The solved grid
1W
O
2R
S
3H
I
P
4S
T
5R
U
6M
A
U
O
C
E
A
7X
Y
L
E
M
8A
M
A
S
S
E
D
E
I
I
D
R
I
D
9N
O
N
Z
E
R
O
10F
U
N
G
I
G
S
R
N
11T
12S
I
T
U
A
T
13I
O
14N
G
O
T
N
E
15P
O
16D
I
17A
18I
N
B
O
U
N
19D
P
I
R
O
L
T
O
20L
I
V
E
D
I
N
21O
A
R
E
D
E
V
O
O
O
G
22D
R
Y
E
R
23R
O
M
A
N
C
E
Across
1 Across Deep devotion from whips or rearranged (7) → WORSHIP Anagram
Anagram of “whips or”.
4 Across Play a guitar loosely, thyroid swelling curtailed (5) → STRUM Deletion
STRUMA without its final A.
7 Across Water-carrying plant tissue, unknown primordial matter (5) → XYLEM Charade
X + YLEM.
8 Across Accumulated, hidden in Bahamas sedately (7) → AMASSED Hidden word
Hidden inside “Bahamas sedately”.
9 Across Leaders of new offices need zealous employees ready often, positive or negative (7) → NONZERO Initialism
First letters of: new, offices, need, zealous, employees, ready, often.
10 Across Mushrooms and moulds hidden in fun gigs (5) → FUNGI Hidden word
Hidden inside “fun gigs”.
12 Across A job advertised, or general state of affairs (9) → SITUATION Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
15 Across Primarily, puppies often damage inflatable armchairs, raised platforms (5) → PODIA Initialism
First letters of: puppies, often, damage, inflatable, armchairs.
18 Across Arriving from a scattered undo bin (7) → INBOUND Anagram
Anagram of “undo bin”.
20 Across Resided, concealed backwards within Houdini devilry (5,2) → LIVED IN Hidden backwards
Hidden backwards inside “Houdini devilry”.
21 Across Depending on a friend, oddly fitted with oars (5) → OARED Alternate letters
Every other letter of “on a friend”, starting with the first.
22 Across A clothes-drying appliance in cores of added, tired dye, ten and arc (5) → DRYER Middle letters
Middle letters of: added, tired, dye, ten, arc.
23 Across An affair of the heart from a confused Mr Ocean (7) → ROMANCE Anagram
Anagram of “Mr Ocean”.
Down
1 Down Sickly pale hidden in beeswax entered (5) → WAXEN Hidden word
Hidden inside “beeswax entered”.
2 Down Rugby union fish are court verdicts (7) → RULINGS Charade
RU + LINGS.
3 Down Hot embracing architect Mies is coziest (7) → HOMIEST Container
MIES inside HOT.
4 Down Drilling method's south, turned back, is neckwear (5) → SCARF Reversal
FRAC S reversed.
5 Down Quit, dropping good, is tree sap (5) → RESIN Deletion
RESIGN without G from the middle.
6 Down Restless gad, mind in turmoil, quite frenzied (7) → MADDING Anagram
Anagram of “gad mind”.
8 Down Reverence found hidden in squad orations (9) → ADORATION Hidden word
Hidden inside “squad orations”.
11 Down Summit that made a plea fell down (7) → TOPPLED Charade
TOP + PLED.
13 Down Doing the limbo on stage, in a mess, flowering (2,5) → IN BLOOM Anagram
Anagram of “LIMBO ON”.
14 Down Northern European classic computer film, an atomic particle (7) → NEUTRON Charade
N + EU + TRON.
16 Down Share out via a DIY project holding a pair of Roman fives (5) → DIVVY Container
VV inside DIY.
17 Down A rod dedicated to a sun god, recalled, is passion (5) → ARDOR Reversal
ROD RA reversed.
19 Down Evade, with God Ed jumbled (5) → DODGE Anagram
Anagram of “God Ed”.
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.
