July 2025 Puzzle Solution

Across: 7 Anagram (forced) of VAN DOOR containing (outside) 1st letter (front of) Parliament = ANDROPOV (Russian boss once), 9 Venu (came from Val d’Isere, ie France) contained by (to reside in) the outer letters (outskirts of) AviemorE = AVENUE (a leafy street), 10 Middle letters (essentially) of words 2-5 = SMUT (pornography, dbe), 11 Anagram (drunk) of CIDER precedes (before) 4 (IV) followed by nondescript study (ISM, as in hard to classify study) = RECIDIVISM (return to bad ways), 12 Artist (RA) + 1st letter (initially) of (L)inkedIn follows (is after) A + way (ST) = ASTRAL (connected to the stars), 14 Ring (O) + IM, containing (downing) pint (PT) + first (IST) = OPTIMIST (I’m sure everything will be peachy), 15 Anagram (explosive) of SETTER IN TEARS = INTEREST RATES (charges), 17 Wreck (MAR) in French port (CALAIs) minus the last letter (hampered) = CALAMARI former ink producers, seeing as they are now cooked!), 19 LOO (toilet) in (aboard) rocket (ABM, antiballistic missile) = ABLOOM (open), 21 Endless ingredients (RECIPe) + what’s left of Rioja (R) + pub (lOCAL) minus 1st letter (late-opening) = RECIPROCAL (joint), 22 Deleting (neglecting) ‘den’ (study) STUdenT is reversed (returns) = TUTS (chorus of disapproval), 23 When (AS) + homophone (told) of to jump (LEEP/leap) = ASLEEP (crashed out), 24 In respect of (FOR) + church (CE) divides (cuts) limit (END) = ENFORCED (imposed). 

Down: 1 Anagram (absurd) of INASMUch minus (not involved) CH (companion of honour) = ANIMUS (hostility), 2 Answer hidden (stops) in reversal (when upset) of masTURBating = BRUT (tart), 3 CD, 4 Break BIT into B  & IT and join together again (using the conjunction AND which is now visible) = BANDIT (enemy plane), 5 DD with lead as DBE, 6 Reversal (mounted) of BUS + TS (hull from ThorpenesS) containing (clutching) little sister (SIS) = SUBSISTS (remains), 8 Sid as DBE (VICIOUS) + friends (CIRCLE) = VICIOUS CIRCLE (it goes from bad to worse), 13 Anagram (performing) of RAIL DUTIES = RITUALISED (in a highly structured way), 15 Homophone (reporter’s) of gut (IN A/inner) + instinct (SENSE) = IN A SENSE (sort of), 16 FEEL + alternate letters (occasionally) of iRrItAbLe anagrammed (about) = REAL LIFE (folk’s everyday experience), 18 1st letters (originally) of Urged People To with support (BRA) cycling (1st letter to front) at the beginning (before) = ABRUPT (impatient), 20 Published (OUT) + rent (LET) = OUTLET (shop), 22 butTERMilk hides (sandwiches) = TERM (season) and, yup, it is a thing! https://tasty.co/recipe/buttermilk-fried-chicken-sandwich.

Here are the 20 hidden names of the top 10 men’s and women’s seeds at Rolans Garros this year:

SINNER, ALCARAZ, ZVEREV, FRITZ, DRAPER, DJOKOVIC, RUUD, MUSETTI, DE MINAUR, RUNE, SABALENKA, GAUFF, PEGULA, PAOLINI, SWIATEK, ANDREEVA, KEYS, QINWEN, NAVARRO, BADOSA, 

Main word: HESITATED

Other words: headiest, hesitate, headset, heisted, atheist, staithe, deaths, hasted, hatted, heated, saithe, theist, tithed, tithes, death, dashi, hades, hates, hated, heads, hadst, heeds, hides, shade, shied, haste, heats, heist, sheet, saith, teeth, these, theta, tithe, dash, dish, head, heed, hide, shed, hast, hate, hats, heat, hits, shea, that, thee, this (50 in total) 

NB This is not intended to be an exhaustive list.