Times Cryptic #29389

2025-11-17

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Across

1a

Foreign money originally only put in cash machine arbitrarily (2,6)

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

RAND O~ in ATM

5a

Charm of American drinking vermouth cocktail (6)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Leave, or keep being swamped by inflexible hours (3,5)

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

FORT (keep) in SET (inflexible) H

10a

Courage of outspoken copper? (6)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Making remarks about place, one is flattering (13)

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

PL I in COMMENTING

15a

Key, fateful day for White House staffers? (5)

flowerflowerflower
16a

Neat, and with a bow? (9)

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

the shape of a ship will typically contain a bow (as well as a stern)

17a

Instruct employees to start late and become more cheerful (9)

flowerflowerflower
19a

Completely gave up booze in the end (5)

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

QUIT ~E

20a

Northern police upset with conman refusing to be arrested, say (3-10)

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22a

Discover the truth about fight in West Side Story? (6)

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

rumble in two colloquial senses: ‘I tried to pretend I didn’t know her, but he rumbled me’ and ‘there was a rumble in the hood’

23a

League sport needing no introduction (8)

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dALLIANCE; this clue with variations on it is pretty common

25a

Monetary fine is mostly collected (6)

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F IS CALm

26a

Answer appeal to get hold of superlative building material (8)

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BEST in A SOS

Down

1d

Connected ideas with a cost to be refined (10)

flowerflowerflower
2d

Go off rhubarb (3)

flowerflowerflower
3d

Ramen ingredients possibly in new bags (7)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Best change work on bogus imitations (12)

flowerflowerflower
6d

When taken up, a piece of plissé is enough for items of loungewear (7)

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

reverse hidden; when you have a long clue, or a clue with bizarre words, chances are a hidden is involved

7d

Head of innovation weirdly not great in bringing elements together (11)

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I~ NOT GREAT IN*

8d

Somewhat momentous sign of things to come (4)

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this time the hidden is generously marked by ‘somewhat’

11d

The eastern side of Suwałki in Poland is a crumbling urban area (12)

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~I IN POLAND IS A*; that’s the third clue of a similar type in five down clues

13d

Designations held by Anna and Bonnie? (6,5)

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NN occurs in the middle of both names; so not ‘maiden names’ then

14d

Serious nature of cut close to the head (10)

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SEVER ~E NESS

18d

Nerve centres in trouble over supporting group of criminals (7)

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AIL reversed after GANG

19d

Analgesic substanceone of five in recreational drug (7)

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QUIN IN E

21d

Ace female academic (4)

flowerflowerflower
24d

What lepidopterist may use in depth every so often (3)

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

iN dEpTh; Vladimir Nabokov was an accomplished lepidopterist )among other things). Check out his book ‘Pale Fire’, if you get the chance. A phenomenal work.