Times Cryptic Crossword #28224

Times Cryptic · 28 clues with answers and explanations · 2022-02-26

Explanations sourced from Times for the Times

1 Concern about a race round area that is really crazy (3,2,1,6)

Answer

MAD AS A HATTER
8 Bismarck, maybe, not the leader of another country (7)

Answer

RUSSIAN
9 Dealing with a rugby player much bigger than normal (7)

Answer

APROPOS
11 What has some fail — mental illness (7)

Def

illness

Type

Hidden word

Expl

Hidden in "what has some fAIL — MENTal illness"

Answer

AILMENT
12 Designer given a degree for artistic work (7)

Answer

DIORAMA
13 Lists of baddies (5)

Def

Lists

Type

Double definition

Expl

Double definition

Answer

HEELS
14 Ill-disciplined pet-lovers — missed taking dog for morning walk? (9)

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of PET-LOVERS = OVERSLEPT

Answer

OVERSLEPT
16 Angelica's flogged as a painkiller (9)

Def

painkiller

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of ANGELICAS ("Angelica's") [anagram: "flogged"] = ANALGESIC; definition: "painkiller"

Answer

ANALGESIC
19 Authority of the monarch faced by wartime detainee (5)

Def

Authority

Answer

POWER
21 Cuckoo can oust birds (7)

Def

birds

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of CAN + OUST = TOUCANS; definition: "birds"

Answer

TOUCANS
23 Quiet type who shows endurance — a ''sticker'' (7)

Answer

PLASTER
24 Screen event that engenders two opposite opinions? (7)

Answer

DIVIDER
25 Is artist high priest who lives in the Middle East? (7)

Def

Middle East?

Answer

ISRAELI
26 What successful studs did, reportedly? They put food on the table (12)

Answer

BREADWINNERS

1 Wine merchant runs short after next to no time (7)

Def

Wine

Answer

MOSELLE
2 Clubs for AA and RAC types? (7)

Def

Clubs

Answer

DRIVERS
3 Son joining ventures — any number involved punishments (9)

Answer

SANCTIONS
4 Sound of lots of people in store (5)

Def

store

Type

Homophone

Expl

HOARD (sounds like "lots of people") [homophone: "Sound"]; definition: "store"

Answer

HOARD
5 Naughty kids finally admit mistakes (7)

Def

mistakes

Answer

TERRORS
6 Old Greek character had to make good (7)

Def

make good

Type

Charade

Expl

EX (synonym of "Old") + PI (synonym of "Greek character") + ATE (synonym of "had"); definition: "make good"

Answer

EXPIATE
7 Kind of desire to pen two different articles with skill (5-7)

Answer

GREAT-HEARTED
10 Certain brats, being naughty, who won't think straight? (12)

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of CERTAIN + BRATS, = SCATTERBRAIN

Answer

SCATTERBRAIN
15 One might take this for object that is an oddity (9)

Answer

EXCEPTION
17 A case of weapons making one nervous? (7)

Answer

AQUIVER
18 Relation who is a wonderful help in the office? (7)

Def

Relation

Answer

GRANDPA
19 Romeo will be enthralled by partner — that is plain (7)

Def

plain

Answer

PRAIRIE
20 Idiotic person who's seen to have change of heart (7)

Answer

WITLESS
22 Short sage who was tamed? (5)

Answer

SHREW