The solved grid
1P
A
2R
S
3N
I
P
4C
A
5R
O
6B
E
U
A
A
A
U
7D
E
N
I
M
8A
L
B
E
D
O
S
A
T
E
R
B
I
B
9N
A
I
A
D
10T
E
A
R
I
L
Y
T
S
I
G
S
11H
O
12P
E
C
H
E
S
13T
14S
U
H
O
P
15I
N
16T
E
M
P
O
17M
A
N
G
O
N
W
P
K
I
N
N
18S
P
A
R
K
L
E
19F
R
E
E
D
E
N
I
F
A
E
20T
I
G
O
N
21V
E
S
T
U
R
E
Across
1 Across Root vegetable formed as rap pins twisted (7) → PARSNIP Anagram
Anagram of “RAP PINS”.
4 Across Pod found amid Mecca robbed (5) → CAROB Hidden word
Hidden inside “Mecca robbed”.
7 Across Germany, briefly, joined to a strategy game creates tough fabric (5) → DENIM Charade
DE + NIM.
8 Across Priestly robes clutching old Tokyo give measures of reflectivity (7) → ALBEDOS Container
EDO inside ALBS.
9 Across Turned back, Dai an is a water nymph (5) → NAIAD Reversal
DAI AN reversed.
10 Across Reality shattered, weepily (7) → TEARILY Anagram
Anagram of “Reality”.
11 Across The epochs, confused, form a bridal trunk (4,5) → HOPE CHEST Anagram
Anagram of “THE EPOCHS”.
15 Across Electromagnetic pulse trapped inside an enthusiastic mood, exactly on beat (2,5) → IN TEMPO Container
EMP inside INTO.
17 Across Monkeys and nightjars gather overhead, initially, for tropical fruit (5) → MANGO Initialism
First letters of: Monkeys, and, nightjars, gather, overhead.
18 Across Fizz in a glass of prosecco, or great vivacity (7) → SPARKLE Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
19 Across Forte joined to a waterside plant, released (5) → FREED Charade
F + REED.
20 Across Game of tag, when switched on, creates a big cat hybrid (5) → TIGON Charade
TIG + ON.
21 Across Evert us wildly to reveal fine attire (7) → VESTURE Anagram
Anagram of “evert us”.
Down
1 Down Pants confused by editor produce nitpickers (7) → PEDANTS Anagram
Anagram of “PANTS ED”.
2 Down Weakling of the litter, somewhat stunted (7) → RUNTISH Charade
RUNT + ISH.
3 Down Nervous aunts make everyone depressed initially, called (5) → NAMED Initialism
First letters of: Nervous, Aunts, Make, Everyone, Depressed.
4 Down Vegetable, or old slang term for cash (7) → CABBAGE Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
5 Down I raid, disarrayed, revealing distances from centre (5) → RADII Anagram
Anagram of “I RAID”.
6 Down Transport near produces a tall fur hat (5) → BUSBY Charade
BUS + BY.
8 Down Vegetable buried in a quartic hokey-pokey (9) → ARTICHOKE Hidden word
Hidden inside “quartic hokey pokey”.
12 Down Inflate relatives to make a big orange squash (7) → PUMPKIN Charade
PUMP + KIN.
13 Down A metric ton and gold form the rear of an old car (7) → TONNEAU Charade
TONNE + AU.
14 Down A strange deep son embodies a poetic foot (7) → SPONDEE Anagram
Anagram of “deep son”.
15 Down Small design within a larger one, made by inserting minus resistance (5) → INSET Deletion
INSERT without R from the middle.
16 Down Sharp nasal sound as tigers wander across national grasslands, initially (5) → TWANG Initialism
First letters of: Tigers, Wander, Across, National, Grasslands.
17 Down Petty tiffs concealed in term iff sounds correct (5) → MIFFS Hidden word
Hidden inside “term iff sounds”.
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.
