
The PDF contains the 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.
Answer ending with…
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.
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: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
Did you have trouble working out the Christmas cryptic? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (Christmas 2023) 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BUSTLE | |
| Hurried activity fixed underwear worn by old lady (6) | Double Definition | |
| 4 | PROPOSED | |
| Recommended footballer does broadcast (8) | PROP + anagram of DOES | |
| 9 | FOUNDATION STONE | |
| Building block discovered by station implicated individual (10,5) | FOUND + anagram of STATION + ONE | |
| 11 | EXEGESIS | |
| Interpretation of the Bible is behind old friends hugging, for example (8) | IS after (EXES outside EG) | |
| 12 | SETTEE | |
| Lounge suite – it’s used by clubber? (6) | SET + TEE | |
| 13 | SAIL | |
| Announcement of marketing cruise (4) | Sounds like SALE | |
| 14 | SPOTLIGHTS | |
| Skin problem on the fringes of delicate features (10) | SPOTS outside LIGHT | |
| 18 | RADIOGRAPH | |
| A horrid gap spoiled x-ray image (10) | Anagram of A HORRID GAP | |
| 19 | PRIG | |
| Head off from shoot with moralistic person (4) | (s)PRIG | |
| 22 | BROLGA | |
| Crane shifted gold bar, dropping down initially (6) | Anagram of GOLD BAR minus (D)own | |
| 24 | OPEN DOOR | |
| Ring in a sorry state about finale’s free admission (4,4) | (O + POOR) outside END | |
| 26 | INSTRUMENTALIST | |
| Musician’s mate turns in broken record (15) | Anagram of MATE TURNS IN + LIST | |
| 27 | DISCLOSE | |
| Is chlorine included in ingredients of medicine for show? (8) | (IS + CL) inside DOSE | |
| 28 | VEGANS | |
| Vehicles carrying, say, particular consumers (6) | VANS outside EG | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BUFFERS | |
| They polish shock absorbers (7) | Double Definition | |
| 2 | STUPEFIED | |
| Confounded feed is put all over the place (9) | Anagram of FEED IS PUT | |
| 3 | LADDER | |
| Young man, flushed, turned around to run (6) | LAD + (RED reversed) | |
| 5 | ROOM | |
| Secure elevated part of a building (4) | MOOR reversed | |
| 6 | PASSED IN | |
| Old-fashioned racket is not sold at auction (6,2) | PASSE + DIN | |
| 7 | SHOUT | |
| Round in bar? (5) | O inside SHUT | |
| 8 | DIESELS | |
| Engines worked less south of pass (7) | Anagram of LESS after DIE | |
| 10 | TRIPPER | |
| Judge holding in custody very quiet drug user (7) | TRIER outside PP | |
| 15 | TOPSPIN | |
| Zampa might use this backward position in front of leg (7) | SPOT reversed + PIN | |
| 16 | HARMONICA | |
| Lay a finger on a coin forged with instrument (9) | HARM + anagram of A COIN | |
| 17 | DOGGEREL | |
| Complete set containing German verse (8) | DO + (GEL outside GER) | |
| 18 | REBUILD | |
| Restore custom-made bridle including nut in the middle (7) | Anagram of BRIDLE outside n(U)t | |
| 20 | GYRATES | |
| Heartless guy judges pirouettes? (7) | G(u)Y + RATES | |
| 21 | ENGAGE | |
| Take on disorderly gang in middle of speech (6) | Anagram of GANG inside sp(EE)ch | |
| 23 | OASIS | |
| Love a relative’s flower arranging stuff (5) | O + A + SIS | |
| 25 | XMAS | |
| Crazy Mexicans giving up nice holiday (4) | Anagram of MEXICANS minus NICE |

Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (16/12/2023) 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: holding, keeping, embracing - anything that creates the image of containment.
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.
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 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 | CHALET | |
| Short fellow rented small house (6) | (CHA)p + LET | |
| 5 | BUCKLED | |
| Stag once showed the way and collapsed (7) | BUCK + LED | |
| 9 | VIRTUAL REALITY | |
| A rival utterly upset about one computer-simulated environment (7,7) | Anagram of A RIVAL UTTERLY outside I | |
| 11 | ON STRIKE | |
| Facing out (2,6) | Double Definition | |
| 12 | STIGMA | |
| Spot a sportscar – it’s reversing (6) | (A + MG + ITS) reversed | |
| 14 | GROWN | |
| Big sigh that’s audible (5) | Sounds like GROAN | |
| 15 | VELODROME | |
| Loved revamped Italian city’s Olympic venue (9) | Anagram of LOVED + ROME | |
| 17 | CLEARANCE | |
| Head of corporation organised a cleaner’s authorisation (9) | (C)orporation + anagram of A CLEANER | |
| 19 | SOBER | |
| Employees of sincere boss returned clear-headed? (5) | sinceRE BOSs reversed | |
| 21 | ASSIST | |
| Stubborn one is last to accept benefit (6) | ASS + IS + accep(T) | |
| 23 | NOTABLES | |
| Sign put out by a full restaurant, say, for celebrities (8) | NO TABLES | |
| 25 | LEAVE WELL ALONE | |
| Don’t change spring, a large one, after break (5,4,5) | (WELL + A + L + ONE) after LEAVE | |
| 26 | SWEETEN | |
| Sugar bags sent back with little inside (7) | NETS reversed outside WEE | |
| 27 | ROTTEN | |
| Corrupt attorney losing case somehow? (6) | Anagram of (a)TTORNE(y) | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 2 | HAILSTONE | |
| Very cold skydiver welcomes one finishing time (9) | HAILS + (ONE after T) | |
| 3 | LATER ON | |
| One not supported by misguided relation in time (5,2) | Anagram of RELAT(i)ON | |
| 4 | TRACK EVENT | |
| Racket developed before opening running competition (5,5) | Anagram of RACKET + VENT | |
| 5 | BARN | |
| Restrict opening of nice farm building (4) | BAR + (N) | |
| 6 | CRAFTED | |
| Skilfully-made bow of canoe glided over water (7) | (C)anoe + RAFTED | |
| 7 | LYING | |
| Dishonesty only in Government’s division (5) | onLY IN Government | |
| 8 | DAY CARE | |
| Nanny, finally entering arcade, arranged supervision for children (3,4) | nann(Y) inside anagram of ARCADE | |
| 10 | SONG | |
| Succession of notes on gramophone? (4) | noteS ON Gramophone | |
| 13 | BLUE-COLLAR | |
| Working-class nightclub ultimately varied local rule (4-6) | nightclu(B) + anagram of LOCAL RULE | |
| 16 | ON BALANCE | |
| Cooked lean bacon and all things considered (2,7) | Anagram of LEAN BACON | |
| 17 | CHABLIS | |
| White wine, two types of cheese, and blended basil (7) | (CH)eese + anagram of BASIL | |
| 18 | RESPECT | |
| Consideration, especially, established in record time (7) | ESP inside (REC + T) | |
| 19 | SHALLOT | |
| Slug consuming every bit of salad vegetable (7) | SHOT outside ALL | |
| 20 | RISE | |
| Extra money reissued unevenly (4) | (R)e(I)s(S)u(E)d | |
| 22 | SHADE | |
| Relative darkness experienced in middle of desert (5) | HAD inside de(SE)rt | |
| 24 | FERN | |
| Growth of bracken is restricted in low marshy land (4) | R inside FEN |
Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (9/12/2023) 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: beheaded, cut short, endless, nearly, largely etc.
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: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
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: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
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.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | RECESS | |
| Break up services arranged with 6 down? (6) | Anagram of SERVICES minus VI | |
| 4 | MAJESTIC | |
| A joke, one acquired by host, is superb (8) | (A + JEST + I) inside MC | |
| 9 | PURSE | |
| Noble carrying small amount of money (5) | PURE outside S | |
| 10 | COVER NOTE | |
| Temporary insurance number kept in concealed safe at the back (5,4) | NO inside COVERT + saf(E) | |
| 11 | CAESIUM | |
| Metal case ruined one pump lacking any pressure (7) | Anagram of CASE + I + (p)UM(p) | |
| 12 | RATINGS | |
| Calls about a time for survey of popular programmes (7) | RINGS outside (A + T) | |
| 13 | THIN | |
| Flimsy corrugated iron covering hospital (4) | TIN outside H | |
| 14 | MANIACAL | |
| Demonic one listed in distributed almanac (8) | I inside anagram of ALMANAC | |
| 17 | THRASHED | |
| Outbreak contained by the Head of Defence is crushed (8) | RASH inside [THE + (D)efence] | |
| 19 | ALGA | |
| Seaweed fragments housed in botanical garden (4) | botanicAL GArdens | |
| 22 | TOBACCO | |
| Boat at sea caught cod mostly – it’s smoked (7) | Anagram of BOAT + C + (CO)d | |
| 24 | EDITING | |
| Changing tide turned in front of geologist (7) | Anagram of TIDE + IN + (G)eologist | |
| 25 | ITINERANT | |
| Rambling point made in one violent declamation (9) | TINE inside (I + RANT) | |
| 26 | SHOOT | |
| Snap a new branch (5) | Double Definition | |
| 27 | SPLUTTER | |
| Dispute small place, say (8) | S + PL + UTTER | |
| 28 | LESSON | |
| Teaching without working (6) | LESS + ON | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | RAPACITY | |
| Criminal charge linked to a large town’s greed (8) | RAP + A + CITY | |
| 2 | CAREERIST | |
| Self-seeking father recalled time under management (9) | (SIRE reversed + T) after CARE | |
| 3 | SCENIC | |
| “Weird Science” for the most part is dramatic (6) | Anagram of (SCIENC)e | |
| 5 | ADVERTISEMENT | |
| Marketing determines a TV broadcast (13) | Anagram of DETERMINES A TV | |
| 6 | ERRATIC | |
| Iodine discovered in deformed crater is volatile (7) | I inside anagram of CRATER | |
| 7 | THORN | |
| Types of heath or native spiky plant (5) | heaTH OR Native | |
| 8 | CHEESE | |
| Chef mostly accepting view about dairy product (6) | (CHE)f outside (SEE reversed) | |
| 10 | COMPASSIONATE | |
| Humanitarian authorisation, one NATO ordered in advance (13) | (PASS + I + anagram of NATO) inside COME | |
| 15 | LOLLIPOPS | |
| Loaf is stocked with soft-drink and sweets (9) | LOLL + (IS outside POP) | |
| 16 | CAUGHT ON | |
| Criminal punched by a thug in a frenzy got wise (6,2) | CON outside anagram of (A + THUG) | |
| 18 | RICHEST | |
| Most productive doctor’s closing one case (7) | docto(R) + I + CHEST | |
| 20 | ETHICS | |
| Heartless chemist amended rules of conduct? (6) | Anagram of CHE(m)IST | |
| 21 | TISSUE | |
| Paper tiger’s first problem (6) | (T)iger + ISSUE | |
| 23 | BRILL | |
| Right’s representative, listed in leaflet, is excellent in England (5) | R inside BILL |