AFR Cryptic, Saturday 24/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (17/2/2024) 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.




















Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

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.

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.

Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
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AFR Cryptic (17/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BATTLE-SCARRED
Veteran cricketer confused scarlet and red (6-7) BAT + anagram of SCARLET + RED
9 OREGANO
Flavour enhancer or, say, a number (7) OR + EG + A + NO
10 RETIREE
Someone no longer working on exhaust pipe at the rear (7) RE + TIRE + pip(E)
11 LUCRE
Members of sinister cult brought back riches (5) sinistER CULt reversed
12 HEAVINESS
Male ass bearing grape-grower’s weight (9) (HE + ASS) outside VINE
13 TEAMWORK
Meat cooked right in Chinese pan is a joint effort (8) Anagram of MEAT + (R inside WOK)
15 DESPOT
Person with more than enough power to clean up mess? (6) DE-SPOT
18 ROTTER
Weasel-like animal following river beast (6) OTTER after R
19 BASS HORN
Academic’s clipped old orchestra member (4,4) BAS + SHORN
22 FARMSTEAD
Disoriented mates died east of remote agricultural settlement (9) (Anagram of MATES + D) after FAR
24 BEARS
Wild animals are running amok in evacuated buildings? (5) Anagram of ARE inside B(uilding)S
25 EVIL ONE
I have returned with single character that cannot be trusted (4,3) IVE returned + LONE
26 DROVING
What a jackaroo might be doing is drifting behind back of herd (7) ROVING after her(D)
27 SPENDING MONEY
Agent, taking care of resolution by married one, allocated allowance (8,5) SPY outside (ENDING + M + ONE)
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BOOKLET
Trunk containing fine Time publication (7) (BOLE outside OK) + T
2 TRENCHANT
Ditch worker for biting (9) TRENCH + ANT
3 LEAVE
Dump large quantity of yeast, for example (5) (LEAVE)n
4 SHOEHORN
Adjusted hose connected to warning device to fit into a tight space (8) Anagram of HOSE + HORN
5 ABROAD
Unlimited grog fenced by a criminal overseas? (6) g)RO(g inside (A + BAD)
6 RETAINERS
Financial inducements are stated by troubled trainees (9) R + anagram of TRAINEES
7 DIRGE
Network played back end to the sad song (5) GRID reversed + th(E)
8 GET SET
Be prepared to experiment, for example, in a lift (3,3) (TEST + EG) reversed
14 WHETSTONE
Who shortened and revised test? One with tool designed to produce an edge (9) WH(o) + anagram of TEST + ONE
16 PROBATION
Expert staff embracing one testing time (9) (PRO + BATON) outside I
17 HANDED IN
Submitted representation of a “hidden” magnetic pole? (6,2) Anagram of A HIDDEN + N
18 RIFLED
Plundered heart of Africa and took off? (6) af(RI)ca + FLED
20 NOSEGAY
Heard why mature son picked up a bunch of flowers (7) (Y + AGE + SON) reversed
21 LEGEND
Stretch final explanation of what’s what (6) LEG + END
23 REINS
Cargo of hardware in security checks (5) hardwaRE IN Security
24 BLOOM
Great growth containing large flower (5) BOOM outside L

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 17/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (10/2/2024) 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.
















The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The clue has two parts, each one defining the answer without using cryptic devices. Ideally each definition should have no etymological relationship.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) around the OUTSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.

The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The entire answer is found by reversing part of the clue, or a synonym for part of the clue. A suitable reversal indicator will be present.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

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AFR Cryptic (10/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BUS TRIPS
Tourist drives and cuts after break (3,5) RIPS after BUST
5 ACIDIC
Sharp one played twice in Australian rock band (6) (I, I) inside ACDC
10 LIARS
Fabricators use a boat to travel back across river (5) SAIL reversed outside R
11 ROAD TRAIN
Long-haul vehicle busted radiator close to Darwin (4,5) Anagram of RADIATOR + darwi(N)
12 AFTERWARDS
Fine received by trader was adjusted at a later date (10) F inside anagram of TRADER WAS
13 SHOT
Onset of suffering eased by powerful injection (4) (S)uffering + HOT
15 BODIES
People disappear with boss mostly hanging around (6) DIE inside (BOS)s
16 TAMARIN
Monkey pruned tangy fruit tree (7) TAMARIN(d)
19 WITNESS
Is outside broadcast rewound following woman’s initial testimony? (7) [IS outside (SENT reversed)] after (W)oman
21 BY-LINE
Journalist’s final piece is so long, holding nothing back (2-4) BYE outside (NIL reversed)
23 LAND
50+ acres? (4) L + AND
25 COLLECTION
Company and IT unit recalled working group (10) CO + (IT + CELL) reversed + ON
27 INDOLENCE
Popular benefit once given after initial laziness (9) IN + DOLE + (o)NCE
28 TRIPE
Stomach of shorthorn ready to be eaten? (5) shor(T)horn + RIPE
29 GARDEN
A road cut through general area used for cultivation (6) (A + RD) inside GEN
30 DEADENED
A study in legal documentation may be toned down (8) (A + DEN) inside DEED
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BALLAD
Everyone sitting tight during rotten song (6) ALL inside BAD
2 STARTS OUT
A university degree in beer begins (6,3) ARTS in STOUT
3 RESTRAINED
Calm reserve prepared for action (10) RES + TRAINED
4 PERHAPS
Page ending with unusual phrase, possibly (7) P + anagram of PHRASE
6 CITY
User, not detained by security, disrupted a popular spot (4) Anagram of SECURITY minus USER
7 DEATH
Departure date changed by hospital (5) Anagram of DATE + H
8 CONSTANT
Clip from Intergalactic, on Stan, that’s not changing (8) intergalactiC ON STAN That
9 BANDIT
Thief by the way in possession of piece (6) AND inside BIT
14 IMPLICATED
Under suspicion, one government representative lied about criminal act (10) (I + MP + LIED) outside anagram of ACT
17 RENDITION
Construction – finish it in wrought iron (9) (END + IT) inside anagram of IRON
18 DWELLING
Digs section of uncovered well in garden (8) uncovereD WELL IN Garden
20 SPOONS
Consumers employ these youngsters outside post office (6) SONS outside PO
21 BELIEVE
Busy person, possessed by evil, butchered judge (7) BEE outside anagram of EVIL
22 INDEED
One broadcast ended positively (6) I + anagram of ENDED
24 NADIR
Bout of depression, a dire low point? (5) depressioN A DIRe
26 FLEE
Leave leader of Labor in charge (4) (L)abor inside FEE

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 10/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (3/2/2024) 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.






















Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A word or series of words that signify the position of wordplay elements in the answer.

Examples: before, after, leading, in the middle of, under (down only) etc.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
A word or series of words that signify the turning around (across & down clues), or overturning (down clues only) of letters.

Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.

A type of clue where the WHOLE clue defines the answer, and the WHOLE clue also is the wordplay (a mechanism to derive the answer through various cryptic devices). "&lit" is short for "and literally".

To qualify as an &lit, a clue must have no unused components either in the definition or the wordplay - it must be readable one way as a definition, and another as the wordplay.

A question mark has been used to indicate "language abuse", that is, a word or words in a clue are used in a technically incorrect way, but the meaning can be still inferred.

Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

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.

The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

A word or phrase that defines the answer. All cryptic clues usually have a minimum of one definition which will be located at the beginning or end of the clue.
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AFR Cryptic (3/2/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 SOCIAL LEPER
Outcast has kept away from representation of local Pharisees? (6,5) Anagram of LOCAL PHARISEES minus HAS
7 SUB
Replacement coach given backing (3) BUS reversed
9 AGENT
A fellow worker in the selling business (5) A + GENT
10 MANICURED
Dog owned by spoilt maiden is well groomed (9) CUR inside anagram of MAIDEN
11 BIOSPHERE
Enclosed ecosystem’s new-fangled probe is filled with helium (9) Anagram of PROBE IS outside HE
12 HOUSE
Residence is hot, mostly, before service (5) (HO)t + USE
13 LINE-OUT
Rugby union play routinely deployed without flankers? (4-3) Anagram of (r)OUTINEL(y)
15 TART
Like lemon pie (4) Double Definition
18 LIMA
Affiliates of Muslim Action Centre in Peru (4) musLIM Action
20 SPECIAL
Peculiar drinks containing ice sent back (7) (ICE inside LAPS) reversed
23 SHOTS
Photographs recently taken in the middle of Brussels (5) HOT inside bruSSels
24 PARASITIC
Bloodsucking father, one embraced by demented racist (9) PA + (I inside anagram of RACIST)
26 HYPNOTISE
Entrance is not switched around in publicity stunt (9) (NOT + IS) inside HYPE
27 AVERT
Turn away troubled relative not admitting lie (5) Anagram of RELATIVE minus LIE
28 RED
Area of suture definitely inflamed (3) sutuRE Definitely
29 SCRUTINISED
Inspected ship originally sailed with cargo of metal (11) (S)hip + (CRUISED outside TIN)
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 SEAT BELT
It securely holds sitter’s wobbly table in position (4,4) Anagram of TABLE inside SET
2 CRETONNE
Crew reduced weight and heavy material (8) CRE(w) + TONNE
3 ACT UP
Federation of workers quietly carry on (3,2) ACTU + P
4 LAMBERT
Part of normal amber traffic light unit (7) normaL AMBER Traffic
5 PUNGENT
Spicy joke by lady’s man (7) PUN + GENT
6 RACEHORSE
People organised shoer for track competitor (9) RACE + anagram of SHOER
7 SIRIUS
I squeezed between gentleman and American star (6) I inside (SIR + US)
8 BUDGET
Develop secure financial statement (6) BUD + GET
14 OMISSIONS
Gaps overseas filled by military operation (9) OS outside MISSION
16 MISTRESS
Lady of the house married one with anxiety (8) M + I + STRESS
17 PLACATED
Drunken cadet, after party, returned and calmed down (8) Anagram of CADET after (ALP reversed)
19 APPLIER
One who uses a power tool with end-piece detached (7) A + P + PLIER(s)
20 SERPENT
Registered enclosure put in place for a snake (7) (R + PEN) inside SET
21 ESTHER
Queen of Persia rules the region to some extent (6) rulES THE Region
22 TORPID
Slow to river, duck toppled over (6) TO + R + (DIP reversed)
25 SPAIN
Resort in a European country (5) SPA + IN

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AFR Cryptic, Saturday 3/2/2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (Oz Day 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.



















A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

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.

The entire answer is found by reversing part of the clue, or a synonym for part of the clue. A suitable reversal indicator will be present.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
The answer is a jumbling of letters except for the initial or final letter of the anagram fodder. An anagram indicator and truncation indicator will be present.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

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.

The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is found by butting together parts defined in the wordplay. There may be some positional indicators that change the order of these parts.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

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AFR Cryptic (Oz Day 2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 ANGUISH
An outburst admitting one’s suffering (7) (AN + GUSH) outside I
5 TYPISTS
Psychiatrist, giving up chair, distracted key workers (7) Anagram of PSYCHIATRIST minus CHAIR
9 EXACT
Court, going after hacker, sent back claim (5) CT after (AXE reversed)
10 BRASS BAND
Musical group’s bass varied in quality (5,4) Anagram of BASS inside BRAND
11 AMBERGRIS
A male oceanic traveller is after right whale’s discharge (9) A + M + BERG + (IS after R)
12 DIVE
Joint distributed short version of video (4) Anagram of (VIDE)o
14 DARWIN
Ward not treated properly in a tropical place (6) Anagram of WARD + IN
15 PERTH
Lively hotel’s location in the west (5) PERT + H
16 CUT
Cricket shot is attractive for the most part (3) (CUT)e
18 SIENA
Displaced aliens overlooking large city in Tuscany (5) Anagram of ALIENS minus L
19 LEAPER
Outcast providing shelter for a bounder (6) LEPER outside A
23 AMEX
Plastic part of webcam exploded (4) webcAM EXploded
24 BREATHERS
Swimmers, floating around, are lacking a number of snorkels, for example (9) BATHERS outside (ARE minus A)
26 MELBOURNE
One rumble damaged GP’s Australian home (9) Anagram of ONE RUMBLE
27 OPERA
Section in media report backed a musical performance (5) mediA REPOrt reversed
28 NIRVANA
Transporter in Iran mismanaged a delightful place (7) VAN inside anagram of IRAN
29 MODISTE
Fashionable dressmaker and poet housed by the writer (7) ODIST inside ME
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 ADELAIDE
City of churches guided a returning embassy worker (8) (LED + A) reversed + AIDE
2 GRABBER
Avaricious person is right into gossip (7) R inside GABBER
3 INTERMIXED
Changed index containing expression, one jumbled up (10) Anagram of INDEX outside (TERM + I)
4 HOBART
Watering hole located in sultry southern city (6) BAR inside HOT
5 TRANSEPT
Ten parts formed wing of a cruciform church (8) Anagram of TEN PARTS
6 PAST
Associates of Trump, as tweeted, should be finished? (4) trumP AS Tweeted
7 SLAVISH
Servile person from eastern Europe is hard (7) SLAV + IS + H
8 SYDNEY
Australian capital, say, losing a third ultimately against rise of Japanese currency (6) SAY minus A + thir(D) + (YEN reversed)
13 PRIESTHOOD
Is inquisitive gangster after time in religious order? (10) PRIES + (HOOD after T)
16 CANBERRA
Head to Callion, a barren, unsettled part of Australia (8) (C)allion + A + anagram of BARREN
17 BRISBANE
Animated Barbie’s screening close to garden city in Queensland (8) Anagram of BARBIES outside garde(N)
18 STEALER
One who takes a left during drive (7) (A + L) inside STEER
20 PEERESS
Noble never evenly treated in crowd (7) n(E)v(E)r inside PRESS
21 SALMON
Fish shop extended by metres (6) M inside SALON
22 REDEEM
Buy back diamonds owned by emeer abroad (6) D inside anagram of EMEER
25 CODA
Company recalled commercial’s last piece of music (4) CO + (AD reversed)

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AFR Cryptic, Oz Day 2024, Clue Hints

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (20/1/2024) 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.














A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.

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.

The entire answer is the result of removing the first or last letter from part of the clue or its synonym. A truncation indicator will be present.
The structure of the answer involves either letters placed outside other letters, or letters placed inside other letters. Which type of container clue is determined by an appropriate container indicator.
The answer is hidden among the words of the clue. No spare words should be present. A suitable hidden indicator will point to the buried text.

Examples: part of, associated with, types of.

Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A pointer that signifies the placing of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents) on the INSIDE of one or more parts of a clue (or their equivalents).

Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.

A word or series of words that signify a mixing-up of letters.

Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.

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AFR Cryptic (20/1/2024) Solution

Across Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BUSINESS
Trade vehicles transporting in scaffolding primarily (8) BUSES outside [IN + (S)caffolding]
5 SPUR
Impulse items included in cosmetics purchases (4) cosmeticS PURchases
10 TRAIT
Narrow channel with no original feature (5) (s)TRAIT
11 FLAVOURED
Seasoned side of lamb consumed by pet (9) (L)amb inside FAVOURED
12 ANCHORING
Fixing one seal broken by chain (9) (AN + ORING) outside CH
13 LOADS
Youths sucking in oxygen a great deal (5) LADS outside O
14 FINALE
Members of staff in a legal conclusion (6) stafF IN A LEgal
15 DOCKING
Medical man, a leader, is fixing a painter (7) DOC + KING
18 CONTACT
Approach court about concerning law (7) CT outside ON + ACT
20 SMOOTH
Hypothetical case held in silence is uneventful (6) MOOT inside SH
22 TEMPT
Entice irregular worker back to employment (5) TEMP + employmen(T)
24 ROAD-SENSE
Driving skill increased in control of new sedan (4-5) ROSE outside anagram of SEDAN
25 LASHED OUT
Yobbo hanging outside a storage unit attacked strongly (6,3) LOUT outside (A SHED)
26 TWILL
Material that’s finishing a legal document (5) tha(T) + WILL
27 DINE
Eat serving of food in eatery (4) fooD IN Eatery
28 DRUMBEAT
Characters from Bermuda experimented with time and rhythmic sound (8) Anagram of BERMUDA + T
 Down  Answers and Clues Explanations
1 BAT-PAD
Bowled at Pakistan’s opener and cleared out close-in fielder? (3-3) B + AT + (P)akistan + A(n)D
2 STANCHION
Support a snitch involved in operation (9) Anagram of A SNITCH + ON
3 NATIONAL ANTHEM
An animal not worried about the country song (8,6) Anagram of AN ANIMAL NOT outside THE
4 SUFFICE
Do stuff, ignoring time on ice (7) STUFF minus T + ICE
6 PARKA
Leave a car with a weatherproof cover (5) PARK + A
7 REDESIGN
Green is upset about record’s final update (8) Anagram of GREEN IS outside recor(D)
8 SAGGED
Scrambled eggs with a starter of duck went down slowly (6) Anagram of EGGS A + (D)uck
9 COLLECTORS ITEM
Electric tools fashioned minute piece worth keeping (10,4) Anagram of ELECTRIC TOOLS + M
16 INTENSIVE
Popular event is not usually demanding (9) IN + anagram of EVENT IS
17 SCUTTLED
Snow vehicle loaded with hewn tonnes travelled quickly (8) SLED outside (CUT + T)
19 TARBOY
Plaything, carrying underwear, picked up hired hand in the shearing shed (6) TOY outside (BRA reversed)
20 SHATTER
Panama producer, say, after small break (7) HATTER after S
21 MERLOT
Wine retailer’s back inside shady motel (6) retaile(R) inside anagram of MOTEL
23 MASON
Uncle from America turned on builder (5) SAM reversed + ON

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