Times Cryptic #29318

2025-08-26

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Across

1a

Wine added to menu at a fancy gastropub perhaps (11)

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

PORT (wine), anagram [fancy] of MENU AT A. Gastropub is an example of a portmanteau word, i.e. one which blends the sounds and meanings of two others, in this case ‘gastronomy’ (relating to good food) and ‘pub’.

7a

Venomous sort, privileged American leaving wife (3)

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

{W}ASP (privileged American) [leaving wife]. Let’s move on …

9a

Guru a bad actor backing Sunak? (9)

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

A + HAM (bad actor) reversed [backing], RISHI (Sunak – former PM)

10a

Some constables sit around smoking in van (5)

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

POS~E (sit) containing [around] S{moking} [in van – upfront]

11a

Writer backtracks during sport discussion online (7)

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

NIB (writer) reversed [backtracks] contained by [during] WE~AR (sport)

12a

Leak stopper ready to check a computer network (7)

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13a

Romeo recovered from relationship with wanderer (5)

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15a

Head coach wasting timetrivial problem (2-7)

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17a

One wearing this, also tattered, and repellent pants? (9)

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19a

Sound wheel on German vehicle? (5)

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

AUDI (German vehicle), O (wheel)

20a

Suspension of legal action established many new cases (7)

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

Anagram [new] of MAN~Y contains [cases]  EST (established)

22a

Used head in familiar address (3,4)

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24a

Caught fierce Siberian beast in its habitat? (5)

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

Oral wordplay [caught] TAIGA (its habitat)  / “tiger” (fierce Siberian beast). Taiga is the swampy coniferous forest of high northern latitudes, especially that between the tundra and steppes of Siberia. I didn’t know that tigers live there but they do, sometimes referred to as the Siberian tiger, or more commonly, the Amur tiger. The definition refers back.

25a

Disaffected by article aide lent out (9)

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27a

Female finally able to avoid boomerangs (3)

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

{abl}E + {t}O + {avoi}D [finally] is reversed [boomerangs]. A female deer, but not how the musical note is spelt.

28a

What might be Cox's first offence? (6,5)

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Down

1d

Dog and Duck opening in the afternoon (3)

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

0 (duck – nil / zero) contained by [opening] P~M (in the afternoon). Pomeranian.

2d

Alcohol treatment centre male in pub recalled? (5)

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

HE (male) contained by [in] BA~R (pub) all reversed [recalled]

3d

Seafarer, one carried by a British fleet into French sea (7)

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

I (one) contained [carried] by A + R~N (British fleet – Royal Navy) all contained by [into] M~ER (French for ‘sea’)

4d

Sinners go crazy for in-your-face jewellery (4-5)

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5d

Greek fellow travelled by ship to north, avoiding delta (5)

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6d

City University wing housing ministerial aide (7)

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7d

A bishop in disgrace made Lenten observance? (9)

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

A, B (bishop), STAINED (in disgrace). In Christianity it’s a custom to deprive oneself of something usually pleasurable during Lent.

8d

Legendary ruler runs into trouble with gents across the pond? (7,4)

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11d

Sympathetic what with dreamer being devastated (4-7)

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14d

One secretly adored servant enclosing note, in love at last (9)

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

VALE~T (servant)  containing [enclosing] N (note), then IN, {lov}E [at last]

16d

Croatian neighbour welcoming to New Englander (9)

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18d

With a will the nation gives up heroin (7)

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

T{h}E + STATE  (nation) [gives up heroin – h]

19d

Norse work returned and revised for supplements (7)

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21d

Arsenic brought in still something bakers use? (5)

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23d

Finish your food warm, not hot (3,2)

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26d

What may colour out-of-body experience somewhat (3)

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