Times Cryptic #29438

2026-01-13

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Across

1a

Opposes detective breaking agreements (11)

flowerflowerflower
9a

Player's very short attack (5)

Generating...

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

ASSAI {l} (attack) [short]. Player’s because it’s often seen in musical directions e.g. allegro assai – very fast

10a

Lethargyit is evident in girl of the upper classes half dead (9)

Generating...

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

IT contained by [is evident in] LASS (girl) ~ U (of the upper classes), then DE {ad} [half]

11a

Lift female unwell with minimal cash (6)

Generating...

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

F (female), ILL (unwell), 1P (minimal cash)

12a

Abandoned gaol is accommodating former monarch's wives and mistresses (8)

flowerflowerflower
14a

Learner always "getting on" financed by loans (9)

flowerflowerflower
15a

Look, a pig somewhat larger than this animal (5)

flowerflowerflower
17a

Form rough judgement of people at party wasting time (5)

Generating...

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

GUES {t} S (people at party) [wasting time]

19a

Star writer with silver-lined vehicle (9)

Generating...

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

PEN (writer), T~RAM (vehicle) containing [lined / with] AG (silver)

21a

Desire to appear with band in silky fabric (8)

flowerflowerflower
23a

Drink knocked back by river where students live and work (6)

flowerflowerflower
26a

Areas in very fast vehicle out of this world (9)

flowerflowerflower
27a

Presumably rendered able to move round, this writer took initiative (5)

Generating...

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

O (round), I (this writer), LED (took initiative)

28a

Performing artists get digitally immersed, as Spooner might roughly say? (11)

Generating...

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

Aural wordplay [as Spooner might roughly say]: “soak fingers” (get digitally immersed)

Down

1d

Ruined castlecontest message of acceptance? (4,2,3)

Generating...
2d

Snooper interrupted more than once by one more vociferous (7)

Generating...

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

NO~S~ER (snooper) containing [interrupted…by] I I (one, more than once)

3d

Function of lowly commoner, not leader (4)

Generating...

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

{p} ROLE (lowly commoner) [not leader]

4d

One in a sort of tree but not atop it (10)

Generating...

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

Cryptic with reference to a family tree

5d

Smart attempt to capture a city (7)

Generating...

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

CHIC (smart) ~ GO (attempt) containing [to capture) A

6d

Head of sailing to pick member of crew (5)

flowerflowerflower
7d

Islamic ruler sacrificing one young animal (4)

Generating...

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

CAL {i} F (Islamic ruler) [sacrificing one]

8d

Lecturer is into cannabis, endlessly looking for kicks? (8)

Generating...

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

DON (lecturer) + IS contained by [into] HE~M {p} (cannabis) [endlessly]

13d

An opening accordingly accommodates a new garden plant (10)

Generating...

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

A (an), GAP (opening) ~THUS (accordingly) contains [accommodates] A + N (new)

14d

Girl is fitted into space module that allows no room for flexibility (8)

Generating...

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

GAL (girl) + IS contained by [fitted into] LE~M (space module – lunar excursion module ). ODE: excessive adherence to law or formula.

16d

A new silo for storing what is harvestedimpressive building (9)

Generating...

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

A~ anagram [new] of SILO containing [storing] CROP (what is harvested)

18d

Fantastic tail-ender for county dismissed for a half-century (7)

Generating...

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

SURRE {y} (county) [tail-ender…dismissed) and replaced by [for] A + L (half-century – 50 )

20d

Sailor, an isolated marine inhabitant (7)

flowerflowerflower
22d

Good person leading a very loud workforce (5)

Generating...

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

ST (good person – saint ), A , FF (very loud – fortissimo )

24d

A party's served up fizzy drink (4)

Generating...

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

A + DO’S (party’s) reversed [served up]

25d

Propaganda something wicked? Must keep quiet (4)

Generating...

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

S~IN (something wicked) contains [must keep] P (quiet)