Puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 27, 2025
This one came together quickly for me. My favourites are 6 (KIRIBATI) and 17 (SHEEPISH). Thank you, Pedrock.
| ACROSS | ||
| 7 | RADIATOR |
Warmer part of an engine? (8)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 8 | AFRICA |
Continent where temperance organisation includes father, I see (6)
|
| FR (father) + I (I) + C (see) in (includes) AA (temperance organisation) | ||
| 11 | THERM |
Heating unit hospital needed in time (5)
|
| H (hospital) in (needed in) TERM (time) | ||
| 12 | SQUEAMISH |
Having removed his masque is easily nauseated (9)
|
| Anagram (having removed) of HIS MASQUE | ||
| 13 | SATANIC |
Did not stand heartless antic that was wicked (7)
|
| SAT (did not stand) + AN[t]IC | ||
| 14 | TOENAIL |
Hard thing to find on one’s foot (7)
|
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 15 | MANIC DEPRESSIVE |
Fellow in charge tending to weaken, often feeling down (5- 10)
|
| MAN (fellow) + IC (in charge) + DEPRESSIVE (tending to weaken) | ||
| 18 | RIVULET |
Four strip outside junction with small stream (7)
|
| IV (four) in (outside) RULE (strip) + T (junction). ‘Rule’ can mean a strip of brass or other metal used to print a line. | ||
| 20 | INEXACT |
Fashionable former partner’s put on sham woolly (7)
|
| IN (fashionable) + EX (former partner) + ACT (sham) | ||
| 22 | HAMSTRUNG |
Actor suspended having been made powerless (9)
|
| HAM (actor) + STRUNG (suspended) | ||
| 23 | PATEN |
Father puts five pairs on plate (5)
|
| PA (father) + TEN (five pairs). A paten is a plate, usually of silver or gold, especially one used for bread in the Eucharist. | ||
| 24 | RHESUS |
Monkey, male’s in short grass (6)
|
| HES (male’s) in (in) + RUS[h] (short grass) | ||
| 25 | PROSPERO |
In favour of prose adaptation by Shakespearean (8)
|
| PRO (in favour of ) + anagram (adaptation) of PROSE | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | PROTEST MARCHER |
One taking steps to air grievance in public (7,7)
|
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 2 | ADVERT |
Plug green commercial (6)
|
| AD (plug) + VERT (green) | ||
| 3 | HARMONIC |
Musical instrument incomplete (8)
|
| HARMONIC[a] (instrument incomplete) | ||
| 4 | HORSE CHESTNUT |
Fruit in the scones Ruth cooked! (5,8)
|
| Anagram (cooked) of THE SCONES RUTH | ||
| 5 | AFLAME |
Advanced celebrity houses left burning (6)
|
| A (advanced) + L (left) in FAME (celebrity) | ||
| 6 | KIRIBATI |
Leading tribesman entered Bairiki travelling round this country (8)
|
| T[ribesman] in (entered) anagram (travelling) of BAIRIKI. Bairiki is a town located in South Tarawa, Kiribati. | ||
| 9 | ACHILLES TENDON |
Fibrous cord contained shell disintegrating (8,6)
|
| Anagram (disintegrating) of CONTAINED SHELL | ||
| 10 | BUTTERFINGERS |
One who finds things hard to grasp (13)
|
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 16 | NOVEMBER |
Number five remains singularly for the month (8)
|
| NO (number) V (five) + EMBER (remains singularly) | ||
| 17 | SHEEPISH |
Embarrassed animal is leader of herd! (8)
|
| SHEEP (animal) + IS (is) + H[erd] | ||
| 19 | LITMUS |
Chemical paper ignited before problem turned up (6)
|
| LIT (ignited) + SUM (problem) backwards (turned up) | ||
| 21 | ANTLER |
Horn, dismantle rear part (6)
|
| Hidden word (part) |