Umpire provides our midweek entertainment. The original puzzle may be found at https://puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent/?puzzleDate=20260722.
I found this rather tricky: I’d never heard of 25a nor the slang shortening in the wordplay of 16a, and I had a few other niggles as noted below, so I needed a bit of help – but I think I’ve managed to sort everything out. I liked the unusually cautious teenager in 23a, the cartoon characters in 22d, and the neat anagram in 9d. Thanks Umpire for the challenge.
I’ll be out for the day when this blog is published, and won’t be able to respond to comments until at least late afternoon; I’m sure others here will chip in if necessary, but I’ll try to respond to anything outstanding when I get home.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CAVE |
Separate from icy mass, save large bears sleeping in here? (4)
|
| CA[l]VE (referring to icebergs: calve = break away from a larger mass of ice), without L (abbreviation for large).
A rather loose definition, but bears may indeed rest or hibernate in caves. |
||
| 3 | SANDCASTLE |
Strand building that might have been shelled? (10)
|
| Cryptic definition. A construction on a beach (strand = seashore), which may be decorated with shells. | ||
| 10 | RANGE |
Variety published conclusion to damning exposé on the front (5)
|
| RAN (published, as in “the paper ran the story this morning”) + last letter (conclusion) of [damnin]G + first letter (on the front) of E[xpose]. | ||
| 11 | IMPERIOUS |
Queen stops reprobate assuming command (9)
|
| ER (the late Queen Elizabeth II) inserted into (stopping) IMPIOUS (immoral = reprobate).
Imperious = acting authoritatively and expecting to be obeyed. |
||
| 12 | INSWINGER |
Gets to dump women’s footballer making you cross? (9)
|
| [w]INS (gets = achieves) without W (abbreviation for women’s), then WINGER (a footballer who plays predominantly on the outer edge of the pitch rather than in the centre).
Cross = inswinger = in football, a ball kicked from the edge of the pitch towards the centre in front of the goal. |
||
| 13 | ODEON |
Cinema shortened Christmas party after reflection (5)
|
| NOE[l] (Christmas) without the last letter (shortened), then DO (slang for a party), all reversed (after reflection).
Brand name of a cinema chain. |
||
| 14 | HERE GOES |
Brave people hiding perhaps? I’m gonna do it! (4,4)
|
| HEROES (brave people) containing (hiding) EG (e.g. = abbreviation for Latin exempli gratia = for example = perhaps).
Expression indicating that the speaker is about to attempt something. |
||
| 16 | STITCH |
Mend circumstances broken by tension (6)
|
| SITCH (a slang shortening of “situation” = circumstances), with T (abbreviation for tension) inserted.
Mend = repair, by stitching or other means. |
||
| 18 | NICKEL |
Nothing keeps American away from cake piece (6)
|
| NIL (nothing), containing (keeping) C[a]KE without the A (abbreviation for American).
Piece = coin, in this case an American or Canadian five-cent coin. |
||
| 19 | TUBIGRIP |
Fall over ending in you getting large bandage (8)
|
| TRIP (fall accidentally), around (over) the end letter of [yo]U + BIG (large).
Brand name for an elasticated tubular bandage. |
||
| 22 | FREES |
Broadcast decorated band releases (5)
|
| Sound-alike of FRIEZE (a decorated band along a wall). | ||
| 23 | EXISTENCE |
Being sixteen, suspect taking coke not OK (9)
|
| Anagram (suspect = dodgy) of SIXTEEN, then C[ok]E without OK. | ||
| 25 | MACHINIMA |
Animated film a small hotel group briefly backed (9)
|
| A (from clue text) + MINI (small) + H (abbreviation for hotel) + CAM[p] (political or ideological group) without the last letter (briefly), all reversed (backed).
Here’s Wikipedia’s explanation of machinima, if it means anything to you. I’ve never heard of it. |
||
| 26 | ORRIS |
Fragrant root repellent when peeled slowly at first (5)
|
| [h]ORRI[d] (repellent) with the outer letters removed (when peeled), then the first letter of S[lowly]. | ||
| 27 | DRESS SENSE |
Designer’s clothing succeeded in 8 countries, ultimately eastern style (5,5)
|
| Outer letters (clothing) of D[esigne]R, then S (abbreviation for succeeded) inserted into ESSEN (8 down) + last letter (ultimately) of [countrie]S + E (abbreviation for eastern).
Dress sense = style = ability to select clothes that look good. |
||
| 28 | RELY |
Bank very heartless (4)
|
| RE[al]LY (very) without the middle letters (heart).
Bank on = rely on = put one’s trust in. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CORNICHON |
Pickle from the south-west reportedly concerning (9)
|
| Sound-alike (reportedly) of CORNISH (from the far south-west of England), then ON (on the subject of = concerning).
A small pickled cucumber (gherkin). |
||
| 2 | VENUS |
Goddess given usual offers (5)
|
| Hidden answer (. . . offers = provides) in [gi]VEN US[ual].
Ancient Roman goddess of love. |
||
| 4 | ATINGLE |
Beer drinking can lead to group feeling excited (7)
|
| ALE (beer), containing (drinking) TIN (can = metal container) + leading letter of G[roup]. | ||
| 5 | DEPART |
Make tracks from record inspired by Rush (6)
|
| EP (abbreviation for extended-play record) contained in DART (move quickly = rush).
Make tracks = slang for set out on a journey: “We’d better make tracks, it’s getting late.” |
||
| 6 | AIRPORT FICTION |
Trip to Cairo in February’s beginning wild holiday romance? (7,7)
|
| Anagram (wild) of TRIP TO CAIRO IN + beginning letter of F[ebruary].
A rather disparaging term for the sort of book you might buy to read on holiday: entertaining but not intellectually demanding. “Romance” in this sense means a story about imaginary characters or events, not necessarily a love story. |
||
| 7 | TWOSEATER |
Transport for pair (sea otter and wife) swimming together (9)
|
| Anagram (swimming together) of SEA OTTER + W (abbreviation for wife).
A vehicle for two people, for example a small sports car, small aeroplane or tandem bicycle. But I’ve never seen this as a single word, and both Collins and Chambers say it should be hyphenated as “two-seater”. |
||
| 8 | ESSEN |
Scottish beast I released turns up in German city (5)
|
| NESS[i]E (colloquial name for the Loch Ness Monster = Scottish beast), with the letter I removed, reversed (turns up = upwards in a down clue).
City in western Germany. |
||
| 9 | MEN IN GREY SUITS |
Unrecognisable figures try Guinness I brewed with me (3,2,4,5)
|
| Anagram (brewed) of TRY GUINNESS I + ME.
Term for a group of politicians or bureaucrats who effectively wield power behind the scenes, especially a group of backbench MPs who privately exert pressure on the Prime Minister. |
||
| 15 | RECHERCHE |
Child protagonist hurt twice without a choice (9)
|
| RE[a]CHER (Jack Reacher, protagonist in books by Lee Child) + [a]CHE (hurt), with the letter A removed twice.
Choice = recherché = of the best quality. |
||
| 17 | HAPLESSLY |
Unfortunately hard copy admits large and small secret (9)
|
| H (abbreviation for hard) + APE (copy, as a verb = imitate), containing L (abbreviation for large), then S (abbreviation for small) + SLY (secret). | ||
| 20 | URINALS |
Drawing naked friends, topless men can be seen going here (7)
|
| [l]URIN[g] (drawing = attracting) with the outer letters removed (naked), then [p]ALS (slang for friends) without the first letter (top, in a down clue). | ||
| 21 | REVISE |
Go over hill lapping Tesla? (6)
|
| RISE (a hill) around EV (abbreviation for electric vehicle, for example one made by Tesla). | ||
| 22 | FUMED |
50% of ACME parts cartoon hunter cut were about to explode? (5)
|
| The second half (50%) of [ac]ME, inserted into FUD[d] (Elmer Fudd, cartoon character known for unsuccessful attempts to hunt Bugs Bunny) without the last letter (cut). The surface acknowledges the ACME brand name, frequently used in cartoons for various clever but unreliable devices.
Fume = to be very angry but try to stay under control; explode = to lose control of one’s anger. |
||
| 24 | NURSE |
Cherish new wallet when penniless? (5)
|
| N (abbreviation for new) + [p]URSE (wallet = money container) without P (abbreviation for penny). |
I found parts of this really tough, and did not finish with no answer for 25a and being unable to parse 16a. Seeing Q’s explanation, I think both these clues are grossly unfair (although I accept that it is due to my inadequacy as a solver). All I could come up with for 25a was M-CSIBISA where SIBI is a reversal of a hotel group.
Thanks to Umpire for the challenge and particular thanks to Quirister for putting me out of my misery,
I might have thought that after rather many years I had got this crossword thing more or less sussed.
Could have stared at this until the end of time and never solved it all.
Much to enjoy, a few to irritate.
Thanks Umpire and Quirister for doing the hard work.
Doofs @2 – my sentiments entirely
Liked the clue for NICKEL but I might (hypothetically) have used ‘plate’ as the def to improve the surface reading. What’s a ‘cake piece’? Liked TUBIGRIP (loi) and MACHINIMA was a nice reversal. Otherwise a similar experience as others here. Thanks Quirister and Umpire (three cheers for the ref).
Joining the queue! SITCH nho – in Collins but not Chambers – and MACHINIMA likewise though it’s in both. I guessed the unknown element correctly for the first but there were too many WP elements to identify and juggle for me to get the second so a DNF. AIRPORT FICTION and TWOSEATER my faves though I would expect to see the latter hyphenated; the ottery surface appeals to me.
Thanks both