The solved grid
1E
S
2T
A
3T
E
S
4F
O
5R
K
6S
N
A
R
R
A
H
7C
A
N
O
E
8S
T
A
N
D
T
O
H
T
A
M
N
I
P
9A
C
R
E
S
10U
R
C
H
I
N
S
N
U
O
G
T
11M
E
N
A
G
E
12R
I
13E
14L
L
O
N
A
15S
I
16G
N
17O
R
I
18B
A
S
E
R
O
U
C
N
B
N
C
19N
A
M
E
T
A
G
20E
V
A
D
E
A
B
E
R
R
N
21R
O
O
S
T
22L
O
Y
A
L
T
Y
Across
1 Across Tea sets rearranged into properties (7) → ESTATES Anagram
Anagram of “tea sets”.
4 Across Cutlery or road branches (5) → FORKS Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
7 Across Small boat could preserve nothing, note (5) → CANOE Charade
CAN + O + E.
8 Across Leaders of soldiers today, always needing discipline, training officers prepare for battle (5,2) → STAND TO Initialism
First letters of: soldiers, today, always, needing, discipline, training, officers.
9 Across Land plots from a wild scare (5) → ACRES Anagram
Anagram of “scare”.
10 Across Rascals hidden within church inspires (7) → URCHINS Hidden word
Hidden inside “church inspires”.
11 Across Eager mine rearranged into a wild-animal collection (9) → MENAGERIE Anagram
Anagram of “eager mine”.
15 Across Italian gentlemen concealed backwards in flatiron gismos (7) → SIGNORI Hidden backwards
Hidden backwards inside “flatiron gismos”.
18 Across Endings of spider's web, cosy sofa, city bus, quiet presence and shining star suggest something cruder (5) → BASER Initialism
Last letters of: web, sofa, bus, presence, star.
19 Across Upset magnate wants an identifying label (7) → NAMETAG Anagram
Anagram of “magnate”.
20 Across Electric vehicle followed by a fruit drink, to dodge (5) → EVADE Charade
EV + ADE.
21 Across Bird's perch, taken at intervals from a root onset (5) → ROOST Alternate letters
Every other letter of “root onset”, starting with the first.
22 Across Toy ally, rearranged, shows devotion (7) → LOYALTY Anagram
Anagram of “toy ally”.
Down
1 Down Printer's unit followed by a religious song might bewitch (7) → ENCHANT Charade
EN + CHANT.
2 Down Ant caught in a tonne of rum, a fit of temper (7) → TANTRUM Container
ANT inside TRUM.
3 Down Betrayal of one's country seen in about reasoning (7) → TREASON Hidden word
Hidden inside “about reasoning”.
4 Down Hearts of offer, hardy, heart, handy and act give old French currency (5) → FRANC Middle letters
Middle letters of: offer, hardy, heart, handy, act.
5 Down Distances from a centre found in extra diiodide (5) → RADII Hidden word
Hidden inside “extra diiodide”.
6 Down Retail outlets from ends of various, rich, also, help and clubs (5) → SHOPS Initialism
Last letters of: various, rich, also, help, clubs.
8 Down Illegal trafficking from muggings scattered, with a Roman fifty (9) → SMUGGLING Anagram
Anagram of “muggings l”.
12 Down A holdup, or just a rip-off (7) → ROBBERY Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
13 Down Learns north topsy-turvy, to entangle (7) → ENSNARL Anagram
Anagram of “LEARNS N”.
14 Down Theft, nearly a hundred scrambled (7) → LARCENY Anagram
Anagram of “NEARLY C”.
15 Down Scow, no air, regularly, for underwater detection (5) → SONAR Alternate letters
Every other letter of “scow no air”, starting with the first.
16 Down Hearty stew, hearts of eight, haunt, human, cabin and float (5) → GUMBO Middle letters
Middle letters of: eight, haunt, human, cabin, float.
17 Down Ensemble of eight seen in havoc tetrapods (5) → OCTET Hidden word
Hidden inside “havoc tetrapods”.
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.
