Times Cryptic Crossword #28287

Times Cryptic · 28 clues with answers and explanations · 2022-05-11

Explanations sourced from Times for the Times

Solve this puzzle on Times →

Across

1 Intimidate son interrupting discussion in plant (3,7)

Def

plant

Type

Container

Expl

COW = intimidate, PARLEY = discussion, insert S for son. — Times for the Times

Answer

COW PARSLEY
7 Person singing in new boat (4)

Def

Person singing

Type

Charade

Expl

N (synonym of "new") + ARK (synonym of "boat"); definition: "Person singing"

Answer

NARK
9 Furore over books in part of Belfast (8)

Def

part of Belfast

Expl

STORM = furore, O = over, NT = books. — Times for the Times

Answer

STORMONT
10 Scandinavian food tucked into by a knight on board (6)

Def

Scandinavian

Type

Container

Expl

A, N [knight in chess] both inside DISH = food. — Times for the Times

Answer

DANISH
11 Extremely significant widespread conflict (6)

Def

conflict

Type

Charade, Parts

Expl

ST (middle of "significant") + RIFE (synonym of "widespread") [outer letters: "Extremely"]; definition: "conflict"

Answer

STRIFE
13 Administered church, inspiring priest's trust (8)

Def

trust

Type

Container

Expl

RAN [administered] insert ELI the usual crosswordly priest, CE = Church of England. — Times for the Times

Answer

RELIANCE
14 Student of life misused Bitcoins site (12)

Def

Student of life

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of BITCOINSSITE ("Bitcoins site") [anagram: "misused"] = BIOSCIENTIST; definition: "Student of life"

Answer

BIOSCIENTIST
17 A game is set up, oddly, for a day in church (12)

Def

a day in church

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of AGAMEISSETUP ("A game is set up,") [anagram: "oddly,"] = SEPTUAGESIMA; definition: "a day in church"

Answer

SEPTUAGESIMA
20 Tedious book lying around Irish quarters (8)

Def

Tedious

Type

Container

Expl

TOME [book] has IR and E S inserted. — Times for the Times

Answer

TIRESOME
21 Benefactors having no right to infiltrate parties (6)

Def

Benefactors

Type

Container

Expl

DOS = parties [plural of DO], insert NO R. — Times for the Times

Answer

DONORS
22 Newspaper's revolutionary work plugged by Times leader (3-3)

Def

Newspaper

Answer

RED-TOP
23 Acclaim register, one used endlessly by Brussels (8)

Def

Acclaim

Expl

EU, LOG (register) I, USED = used endlessly. — Times for the Times

Answer

EULOGISE
25 Cook disturbed by a brawl (4)

Def

brawl

Type

Container

Expl

A inside FRY. — Times for the Times

Answer

FRAY
26 Improving technique increases murder rate (10)

Def

Improving technique

Type

Charade

Expl

UPS (synonym="UPS") + KILLING (synonym="KILLING") = UPSKILLING; definition: "Improving technique"

Answer

UPSKILLING

Down

2 Surpass old-fashioned tourists finally on excursion (8)

Def

Surpass

Expl

OUT [old-fashioned], S (end of tourists], TRIP [excursion]. — Times for the Times

Answer

OUTSTRIP
3 This standard giving rise to censure (3)

Def

This standard

Type

Reversal

Expl

RAP (reversal="RAP") = PAR; definition: "This standard"

Answer

PAR
4 River horse, or cow, by the sound of it (5)

Def

River

Type

Homophone

Expl

sounds like ROAN, which can describe the white and coloured patchy coat of horses, cows, and other animals.

Answer

RHONE
5 More recent article identifies site of Roman basilica (7)

Def

site of Roman basilica

Type

Charade

Expl

LATER (synonym="LATER") + AN (synonym="AN") = LATERAN; definition: "site of Roman basilica"

Answer

LATERAN
6 Singing and shouting odds regularly inside (9)

Def

Singing

Type

Hidden word

Expl

YELLING has the alternate letters of OdDs inserted. Debatable whether yodelling is singing – then again, remember Frank Ifield? — Times for the Times

Answer

YODELLING
7 Accepting new power, not a single craftsman is unbiased (3-8)

Def

unbiased

Answer

NON-PARTISAN
8 Cut out part of support covering financial centre (6)

Def

Cut out

Type

Container

Expl

EC (synonym="City of London, hence financial centre") in REST (synonym="support, as in snooker") = RESECT; definition: "Cut out"

Answer

RESECT
12 Unusually tiny, listens with determination (11)

Def

with determination

Type

Anagram

Expl

anagram of TINYLISTENS ("tiny, listens") [anagram: "Unusually"] = INSISTENTLY; definition: "with determination"

Answer

INSISTENTLY
15 Off-the-cuff claim to be on time at university (9)

Def

Off-the-cuff

Expl

I’M PROMPT = claim to be on time, U for university. A bit of a chestnut. — Times for the Times

Answer

IMPROMPTU
16 Lock up woman concerned with protecting elected member (8)

Def

Lock up

Type

Container

Expl

IRIS (a woman) ON (concerned with) has MP inserted. — Times for the Times

Answer

IMPRISON
18 Ineffectual American drug? Not so (7)

Def

Ineffectual

Type

Charade

Expl

US (synonym of "American") + E (abbreviation of "drug?") + LESS (synonym of "Not"); definition: "Ineffectual"

Answer

USELESS
19 Like a style of painting some revel in early (6)

Def

Like a style of painting

Type

Hidden word

Expl

Hidden in "like a style of painting some reveL IN EARly"

Answer

LINEAR
21 Capital Henry invested in high-quality food shop (5)

Def

Capital

Type

Container

Expl

H for Henry inside a DELI. I could take issue with this as the capital is NEW DELHI not just Delhi, which is a larger urban area in which New Delhi is sited. — Times for the Times

Answer

DELHI
24 Set cricket side up (3)

Def

Set

Type

Charade, Reversal

Expl

reverse of LEG (synonym of "cricket side") [reversal: "up"]; definition: "Set"

Answer

GEL