The solved grid
1G
A
2M
E
3R
4B
A
5T
I
6S
T
7E
U
E
E
R
T
N
8S
E
D
E
R
9S
A
I
L
I
N
G
T
U
U
U
P
C
O
10S
O
L
O
N
11S
N
O
O
K
E
R
L
P
L
G
12E
13A
T
14H
L
E
T
I
C
15S
E
X
O
C
M
16C
R
17I
C
K
E
T
18C
H
A
N
19T
I
L
I
E
L
R
E
20T
A
I
L
E
N
D
21U
N
T
I
E
E
A
S
M
L
T
22S
E
D
A
T
E
D
23P
S
Y
C
H
Across
1 Across Confused Marge becomes an esports fan (5) → GAMER Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “MARGE”.
4 Across Fine cotton fabric hidden in combat is terrific (7) → BATISTE Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “combat is terrific”.
8 Across Southeast, plus German article, gives a Passover feast (5) → SEDER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 3 letters long.
9 Across Sick, embraced by singing, means boating (7) → SAILING Container
Put a 3-letter run inside a 4-letter word.
10 Across Spanish 'no los', turned around, is an ancient legislator (5) → SOLON Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “S”.
11 Across Hesitating after naming a fish gives the cue sport (7) → SNOOKER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 2 letters long.
13 Across Chaotic talc heist forms track-and-field sports (9) → ATHLETICS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “talc heist”.
16 Across An insect from a neck spasm with an alien (7) → CRICKET Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 2 letters long.
18 Across Choirs have a nice tune initially, a rhythmic recitation (5) → CHANT Initialism
Take the first letter of each: choirs, have, a, nice, tune.
20 Across A late din, rearranged, describes the final stretch (4,3) → TAIL END Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “late din”.
21 Across Unfasten, as found in a gun tied to a post (5) → UNTIE Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “gun tied”.
22 Across Heading southeast, old-fashioned yet calmed down (7) → SEDATED Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 5 letters long.
23 Across Please stop your crazy hijinks initially, to prepare mentally (5) → PSYCH Initialism
Take the first letter of each: please, stop, your, crazy, hijinks.
Down
1 Down Sulfur trapped within nerve creates blasts of wind (5) → GUSTS Container
Put a 1-letter run inside a 4-letter word.
2 Down A chaotic mud ell forms brainstem tissue (7) → MEDULLA Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “a mud ell”.
3 Down Really enjoyed running unusual nightclubs initially, a repeat broadcast (5) → RERUN Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Really, enjoyed, running, unusual, nightclubs.
5 Down Three with political science, briefly, is Libya's capital (7) → TRIPOLI Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 4 letters long.
6 Down Adhere, or a slender baton (5) → STICK Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
7 Down Wild George, having turned north, will overindulge (7) → ENGORGE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “GEORGE N”.
9 Down Speed cuts rearranged mean presumed guilty (9) → SUSPECTED Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “SPEED CUTS”.
12 Down Former partner quoting sources thrills (7) → EXCITES Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 5 letters long.
14 Down Hidden in a hoki estate sale, most corny (7) → HOKIEST Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “hoki estate”.
15 Down A crafty sort holding a market behaves briskly (7) → SMARTLY Container
Put a 4-letter run inside a 3-letter word.
17 Down Millennium missing its Swiss code becomes an ancient Greek epic (5) → ILIAD Deletion
Remove 2 letters from the start of a longer word.
18 Down Careless locals usually miss parties, initially a cluster (5) → CLUMP Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Careless, locals, usually, miss, parties.
19 Down Ornate ethics concealing dental structures (5) → TEETH Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “ornate ethics”.
How this puzzle was checked
Every clue in this crossword was verified against its own wordplay by
software, then the finished puzzle was read and edited by hand before
publication: definitions, indicators, enumerations and surface readings
all get looked at, and clues that don't hold up are rewritten. The
editorial standards set out what that
covers.
Spotted something wrong here? Email
badclues@decryptic.app and
this page will be corrected. See the
corrections policy.
