How do I solve 1 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

1 across reads "Blair cracked boring, licentious jokes" (8 letters); the answer is RIBALDRY. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 5 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

5 across reads "Always a cool head in charge, step back" (3,3 letters); the answer is ICE CAP. It's a reversal clue: the answer is a word read backwards. Look for indicators like 'back', 'returned', or — in a down clue — 'up' or 'lifted'. Find the source word and reverse it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 10 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

10 across reads "High tide: newt now swimming in famous picture" (4,4,3,4 letters); the answer is GONE WITH THE WIND. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 11 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

11 across reads "Ideal university best in surrounding area" (7 letters); the answer is UTOPIAN. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 12 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

12 across reads "Goddess, saint and Magi from the East, not West" (7 letters); the answer is NEMESIS. It's a reversal clue: the answer is a word read backwards. Look for indicators like 'back', 'returned', or — in a down clue — 'up' or 'lifted'. Find the source word and reverse it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 13 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

13 across reads "Religious rite snake vocally encourages?" (8 letters); the answer is ASPERGES. It's a homophone clue: the answer sounds like another word. Indicators like 'reportedly', 'we hear', or 'sounds like' point to a word that's pronounced similarly to the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 15 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

15 across reads "Inferior cricketer leaves B&B with a side" (5 letters); the answer is RAITA. It's a deletion clue: start with a word the clue points to, then drop one or more letters. Indicators include 'endlessly' (lose the last letter), 'beheaded' (lose the first), or 'heartlessly' (lose the middle). The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 18 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

18 across reads "Year one sits periodically for artist" (5 letters); the answer is ERNST. It's a letter-selection clue: take specific letters from a longer source. 'First of' means the opening letter, 'extremely' means first + last, 'regularly' means every other letter, 'oddly' / 'evenly' means odd or even positions. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 20 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

20 across reads "Thunder from returning beak judge welcomes" (8 letters); the answer is RESONATE. It's a reversal clue: the answer is a word read backwards. Look for indicators like 'back', 'returned', or — in a down clue — 'up' or 'lifted'. Find the source word and reverse it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 23 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

23 across reads "Way to get to grips with spinach dish" (7 letters); the answer is LASAGNE. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 25 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

25 across reads "Maidens popular with killer in holiday island" (7 letters); the answer is MINORCA. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 26 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

26 across reads "Pathetic people causing stir outside Globe are in control" (4,3,8 letters); the answer is WEAR THE TROUSERS. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 27 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

27 across reads "Stand on lab bench or counter" (6 letters); the answer is RETORT. It's a double-definition clue: two separate definitions of the same word sit side by side. No wordplay split and no indicators — both halves of the clue define the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 28 across in Times Cryptic 29542?

28 across reads "Fine fabric green: nothing better" (8 letters); the answer is CASHMERE. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 1 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

1 down reads "Kid not allowed spicy food" (6 letters); the answer is RAGOUT. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 2 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

2 down reads "One missed among orders taken by good French dramatist" (3,6 letters); the answer is BEN JONSON. It's a deletion clue: start with a word the clue points to, then drop one or more letters. Indicators include 'endlessly' (lose the last letter), 'beheaded' (lose the first), or 'heartlessly' (lose the middle). The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 3 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

3 down reads "Prison sentence involving bird for criminal?" (7 letters); the answer is LOWLIFE. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 4 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

4 down reads "Hurried round to shop" (3,2 letters); the answer is RAT ON. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 6 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

6 down reads "One shrieking denied son milk substitute" (7 letters); the answer is CREAMER. It's a deletion clue: start with a word the clue points to, then drop one or more letters. Indicators include 'endlessly' (lose the last letter), 'beheaded' (lose the first), or 'heartlessly' (lose the middle). The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 7 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

7 down reads "Carpenter put power in lives, overseen by church" (5 letters); the answer is CHIPS. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 8 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

8 down reads "Operate bike going round established base" (8 letters); the answer is PEDESTAL. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 9 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

9 down reads "Constriction sets in so badly" (8 letters); the answer is STENOSIS. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 14 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

14 down reads "Worker at Versailles possibly planting forest in Germany" (8 letters); the answer is GARDENER. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 16 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

16 down reads "Barge in Bury rent free" (9 letters); the answer is INTERFERE. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 17 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

17 down reads "Bull almost hit cow?" (8 letters); the answer is BELLOWER. It's a deletion clue: start with a word the clue points to, then drop one or more letters. Indicators include 'endlessly' (lose the last letter), 'beheaded' (lose the first), or 'heartlessly' (lose the middle). The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 19 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

19 down reads "Faster animal embracing hard time" (7 letters); the answer is TIGHTER. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 21 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

21 down reads "Previously unrivalled thing in Rome not so great?" (7 letters); the answer is NONSUCH. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 22 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

22 down reads "Problem steamship coming into sound" (6 letters); the answer is HASSLE. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 24 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

24 down reads "Upright female in small fedora?" (5 letters); the answer is SHAFT. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 25 down in Times Cryptic 29542?

25 down reads "Yacht sanctuary keeps out November seas" (5 letters); the answer is MARIA. It's a deletion clue: start with a word the clue points to, then drop one or more letters. Indicators include 'endlessly' (lose the last letter), 'beheaded' (lose the first), or 'heartlessly' (lose the middle). The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

Times Cryptic 29542 — Answers, Hints & Wordplay Explained

1A — Blair cracked boring, licentious jokes (8) — RIBALDRY

Definition
Definition found: 'licentious jokes'
Indicator
Indicator found: 'cracked'
Operation
'cracked' signals a anagram operation
Fodder
Fodder: 'Blair'
Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'boring,' → DRY
Assembly
(BLAIR > RIBAL) + DRY = RIBALDRY

Across

1A — Blair cracked boring, licentious jokes (8) — RIBALDRY

5A — Always a cool head in charge, step back (3,3) — ICE CAP

10A — High tide: newt now swimming in famous picture (4,4,3,4) — GONE WITH THE WIND

11A — Ideal university best in surrounding area (7) — UTOPIAN

12A — Goddess, saint and Magi from the East, not West (7) — NEMESIS

13A — Religious rite snake vocally encourages? (8) — ASPERGES

15A — Inferior cricketer leaves B&B with a side (5) — RAITA

18A — Year one sits periodically for artist (5) — ERNST

20A — Thunder from returning beak judge welcomes (8) — RESONATE

23A — Way to get to grips with spinach dish (7) — LASAGNE

25A — Maidens popular with killer in holiday island (7) — MINORCA

26A — Pathetic people causing stir outside Globe are in control (4,3,8) — WEAR THE TROUSERS

27A — Stand on lab bench or counter (6) — RETORT

28A — Fine fabric green: nothing better (8) — CASHMERE

Down

1D — Kid not allowed spicy food (6) — RAGOUT

2D — One missed among orders taken by good French dramatist (3,6) — BEN JONSON

3D — Prison sentence involving bird for criminal? (7) — LOWLIFE

4D — Hurried round to shop (3,2) — RAT ON

6D — One shrieking denied son milk substitute (7) — CREAMER

7D — Carpenter put power in lives, overseen by church (5) — CHIPS

8D — Operate bike going round established base (8) — PEDESTAL

9D — Constriction sets in so badly (8) — STENOSIS

14D — Worker at Versailles possibly planting forest in Germany (8) — GARDENER

16D — Barge in Bury rent free (9) — INTERFERE

17D — Bull almost hit cow? (8) — BELLOWER

19D — Faster animal embracing hard time (7) — TIGHTER

21D — Previously unrivalled thing in Rome not so great? (7) — NONSUCH

22D — Problem steamship coming into sound (6) — HASSLE

24D — Upright female in small fedora? (5) — SHAFT

25D — Yacht sanctuary keeps out November seas (5) — MARIA