AFR Cryptic (2/8/2025) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 CASTRATE
Company fee is cut (8) CAST + RATE
5 DOUBTS
Questions driver originally reassigned to bus (6) (D)river + anagram of TO BUS
10 TWADDLE
Pair nearly spoil uninteresting talk (7) (TW)o + ADDLE
11 OVERAGE
Part of insurance policy, not including initial excess (7) (c)OVERAGE
12 CAME ABOUT
Passed section containing mutated amoeba (4,5) CUT outside anagram of AMOEBA
13 TENSE
A character ejected from unruly Senate is unable to relax (5) Anagram of SENATE minus A
14 MOPE
Move around slowly and aimlessly in vehicle mostly (4) Double Definition
16 DRAW NEAR
Approach tired auditor (4,4) DRAWN + EAR
19 CROCKPOT
Toss quietly in bed – it makes you stew, doesn’t it? (8) (ROCK + P) inside COT
20 CEDE
Qualities of rice determined yield (4) riCE DEtermined
23 SCENT
Perfume is going up after the first of August (5) (a)SCENT
24 AERIALIST
High-flying performer is available finally in music catalogue (9) availabl(E) inside (ARIA + LIST)
26 STABILE
Reserved table is fixed in position? (7) Anagram of TABLE IS
27 DAIMLER
Object learner found in damaged red car (7) (AIM + L) inside anagram of RED
28 PLEDGE
Guarantee place with slight advantage (6) PL + EDGE
29 DEJECTED
Blue diamonds thrown out (8) D + EJECTED
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 CATACOMB
Vessel leading a search in tunnel network (8) CAT + A + COMB
2 SPASM
Sudden burst of activity is reduced by 50% in electronic junk mail (5) (i)S inside SPAM
3 REDRAW
Paint a new picture a primary colour and green (6) RED + RAW
4 THE LORDS PRAYER
Devotion reportedly has changed mourner’s heart? (3,5,6) Anagram of REPORTEDLY HAS + mou(R)ner
6 OVERTONE
Open person’s suggestion (8) OVERT + ONE
7 BRAIN-WAVE
Bright idea in WA demonstrated during challenge (5-4) (IN + WA) inside BRAVE
8 SEEMED
Witness with medicine appeared (6) SEE + MED
9 CONTRACT BRIDGE
Call about right to join card game (8,6) CONTACT outside R + BRIDGE
15 PORTERAGE
Post Office reviewed greater charge paid to carriers? (9) PO + anagram of GREATER
17 SCATHING
A fine imposed inside SCG is harsh (8) (A +THIN) inside SCG
18 RESTORED
Broken stereo dumped in road should be fixed (8) Anagram of STEREO inside RD
21 USES UP
Goes through items in clause supposedly (4,2) claUSE SUPposedly
22 MARINE
Sea horse manoeuvred across current (6) MARE outside IN
25 INLET
Opening line spoilt start of talk (5) Anagram of LINE + (T)alk

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