Times Cryptic #29374

2025-10-30

Solve on Times →

Across

1a

Excellent bishop that's retired put to work since (7)

Generating...

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

Excellent is ACE, add B[ishop] and reverse the ensemble, then add put to work: USE

5a

Find Charlie back before Henry has left (4,2)

Generating...

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

I think this is C[harlie] plus HOME BY, which you expect your children to be “back before”, with the initial H for Henry deleted.

8a

Try to get shiny gem with discount? (3)

Generating...

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

Select RUBY as your gem, and knock off the 25% as a discount. (Remove the Y!)

9a

Small quantity of ink left in well (10)

Generating...

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

Don’t waste time thinking of a synonym for INK. Just put it in a SPRING or well after supplementing it with an L[eft]

11a

Fine pointer that's showing north west (6)

Generating...

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

So much time lost trying to make FARROW work, but it’s ARROW for pointer with N[orth] placed at its west end.

12a

Fail to find gallery, say in error (8)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Spying device in place across area revealing behaviour (9)

Generating...
15a

Beautifully cut patch with a hole in it? (5)

Generating...

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

Just a CD. Reference golf (of) course.

16a

Nifty pseudonym such as Dr Dre? (5)

Generating...

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

Dr Dre is Andre Young, a rapper formerly with N.W.A. a combo which featured gangsta rap with explicit and violent lyrics. As such his the pseudonym is his RAP I.D. For me, a rarer meaning of nifty.

18a

Publican's offering class A drugs to Spooner (5,4)

Generating...

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

Pubs specialising in real ale will offer, as well as theiir usual beverages, such a temporary delight. Spooner would misrepresent it as BEST GEAR, loosely translated as class A drugs

20a

Confused at lingo on one engraved stone (8)

Generating...

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

An anagram (confused) of AT LINGO plus I (one)

22a

Picture frames likely to burn, touching light (6)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Celebrity on principle is most demanding type (10)

flowerflowerflower
25a

A lack of finale for sluggish drama (3)

Generating...

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

Japanese theatre, as if you didn’t know. So we have NO [sluggis]H

26a

Thin male bore (6)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Side with props providing little support in drained fountain (7)

Generating...

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

That’s a Rugby Union side, props being front row member of the scrum. Providing is IF, a little support TEE, enclosed in F[ountai]N minus its contents

Down

1d

Live Wagnerian opera's characteristic cold sound (6,6)

Generating...

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

Sound as in a stretch of sea, in this case between Alaska and Siberia. Live is BE, Wagner’s (series of) opera(s) the RING (include the ‘S) and characteristic is TRAIT. Assemble and respace.

2d

Show taxi ranks combined over the radio? (7)

Generating...

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

Aural wordplay of CAB ARRAY, taxi ranks.

3d

Doctor beginning to puncture delusion, as nice as it was (9)

Generating...

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

An anagram (doctor) of P[uncture] and DELUSION.

4d

Make the sound of an eagle (4)

Generating...

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

An alternative for eagle is ERNE. More aural wordplay.

5d

Clubs the right place for goalscorers, left-winger thought (10)

Generating...

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

C[lubs] plus the position goalscorers have to be in if VAR is going to allow their effort, which is ONSIDE. Add RED for left-winger, unless you’re American, in which case it would be a Republican.

6d

Look pleased putting second last number on the clock (5)

Generating...

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

The clock in this instance the mileometer in a vehicle. Look pleased: SMILE, put the S[econd] last.

7d

This put a stop to wound leaking in the morning? (7)

Generating...

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

This took some working out, though I think it works as an &lit. Put a stop to is BAN, wound leads you to DAMAGE, from which you “leak” the AM, morning.

10d

Composer associated with Hallelujah once, Handel or other? (7,5)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Walk to church, perhaps large building full of ghastly silver (10)

Generating...

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

The large building is a PILE. Insert GRIM AG for ghastly silver.

15d

Contrive to lose snap? (3,4,2)

Generating...

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

I’ll call this a double definition.

17d

Recipe that expressly includes particular intolerance (3,4)

flowerflowerflower
19d

Easy compact net's middle and sides given alternating pattern (7)

Generating...

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

The middle of net is E, the sides NT. Alternate the two objects. Clever – don’t think I’ve seen this conceit before.

21d

One wears medal about to be sold at auction (5)

flowerflowerflower
23d

Attack retreating force showing little fight (4)

Generating...

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

An attack is a FIT. Reverse it and add F[orce]