Times Cryptic #29416

2025-12-18

Solve on Times →

Across

1a

English teaching fundamentals old dons bungle (5)

Generating...

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

E (English) and the three R’s (teaching fundamentals) surrounding O (old)

4a

Hare found at sea is unprecedented (7-2)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Lady Georgia everyone recalled eating cheese (9)

Generating...

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

GA (Georgia) and ALL (everyone) reversed, containing BRIE (cheese)

10a

Vigilant group from regiment relaxed having retreated (5)

flowerflowerflower
11a

Drip of fluid going over plant (6)

flowerflowerflower
12a

Great volumes of letters backing Albert Camus, a French author (8)

Generating...

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

the last letters of AlberT CamuS, then UN (a in French) and the author Kingsley (or Martin) AMIS

14a

Obstinate duonurses, they regularly skipped nursing classes (12)

Generating...

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

alternating letters in dUo NuRsEs ThEy containing GENERA (classses)

17a

Ink they ordered with price moving excessively (12)

flowerflowerflower
20a

Last of public spirit drained and crushed (8)

Generating...

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

last letter of publiC, then RUM (spirit), BLED (drained)

21a

Set cycling is safely turning around corners (6)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Slowly left ship (5)

flowerflowerflower
24a

Laziness of Conservative penning papers in bed (9)

Generating...

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

a double container! TORY (Conservative) containing ID (papers) inside PIT (bed)

25a

Blue team's flaws (9)

Generating...

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

DOWN (blue) SIDE’S (team’s)

26a

Flexible movement of snake sloughing skin (5)

Generating...

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

SLITHER (movement of snake) minus the external letters

Down

1d

Just beats bridge player lacking hearts with superior advantage (5,3)

Generating...

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

SOUTH (bridge player) minus H (hearts) under EDGE (advantage)

2d

Coarse humour of novel library finally banned (8)

Generating...

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

anagram of LIBRARY and the last letter of banneD

3d

Fruit I declared second rate covered in mushrooms, causing surprise (7,8)

flowerflowerflower
4d

Unpleasant using lavatory on vacation (4)

Generating...

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

external letters of UsinG and LavatorY

5d

Illness others take casually (10)

flowerflowerflower
6d

American to pile on the pounds and guzzle involuntarily (7,4,4)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Abstracted nest boxes before noon (6)

flowerflowerflower
8d

Thing from buffet is horrendous (6)

flowerflowerflower
13d

Curious wearing on parts proven reliable (10)

Generating...

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

IN (wearing), then RE (on) inside TESTED (proven reliable)

15d

Atheistic rogue ignoring lead authority in moral standards (8)

Generating...

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

anagram of ATHEISTIC minus the first letter

16d

Lebanon-based compere is comedian (8)

flowerflowerflower
18d

Peak in Snowdonia cold Welshman climbed (6)

Generating...

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

first letter of Snowdonia, then C (cold) and ALED (Welshman)

19d

Earth ridge shelters ancient city (6)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Olympian challenges eliminating beginner (4)

Generating...

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

DARES (challenges) minus the first letter