The Independent's Cryptic Crossword Clue Answers Today (21st March 2024)
by Abisha
Updated Mar 21, 2024
Every day, the independent's cryptic crossword provides you with a dose of bite-sized wisdom. Quick clues can help you focus, fill the grid quickly, and solve the puzzle in a flash.
All in one little masterpiece, it's the ideal pick-me-up for hectic schedules, a fun method to increase your brainpower on the fly, and a fulfilling way to start your day.
They seek work providing landlords with insurance (8,7)
Ans: COVERING LETTERS
They seek work implies job seekers, providing landlords with insurance hints at documents provided to landlords, typically at the beginning of a job application. These documents are known as COVERING LETTERS, as they cover or provide information about the applicant.
Clout face of worrisome figure (6)
Ans: WEIGHT
Clout implies influence or impact, and worrisome figure suggests someone who is causing worry or concern. Face in this context refers to the front or outward appearance of this figure. Together, WEIGHT captures the idea of the face having an impact or influence on the situation.
What cons do, following bloody exceptional person (4,4)
Ans: RARE BIRD
Bloody exceptional person implies someone remarkable or outstanding, and what cons do suggests the actions of scammers. In this case, the exceptional person is described as a RARE BIRD, indicating their uniqueness or rarity, and the phrase implies that cons follow their actions like opportunistic birds.
Rocky place where the first horse is put? (8)
Ans: STALLONE
Rocky place suggests STALL and the first horse is the word ONE. Putting STALL together with ONE forms STALLONE, which also refers to the actor Sylvester Stallone, known for his role in the Rocky movie series.
Empire-builder has trouble besieging dry area (6)
Ans: ATTILA
Empire-builder refers to ATTILA the Hun, and trouble besieging dry area refers to ATILLA (a dry area)
It interrupts current drug experiences with enchanting female (4,6)
Ans: TRIPSWITCH
Current drug experiences suggest TRIP, and enchanting female suggests SWITCH. Together, they form TRIPSWITCH, meaning something that interrupts a drug-induced experience.
I'm telling the truth, they're the upper crust (4)
Ans: NOBS
I'm telling the truth is NO BS, which phonetically sounds like NOBS, a slang term for upper-class or high society individuals.
Clean ship's prow with sailor (4)
Ans: SWAB
Clean ship's prow is SWAB, and it also refers to a tool used for cleaning, often associated with sailors.
Unwisely putting away starter of ribs with sauce (10)
Ans: IMPUDENTLY
This clue suggests a word meaning unwisely or boldly, formed by rearranging letters of ribs (starter of RIBS) and sauce. Unwisely suggests IMPUDENTLY, and it can be formed by putting away the starter of ribs with sauce
Hail coming into Massachusetts, occasionally, from the east (6)
Ans: ACCOST
This clue hints at a word meaning approach or confront, formed by taking letters from Massachusetts occasionally (every other letter), with hail added to the beginning (from the east).
Try dessert containing large nut (8)
Ans: TESTICLE
The large nut referred to here is anatomical, and it can be found in a dessert known as TESTICLE.
Really bad goal, one let in by members of school (8)
Ans: FIENDISH
Really bad suggests FIENDISH, and it can be formed by putting one (I) and goal (GOAL) inside members of a school (FISH).
Having a complex kitchen appliance I coated in copper (6)
Ans: PHOBIC
Having a complex suggests PHOBIC, which can be formed by rearranging letters of appliance and adding I (the chemical symbol for copper) at the end.
An envious, ill oddball follows friend of Hermione and Harry Potter (6,9)
Ans: RONNIE OSULLIVAN
Public disagreement about Henry Fielding error (9)
Ans: OVERTHROW
Public disagreement suggests OVERTHROW, and the reference to Henry Fielding error implies the action of overthrowing something due to a mistake or misjudgment.
Boozy drink for one grand? Lose it (3,4)
Ans: EGG FLIP
Boozy drink suggests EGG FLIP, a cocktail made with eggs and spirits. One grand indicates the letters EGG, and Lose it implies FLIP.
Start bringing up characters in Fortnite (5)
Ans: INTRO
Ready to fight, boxed by chap in shorts, say (7)
Ans: GARMENT
This clue suggests a term for an item of clothing, specifically one associated with a chap in shorts, indicating it's ready for a fight. Ready to fight suggests GARMENT, which is an item of clothing.
Carpeted a bare, rickety shack (9)
Ans: EARBASHED
Carpeted suggests EARBASHED, which means to be talked at length or scolded. A shack is often used colloquially to refer to someone's house or dwelling, and rickety implies that it's in poor condition.
Can banking venture start to annoy Asian? (7)
Ans: TIBETAN
This clue hints at a term for an Asian person, particularly one from a specific region. Banking venture start suggests TIBETAN, which refers to someone from Tibet. Annoy suggests the irritation of a BIT, and Asian narrows it down to TIBETAN.
Bucolic painter in trouble, occasionally (5)
Ans: RURAL
Bucolic painter suggests RURAL, as a bucolic scene refers to one set in the countryside. In trouble, occasionally suggests taking only the odd letters from trouble, which gives us RURAL.
This expands when indulging in whiskey and Asti, high on some cocaine (9)
Ans: WAISTLINE
One's played with a dog from the south and a dog from Moscow (9)
Ans: BALALAIKA
"One's played" suggests "BALALAIKA," a traditional Russian stringed instrument. "With a dog from the south" hints at the musical note "LA," and "a dog from Moscow" refers to the "BALALAIKA" itself.
Bond performer finally forges with relatives coming around (7)
Ans: BROSNAN
"Bond performer finally" refers to the last letter of "performer," which is "N." "Forges" suggests "BROS" (short for brothers), and "relatives coming around" suggests reversing "NAN" (a relative), resulting in "BROSNAN," the actor who portrayed James Bond in several films.
Glib lefty's plots (7)
Ans: PATCHES
This clue suggests a term for small areas or pieces, often used to describe plots or areas of land, with "glib lefty's" hinting at the word. "Glib lefty's" suggests "PATCHES," which are small areas or pieces. "Plots" can refer to land or schemes.
One contemporary of Jesus turns up round old capital (7)
Ans: NAIROBI
One contemporary of Jesus" refers to a NABOB, a wealthy person. "Turns up" indicates reversing it to "BOBAN." "Round old" refers to "RI" (Old in reverse) giving us "NAIROBI," the capital of Kenya.
Marx's drunken utterance inspired by leading pair of Communists (5)
Ans: CHICO
"Leading pair of Communists" refers to "CC," and "Marx's drunken utterance inspired by" is "HIC." Putting them together gives us "CHICO," which is a name associated with Marxism, notably one of the Marx Brothers.
Unfortunate lapse is a bit of a bloomer (5)
Ans: SEPAL
Using "unfortunate lapse" as an anagram indicator, the letters of "lapse" can be rearranged to form "SEPAL," which refers to a part of a flower.
