The solved grid
1S
P
2I
D
3E
R
4W
E
5B
6R
I
7D
O
N
A
A
A
I
O
8N
E
V
E
R
9S
A
R
C
A
S
M
I
E
C
A
10C
A
R
O
11B
12T
H
A
L
13A
M
I
S
R
R
R
C
N
14A
M
I
15A
M
I
G
O
16O
M
S
R
O
Z
T
L
U
17T
I
N
L
I
K
E
18E
S
S
E
19S
I
L
T
Y
20S
T
21A
U
N
C
22H
23R
E
I
G
N
T
L
U
E
O
C
C
24E
W
E
25T
Y
P
E
C
A
S
T
S
Across
1 Across Eight-legged creature's network is an insect trap (9) → SPIDERWEB Charade
SPIDER + WEB.
6 Across Headless lattice leaves one free (3) → RID Deletion
GRID without its initial G.
8 Across Verne novels rearranged, at no time (5) → NEVER Anagram
Anagram of “verne”.
9 Across Biting wit revealed after mass car crashed (7) → SARCASM Anagram
Anagram of “mass car”.
10 Across Broca's area scrambled produces chocolate substitute (5) → CAROB Anagram
Anagram of “broca”.
12 Across Alma's hit song rearranged reveals brain regions (7) → THALAMI Anagram
Anagram of “alma hit”.
14 Across A friend sings a high note (3) → AMI Charade
A + MI.
15 Across French friend departs, becoming a Spanish pal (5) → AMIGO Charade
AMI + GO.
16 Across Nought before a manuscript gives meditative sounds (3) → OMS Charade
O + MS.
17 Across Resembling tin, kiln tie rearranged oddly (7) → TINLIKE Anagram
Anagram of “kiln tie”.
18 Across Some of the caresses form snake-like curves (5) → ESSES Hidden word
Hidden inside “caresses”.
20 Across Loyal, and thoroughly watertight (7) → STAUNCH Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
23 Across Rule achieved by a horse's strap gripping gravity (5) → REIGN Container
G inside REIN.
24 Across Female sheep sounds like you (3) → EWE Homophone
Sounds like “you”.
25 Across Casting agents, lacking an emergency room, stereotype performers (9) → TYPECASTS Deletion
TYPECASTERS without ER from the middle.
Down
1 Down Strange old nun ignored cats, initially, when describing sound waves (5) → SONIC Initialism
First letters of: Strange, Old, Nun, Ignored, Cats.
2 Down Turnabout produced by reshaped iron veins (9) → INVERSION Anagram
Anagram of “iron veins”.
3 Down Organ of hearing or spike of grain (3) → EAR Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
4 Down Some of the wasabi seasoning existed once (3) → WAS Hidden word
Hidden inside “wasabi”.
5 Down A coal barer, oddly, sings this Venetian boat song (9) → BARCAROLE Anagram
Anagram of “coal barer”.
6 Down Inlet hidden in material (3) → RIA Hidden word
Hidden inside “material”.
7 Down Territories controlled by acting on the power supply (7) → DOMAINS Charade
DO + MAINS.
11 Down Disturbed, brutal zin turns into this rich kernel (6,3) → BRAZIL NUT Anagram
Anagram of “brutal zin”.
12 Down Titre rearranged is hackneyed (5) → TRITE Anagram
Anagram of “titre”.
13 Down Cacti and sous chef rearranged reveal sound qualities (9) → ACOUSTICS Anagram
Anagram of “cacti sous”.
14 Down Performer hidden in part is terrific (7) → ARTISTE Hidden word
Hidden inside “part is terrific”.
19 Down Coordinates, as kitchen basins might, we hear (5) → SYNCS Homophone
Sounds like “sinks”.
21 Down Frothy brew found in whale (3) → ALE Hidden word
Hidden inside “whale”.
22 Down Hydrogen and a record combine to seem hip (3) → HEP Charade
H + EP.
23 Down Mythical bird found in sailor October's log (3) → ROC Hidden word
Hidden inside “sailor October”.
How this puzzle was checked
Every clue in this crossword was verified against its own wordplay by
software, then the finished puzzle was read and edited by hand before
publication: definitions, indicators, enumerations and surface readings
all get looked at, and clues that don't hold up are rewritten. The
editorial standards set out what that
covers.
Spotted something wrong here? Email
badclues@decryptic.app and
this page will be corrected. See the
corrections policy.
