)

Generating...

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

I’d never heard of this chap, and pencilled in TOM HANKS at first, until the checkers from 12d forced a rethink and a guess. A TOM is a male cat, and HARDLY loses its L.

20a

Cold hearts in MI6: boss there in breach (6)

Generating...

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

SIS (acronym for Secret Intelligence Service i.e. MI6) has C H (cold, hearts) inserted then M added, she / he being the “boss” of MI6 in Bond movies.

23a

Eurocrat excited with a daring defensive strategy (9,6)

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24a

Small border plant in wet ground (5)

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25a

Private investigator smart or simple (9)

Generating...

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

well, a private investigator is a (private) eye, and BRIGHT means smart. Eyebright is a common plant used in herbal medicine; such were referred to in Medieval times as “simples”.

Down

1d

Veil what KLM's after with BA on the rise? (5)

Generating...

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

H I J come before K L M in the alphabet; BA reversed.

2d

Deputy with very brief experience at the higher level? (6-2-7)

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3d

Finally lose weightroom for eating dessert? (4,4)

Generating...

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

[los]E, TON (weight), MESS where the military can eat. I don’t know if this is a thing apart from in the UK, but my golf club’s chef does a delicious version.

4d

Religious figure present in anima mundi (4)

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5d

Talk of flogging tar after beer stashed in ship (5,5)

Generating...

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

ALE in side SS. (steam ship), PITCH = tar.

6d

Truth the ne plus ultra really involves (6)

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7d

Palace women wingood Italian side thrashed (6-2-7)

Generating...
8d

Person belonging to underworld apparently cut to pieces (9)

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12d

Dish Keats cookedone eaten by Hamlet? (5,5)

Generating...

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

(KEATS)*, DANE with I inserted; Hamlet was a Dane.

13d

Such breaches as occasion escape from Tyre? (9)

Generating...

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

I think this is a play on words with Tyre in Lebanon and a tyre on a car (which in USA would be tire and so not work). I thought it might be a reference to some Shakespearean, classical or Biblical quote, but haven’t yet found one.

15d

Frame and beds sent north in strengthened vehicle (5,3)

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

COTS reversed, RACK reversed.

18d

Flock on water doubly good in force 8 (6)

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21d

Crew set about hauling in new painter (5)

Generating...

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

TEAM reversed with M inserted.

22d

Woodcutter's commercials on radio (4)

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