Times Cryptic #29307

2025-08-13

Solve on Times →

Across

1a

Cleaner thus hoovers up half of village post office (7)

Generating...

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

SO (thus) has HAM[let] and PO inserted.

5a

Slavic rider's bag of lettuce? (7)

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9a

Opening of olfactory organ a lot (3)

Generating...

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

O[lfactory], FT an organ, the pink paper.

10a

Scotsman of power has Queen shut in throne room! (5,6)

Generating...

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

WATT (Scot who worked on steam power) with ER, CLOSE inserted.

11a

Sanction for use in cigarette lighter (3,5)

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12a

Supply worker with what high-protein food (6)

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15a

Awesome as it is, landlord! (4)

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16a

Lousy Constable miniature? (3,4,3)

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18a

Could one be in flathere? (10)

Generating...

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

took me a minute’s thought to see how this works, although the answer was clear from the checkers. FLAT is MATTE, you insert IS ONE (?)  which = COULD ONE BE (?).

19a

Result of knocking back last of lager in bar? (4)

Generating...

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

PUB with [lage]R in it, reversed, &lit.

22a

Stake between poles in French city (6)

Generating...

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

ANTE = stake, inside N, S. One of the nicest French cities.

23a

Blue cheese finally introduced to producer of wine list (8)

Generating...

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

CRU (wine producer) with E (end of cheese) inserted, then list = LEAN.

25a

Fuelled by oxygen, another bit exploding in blast! (11)

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27a

Discharge extremists ejected from demonstration (3)

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28a

Left, with flag in appropriate colour? (7)

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29a

VIP well stocked with foreign cash? (7)

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Down

1d

What might have pumped bullet ultimately into military leader? (7)

Generating...

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

[bulle]T inside SHOGUN a Japanese military leader. Dodgy &lit., as shotguns don’t fire bullets?

2d

Evidence when waiting for the train, hours slipping away (11)

Generating...

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

AT THE STATION loses its H.

3d

Captive to arouse great enthusiasm in discussion (6)

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4d

Exact location of the King's Head? (2,3,5)

Generating...

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

Well, the King’s head is on banknotes these days, I think. And new coins.

5d

County seal (4)

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6d

Prominence of unusual case circumventing legal right (8)

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7d

Idiot equally soft in the head (3)

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8d

Sauce finished at bottom of vessel (7)

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13d

Romeo incarcerated by movie villainKing, say? (7,4)

Generating...

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

This was easier than I’d feared at first, as I know of few movie villains; but it’s simply R inside a PICTURE CAD.

14d

Little stuff in grass (10)

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17d

Approach sign on end of avenue while driving, seemingly? (4,4)

Generating...

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

OMEN (sign) E (end of avenue) all inside CAR. I supposed ‘inside car’ means while driving, at a stretch.

18d

Cooler call from little lamb, by the sound of it? (7)

Generating...

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

well, a mini-baa could be a little cry from a lamb? Most minibars I find in hotels aren’t switched on to cool, they’re just there to offer you ridiculously overpriced warm beer or tonic.

20d

Roast a cook cut in style (7)

Generating...

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

PAN (roast) A CHE[f].

21d

Pound plus shilling where the franc is currency (6)

Generating...

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

21 shillings in a guinea, I was once taught, and the currency in Guinea is indeed the Guinean franc.

24d

Housekeeper cooked for the auditor? (4)

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26d

Drop of the hard stuff, little one (3)

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