The Independent's Cryptic Crossword Clues: All Answers Updated for March 25, 2024

Cryptic crosswords are unique crosswords in which the clues can be tricky. The clues include anagrams, homophones, and much more. You need to figure out what kind of wordplay is used, in order to solve the clues. If you find today’s The Independent's Cryptic Crossword clues tough, check here to find their solutions.

A table constructed to hold fourth case (8)

Ans: ABLATIVE

This clue is a bit of a double entendre. A table can refer to a piece of furniture, but it can also refer to a set of grammatical cases used in some languages like Latin. The fourth case could refer to the ablative case, which is used to express separation, origin, or means. Ablative is the answer here.

Goodness close to Lenin's heart for left-winger (6)

Ans: CORBYN

Goodness might be a misleading clue. Lenin was a communist leader, and left-winger suggests someone with socialist or communist political views. Jeremy Corbyn is a British politician known for his socialist views, making him a good fit for this clue.

Time wasted securing building material, short by one tile (9)

Ans: IMBRICATE

Time wasted suggests something taking longer than expected. Building material could refer to tiles. Imbricate means to overlap or arrange things like tiles on a roof. One missing tile could explain the wasted time needed to secure them properly.

Church on marshland boundary (5)

Ans: FENCE

A church is a religious building. Marshland is a type of wetland. A fence can separate two areas of land, and it could be used to mark the boundary of a marshland area, especially near a church property.

Make an effort to accommodate old right-winger (4)

Ans: TORY

To make an effort suggests trying to include someone. Old right-winger describes someone with conservative political views. Tory is a term for a member of the British Conservative Party, which aligns with the right-wing ideology.

Loyalty for one entering partnership (10)

Ans: ALLEGIANCE

 Loyalty describes a strong sense of faithfulness. Partnership suggests an agreement between two or more parties. Allegiance refers to the loyalty someone owes to a group, cause, or country, which makes sense in the context of entering a partnership.

Beauty parlor with built-in love lounge (6)

Ans: SALOON

• While beauty parlor is a modern term for a place where people get hair and beauty treatments, historically, saloon could refer to a place that offered various services, sometimes including beauty treatments and areas for socializing.
• The love lounge part is a bit playful, suggesting a flirty atmosphere within the saloon.

Pluralistic papers about poetry (7)

Ans: DIVERSE

 Pluralistic means accepting or including a variety of different ideas or beliefs. Papers could refer to written works, and poetry is a specific type of writing. Diverse suggests these papers explore poetry from various perspectives or styles.

Foreign saint sounded English (7)

Ans: STRANGE

Foreign means from another country. A saint is a holy person. Sounded English might be a misleading clue here. Strange implies something unfamiliar or unusual, which could describe a foreign saint being referred to with an English name.

Amateur caught by a secret service plant (6)

Ans: ACACIA

Amateur suggests someone who is not a professional. Secret service plant is a bit tricky. It could be a play on words, where plant refers to a type of tree, and secret service is a misleading element. Acacia is a type of tree, so the clue might be implying an amateur got caught near an acacia tree.

Platform with exotic hyacinths, last three plucked for floral decoration (5,5)

Ans: DAISYCHAIN

• A platform is a raised level surface. Exotic hyacinths suggests unusual or non-native flowers on the platform. Last three plucked implies some of the flowers were taken.
• Daisychain is a type of flower crown made by chaining daisies together. While not hyacinths, it could be the answer if the last three flowers were used for decoration.

I headed back to arrive at food store (4)

Ans: DELI

Headed back suggests returning to a place. Food store is the destination. Deli is a type of store that often sells prepared foods and sandwiches, making it a possible place to return to for food.

Portion of film about British maverick (5)

Ans: REBEL

Portion suggests a part of something larger. A film is a movie. British maverick describes an unconventional or independent British person. Rebel is a good fit for this clue, as it can refer to someone who defies authority or tradition, which aligns with the idea of a maverick.

Economist who creates barriers? (4,5)

Ans: ADAMSMITH

An economist studies economic systems. Creates barriers might be a misleading part of the clue. Adam Smith is a famous economist who is associated with free market principles, which generally oppose barriers to trade. The clue might be a playful twist on his work.

Drum musician in club with brief set (6)

Ans: DJEMBE

A drum musician plays drums. Club suggests a nightclub or music venue. Brief set implies a short performance. Djembe is a type of hand drum often used in African music and sometimes played in clubs.

Evening wear, about to be carried separately by relatives' subordinates (8)

Ans: ADJUNCTS

• Evening wear refers to formal clothing worn in the evening. Carried separately suggests multiple parts. Relatives' subordinates is a bit tricky
• It might be a convoluted way of hinting at something being carried by different people who are somehow connected.
• Adjuncts can refer to additional or supplementary items, and in this case, it could be separate pieces of evening wear carried by assistants.

Police in corrupt state giving conclusive trial (4,4)

Ans: ACIDTEST

• Police are law enforcement officers. Corrupt state suggests a dishonest or unfair situation. Conclusive trial implies a decisive outcome.
• Acid test is a metaphor for a severe or definitive test. The clue might be using police and trial metaphorically to represent a challenging situation that reveals the truth.

Free braille translation (7)

Ans: LIBERAL

• Braille is a tactile writing system used by blind or visually impaired people. Translation refers to converting something from one language to another.
• Free suggests it's provided without cost. Liberal can have various meanings, but in this context, it could imply a generous or open-minded approach, such as offering a free braille translation service.

End of story read out (4)

Ans: TAIL

End of story refers to the conclusion of a narrative. Read out suggests something being spoken aloud. The tail of a story is the final part that wraps everything up.

Potentially successful sailor breaking rank (6)

Ans: VIABLE

• Potentially successful means having the possibility of achievement. A sailor is someone who works on a ship. Breaking rank suggests disobeying orders or acting independently.
• Viable describes something that is feasible or has a good chance of success, even if the sailor is breaking the rules.

Drinks emporium formerly infested with very loud insects (3-7)

Ans: OFFLICENCE

• Drinks emporium is a fancy way of saying a place that sells drinks. Formerly infested suggests something that was once problematic but is no longer.
• Very loud insects could be a playful reference to flies or other insects that might have been attracted to a store selling drinks.
• Off-licence is a British term for a shop that sells alcohol for consumption off the premises, and it might have had issues with flies in the past.

Crazy to proscribe Scottish Labour leader (7)

Ans: BANANAS

• Crazy can be used informally to express disbelief or disapproval. Proscribe means to officially forbid something.
• Scottish Labour leader refers to the head of the Scottish Labour Party. Bananas is a slang term for something crazy or ridiculous.
• The clue suggests it's absurd to think someone would try to ban a political leader.

New European editor repeatedly called for (6)

Ans: NEEDED

New European editor suggests a recently appointed editor for a European publication. Repeatedly called for implies a strong demand for someone to fill this position. Needed simply means required or essential.

Bible book in which Gabriel featured prominently (7)

Ans: GENESIS

The Bible is a religious text. Gabriel is an angel mentioned in the Bible. Featured prominently suggests he plays a significant role. Genesis is the first book of the Bible, and Gabriel appears in the creation story.

Balti curry transported over for independent charitable organisation (6,4)

Ans: ROTARY CLUB

• Balti curry is a type of Indian curry dish. Transported over suggests it's being brought from somewhere. Independent charitable organisation describes a non-profit group.
• Rotary Club is an international service organization known for its charitable work. The clue might be implying a Rotary Club receiving a delivery of Balti curry for an event.

Boffin's formula for e? (7)

Ans: EGGHEAD

• Boffin is a British informal term for a scientist or intellectual. Formula refers to a mathematical expression. E likely refers to the mathematical constant pi (π).
• While there's no specific formula for pi, the clue might be a pun on egg and head, where an egghead (intellectual) might come up with a strange formula for pi that looks like an egg.

Vegetables are cut up to be put on plates (8)

Ans: RADISHES

Vegetables is a general category. Cut up suggests preparing them for eating. Put on plates implies they're being served. Radishes are a type of small, red, pungent root vegetable that is often served sliced on plates.

The man wearing fancy belt and digital shield (7)

Ans: THIMBLE

• The man might be misleading. Fancy belt could be a reference to the shape of something. Digital shield suggests something protective in the digital world.
• A thimble is a small metal cap worn on the finger to protect it while pushing a needle through fabric. It has a somewhat rounded shape that could be likened to a belt, and it offers protection for fingers in the digital world of sewing.

Complaint from 12 who ran with 2 inveighing against 5 leadership (7)

Ans: COELIAC

• This clue is a bit cryptic. 12 who ran with 2 is unclear, but it might be a way of representing the number 14. Inveighing against means to criticize or attack verbally.
• 5 leadership suggests a position of authority. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder where people can't tolerate gluten.
• People with celiac disease often have to complain about or avoid foods with gluten, which could be linked to the leadership (e.g., of a restaurant) making decisions about ingredients.

Beloved party embraced by American lefty (6)

Ans: ADORED

• Beloved means greatly loved or cherished. Party can refer to a social gathering or a political group. American lefty suggests someone with liberal or socialist political views in the United States.
• Adored fits well as it implies a strong positive feeling towards a party or group, which could be embraced by a lefty.

Magic practitioner has wife turned into large reptile-  (6)

Ans: LIZARD

• Magic practitioner is likely a reference to a magician or someone who uses magic. Wife turned into suggests a transformation. Large reptile could be a hint at the result of the magic.
• Lizard is a type of reptile, and the clue might be referencing a story or myth about a magician transforming someone into a lizard.

Hairy fellow's reportedly the guy spotted in the East End (4)

Ans: ESAU

• Hairy fellow describes someone with a lot of body hair. Reportedly suggests there might be some doubt about the information.
• East End could be a specific location or a more general reference to the eastern part of a city.
• Esau is a biblical figure known for being hairy and selling his birthright. The clue might be implying someone spotted in the East End vaguely resembles Esau based on the description.

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