Times Cryptic #29309

2025-08-15

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Across

1a

Rotter deserts love having accepted ring (2-3-2)

Generating...
5a

Area with tar outside local that surfaces road (7)

Generating...

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

A (area) + (with) SALT (tar) outside PH (local)

9a

Red and black rock surrounding ridge (9)

flowerflowerflower
10a

Man-at-arms called out in sorrow (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Disguised as a blue agent circling second Labour venue (6,7)

Generating...

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

anagram of (disguised) AS A BLUE AGENT around (circling) S (second)

13a

Speed up current softly ebbing in river (8)

Generating...

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

TIDE (current) P (softly) reversed (ebbing) in EXE (river)

15a

Persons inside university before Liberal official (6)

Generating...

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

CONS (persons inside) U (university) + (before) L (liberal)

17a

Mission disheartened military force (6)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Offence outside hotel following MDMA party (4,4)

Generating...
22a

Phone-in with Old English confused naive character (6-3-4)

Generating...
25a

Up to nothing Scots fall back (5)

Generating...

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

TO O (nothing) FA (Scots fall) reversed (back)

26a

Delicate female called bachelor in French island (9)

Generating...

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

F (female) RANG (called) + B (bachelor) in ILE (French island)

27a

Very good shot paralysed investigator (7)

flowerflowerflower
28a

Saw nurses at work made contribution (7)

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Down

1d

Discharge rifle (4)

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2d

Gunners looking up securely fix light (3,4)

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3d

Murder good for execution (5)

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4d

Unwanted legislation performs poorly (8)

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5d

Ruddy-cheeked seaman drunk (6)

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6d

Venetian dotard in Plato anon written out (9)

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7d

Article takes shape about United's clanger (7)

Generating...

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

AN (article) GELS (takes shape) around (about) U (united) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxC1FE6QhEg

8d

Book time in LA clubs perhaps going up together (5,5)

Generating...

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

T (time) in LA SUIT (clubs perhaps) reversed (going up) ONE (together) This is perhaps the third time I’ve had to blog a Mervyn Peake book.

12d

Booking sensational comedian (6,4)

flowerflowerflower
14d

Girl made grand in con over not much (9)

Generating...

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

DO (con) O (over) LITTLE (not much) Eliza. 20 May is named after her.

16d

Source for certain bars in a very unusual key (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Travel north: party with the French in boat (7)

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20d

Some evidence lover dropped almost all his coin (7)

Generating...

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

EX (lover dropped) HIS without the last letter (almost all) BIT (coin) One of my favorite clues. ‘Lover dropped’ is excellent.

21d

Knee joint repaired itself (6)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Gold and silver backing on new church keys (5)

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24d

Drop American following Live Aid's conclusion (4)

Generating...

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

A (American) after (following) BE (live) + last letter of (‘s conclusion) AID