The solved grid
1P
U
2C
K
3S
4B
U
5L
L
6P
E
7N
O
P
O
R
O
8S
O
L
A
R
9G
O
N
E
O
U
T
O
O
I
R
G
W
O
10L
A
S
A
G
N
A
11I
D
L
E
R
A
S
T
N
I
12R
E
I
13E
Y
I
N
G
14D
U
O
S
L
T
E
U
15Y
U
16C
C
A
17U
N
18R
E
S
T
S
S
A
T
D
O
P
L
19T
O
P
S
I
D
E
20S
N
A
K
Y
E
E
O
E
I
21M
A
D
O
N
N
A
22S
I
R
E
N
Across
1 Across Hockey discs made from a cracked cusp, plus K (5) → PUCKS Anagram
Anagram of “CUSP K”.
4 Across Pitchers' relief area hidden in bull pending trade (7) → BULLPEN Hidden word
Hidden inside “bull pending trade”.
8 Across Thus, a household god, relating to our star (5) → SOLAR Charade
SO + LAR.
9 Across Disease gripping something new means one's not at home (4,3) → GONE OUT Container
NEO inside GOUT.
10 Across Article, fuel and aluminium, sent back, make an Italian bake (7) → LASAGNA Reversal
AN GAS AL reversed.
11 Across Layabout is Bette's surname, losing its first letter (5) → IDLER Deletion
MIDLER without its initial M.
12 Across Royal edict issued, initially, describes an Iberian king (3) → REI Initialism
First letters of: Royal, Edict, Issued.
13 Across Ogling, or considering a bid (5) → EYING Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
14 Across Middle Eastern lute returned, forming a pair (3) → DUO Reversal
OUD reversed.
15 Across A cay, with copper, scrambled forms a spiky desert plant (5) → YUCCA Anagram
Anagram of “CAY CU”.
17 Across Rioters shun rest sale, harbouring disturbances (7) → UNRESTS Hidden word
Hidden inside “shun rest sale”.
19 Across Prime fish yields a ship's upper hull (3,4) → TOP SIDE Charade
TOPS + IDE.
20 Across Heavens gripping sodium look serpentine (5) → SNAKY Container
NA inside SKY.
21 Across Mother meets Italian lady, a musical icon (7) → MADONNA Charade
MA + DONNA.
22 Across Manatee order dropping its 'ian' ending triggers an alarm (5) → SIREN Deletion
SIRENIAN without its final IAN.
Down
2 Down So coils confusingly become giant statues (7) → COLOSSI Anagram
Anagram of “so coils”.
3 Down Some people really inspire growth initially, a small shoot (5) → SPRIG Initialism
First letters of: Some, people, really, inspire, growth.
5 Down Yearning hides in a sail on ginger (7) → LONGING Hidden word
Hidden inside “sail on ginger”.
6 Down Publicity campaign brings in a night bird, sneaking about (5) → PROWL Charade
PR + OWL.
7 Down Mixed-up Roy solution, infamously (11) → NOTORIOUSLY Anagram
Anagram of “Roy solution”.
8 Down Mastery loss, rearranged, gives our planetary neighbourhood (5,6) → SOLAR SYSTEM Anagram
Anagram of “mastery loss”.
9 Down Guitar and Ted, mixed up, express thankfulness (9) → GRATITUDE Anagram
Anagram of “guitar Ted”.
13 Down Damaged toenail brings sheer joy (7) → ELATION Anagram
Anagram of “toenail”.
14 Down A right, one, church recess and five hundred, turned around, spell hopelessness (7) → DESPAIR Reversal
R I APSE D reversed.
16 Down Cloaked, having pitched tents heartlessly (5) → CAPED Deletion
CAMPED without M from the middle.
18 Down Fragrant blooms as runners often struggle each spring, initially (5) → ROSES Initialism
First letters of: runners, often, struggle, each, spring.
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
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corrections policy.
