
Please see the PDF for the worked solution

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | ACARID | |
| Cutting pierced by a mite (6) | ACRID outside A | |
| 5 | ACCEPT | |
| Receive copies wrapped in tape loosely (6) | CC inside anagram of TAPE | |
| 8 | FUNDAMENTALISM | |
| Support a leader of theology after people misinterpreted Islam’s strict religious beliefs (14) | FUND + A +[(T)heology after MEN)] + anagram of ISLAM | |
| 10 | EQUITY | |
| Justice is quite confused by attorney’s conclusion (6) | Anagram of QUITE + attorne(Y) | |
| 11 | BRIAN ENO | |
| One in bar distracted musician influential in experimental music (5,3) | Anagram of ONE IN BAR | |
| 13 | PORE | |
| Opening is not very good according to audience (4) | Sounds like POOR | |
| 14 | INFALLIBLE | |
| Popular old story about misfortune returning is sure to succeed (10) | IN + [FABLE outside (ILL reversed)] | |
| 17 | REDISCOVER | |
| Once again find wine is finished after start of course (10) | RED + IS + [OVER after (C)ourse] | |
| 18 | DADO | |
| Decorated part of a wall constructed, in the end, with difficulty (4) | constructe(D) + ADO | |
| 20 | ORDAINED | |
| Radio broadcast retraction of study as required (8) | Anagram of RADIO + (DEN reversed) | |
| 22 | PRESET | |
| Research in particular should be arranged in advance (6) | RES inside PET | |
| 24 | POLITICAL PARTY | |
| Albanese’s mob stuffing art policy – it upset group in parliament (9,5) | ALP inside anagram of ART POLICY IT | |
| 25 | PIDGIN | |
| Sort of lipreading not catering for “real” language (6) | Anagram of LIPREADING minus REAL | |
| 26 | TILLER | |
| One who works the land steering contraption (6) | Double Definition | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 2 | CONCURRED | |
| Agreed about scoundrel consumed by credibility (9) | (ON + CUR) inside CRED | |
| 3 | ROASTS | |
| Hot joints, for instance, counted among spoils (6) | AS inside ROTS | |
| 4 | DEEP | |
| Intellectual visited ladies, say, heading west (4) | PEED reversed | |
| 5 | ALTERNATES | |
| A large seabird at centre of nest takes turns (10) | A + L + TERN + AT + n(ES)t | |
| 6 | CULPABLE | |
| Competition expert, punched by learner, is at fault (8) | (CUP + ABLE) outside L | |
| 7 | PASSE | |
| Old hat faded almost completely (5) | (PASSE)d | |
| 8 | FREE PARDON | |
| Noble turned up in remote district, initially assigned to Amnesty (4,6) | PEER reversed inside FAR + (D)istrict + ON | |
| 9 | NOTEWORTHY | |
| Striking, not strange theory, based around tungsten (10) | NOT + anagram of THEORY outside W | |
| 12 | INDONESIAN | |
| Asian one is briefly adopted by another? (10) | ONES inside INDIAN | |
| 15 | BRASSERIE | |
| Fresh berries offered outside a small restaurant (9) | Anagram of BERRIES outside (A + S) | |
| 16 | ASPIRING | |
| One in a vault is ambitious (8) | I inside (A + SPRING) | |
| 19 | PROPEL | |
| Footballer held down flankers to move ahead? (6) | PROP + h)EL(d | |
| 21 | DHOTI | |
| Hindu garment currently fashionable in the outskirts of Delhi? (5) | HOT inside (D)elh(I) | |
| 23 | PART | |
| Leave hazard on course raked over (4) | TRAP reversed |

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (14/12/2024) Worked Solution
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.
Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
(Click on the given letter to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | TOUCHSTONE | |
| Standard sort of cut shot finishing up with single (10) | Anagram of CUT SHOT + ONE | |
| 6 | BUST | |
| Work of art is broken (4) | Double Definition | |
| 8 | PROVINCE | |
| Area in front of courthouse featured in show (8) | [IN + (C)ourt] inside PROVE | |
| 9 | CARPET | |
| Reprimand coach with blue-eyed boy (6) | CAR + PET | |
| 10 | ASIO | |
| Spy group is recalled following a leader of operations (4) | IS reversed after A + (O)perations | |
| 11 | SPACE CADET | |
| School accepted a distracted person who is out of touch with reality (5,5) | S + anagram of ACCEPTED A | |
| 12 | INNOVATOR | |
| Eggs delivered at the back of inn to right person who makes things happen (9) | (OVA after INN) + TO + R | |
| 14 | DUVET | |
| Cover song performed by two, including verse (5) | DUET outside V | |
| 17 | THREW | |
| Cast right into the water at the front (5) | R inside [THE +(W)ater] | |
| 19 | MAKE HASTE | |
| Friend, carrying keg, nearly has to hurry (4,5) | MATE outside [KE(g) + HAS] | |
| 22 | MASCARPONE | |
| Large serving of mash, fish and one kind of cream cheese (10) | (MAS)h + CARP + ONE | |
| 23 | ARIA | |
| People leaving Armenia performed song (4) | ARMENIA minus MEN | |
| 24 | RESULT | |
| Score drug addict brought back late, oddly (6) | USER reversed + (L)a(T)e | |
| 25 | HAIRLINE | |
| Very thin hydrogen gas pipe (8) | H + AIR + LINE | |
| 26 | LOUT | |
| Yahoo left in an exhausted state (4) | L + OUT | |
| 27 | STRING VEST | |
| Small band against wearing sample underwear (6,4) | S + [( RING + V) inside TEST] | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | TOPIARIST | |
| Fashion-conscious gardener’s hat is covered in art (9) | TOPI + (IS inside ART) | |
| 2 | UTOPIAN | |
| University, to one on board vessel, is ideal (7) | U + TO + (I inside PAN) | |
| 3 | SANDSOAP | |
| Abrasive cleaner, an awful sod, stuck in drain (8) | (AN + anagram of SOD) inside SAP | |
| 4 | ONE WAY OR ANOTHER | |
| Switched on a new rotary hoe somehow (3,3,2,7) | Anagram of ON A NEW ROTARY HOE | |
| 5 | EXCEED | |
| Beat former outspoken top player (6) | EX + sounds like SEED | |
| 6 | BARRACUDA | |
| Fish food that’s regurgitated by a fish (9) | BARRA + CUD + A | |
| 7 | SEE HERE | |
| Hassled sheepshearer not influenced by sharp look (3,4) | Anagram of SHEEPSHEARER minus SHARP | |
| 13 | OPEN COURT | |
| Public tribunal ordered recount following downsizing of operation (4,5) | Anagram of RECOUNT after OP | |
| 15 | THE LATEST | |
| Athletes reserved time for current information? (3,6) | Anagram of ATHLETES + T | |
| 16 | DELETION | |
| Removed passage and note was first written up about one (8) | (NOTE + LED) reversed outside I | |
| 18 | HEAVE TO | |
| Stop sailing ban after heat decreased (5,2) | VETO after HEA(t) | |
| 20 | SURMISE | |
| Suspect male is locked in stable (7) | (M + IS) inside SURE | |
| 21 | GRATIS | |
| Head of giant rodent is on the house (6) | (G)iant + RAT + IS |
Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (7/12/2024) Worked Solution
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
Examples: beheaded, cut short, endless, nearly, largely etc.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SCRAPES | |
| Vessel with cargo of inferior ecstasy hits rock bottom? (7) | SS outside (CRAP + E) | |
| 5 | BITUMEN | |
| Big contracted trade union workers tarred road (7) | BI(g) + TU + MEN | |
| 9 | INTRAVENOUS DRIP | |
| Drug supplier, in drug-induced state, pushed around greedy detective (11,4) | (IN + TRIP) outside (RAVENOUS + D) | |
| 10 | GROVEL | |
| Small wood facing large fawn (6) | GROVE + L | |
| 11 | ADHESION | |
| Firm contact had switched sound around (8) | Anagram of HAS + (NOISE reversed) | |
| 13 | OVER THE TOP | |
| Brazen male, with backing of corporation, is flamboyant (4,3,3) | OVERT + HE + (POT reversed) | |
| 15 | BEAT | |
| Defeat brutal person without weapons ultimately (4) | BEAST minus weapon(S) | |
| 18 | ROOK | |
| Cheat is caught – given up by criminal (4) | CROOK minus C | |
| 19 | FRANCHISEE | |
| Authorised dealer from large farm is in charge (10) | (RANCH + IS) inside FEE | |
| 21 | SWEARING | |
| Promising auditor buoyed by a change of fortune (8) | EAR inside SWING | |
| 22 | PERSIA | |
| Is agent withdrawn by a part of Asia once? (6) | (IS + REP) reversed + A | |
| 25 | TRANSFIGURATION | |
| Change to form replaced unfair GST with fixed allowance (15) | Anagram of UNFAIR GST + RATION | |
| 26 | DREADED | |
| A deed falsely initiated by doctor is awful (7) | Anagram of A DEED after DR | |
| 27 | SCENTED | |
| Time put into display by head of department featuring perfume (7) | T inside SCENE + (D)epartment | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SWING DOOR | |
| Flapper’s gown is tossed around party room initially (5,4) | Anagram of GOWN IS outside DO + (R)oom | |
| 2 | RATIO | |
| Operation not limited by unrestricted correspondence (5) | OPERATION without OPEN on the outside | |
| 3 | PLACENTA | |
| Political group raised money given by a supplier in development (8) | ALP reversed + CENT +A | |
| 4 | SEEK | |
| Look for outspoken member of Hindu sect (4) | Sounds-like SIKH | |
| 5 | BLOODHOUND | |
| Detective left hood beaten up in vault (10) | (l + anagram of HOOD) inside BOUND | |
| 6 | TOSSER | |
| One having a fling ordered roses after short time (6) | Anagram of ROSES after T | |
| 7 | MERCILESS | |
| Hard relic fractured in hot water (9) | Anagram of RELIC inside MESS | |
| 8 | NIP IN | |
| Form of identification needed after Northern Ireland visit (3,2) | PIN after NI | |
| 12 | BEAR IN MIND | |
| Remember drunken marine wearing tie (4,2,4) | Anagram of MARINE inside BIND | |
| 14 | EXONERATE | |
| Clear old friend, one found with speed (9) | EX + ONE + RATE | |
| 16 | THE DAMNED | |
| Condemned people hated men converted by reverend at the end (3,6) | Anagram of HATED MEN + reveren(D) | |
| 17 | SHOELACE | |
| Holes fixed by fine line used to secure footwear (8) | Anagram of HOLES + ACE | |
| 20 | PRISED | |
| Used leverage to lift end of floorboard behind piano (6) | [RISE + floorboar(D)] after P | |
| 21 | SITED | |
| Having vision, it’s said, put in place (5) | Sounds like SIGHTED | |
| 23 | STINT | |
| Period pieces collected by Justin Trudeau (5) | juSTIN Trudeau | |
| 24 | GUNS | |
| Weapons, compact, turned up (4) | SNUG reversed |
Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (30/11/2024) Worked Solution
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Examples: before, after, leading, in the middle of, under (down only) etc.
Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | ASPECT | |
| Space altered astronaut’s final outlook (6) | Anagram of SPACE + astronau(T) | |
| 4 | UP STICKS | |
| International carrier checks move to a new location (2,6) | UPS + TICKS | |
| 10 | PUT ACROSS | |
| Backing up, co-stars prepared to communicate successfully (3,6) | UP reversed + anagram of COSTARS | |
| 11 | TOP-UP | |
| A boost to new plant (3-2) | TO + PUP | |
| 12 | INNARDS | |
| A road, cutting through public houses, works (7) | (A + RD) inside INNS | |
| 13 | EARLIER | |
| Invention, right, put behind ear in the first place (7) | (LIE + R) after EAR | |
| 14 | TIARA | |
| Crown’s pieces returned from Carrara, Italy (5) | carrARA ITaly reversed | |
| 15 | ARGUMENT | |
| A letter’s due about adhesive’s claim (8) | (A + RENT) outside GUM | |
| 18 | CATHETER | |
| Provide stuff containing the medical tube (8) | CATER outside THE | |
| 20 | SPOON | |
| Consumer’s assistant quietly slipped in without delay (5) | P inside SOON | |
| 23 | CHAPLIN | |
| Famous comedian’s place enclosed by a mountain range (7) | PL inside CHAIN | |
| 25 | ROUTINE | |
| Conventional defeat in lacrosse right at the end (7) | ROUT + IN + lacross(E) | |
| 26 | LARGE | |
| Serving of regular gelato is substantial (5) | reguLAR GElato | |
| 27 | PRIMITIVE | |
| Prudish one against wearing tie lacking in refinement (9) | PRIM + I + (V inside TIE) | |
| 28 | DUMPSTER | |
| Cleaner taking care of politician’s bin (8) | DUSTER outside MP | |
| 29 | REGENT | |
| Governor, for example, restricted by cost of living (6) | EG inside RENT | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | APPOINTS | |
| Chooses software overseas gaining interest (8) | APP + (OS outside INT) | |
| 2 | PETUNIA | |
| Favourite place in which to study a funnel-shaped flower (7) | PET + UNI + A | |
| 3 | COCKROACH | |
| Ocker dropping E in bus is a pest (9) | (OCKER minus E) inside COACH | |
| 5 | PASSENGER TRAIN | |
| People mover’s gears parents modified at home (9,5) | Anagram of GEARS PARENTS + IN | |
| 6 | TATER | |
| Partakers of banquet ate red vegetable (5) | banqueT ATE Red | |
| 7 | CAPTION | |
| One contributing to top cricket score is a legend (7) | I inside (CAP + TON) | |
| 8 | SUPERB | |
| Retired salesperson travelling in bus is fine (6) | (REP inside BUS) reversed | |
| 9 | CONSTANTINOPLE | |
| Firm relocated Pole in old European capital (14) | CONSTANT + anagram of POLE IN | |
| 16 | MASCULINE | |
| Strong mast greatly supported by copper wire (9) | (MAS)t + CU + LINE | |
| 17 | INDECENT | |
| Popular mix of teen CD is gross (8) | IN + anagram of TEEN CD | |
| 19 | ANAGRAM | |
| My device possibly, a worrying person linked to computer component (7) | A + NAG + RAM | |
| 21 | ORIFICE | |
| Mouth and ear infection treated without an ENT (7) | Anagram of EAR INFECTION minus AN ENT | |
| 22 | SCALED | |
| Like a fish mounted? (6) | Double Definition | |
| 24 | LEEDS | |
| English football team’s star players should be announced (5) | Sounds like LEADS |