AFR Cryptic (16/8/2025) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 PIRACY
Private investigator linked to spirited theft (6) PI + RACY
4 BRISTLED
Prickly Englishman, crossing second, was in front (8) (BRIT outside S) + LED
9 RETRIAL
Trio not fully represented in legitimate court action (7) (TRI)o inside REAL
11 CANASTA
Call off all but the last part of a stag’s card game (7) CAN + A + STA(g)
12 MANUFACTURING
Wild African gumnut? That’s fabrication (13) Anagram of AFRICAN GUMNUT
14 THE RAM
A bit of bother – a motorway sign (3,3) boTHER A Motorway
15 REAPPEAR
Come back to harvest fruit (8) REAP + PEAR
18 RUMINANT
Meditative spirit in one loyal to the Queen (8) RUN + IN + ANT
20 ANTRUM
Ant coming in contact with strange cavity (6) ANT + RUM
23 SOCKEYE SALMON
Fish definitely included in cook’s meal upset one’s gut? (7,6) YES inside anagram of COOKS MEAL + o(N)e
26 EMANATE
Celebrity turned and put away issue (7) NAME reversed + ATE
27 TORNADO
Cooked tandoori mostly produced a great deal of wind (7) Anagram of (TANDOOR)i
28 PLEASURE
Earnest appeal guaranteed satisfaction (8) PLEA + SURE
29 SMUTTY
Dirty dog found in vacated shanty? (6) MUTT inside S(hant)Y
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 PARAMETERS
Knock back newfangled steamer with limiting factors (10) RAP reversed + anagram of STEAMER
2 RETINUE
Tenants of home unit errantly sent back suite (7) homE UNIT ERrantly reversed
3 CHIEFTAIN
Tribal leader that is held by feet bound by chain (9) (IE + FT) inside CHAIN
5 RECOUPED
Recovered motor car painted in a bright colour (8) COUPE inside RED
6 SINAI
Egyptian destination some pass in Airbus (5) pasS IN AIrbus
7 LASAGNE
Dip, in a small way, is food (7) SAG inside LANE
8 DEAD
Pop round drug, not feeling anything (4) DAD outside E
10 LACE
Expert behind large network (4) ACE after L
13 PROMONTORY
Head for hill in New York after short time (10) PRO + [(TOR inside NY) after MO]
16 PENTAGRAM
Fold label printed with animal symbol that’s magical (9) PEN + TAG + RAM
17 INNER EAR
Winner not bound to bring up something needed for audition? (5,3) w)INNE(r + REAR
19 MASSAGE
Mother’s learned manipulation (7) MAS + SAGE
21 RAMPANT
A parliamentarian involved in angry tirade is uncontrollable (7) (A + MP) inside RANT
22 BEAT
Attend a course run regularly (4) BE AT
24 CHAOS
Carbon and oxygen, separating, experiences disorder (5) C + (O inside HAS)
25 TEMP
Worker sometimes contacted retired coppers at the centre (4) MET reversed + cop(P)ers

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