Times for the Times

I had to put on a spurt for this one as Mrs K was waiting to drag me on a shopping expedition for such annoying trivia as curtain poles, having just moved house. No real hold-ups and all was done in a respectable (for me) 18 minutes or so and one hasty coffee. Lots of anagrams or partial anagrams, and no hidden word today, forwards or backwards, unless 21a qualifies I liked 12a, 3d and 14d for the surfaces.

Across
1	Dawning, as the answer to this clue will be? (5,5)
	FIRST LIGHT - Cryptic definition, a light being a word for a clue.
6	Round, almost colourless stone (4)
	OPAL - O = round, followed by almost PAL(E).
9	Penniless, affected by termination of loan, packed up and moved on (6,4)
	BROKEN CAMP - BROKE = penniless, CAMP = affected, insert N the end of LOAN.
10	Little child head sent to the back, for one thing (4)
	ITEM - A wee MITE has its head moved to the end.
12	Singlemindedness of concept for The French Connection? (6,6)
	TUNNEL VISION - Cryptic DD, ha ha.
15	Columbine’s one limb I clad in pale blue (9)
	AQUILEGIA - I LEG = one limb, I, inserted into AQUA = pale blue. Genus of plants of which Aquilegia vulgaris is the common columbine.
17	God moving origin of universe back in time (5)
	HORUS - In HOURS, move the U backwards. Ancient Egyptian God, usually depicted with a falcon's head.
18	Roman censor suppresses new part of poem (5)
	CANTO - CATO suppresses N for new.
19	In brief, be returning the brokenmissile launcher (9)
	TREBUCHET - CURT = brief, insert BE into that and reverse it all = TREBUC, add (THE)*. A big catapulty thing for hurling rocks in a siege.
20	Following plotter, do deed to acquire ship (7,5)
	CHARTER PARTY - A plotter could be a chap who makes charts, so a CHARTER, and DO = PARTY; technical term for a deed to hire a ship for transport of cargo.
24	Genuinely not about to join in marriage (4)
	ALLY - REALLY = genuinely, loses its RE = about.
25	County celebrities ignoring unknown, bizarre artist (10)
	SURREALIST - SURRE(Y) A-LIST.
26	Call to abolish home counties maybe a central feature (4)
	NOSE - "No SE" or "no south-east".
27	Facing spread, ticked off eating large piece of cake (6,4)
	CHILDS PLAY - CHID = ticked off, insert L for large, add SPLAY for spread.

Down
1	Lies first thing in flat, in bed, snoring (4)
	FIBS - Initial letters of F lat I n B ed S noring.
2	Shout forgrub (4)
	ROOT - Double definition.
3	Every Python episode? All you could desire (3,4,5)
	THE FULL MONTY - Witty cryptic definition.
4	Old American takes lid off empty container (5)
	INCAN - TIN CAN loses its T lid.
5	Murmur ancient epic, missing last note — shame (9)
	HUMILIATE - HUM = murmur, ILIA(D) = ancient epic, losing its final D, TE = note.
7	Right impression promoted in irregular family group (10)
	PATRIARCHY - R AIR = right impression, reverse that and insert into PATCHY = irregular.
8	Amount of light oil in musty nuts (10)
	LUMINOSITY - (OIL IN MUSTY)*.
11	Now sewn up, perhaps, painlessly? (7,5)
	WITHOUT TEARS - Double definition, one cryptic, as something sewn up would no longer have tears in it.
13	Albert, for one, look at all the mountains (5,5)
	WATCH CHAIN - WATCH = look at, CHAIN could be all the mountains in a row. Popularised by Price Albert in Victorian times hence the name.
14	Reverse fortunes? Not the record-holders (10)
	TURNTABLES - TURN THE TABLES would be reverse fortunes, delete the 'the'.
16	Sufferto qualify (2,7)
	GO THROUGH - Double definition.
21	Sampled at intervals, hamper will do for several weeks (5)
	APRIL - alternate letters of h A m P e R w I l L.
22	Face losing half one’s kidney treatment? (4)
	DIAL - DIALYSIS loses half i.e. YSIS.
23	Lost pet has run away: wait! (4)
	STAY - A STRAY loses its R = run.

I did not find this easy, taking just under 30 minutes, even though the nice long 1ac went straight in. 2 clues I only fully worked out, when writing up the proceedings, and I was rather expecting some pink squares among the green. Even the two really short ones put up a bit of fight. There’s some TLSy stuff around, balanced with sporty stuff and techy stuff, so you need rather a broad appreciation of the world of knowledge, but for the most part the wordplay is there to see you through.

I’ve marked SOLUTIONS, definitions and clues for ease of understanding

Across

1 London landmark lady matriarch constructed (9,4)

ADMIRALTY ARCH Set between the Mall and Trafalgar Square, built in honour of a lady matriarch, Queen Vic rather than by her. Once containing the grace and favour apartment enjoyed by John Prescott, now being converted into a hotel. You need the LADY MATRIARCH to provide the building blocks needed for construction of your answer.

8 Pocket: area of snooker table for pot (4)

WEED I’m pretty sure this is WEE for pocket (as in battleship, a small version thereof) plus D, on the straight edge of which the yellow brown and green are place in snooker, and from which the white is struck to (re)start the game.

9 Work of British parliament covering security breach 5,5)

BLEAK HOUSE A work by Dickens. B(ritish) HOUSE (parliament) “covers” LEAK (security breach)

10 Compromise, going by sea, returning first class (3,5)

VIA MEDIA Today’s Latin. If you go by sea, you go VIA MED(iterranean). Add AI for first class reversed.

11 Popular singer comes before poet (6)

LARKIN Philip is your poet (and librarian), constructed from IN for popular (that) singer LARK comes before. It’s suggested that the first line of his “This be the Verse” is probably the best-known in all of poetry, though not to be read aloud in the library.

13 Football body’s second tier director (10)

FASSBINDER Rainer Werner, German filmmaker, none of whose films I recall seeing (please be gentle with me). FA’S S(econd) BINDER for tier, which it is if you pronounce it tie-er. And yes, there are other film people spelt with an E.

16 Cove hidden by beach — a pity (4)

CHAP How kind of the setter to signal a hidden clue with “hidden”. BeaCH A Pity.

17 Minutes or seconds from nasty accident, steps back (4)

ACTA More Latin. I’ve just now worked out its all the second letters from nAsty aCcident, sTeps bAck

18 Reason old woman needs new park keeper (10)

GROUNDSMAN Reason is GROUNDS, old woman MA, and N(ew)

20 Did state nursing languish in misuse of drug? (6)

OPINED You are meant to be nursing PINE for languish in OD, short for overdose, misuse of drug

22 After travelling, reach old English town (8)

ROCHDALE“Travelling” suggest you’re looking for an anagram: use the letters of REACH OLD

24 Provider of instructions for golf: driver needed (10)

PROGRAMMER For: PRO, G(olf) NATO alphabet, driver: RAMMER

26 Welcome private practitioner holding various positions (4)

YOGI YO for the greeting (“yo, Blair”) and GI for the (American) private

27 Exclamation from lady in theatre exposed mother and boy, observe (3,6,4)

OUT DAMNED SPOT The Lady is Lady The Scottish Play, descending into madness as in her sleepwalking she is observed trying to wash the guilty blood from her hands. Exposed: OUT, mother: DAM, boy NED and observe: SPOT

Down

1 Ace thrilled with rap music trophy (8,3)

AMERICA’S CUP“Thrilled” is your anagram indicator, and you cull ACE, RAP and MUSIC from the clue for the fodder.

2 Precocious girl of 24’s language: that’s tasty all round! (5)

MADAM Any of us who have had daughters will know that, love them as we may, they can sometimes be right little madams, which designation fits the bill. Know (if you’re Jim) or guess that ADA is a programming language (see 24). Named for Ada Lovelace, assistant to the amazing Charles Babbage, probably recognising better than he did what his marvellous mechanical computer could do, not without reason described as the world’s first computer programmer. MM for “that’s tasty” embraces ADA.

3 Marketing ploy of a number that’s taken in wrong spirit (9)

REBADGING REG(istration plate) for a number has taken in BAD GIN for wrong spirit

4 Coming to blows with general over charge (7)

LEEWARD In sailing (I hope I’ve got this right) leeward is sailing in the direction in which the wind is blowing. If you squint a bit, coming to blows translates that. LEE is your general (if nothing else, think Dukes of Hazard) and charge supplies WARD, someone you are responsible for.

5 Rustic couple on lake (5)

YOKEL Couple provides YOKE, either as in a pair of (eg) oxen or the means by which they are joined. Add L(ake)

6 They’re ok for cars, for transporting (4,5)

ROOF RACKS A decent &lit: transporting the anagram indicator and OK FOR CARS the fodder. I have always believed Bob Marley had one over his head (Is This Love?) perhaps in some VW camper van, but it appears not.

7 Bears in the wood with horse coming up (3)

HAS The wood is ASH, and the H(orse) is promoted to the top.

12 I seize promotion without difficulty: that’s viewed unfavourably (2,1,3,5)

IN A BAD LIGHT I NAB (seize) AD (publicity) LIGHT (without difficulty)

14 Mark coming soon to open street party (4,5)

STAG NIGHT One of many meanings of TAG is mark. Coming soon gives you NIGH. Place both (they’re to open) in ST(reet)

15 Single minded about success, ultimately display timidity (3,6)

RUN SCARED Another I’ve only just worked out. Single is RUN (today’s cricket). Minded gives CARED, and include succesS ultimately. Terrific misdirection.

19 Four, maybe, twisting one’s arm (7)

OARSMEN Twisting the letters of ONE’S ARM for a coxless four.

21 Girl in papers upset by gossip (5)

DIANA So apposite is could be from the Daily Express. Papers are ID, to be “upset”, and gossip give ANA. From Chambers: “a collection of someone's table talk or of gossip, literary anecdotes or possessions.”

23 Stopwork in kitchen (3,2)

DRY UP A double definition. Drying up is what we used to do with tea towels before the advent of dishwashers.

25 Character of Greek cowherd turning up off and on (3)

RHO Reverse alternate letters in cOwHeRd.

Slightly on the tricky side, I found, coming in two minutes over my target (with the possibly mitigating factor of a hangover). A fairly straight solve, but I was held up for a bit in the SE - at 16d, 19ac and 20d. I was very slow to see the parsing of 20d, which I only managed post-solve - nice clue. My other favourites were the image at 3d, and I thought 2d was very satisfyingly put together. Pleasant puzzle to soothe a sore head - many thanks to Hurley!

Across
1	Record speed, about one minute — notice difference (12)
	DISCRIMINATE - DISC (record) RATE (speed) about/around I MIN (one minute)
9	Picture firm haggle regularly (5)
	IMAGE - "regularly" appearing in firm haggle
10	Successful period in Cricket Club, Laker’s content to get party food? (7)
	CUPCAKE - UP (successful period, as in ups and downs) in CC (Cricket Club) AKE ("contents" of LAKER).
11	Missile shelter Rhode Island Democrat enters (7)
	TRIDENT - TENT (shelter) with RI D (Rhode Island, Democrat) entering
12	Garret room to some extent reminiscent of past (5)
	RETRO - hidden, "to some extent", in garRET ROom
13	Transport prisoner, extremely volatile at end of day (6)
	CONVEY - CON (prisoner) VE ("extremely" VolatilE) Y (end of daY)
14	Strongly dislike oath dividing the French (6)
	LOATHE - OATH enters LE (the, French)
17	Strange plea associated with introduction of passion fruit (5)
	APPLE - anagram of PLEA together with P ("introduction" of Passion)
19	Concession about name for shellfish (7)
	SCALLOP - SOP (concession) about/around CALL (name). "Sop" cropped up in a puzzle I blogged a month or two ago, where I learnt the phrase: "a sop to Cerberus". A sop is a piece of soaked bread, and a drugged one was given to Cerberus to allow safe passage to the underworld, hence its meaning as a bribe/placation
21	Society to be important? Just a small amount (7)
	SMATTER - S(ociety) to MATTER (be important)
22	Comparatively risky to ignore daughter becoming more aloof (5)
	ICIER - DICIER (comparatively risky) ignore the D for daughter.
23	Residual hope of award for second learner — in repeatedly, good (6,6)
	SILVER LINING - SILVER (award for second) L(earner) IN IN (in, repeatedly) G(ood)

Down
2	Garibaldi, say, secure at island after revolution (7)
	ITALIAN - NAIL (secure) AT (at) I (island) reversed/after revolution.
3	Liqueur cheered Met men after storm (5,2,6)
	CREME DE MENTHE - anagram (after storm) of CHEERED MET MEN.
4	Provoke using popular quote (6)
	INCITE - IN (popular) CITE (quote)
5	Breaking promise over country crime? (13)
	IMPERSONATION - anagram (breaking) of PROMISE over/above NATION (country). If "impersonation" was clued as "crime" in a non-cryptic crossword, you could feel legitimately aggrieved.
6	Expect to be away briefly at computer study (5)
	AWAIT - AWA (away, "briefly") at IT (computer study)
7	Ultimately horrible indeed — mineral that’s not nice to see (7)
	EYESORE - E ("ultimately" horriblE) YES (indeed) ORE (mineral)
8	Tip: horse is not trying, just starting (4)
	HINT - just the starting letters of Horse Is Not Trying
13	Mechanic has sister holding frame (7)
	CHASSIS - "held" in the letters of mechaniC HAS SISter
15	Not like novel writer (7)
	TOLKIEN - anagram (novel) of NOT LIKE
16	A wanderer having left for year? Heavenly? (6)
	ASTRAL - A STRAY (a wanderer) with L(eft) for Y(ear). I was originally toying with something to do with "planet", which means wanderer (from wandering star) in Greek.
18	Quiet nobleman one valued (5)
	PEARL - P (piano - quiet) EARL (nobleman)
20	Opening centre with parking for 100 (4)
	PORE - CORE (centre) with P(arking) for C (100 in Roman numerals)

I approach my introduction to this blog with some trepidation given that I underestimated how difficult others would find the lovely QC from Izetti last time out and how much longer it took me today. I note also that plenty of people have found several recent puzzles harder than usual and are looking for something less stretching. Well, there I was, thinking this is very straightforward for an Izetti puzzle with just the SE corner to complete. Then I was interrupted by the wife looking for her laptop charger. When I restarted, the last 4 clues took me as long again as the rest, leaving me with my slowest time since the beginning of August at just over 10 minutes. But there are plenty of more straightforward clues than usual from Don, I think, so maybe it was just the effect of the interruption on my concentration. Or maybe those clues were a bit tricky. So if, like me, you struggled with the SE corner, commiserations, but we are here to learn, aren't we? A very nice puzzle with lots of anagrams and several reversal clues.. and it's a pangram! That's hard enough to achieve in a 15x15 grid and even more impressive in a 13x13. Some lovely surfaces too - I liked REINFORCE and thought QUARTERFINAL was brilliant. Thank-you Izetti for another fine, educational, pangramatic and entertaining puzzle. How did you all get on?

[Addendum: Unrelated to this QC, on a walk in Newmarket yesterday, I was challenged to come up with a crossword clue related to a sign we passed along the way... so here it is " Hankers after coat, seen on boat at a distance, worth 1000 guineas, perhaps? (5, 8)". Any better suggestions?]

Definitions underlined in italics, (ABC)* indicating anagram of ABC, {} deletions and [] other indicators.

Across
1	Girl dancing with a brat in place noted for rock (9)
	GIBRALTAR - We start with an anagram helped with a generous definition. (Girl a brat)* [dancing].
6	Opening article penned by doctor (3)
	GAP - The doctor is a General Practitioner. With the article A inserted [penned] we get the unfilled space.
8	Protester when head of state appears at end of month (7)
	MARCHER - The month is MARCH. Add our head of state, ER, at the end.
9	Claim by trader to be perfect (5)
	IDEAL - If you claim to be a trader you might say I DEAL.
10	A tranquil ref gets rattled in cup match (12)
	QUARTERFINAL - An anagram (A tranquil ref)* [gets rattled]. A lovely surface.
12	When Christians celebrate Pentecosta bit (4)
	WHIT - Double definition - the second one hardly needed.
13	Bird caged by our headmaster (4)
	RHEA - Today's hidden word [caged] in ouR HEAdmaster.
17	Performances deemed very good? I came seventh, surprisingly (12)
	ACHIEVEMENTS - Another anagram of (I came seventh)* [surprisingly]. Seventh? Good? That made me laugh.
20	Character at end, after party, had a kip (5)
	DOZED - DO (party) with ZED (character at the end of the alphabet) [after].
21	Malign notice interrupts attempt to stop war (7)
	TRADUCE - AD (notice) inside TRUCE (attempt to stop war). Not a very familiar word to me, but I recognised it when I solved the wordplay. It means to defame, calumniate or malign.
23	Female prisoner backsliding (3)
	GAL - The prisoner is a LAG. Reverse [backsliding] to get the female.
24	Confused state means rest will be disturbed (5,4)
	MARES NEST - (means rest)* [will be disturbed]. This one took me a while to disentangle, but I remembered it eventually. An odd phrase. See here for an explanation.

Down
1	Electronic publication set up for football maybe (4)
	GAME - If a MAGazine was published online, you might call it an E-MAG. Put it upwards [set up].
2	Old boy going up unpleasant part of city? (7)
	BOROUGH - Another bit of reversal OB (Old boy) [going up] ROUGH (unpleasant).
3	A quiet wood (3)
	ASH - A SH (quiet). A "let the dog see the rabbit" type clue.
4	European getting you upset, a failure (6)
	TURKEY - More reversing needed here. TURK (European) and YE (you) [upset]. Unlike 17a, a performance that's deemed not good.
5	Engineers in, supporting church buttress (9)
	REINFORCE - A 4 part charade - RE (Engineers) IN FOR (supporting) CE (Church of England). Another neat surface.
6	Inexperiencedmember of political party (5)
	GREEN - A double definition.
7	Friend coming to cathedral city in half-hearted fashion (6)
	PALELY - PAL (Friend) ELY (cathedral city). A slightly odd definition - but think of, for example, "a pale imitation".
11	Bad person turning crazy in Dutch city (9)
	ROTTERDAM - ROTTER (Bad person) with MAD (crazy) [turning].
14	See hunt going out and sound keen! (7)
	ENTHUSE - (See hunt)* [going out].
15	Plod randomly round Austria's capital with good person in attendance (6)
	LAPDOG - (Plod)* [randomly] [around] A (Austria's capital) [with] G (good).
16	Rightfamous detective novelist! (6)
	DEXTER - My last one in. Misdirected to look for an author's name beginning with R followed by the name of a famous detective, it took me ages to see it was a double definition. Colin Dexter, of course, was the creater of Inspector Morse.
18	Girl in mist going over lake (5)
	HAZEL - HAZE [going over] L (lake). And hello to my cousin Hazel if she drops by.
19	Paris's first person on street to make a joke (4)
	JEST - JE (Paris's first person - i.e. I in french) [on] ST (street).
22	Fool making girl lose her head (3)
	ASS - Another gal - this time {l}ASS, losing her head (i.e. first letter).

99	Hankers after coat, seen on boat at adistance, worth 1000 guineas, perhaps? (5, 8)
	EIGHT FURLONGS - LONGS (hankers) [after] FUR (coat) [seen on] EIGHT (boat). The 1000 guineas is a 1 mile race... run at Newmarket.

Not as tough as yesterday's, with many fairly gentle clues to get a foothold, but a fair few chewier offerings that pushed my own time over the 10 minute mark, when I failed to think of anything other than DISCONTENT for 11ac and then stalled on 4dn too, which I eventually entered with a shrug as 'S COLD, before the penny dropped post-submission about how it actually worked. Must've been a little tired.

Some great cluing going on in here: the puzzle is not afraid to keep a clue short if that's all it needs, but I like the willingness to go long in other places (10ac) or to have the definition part be a big circumlocution, all the better to mislead us. Some obscure words but very generously clued, which makes them venial; and a fine complement of cryptic defs and smile-raising &lit. My COD though definitely goes to 17ac which is both nicely literary and managed to mislead me on two separate fronts, as I assumed Stowe must be the school and didn't bother to look for a third meaning of PM for ages, given that it surely must be either prime minister or afternoon, right?

Excellent puzzle to conclude an enjoyable week of them then: thanks again setter. And I still have 376 days to solve crosswords in before I hit middle age, too...

ACROSS
1 Butcher uses same woman to see to joints (8)
MASSEUSE - (USES SAME*) ["butcher"]

5 Measure litres, then stupidly drinking gallons (6)
LENGTH - (L THEN*) ["stupidly"], "drinking" G [gallons]

10 100 mature British gents finished back on ship? That's callous (4-11)
COLD-BLOODEDNESS - C OLD B LOO [100 | mature | British | gents] + reversed ENDED [finished] on SS [ship]

11 Wretched name for Slough medical specialty (10)
DESPONDENT - DESPOND [name for Slough (in The Pilgrim's Progress)] + E.N.T. [medical specialty]

13 Where one can be cut off from Helsinki in retreat (4)
ISLE - hidden reversed in {h}ELSI{nki}

15 Benefit from 45 to 65 maybe after daughters leave (7)
MILEAGE - MI{dd}LE AGE, losing two D-for-daughters. Delighted at this surprising confirmation that I'm still young, thanks setter!

17 A posh Stowe girl's PM? (7)
AUTOPSY - A U TOPSY [a | posh | (Harriet Beecher) Stowe girl]. PM as in Post Mortem, not prime minister or afternoon. Topsy's the one who just growed.

18 Reticence about taking in unknown old tax cases (7)
COYNESS - ON [about], "taking in" Y [unknown], the whole cased by CESS [old tax]

19 Noble decoration and place to hang it? (3,4)
EAR LOBE - EARL O.B.E. [noble | decoration], leading to a place one could hang a decoration.

21 Upright character among crew makes appearance (4)
MIEN - I [upright character] among MEN [crew]

22 Worker slapped under restraint (10)
HANDCUFFED - HAND CUFFED [worker | slapped]

25 Low-tech Dictaphone suits criminal (15)
UNSOPHISTICATED - (DICTAPHONE SUITS*) ["criminal"]

27 Brussels chief enlists a French guard for sultan (6)
EUNUCH - EU CH [Brussels | chief] "enlists" UN [a (French)]

28 Applaud role reversal? Such tosh! (8)
CLAPTRAP - CLAP [applaud] + reversed PART [role]

DOWN
1 Black material that's worn by drivers (7)
MACADAM - cryptic definition. The material is not being worn as clothes, but by the drivers' wheels.

2 Note, very large (3)
SOL - SO L [very | large]

3 English medic thought inhaling CO upright relieved pain? (10)
EMBROCATED - E MB RATED [English | medic | thought] "inhaling" upside-down CO

4 Carpet that is past its best (5)
SCOLD - SC [scilicet = that is] + OLD [past its best]

6 Nelson perhaps changed colours, swopping parts (4)
EDDY - DYED [changed colours], swopping its first and second halves. Think we're talking about Nelson Eddy (1901-67), American actor and singer.

7 State reported galley's rejecting oil (11)
GREASEPROOF - homophone of GREECE [state "reported"] + PROOF [galley]

8 Extremely happy to keep willow ladders in this? (7)
HOSIERY - H{app}Y to "keep" OSIER [willow]

9 Sloth maybe in UK tourist hotspots (8)
EDENTATE - I think we're talking about the part of the Lake District and the Tate Gallery here for the tourist hotspots, though my own first thought was the Eden Project in Cornwall.

12 When only Lassie’s broadcast? (5,6)
SILLY SEASON - (ONLY LASSIE'S*) ["broadcast"], &lit.

14 Which person up on a horse is invited to get down? (7,3)
STIRRUP CUP - another cryptic definition, "get down" here meaning to drink. I wonder if this clue might not have originally omitted the "on a horse" helping hand, before someone got cold feet.

16 English clubs still over the moon (8)
ECSTATIC - E C STATIC [English | clubs | still]

18 Travel to work miles in business vehicle Down Under (7)
COMMUTE - M M [miles (*2)] in CO UTE [business | Australian vehicle]

20 Turned out target based on European party (5,2)
ENDED UP - END [target] taking E DUP [European | party] as its base

23 Old comms service cable raised around top of tree (5)
DATEL - reversed LEAD [cable] around T{ree}. Never heard of Datel® but the wordplay was clear enough and it is in Chambers. Proprietary to British Telecom apparently.

24 Huge web image? (4)
EPIC - or E-PIC suggesting "web image".

26 Endless rent rise (3)
TOR - TOR{n} ["endless" rent]

I rated this a middle of the road Saturday puzzle. Several clues referred to things I didn’t know, but not vital to finding the answer.

My clue of the day was 11ac. I found it amazingly hard to accept that “round” was part of a definition rather than a wordplay instruction. Thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle.

Clues are in blue, with definitions underlined. Answers are in BOLD CAPS, then wordplay. (ABC*) means 'anagram of ABC', with the anagram indicator in bold italics. Deletions are in [square brackets].

Across
1 25 tango in posh wedding attire? (5,4)
FANCY THAT: put T for tango inside FANCY HAT. Definition is “imagine”. I know fancy hats can be worn to race meetings. Weddings too, apparently.

6 See in comic Mr Man champion of social justice (5)
BEVAN: V for “vide” inside BEAN (Mr Bean, the comic, that is). Nye Bevan introduced the National Health Service.

9 Fed nothing, arboreal animal showing fatigue (7)
LANGUOR: O inside LANGUR.

10 Feature’ackney intellectual overheard (7)
EYEBROW: sounds like [h]IGHBROW.

11 Pack round a US city (5)
TAMPA: TAMP (pack round) plus an A. I could hardly bring myself to write this in – surely “round” had to be a wordplay indicator, not part of a definition?

12 Around fifty ain't wise to get flabby— so watch it? (9)
WAISTLINE: (AINT WISE*) around L (fifty). A literal definition, more or less.

13 Scorer from Cape Town v Johannesburg, say? (5)
SATIE: a South African derby game, or S.A. TIE, geddit? A composer unknown to me apart from his appearances in crosswords.

14 Fasteners securing both sides of fence, huge thing pulled back (4,5)
REEF KNOTS: STONKER (huge thing) around F[enc]E, all reversed (“pulled back”).

17 All kicking off in football game? That's rugby’s line! (6-3)
TWENTY-TWO: 22 players in a soccer game, 22 metre line on a rugby field. An odd measurement, but only because it used to be the 25 yard line pre-metrification. I’d like to see it replaced by a 20 metre line, but I digress!

18 Gathered in clumps, first bits of thread ultimately fluffier than yarn (5)
TUFTY: first letters of each word.

19 Think of putting bible class with prayer (9)
RECOLLECT: RE (bible class), COLLECT (prayer).

22 People now lost, if briefly (5)
INCAS:“if” could be IN CAS[e].

24 Sloth in a tree almost stirred, one having poked it (7)
INERTIA: insert I=one in the anagram (IN A TRE-*). Drop the last E from “tree” to make it briefer.

25 Old numberpicture (7)
IMAGINE: double definition. The first is the song by John Lennon, 1971. How old is “old”?

26 Skill required to load what? Massive revolver (5)
EARTH: ART in “EH?” Nicely disguised definition.

27 Appreciation of music inspiring Irish author, someone from 8 down say? (9)
EASTERNER: STERNE in EAR.

Down
1 Smoother tail of coat cut (5)
FILET: FILE (smoother, as in nail file), followed by [coa]T.

2 Ornament replaced on end of mantelpiece that’s very short (9)
NANOMETRE: (ORNAMENT*), then [mantlepiec]E.

3 What to do with new baby? Anything's possible! (3,4,2)
YOU NAME IT: double definition.

4 Old rebel now fighting king in the clutches of death, we suspect (8,3,4)
HEREWARD THE WAKE: HERE (now), WAR (fighting), then K in (DEATH WE*). Not altogether an unknown, but until I met him in an earlier crossword, I didn’t know he was a rebel.

5 Ten heroes within? That’s not quite right! (3,4,8)
THE NINE WORTHIES: (TEN HEROES WITHIN*). Glorious literal definition. I’d never heard of them, but after guessing the first two words, the third dropped out of the anagram.

6 Source of nourishment lacking in a French port (5)
BREST: nourishment could be BRE[a]ST, whether mammalian or of chicken for example.

7 Having picked up papers, minister notes his business (5)
VERDI: ID (papers), REV (minister), all “picked up”. Another nice definition.

8 Where Princeton is top without blemish? (3,6)
NEW JERSEY: NEW (without blemish), JERSEY (top). No doubt our North American fellows wrote this in instantly.

13 With sound outside, one overcome by fright in dark (9)
SATURNINE: SANE (sound), outside TURN (fright, as in “it gave me quite a turn”), then I (one).

15 Stuff to carry round island with bird (9)
KITTIWAKE: KIT (stuff), TAKE (carry), around I (island) W (with).

16 Sense conclusion dismissed by former group (9)
OLFACTION: OL[d] FACTION. “Olfactory” is a familiar word, so this unfamiliar form must be OK surely.

20 Egg on starter of chicken, he starts to eat ramen (5)
CHEER: C[hicken], HE, E[at] R[amen].

21 Closer final at chess is gripping (5)
LATCH: well hidden answer.

23 Simple to deviate (5)
SHEER: double definition.

I don't recall anything particularly tricky with this one. The only unknown solution was 18A, but the wordplay was clear.

If I had to pick a favourite clue from this it would probably be 10D.

Across
1 REMISSIONS - RE = soldiers, MISSIONS = assignments
6 MISSTATEMENT - MISS = female, T.A = volunteers, T(h)E, MEN = chaps, T(ease)
14 POLEMIC - POLIC(y) = line, around ME = this person
15 PASTE-UP - PASTEU(r) = surgeon, P(age)
16 HACKSAW - HACK = journalist, SAW = noticed
17 TOTE - TOTE(m) = emblem
18 AMENDE - AMEN = last word, DE = ED = editor, reversed. Not a word I am familiar with
20 COLLAPSE - COPSE = wood, around ALL = everyone
24 BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS - double definition, the second cryptic where wicked = with a wick
25 YAMMERS - HAMMERS = defeats, with the first letter changed
26 ENDODERM - (MEN ODDER)*
27 STEROL - hidden in caniSTER OLd
29 ORDINARY SEAMAN - (NORMANDY IS AREA)*
31 UNCHASTE - sounds like UNCHASED = no one after one
34 DELICATE - DATE = time, around ELI = priest and C(onfession)
36 PROFESSIONALLY - PROFESSION = something declared, ALLY = accomplice
39 LIABLE - LIE = tell porkies, around A.B. = sailor and L(eft)
41 PROVINCE - PRINCE = royal personage, around V(ery) and O(ld) in reverse order
43 ESTATES - E(astern), STATES = countries
46 MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY - (SITUATION COMEDY, LAURA, TIM)*
47 LOOPIEST - PIES = food, in LOOT = stolen property
48 ORDAIN - (j)ORDAN = Arab country, around I = one
49 MIRA - MI = note, R.A. = artist
53 IMPLANT - I'M = this person's, PLAN = scheme, T(ime)
54 EXTRACT - EXTRA = more, C(abine)T
56 ATHEIST - AT HEIST = like witness to crime
57 MISREPRESENT - MIRE = difficulty, around S(ociety), PRESENT = here
58 SOUTHERNER - (HEROES TURN)*

Down
1 REPUTABLY - R.E. = school subject, PUT = present, ABLY = competently
2 MILITARY MEDAL - the middle letters of suMMer are the abbreviation for the Military Medal
3 SOME - SOME(rset) = county
4 INCOMMENSURATE - (SEEM UNROMANTIC)*
5 NAP - double definition
7 IDEA - AIDE = adviser, with the first letter moved to the end
8 SUPPORTERS - SUP = drink, PORTERS = Guinness etc
9 APHELION - A, P = quiet, HE = male, LION = beast
10 ESCAPE HATCH - E(nglish), SCH(ool), around CAPE and HAT = two items of clothing
11 EASTERNER - EAR = attention, around STERNE = author
12 TOWN - TON = style, around W(ife)
13 ASCENDED - AS = like, C(hurch), ENDED = died
19 NEAR EAST - NET = TEN = decade, reversed, around, AREAS = regions
21 STREWN - (NETW(o)R(k)S)*
22 RED DWARF - RED = embarrassed, DWARF = lacking in eminence
23 PSALTERY - (LET'S PRAY)*
28 ANTIPERSPIRANT - (PAINTERS PAINT)* around (floo)R
29 OLD FLAME - (c)OLD = unemotional, F(emale), LAME = feeble
30 AARDVARK - A.A. = emergency organisation, RD = road, V(ery), ARK = rescue container
32 SPLIT DECISION - (POLITICS ENDS I)*
33 ASTEROID - A, STEROID = banned substance
35 COLLABORATE - COL = officer, LAB = scientific establishment, ORATE = to make a speech
37 NOTICE - hidden in hypNOTIC Entertainment
38 TRIMESTERS - TRIM = cut down, ESTERS = chemical compounds
40 ANTELOPES - ANTS = workers, around ELOPE = escape to match
42 NATIONAL - NATAL = old province, around I ON = NO I = number one
44 SPYMASTER - SPYM = MY PS = this person's note, ASTER = flower
45 MAGISTER - MAGI = wise men, STER(n) = severe
50 FIRM - FIR = wood, M(erchant)
51 STAN - NATS = those wanting home rule, reversed
52 WHEE - WE = I in royal style, around H.E. = ambassador
55 TAO - O.T. = holy books, reversed around A

Pretty easy, this one. I filled in most of the acrosses, in order, in record time, and most of the rest came fairly quickly. Four anagrams, and three in a row! I even biffed a few (not my wont), and only realized on looking at this again for the blog that I’m not entirely sure about the parsing of 14a. (It was only after naming this that I connected my title with the fact that I am currently, and with great trepidation, awaiting medical test RESULTs, which I might be able to see on a web portal this weekend… maybe tonight…)

(managras)* like this. I have started italicizing anagrinds this week.

Across
1	Take out permit to enter river (6)
	DELETE—DE(LET)E
4	Object after armed force returned old money (8)
	FARTHING—RAF<-- + THING
10	Hint left in italics confused about term of loan (9)
	SCINTILLA—(italics + [loa]n)*
11	Bury drop a point at start of season (5)
	INTER—[w]INTER
12	About to check genuineness of carpet (7)
	REPROVE—“About” = RE + PROVE
14	Deduce nothing that’s new in old poem (7)
	INFERNO—INFER (“deduce”) + O (“nothing”) “that’s”—here, that has—N(ew) in. I think. “Poem” would be enough for the definition, but if O is “old,” then where’s nothing? I propose that a better clue would be “Deduce nothing about new poem.”
15	Make peace—no longer having an axe to grind? (4,3,7)
	BURY THE HATCHET—Slightly cryptic definition
18	Police officer has to emphasise extraordinary cry for help (8,6)
	DISTRESS SIGNAL—DI’S STRESS + “extraordinary” = SIGNAL
22	Natter with mate outside before start of Glasto (4-3)
	CHIN-WAG—CHIN(W)A(G[lasto]) Everybody here probably already knows that CHINA is Cockney rhyming slang (shortened “China plate” for “mate”).
24	Key staff collect retired bouncer for concierge (7)
	DOORMAN—D is the (musical) “Key,” MAN is “staff,” taking in ROO<—
25	Gone off story after its introduction (5)
	STALE—TALE after S[tory]
26	Fire and strong wind traps vehicle one’s following (9)
	GALVANISE—GAL(VAN)(I’S)E
28	Rule out overture without leader of cellists (8)
	PRECLUDE—PRE(C[ellists])LUDE
29	Left group of women outside part of Manhattan (6)
	HARLEM—HAR(L)EM

Down
1	Present some French support band in church (8)
	DESCRIBE—“some[,] French” = DES + RIB, “support band,” in C[hurch of] E[ngland]
2	Bloomers on string blowing around in field (3)
	LEI—Reverse hidden word “in field.” “Blowing” is strictly for the surface.
3	Book a time to tour castle and see Measure for Measure? (3,3,3)
	TIT FOR TAT—The book must be TITus (not Andronicus but one of the more obscure Paulian epistles), A T(ime) “touring” FORT.
5	Butler once visited a cultural centre for a coffee (7)
	ARABICA—I biffed this one, but “Butler once” refers to a long-serving British Conservative politician, Richard Austen Butler, or Rab Butler, of whom I knew nothing (but Wikipedia says he elided from his memoirs his support of Chamberlain’s “peace in our time” with Hitler). Here he’s dropped into, “visit[ing]” (the tense seems odd a clue in the here and now, doesn’t it?), A ICA, the latter being the Institute of Cultural Affairs.
6	It’s a result when the force captures one! (5)
	THIEF—TH(I)EF. An &lit, and not entirely satisfactory to me. I guess it’s said the police are “getting results” when they apprehend crooks, but here “It’s” refers to the answer (but in that context, isn’t it rather the result, the only one possible?), as does “one.” Both, then, are THIEF, but a THIEF is not “a result,” really.
7	Regiment run offwhen there’s no one in charge (11)
	INTERREGNUM—(Regiment run)*
8	Monstrous sister backs order to keep off the booze! (6)
	GORGON—NO GROG <—
9	Rip offa woolly coat (6)
	FLEECE—Double definition, and they don’t come easier or older.
13	Enter an uneasy pact with pirate about India (11)
	PARTICIPATE—(pact + pirate + I)*
16	Revolting chapati stuffed with a lot of old meat (9)
	CHIPOLATA—(chapati + old)*
17	Cut elm behind run-downpalace (8)
	BLENHEIM—(elm behind)* At first, like most everybody probably, I was cutting down the tree, but I guess this is legit.
19	Busy journalist pens new joke at end of article (7)
	ENGAGED—E(N)(GAG)([articl]E)
20	Go off after second joint of meat (6)
	SADDLE—S(econd) + ADDLE, “go off”
21	Behaves badly when outside court appearing for trial (4,2)
	ACTS UP—AS is “when,” so A(CT)S + UP (“appearing for trial”)
23	After wicket, tip spinner (5)
	WHEEL—W is “wicket,” HEEL is “tip”
27	Unkind millionaire has it both ways (3)
	ILL—Hidden word, forward and reverse, in m-->illi<--onaire

Unless you’re very experienced you are unlikely to solve a Mephisto without using Chambers. The idea is that you use the precise wordplay to derive an answer that you then verify in the dictionary. 8D is a perfect example.

This was a very pleasant puzzle of average complexity. In the clues definitions are underlined. Wordplay explanation is followed by very helpful comments.

Do PM’s puns across the top of the grid continue to deteriorate? Correct!

ACROSS

1 Republican gets outside division for tactical purposes (5)
CORPS: CO(R)PS; Republican=R; gets=COPS; a tactical army unit – the military police for example
5 You and I did set about care for drunk (7)
WRECKED: W(RECK)E’D; care for=RECK;
10 I more or less agree: trade show finally made almost nothing (10, two words)
FAIR,ENOUGH: FAIR-(mad)E-NOUGH(t);
11 Panel identifying grasses within hedging west of green (8, two words)
SHOP,SIGN: SHOPS-I(G)N; grasses=dobs in=SHOPS; west of green=G(reen);
13 Some dislike pistols such as are issued to legionnaires? (5)
KEPIS: hidden (disli)KE-PIS(tols); French military cap;
14 Clear about loading up a very light ship (7)
CARAVEL: (clear)* surrounds A-V; a small, highly manoeuvrable sailing ship;
16 This signals the end in recognised lines for wife (5)
KNELL: recognised=knew then change ”w” into LL;
17 Thoughtlessly bring forward old hag until stopped (7, two words)
TROT,OUT: TRO(TO)UT; old hag=TROUT;
19 Hurdle made from bundle containing sort of thorn (5)
BAYLE: BA(Y)LE; sort of thorn=Old English letter=Y (see initial entry for Y in C);
22 Wit, for example, endlessly gives us sauce (5)
SALSA: SAL(t)-SA(y); wit=SALT;
23 Society ladies blocking a turn that’s no laughing matter to SNP (7, two words)
NAE,MOWS: S-WOME(A)N all reversed; dialect in Dundee for “no joke”;
24 Illuminated fragment of long-forgotten literature (5)
ENLIT: hidden (long-forgott)EN-LIT(erature);
28 Captain and dancer / sleep in a dosshouse (7)
SKIPPER: three definitions all underlined;
29 Established moot objection about Israel (5)
BUILT: BU(IL)T; Israel=IL;
30 Strike across difficult one in the manner of later batsmen? (8)
TAILLIKE: TA(ILL-I)KE; strike=TAKE; cricket reference, the lower order batsmen are called the tail;
31 Berlin’s too easily seen as a feature of some nights out (10, two words)
ORION’S,BELT: (berlin’s too)*; an asterism in the constellation Orion. It consists of the three bright stars Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.
32 Tense old dog circling new block (7)
TRANCH: T-RA(N)CH; tense=T; old word for dog=RACH;
33 What gets Disgusted going? Unsubstantial sort of food (5)
DAIRY: D(isgusted)-AIRY; cheese for example

DOWN

1 Pussies around with perishing asymmetrical boxes (7)
CASKETS: CA(SKE-w)TS;
2 Those struggling to get round runs with gross men (10, two words)
OTHER,RANKS: (those)* surrounds R-RANK; personnel who are not commissioned officers;
3 We believe in bull! Photograph is bordering on tackiness (7)
PAPISTS: PAP-IS-T(ackines)S; photograph=PAP; reference the Papal Bull;
4 Listen to little Cecilia being a crybaby about Canada (5)
SISSY: sounds like “Cicy”; North American spelling of cissy;
5 Strain with stack (5)
WRICK: W-RICK;
6 At sea tear around strait in ____? (7)
REGATTA: (tear)* surrounds GAT=straight;
7 Company on top of peelie-wally Scottish mason (5)
COWAN: CO-WAN; peelie-wally=WAN; mason in Motherwell who had not been trained and initiated
8 New Yorker hiding upper-class and rude sort of sign for SA carrier (8)
KURVEYOR: (Yorker)* surrounds U and V; a traveling trader in southern Africa
9 In a different way hold tip of little Indian plant (5)
DHOLL: (hold)*-L(ittle);
12 Outdoorsy sort’s ruthless shriek of disbelief (10)
FELL-WALKER: FELL-(Hookey) WALKER; ruthless=FELL; shriek of disbelief=Hookey Walker (Victorian slang term). Today we would say “are you pulling my leg?”
15 Parrot in Iowa finds fertiliser in grainy clumps (8)
POLLINIA: POLL-IN-IA; a coherent mass of pollen grains
18 Free security force switch around English (7)
UNLEASH: UN-L(E)ASH;
20 Before lunch tug made fast to a vessel carrying oil (7)
AMPULLA: AM-PULL-A;
21 Boozer covered with weird secret principles rarely seen (7)
ESOTERY: E(SOT)ERY;
24 Dramatically pay for supermarket having shifted head south (5)
ESCOT: supermarket=TESCO then move the “T” to the end; Waggle-Dagger for pay for;
25 Japan topped this perfect winner (5)
IPPON: (n)IPPON; the highest score a fighter can achieve in a Japanese martial arts ippon-wazari contest
26 Bung something to barbecue into the edges of it (5)
BRIBE: B(RIB)E; BE from B(arbequ)E; bung=slang for BRIBE
27 Robust article leaked
ABLED: A-BLED;

I solved this while watching the Ryder Cup so don't have a meaningful time, but I felt that this was a bit trickier than an average Monday. Certainly, there were some very serviceable clues here, with a particularly cunning hidden containing punctuation that made it look as if it might be something else.

ACROSS

1 Unruffled church leader wearing tartan cloth (6)
PLACID - C[hurch] in PLAID; easy when you see it
4 Stocky bumpkins in first part of trashy film (8)
THICKSET - HICKS in T[rashy] ET
10 Estimated cost of passage from St Paul, perhaps? (9)
QUOTATION - I think the idea here is that a part of the Bible when cited can be called a quotation, but I am open to offers
11 More senior lord received by English queen (5)
ELDER - LD in E ER
12 Aquatic amphibian moved away, missing lake (3)
EFT - [l]EFT for the useful Scrabble word
13 Glaring politician’s photo initially unwanted round America (11)
CONSPICUOUS - CONS PIC U[nwanted] O (round) US
14 A way teachers recalled a cold, treeless zone (6)
TUNDRA - reversal of A RD NUT (National Union of Teachers)
16 Replacement of kidney involving theatre crew ultimately (7)
RENEWAL - [theatr]E [cre]W in RENAL (of kidney)
19 Apt to forget made-up names one coined originally (7)
AMNESIC - anagram* of NAMES I C[oined]; describes me well in my 60th year
20 I work in turfy ground, finding woodlouse, for example (6)
ISOPOD - I + OP in SOD (turfy ground)
22 Courier given keys by member of guild (11)
DELIVERYMAN - D E (random musical keys) LIVERYMAN
25 Signal agreement? Homer sometimes did (3)
NOD - 'Even Homer nods' is a proverb meaning that even the best sometimes makes a mistake due to a momentary lapse
26 Complaint from queen, perhaps, brought back without purpose? (5)
MIAOW - reversal of W/O (without) AIM (purpose)
27 Dimwit’s problem a boy soldier reversed (9)
IGNORAMUS - reversal of SUM A RON GI
28 Young bird in web disturbed by small fish (8)
NESTLING - S (small) in ('disturbed by') NET (web) LING (fish)
29 Huggy type not entirely happy — tho nearly (6)
PYTHON - hidden in [hap]PY THO N[early]; I was looking for something meaning touchy-feely, but this is not a creature you wouldn't want embracing you. Up to 5 metres long in parts of Asia, I believe.

DOWN

1 Card-game in Paris that’s eclipsed by mine (6)
PIQUET - QUE (French for 'that') in PIT
2 Change of tack with regard to revolution (5-4)
ABOUT-TURN - ABOUT TURN; the crypticity level is not too high in this one
3 Man using current account to cover appeal (5)
ISAAC - SA ([sex] appeal) in I (current) AC (account)
5 Suspended Irishman in father’s toothless legislature? (4,10)
HUNG PARLIAMENT - HUNG LIAM (Irishman) in PARENT
6 Time to leave street party — it’s getting noisier! (9)
CRESCENDO - CRESCEN[t] DO
7 Social misfit theologian introduced to Portuguese saint (5)
SADDO - DD in SAO (Portuguese for 'saint' as in Sao PAolo)
8 Employing son for second time, strangle singer (8)
THROSTLE - THROTTLE with S for the second of the three Ts for the bird
9 Quiet agreement at home about old instrument (5,9)
PIANO ACCORDION - PIANO (quiet) ACCORD O (old) in IN (at home) for the instrument famously played by James Stewart in Night Passage. Director Anthony Mann, who had made a number of films with Stewart including westerns The Naked Spur and The Man from Laramie, didn't see eye to eye with Stewart about these musical interludes (Stewart was a keen amateur player, but not good enough to save him from being dubbed by a pro for the final cut), so by the time Mann came round to directing perhaps his finest western - and arguably the greatest of all time - Man of the West - it was an ageing and ailing Gary Cooper who got the lead.
15 Repudiation doctor said I for example talked of? (9)
DISAVOWAL - SAID* sounds like VOWEL
17 Forest-dweller with sex appeal eclipsing dandy regularly (4,5)
WOOD NYMPH - D[a]N[d]Y in W (with) OOMPH
18 Musician and detective on island propping up bar (8)
BANDSMAN - DS (detective) MAN (island) on BAN (bar)
21 Inventor displaying lack of arrogance when given rise (6)
EDISON - reversal of NO SIDE (arrogance)
23 Roles for top players City picked up (5)
LEADS - sounds like LEEDS
24 Anxious French marshal clutching version of Bible (5)
NERVY - RV (REvised Version) in [Marshal] NEY

I needed all of my 10-minute target to complete this but I hope the puzzle will be received as an easier example that many of our newer contributors have been waiting for following a run of quite hard ones. As an experienced solver myself it's often hard to predict the reaction but I think most people will be familiar with the answers here, and the construction of the clues is generally straightforward with perhaps the odd exception.

As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]

Across
1	Flower finally dies now, getting very little rain (8)
	SNOWDROP - {die}S [finally], NOW, DROP (very little rain)
6	Droop, faced with a story of epic proportions (4)
	SAGA - SAG (droop), A
8	Exam some scholar once rejected (4)
	ORAL - Hidden [some] and reversed [rejected] in {scho}LAR O{nce}
9	Marines clashing with squadron leader — almost a catastrophe (4,4)
	NEAR MISS - Anagram [clashing] of MARINES, S{quadron} [leader]
10	NB: what a money thief might do (4,4)
	TAKE NOTE - A straight definition (Latin: nota bene - note well) followed by a cryptic hint
11	Time to copy recording (4)
	TAPE - T (time), APE (copy - mimic)
13	Cheap tinsel is out of place in this sacred building (7,6)
	SISTINE CHAPEL - Anagram [out of place] of CHEAP TINSEL. Perhaps one of the harder clues, but if you spotted that it's an anagram and had a checker or two in place, that should have helped.
16	Viewed from the back, a precious stone is great (4)
	MEGA - A + GEM (precious stone) reversed [viewed from the back]
17	Like religious person stoic man converted (8)
	MONASTIC - Anagram [converted] of STOIC MAN. My comment at 13ac applies here too.
19	Like some tall buildingsmuch liked by fat cats? (4-4)
	HIGH-RISE - A straight definition followed by a cryptic hint. 'Fat cats' in the sense of wealthy and powerful people.
21	Tract having articles about religious education (4)
	AREA - A+A (articles) containing [about] RE (religious education). 'Article' often translates to A, AN or THE.
22	Surveyed? Not half! (4)
	EYED - {surv}EYED [not half]. Semi&lit
23	Guess I'm conveyed in spacious car (8)
	ESTIMATE - I'M contained by [conveyed in] ESTATE (spacious car). 'Stretch limo' was never going to fit!

Down
2	Account local person presented about beheaded wife of Henry VIII (9)
	NARRATIVE - NATIVE (local person) containing [presented about] {p}ARR (wife of Henry VIII) [beheaded]. A nice piece of misdirection here as Catherine Parr was not among Henry's beheaded wives - they were Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. I imagine many will have solved this from a combination of definition and checkers, and then worked out the wordplay by reverse-engineering.
3	Unrestrained European writer (5)
	WILDE - WILD (unrestrained), E (European). Dear Oscar.
4	Ski slope, perhaps, makes you weak and tired (3-4)
	RUN-DOWN - This time the cryptic hint comes first
5	Source of timber to make aircraft (5)
	PLANE - Two straight definitions
6	Terrible traumas in Indonesian island (7)
	SUMATRA - Anagram [terrible] of TRAUMAS.This island seems to be very popular in puzzles at the moment.
7	Gossips principally like to talk a lot (3)
	GAS - G{ossips} [principally], AS (like)
12	I will have diamonds gift-wrapped for head of state (9)
	PRESIDENT - I + D (diamonds) contained [wrapped] by PRESENT (gift)
14	Criticised intricately-woven threads (7)
	TRASHED - Anagram [intricately-woven] of THREADS
15	Competition cheat put on trial (7)
	CONTEST - CON (cheat), TEST (trial)
17	Crop of the month, do you say? (5)
	MAIZE - Sounds like [you say) "May's" (of the month). Of which sweetcorn is one variety.
18	Lots of people in Cornwall region acquiring weapon (5)
	SWARM - SW (Cornwall region - Southwest England), ARM (weapon)
20	Climber, one going over sides of valley (3)
	IVY - I, V{alle}Y [sides]

Another "let's see how many truly ridiculous words we can pack into one grid" type puzzle, with the crossing pair at 26ac and 14dn giving me particular cause to chortle. FOI 10ac (once I decided it wasn't going to be SHOOK-ME), LOI 3dn, nice penny-drop moments occurring at 12ac and 23a, the latter of which took me way too long to realise which element we needed to subtract from. 18ac and 25dn could have been in the daily puzzle or perhaps even the QC. Special mention to the wordplay-clever 5dn but COD to 28ac as I really liked "one doctor would turn to". And I think that's the whistle-stop tour done. Thanks and nice one to the setter!

1 Sometime before five, at last landing place, but missing a passing procession (6)
EXEQUY - EX [sometime], before {fiv}E, + QU{a}Y [landing place, missing A]

4 Stone fired over head of Zambian soldier once (8)
STRELITZ - ST [stone] + RELIT [fired over (again)] + Z{ambian}

10 Victorian rest homes, condemned, accepting fine (5-2)
SMOKE-HO - (HOMES*) ["condemned"], accepting OK [fine]

11 Dark area still keeps burning (7)
APHOTIC - A PIC [area | still] keeps HOT [burning]

12 Marry old Victor’s double in start of wish for long life?
WIVE - the start of a wish for long life could be "Vive...!", double the V to W.

13 Ideas people mad to insist on (10)
NOTIONISTS - (TO INSIST ON*) ["mad"]

15 Leaves arrangement of rave to inn, surprisingly (9)
VERNATION - (RAVE TO INN*) ["surprisingly"]

16 No time for wee hint! (5)
INKLE - {t}INKLE [wee, with no T]

18 Pants with waistband finally going left to sag (5)
DROOP - POOR [pants] with {waistban}D, read from right to left

19 Driver’s warning about salt water submerging live vegetable plant (5,4)
HORSE BEAN - HORN [driver's warning], about SEA [salt water], submerging BE [live]

21 Polish ready, nearly, to go on blemish covering hard, wide glass decoration (10)
SCHWARZLOT - ZLOT{y}, to on SCAR [blemish] covering H W [hard | wide]

23 Take too much out of alkaline element in water parsnips (4)
SIUM - S{od}IUM - OD [take too much] removed from an alkaline element.

26 Pennies, gold, returning sailor put about cross one’s palm (7)
PAXIUBA - P [pennies] + AU [gold] + reversed AB [sailor], about X I [cross | one]

27 African people’s life to be digested by one another time (7)
IBIBIOS - BIO [life] to be digested by I BIS [one | another time]

28 Compound of molten lead — one doctor would turn to (8)
ALDEHYDE - (LEAD*) ["molten"] + HYDE [one doctor (Jekyll) would turn to]

29 Navy game in which dupe’s first to get to the end (6)
UCKERS - SUCKER [dupe], with the first letter moving to the end of the word

DOWN
1 Result of poet from the past, maybe, heading off west (5)
ENSEW - {t}ENSE [the past, maybe - with first letter removed] + W [west]

2 Mysterious Vern comes, not married, with ring on the other hand (1,8)
E CONVERSO - (VERN CO{m}ES + O*) ["mysterious"]

3 US chemist recalled lawyer undertaking cases (4)
UREY - hidden reversed in {law}YER U{ndertaking}

5 Old Babylonian emperor cut half every six months? (7)
TSABIAN - TSA{r} [emperor, "cut"] + BIAN{nual}

6 Urchins from the city welcome? Not a clue! (10)
ECHINOIDEA - EC HI [the city | welcome] + NO IDEA [not a clue!]

7 Desert plant — about to leave for one gets stress (5)
ICTUS - {ca->I}CTUS [desert plant, replace the CA (about) with I (one)]

8 These merged with zinc to form rocky deposit (9)
ZECHSTEIN - (THESE + ZINC*) ["merged...to form"]

9 Cape, behold, turned up with sash for primates (6)
COLOBI - C [cape] + reversed LO [behold, "turned up"] + OBI [sash]

14 Clash arising with this country hotel about carriage for young head of state (10)
RAJPRAMUKH - reversed JAR [clash "arising"] + UK H [this country | hotel], about PRAM [carriage for young]

15 See higher purpose initially in a stratagem idiot picked up (4,5)
VIDE SUPRA - P{urpose} in A RUSE DIV [a | stratagem | idiot] all reversed

17 Scottish writer’s endless furious interrupting briefly lamented (9)
KEELIVINE - LIVI{d} ["endless" furious] interrupting KEENE{d} ["briefly" lamented]

19 Cheered as Zulu — a boxing unknown — shaded rounds (7)
HUZZAED - Z A [Zulu | a], "boxing" Z [unknown], rounded by HUED [shaded]

20 Aussie creature going over stone grating in Perth (6)
ROOPIT - ROO [Aussie creature] going over PIT [stone]

22 Charmed by opening note (5)
HEXED - X [by] "opening" HEED [note]

24 Some salmon beginning to mate like place across pond (5)
MASUS - M{ate} + AS US [like | place across pond]

25 Advise against releasing our age for the record (4)
DISC - DISC{ourage} [advise against, minus "our age". Say what you see!]

Thanks to vinyl1 and plusjeremy for stepping in over the last couple of weeks. It’s very hectic having just got back - two interruptions during the course of solving means that I have no meaningful time to report but I thought it was above average difficulty (but then I may just be rusty). Several large gaps all over the grid were eventually filled in with loi 5dn.

ACROSS

8. AVOCADO - fruit. I’m not sure about business=DO (which is normally a party as in 22ac). Carrying on with a slight shrug of the shoulders, I get business (DO) led (preceded) by the first letters of (A) (V)ery (O)ld (C)hap (A)t. With thanks to kevingregg, it’s business (ADO) led (preceded) by (A) (V)ery (O)ld (C)hap at first.
9. TRAIL - follow. Court case - trial - in which the 'I' appears later i.e. after the A (TRAIL).
10. GYPSY - traveller. Borders of (G)erman(Y) and (S)hortl(Y) to be passed through (entered) by quiet (P).
11. BACKING - supporting. Re-elected (BACK IN), leader of (G)overnment.
12. SHERIFF - lawman. Quiet (SH), passion recalled - backwards (FIRE), very loud (F). With thanks to jackkt, it’s quiet (SH), passion recalled - backwards (IRE), very loud (FF).
14. LLAMA - source of wool. A (A) and lot of shops (MALL) all backwards.
15. ODIUM - hate. Chemical element s(ODIUM) not sulphur = no 'S’.
17. RAREBIT - cheese dish. Seldom (RARE) getting a little (BIT).
19. HAVE-NOT - poor person. Shelter (HAVEN), selection from Bible (OT).
20. FLUKE - unexpected success. Following (F), apostle (LUKE).
22. RADON - gas. Sailors (Royal Navy - RN) outside (A) and party (DO).
23. MONARCH - ruler. All set (ON - I’m on/all set for a game of table tennis) inside (to participate in) demo (MARCH).

DOWN

1. PANG - mental anguish. Opening (GAP) upwards about new (N).
2. CORPSE - collapse in giggles (corpsing is British theatrical slang for unintentionally laughing during a non-humorous performance). Group of soldiers (CORPS) before end of exercis(E).
3. WARY - cautious. Methodology (WAY) to contain river (R).
4. NOT BEFORE TIME - long overdue. Anagram (put out) of MORE BENEFIT TO.
5. STICKLER - someone who is very insistent. Line (L) should be included in label (STICKER).
6. MARINA - where boats are moored. Damage (MAR), in (IN), area (A).
7. FLAGRANT - outrageous. A patriotic tirade may be a rant about the flag of the country.
12. SHOEHORN - struggle to accommodate. Something from last - a last being the wooden or metal form on which a shoe or boot is fashioned or repaired (SHOE), instrument (HORN).
13. IMMINENT - right now. I’m (IM) and 'not' without the middle letter (NoT) are placed around bomb (MINE).
16. INVADE - attack. A (A) and Democrat (D) inside an anagram (comic) of VEIN.
18. BLURRY - opaque. Comments about a book is 'the blurb' - a reduction in this gives us (BLUR) on railway (RY).
20. FIND - discovery. Homophone (we hear) of penalised-fined.
21. ECHO - reverberation. In th(E CHO)ir.

I needed 37 minutes to solve all but one clue (8dn) which I eventually gave up on and resorted to aids. I'm afraid when most of a puzzle falls quite easily and I am left with just one answer outstanding I sometimes lack the perseverance to see it through. The problem here turned out to be a cryptic definition with little to suggest the area of knoweldge in which the answer lay. I might have stared at it for hours and still not cracked it. There are a lot of clues referring to religion or bibical matters and I counted at least seven of them.

As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]

Across
1	Nonsense about backward-looking priest being submissive (6)
	DOCILE - COD (nonsense) reversed [about], ELI (priest) reversed [backward-looking]. I'm familiar with COD meaning 'joke, hoax, parody, mock, sham', but not 'nonsense'. I found this eventually in the ODO: cod, British dated, informal - nonsense.
4	Forced out, dumped, having lost it (7)
	DEPOSED - DEPOS{it}ED (dumped) [having lost it]
9	Partners at table stifling expression of surprise and disdain (5)
	SCORN - S N (partners at table - bridge) containing [stifling] COR (expression of surprise)
10	The first person to turn against thing in protest (9)
	OBJECTION - OBJECT (thing), NO 1 (the first person) reversed [to turn]
11	Procedure that's a possibility when time is limited (9)
	OPERATION - OPTION (possibility) with ERA (time) contained [limited]
12	Moral shortcoming that comes with drinks we hear (5)
	LAPSE - Sounds like [we hear] "laps" (drinks)
13	Hour of prayer held by canon everyday (4)
	NONE - Hidden in [held by] {ca}NON E{veryday}
14	Like Samson before his distressing experience (4-6)
	LONG-HAIRED - Cryptic definition
18	Drink with newspaper folk, their leader being inhibited (10)
	SUPPRESSED - SUP (drink), PRESS (newspaper folk), ED (their leader - editor)
20	Language restriction for listener (4)
	THAI - Sounds like [for listener] "tie" (restriction)
23	That fellow entertaining artist is depicting a king of Tyre (5)
	HIRAM - HIM (that fellow) containing [entertaining] RA (artist)
24	Sweet member of comic duo is reckless (9)
	FOOLHARDY - FOOL (sweet - pudding), HARDY (member of comic duo - along with Laurel)
25	Unruly clan, first to demonstrate in French region (9)
	PROVENCAL - PROVE (demonstrate), anagram [unruly] of CLAN
26	Small opening allows last couple to escape bear (5)
	STOMA - STOMA{ch} (bear) [last couple to escape]
27	Criminal activity around American city’s horse-racing (3,4)
	THE FLAT - THEFT (criminal activity) contains [around] LA (American city). 'On the flat' and 'over the sticks' are just about the limit of my knowledge of horse racing.
28	Withered, needing water, looking very hot (6)
	SEARED - SEA (water), RED (looking very hot)

Down
1	Ignores number occupying East Anglian town (9)
	DISCOUNTS - COUNT (number) contained by [occupying] DISS (East Anglian town). It's in Norfolk.
2	Near where you may find bishop at home (5,2)
	CLOSE IN - CLOSE (where you may find bishop), IN (at home). A close can be the precinct of a cathedral, hence the bishop reference.
3	Fish on a minute religious symbol (6)
	LINGAM - LING (fish), A, M (minute). I didn't know this and I'm not sure I really needed to! SOED: A Hindu sacred object constituting a symbol of the god Siva, spec. (the representation of) a phallus.
4	Little woman involved in row in French city (5)
	DIJON - JO (little woman - as featured in Louisa May Alcott's novel), contained by [involved in] DIN (row)
5	Particular metallic elements in fruit (8)
	PECULIAR - CU+LI (metallic elements - copper and lithium) contained by [in] PEAR (fruit)
6	Mule as one coming a cropper in mud? (7)
	SLIPPER - A definition and a cryptic hint
7	Party in church led by tribe (5)
	DANCE - DAN (tribe), CE (church)
8	They may be spotted in a series of downward movements (8)
	DOMINOES - A cryptic definition which I failed to solve as the checkers were not helpful and there's little or nothing in the clue to suggest the field to which the answer might relate. This must be with reference to 'domino effect' by which one event triggers a succession of other, often similar, events, like a falling domino at the beginning of a line of upended dominoes (SOED). The curious thing is that as far as I'm aware there's no game of dominoes that involves them being upended in a line so it's odd that they should have acquired this particular meaning.
15	Headless monster descending on magnificent city (8)
	GRENOBLE - {o}GRE (monster) [headless], NOBLE (magnificent). 'Descending' is a placement indicator not required other to improve the surface reading.
16	Farm worker cheated having taken in nonchalant old woman (9)
	DAIRYMAID - DID (cheated) containing AIRY (nonchalant) + MA (old woman)
17	English monarch with order, appropriately, for his enemy (8)
	CROMWELL - CR (English monarch - Charles), OM (order), WELL (appropriately). The definition refers back to 'English monarch', in this case Charles I whose armies were defeated by Oliver Cromwell's in the English Civil War.
19	Resolve of top people with “proper accent” evident in attitude (7)
	PURPOSE - U (top people) + RP ("proper accent” - received pronunciation) contained by [evident in] POSE (attitude)
21	Nurse in shady part of garden south of hospital (7)
	HARBOUR - H (hospital), ARBOUR (shady part of garden). One can nurse or harbour a grudge, for instance.
22	Pure speed, fastest possible speed to begin with (6)
	CHASTE - C (fastest possible speed), HASTE (speed). I understand that C in physics denotes the velocity of light in a vacuum.
23	Go away from house with depression (3,2)
	HOP IT - HO (house), PIT (depression)
24	Feature of gem, diamond maybe, wrapped in paper (5)
	FACET - ACE (diamond maybe) contained by [wrapped in] FT (paper)

I made a right hash of this one. After racing through most of the puzzle in about 10 minutes, thinking it would be a breeze, I wound up completely in knots over the last handful of clues. It took me 24:30 to untangle everything. I'm inclined to say this puzzle wasn't my cup of tea, but it's more likely my own fault for thinking 3 Down was RIDICULOUS and then not being able to see the correct anagram for the life of me. More on my stupidity below.

Across

1	Battle where protagonists bolster each other? (6,5)
	PILLOW FIGHT - cryptic definition A 'bolster' is another word for a pillow that looks perfect for whacking a sibling with. I wasn't aware of this meaning so this was one of my last in.
9	Correct me when returning before the finish (5)
	EMEND - ME ("me") reversed ("when returning") + ("before") END ("the finish")
10	Taking part in decathlon, GIs habitually rather stretched (7)
	LONGISH - letters in ("taking part in") DECATHLON GIS HABITUALLY ("decathlon GIs habitually")
11	Chum is all you need to make this entertainment (5,4)
	MUSIC HALL - CHUM IS ALL ("chum is all") anagrammed ("you need to make this") Not having the C, I never suspected an anagram, feeling completely certain this was a cryptic definition with the second word FISH. This in turn prevented me from resolving the rest of the middle of the puzzle.
13	Freelance photographer very quietly penning article (3)
	PAP - PP ("very quietly", pianissimo) outside ("penning") A ("article") Short for 'paparazzo'.
14	Lunatic getting post [with] teaching union (6)
	NUTJOB - NUT ("lunatic") + ("getting") JOB ("post") Just kidding, just kidding. NUT is the National Union of Teachers.
16	A meeting place [in] wide street (6)
	AVENUE - A ("a") + VENUE ("meeting place")
17	Get a letter read out (3)
	SEE - C ("a letter") replaced with a homophone ("read out")
18	A sign in desert perhaps [showing] name of Central Asian city (9)
	SAMARKAND - A ("a") + MARK ("sign") inside ("in") SAND ("desert, perhaps") A city in Uzbekistan. This clue also stymied me, as I had few crossing letters, and couldn't get past 'desert' signifying STRAND (even though this wouldn't make sense with 'perhaps').
21	Seamen not normally crossing south, as a whole (2,5)
	EN MASSE - SEAMEN ("seamen") anagrammed ("not normally") outside ("crossing") S ("south")
23	Diver to employ in round pool, ultimately (5)
	OUSEL - USE ("to employ") inside ("in") O ("round") + POOL ("pool") reduced to its last letter ("ultimately") One of those crossword chestnuts you become familiar with after awhile. A diving bird.
24	Lennie’s pose affected while resting? (2,4,5)
	IN ONES SLEEP - LENNIE'S POSE ("Lennie's pose") anagrammed ("affected")

Down

2	Plans I had when touring the east (5)
	IDEAS - I'D ("I had") + AS ("when") outside ("touring") E ("the east")
3	Could sir initially undertake manoeuvres? [That’s] daft! (9)
	LUDICROUS - COULD ("could") + SIR ("sir") + first letter of ("initially") UNDERTAKE ("undertake") anagrammed ("manoeuvres") This is the one that did me in. I got stuck only being able to see RIDICULOUS, which prevented me from getting crossing letters to open up the middle four or five clues.
4	Girl, briefly, is going to mother (5)
	WILMA - almost all the letters of ("briefly") WILL ("is going to") + MA ("mother") I liked this clue quite a bit.
5	Local resident of Tampere, maybe, loudly dismissed (3)
	INN - FINN ("resident of Tampere, maybe"), F ("loudly", forte) removed ("dismissed") Tampere is a city in southern Finland. 'Local' and 'inn' are synonyms for 'pub'.
6	Husband to display code number that’s used for locks (7)
	HAIRPIN - H ("husband") + AIR ("to display") + PIN ("code number")
7	I agree to attend old comedy show (3,8)
	YES MINISTER - YES ("I agree") + MINISTER ("to attend") One of those British things I've managed to absorb without ever having experienced. I thought perhaps 'old' pertained to the usage of 'minister' to mean 'attend', but apparently this is not an archaic meaning.
8	I can heed PLP after reshuffling old cabinet? (11)
	CHIPPENDALE - I CAN HEED PLP ("I can heed PLP") anagrammed ("after reshuffling") An 18th century furniture style "characterized by the use of Chinese and Gothic motifs, cabriole legs, and massive carving". (Collins)
12	Someone who dwells above bank [in] the city (9)
	LIVERPOOL - LIVER ("someone who dwells") + ("above") POOL ("bank") A simple clue which nevertheless took me ages to get, because I had no crossing letters.
15	Film [of] Kojak, maybe, with people (3,4)
	THE OMEN - THEO ("Kojak, maybe") + ("with") MEN ("people") Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak is the title character of the American television series, 'Kojak'.
19	Gets together some charcuterie for picking up? (5)
	MEETS - MEATS ("some charcuterie") replaced by a homophone ("for picking up")
20	Man, say, following a passage (5)
	AISLE - ISLE ("Man, say") after ("following") A ("a")
22	Wrong / function (3)
	SIN - double definition That sweet, sweet ratio of the length of the opposite side to that of the hypotenuse.

A jolly romp of a puzzle with lots of DDs and anagrams to get your teeth into. All but a couple were done in 20 minutes, then the correct guess for 13a across had to be checked, and 19a took a bit of an effort to find an obscure kind of farm worker.

Across
1	Record suspicion about the man that’s ruined city (7)
	EPHESUS - EP = record, HE = the man, SUS = suspicion.
5	Leave without right coat (7)
	VARNISH - VANISH = leave, insert R for right.
9	Army rations needing certain self-control (9)
	COMPOSURE - COMPO were / are army rations, SURE = certain.
10	Musician needing support to carry piano (5)
	PIPER - PIER = support, insert P for piano.
11	Present is the concern of those who are very small? (2-2-3-6)
	UP-TO-THE-MINUTE - Double definition, one relying on a different pronunciation of MINUTE.
13	Urge page to wind turban (8)
	PUGGAREE - (URGE PAGE)*. If you don't know the word, you can probably guess how the anagram letters fit. A Sikh's turban, or a wound hat band.
15	Finishsomething designed to provoke (4-2)
	WIND-UP - Another double definition relying on differing pronunciations. As in wind = gale, and wind = turn.
17	Science of drinks dispensers (6)
	OPTICS - Yet another DD, very neat, like I like my malts dispensed.
19	Farm worker currently present for time in season (8)
	WINNOWER - Took a while to see this one. WINTER = season, has its T replaced by NOW = currently. Do farm workers winnow nowadays?
22	How Cotswolds are claimed by farmers is long-standing (4-2-3-4)
	DYED-IN-THE-WOOL - Presumably if a Cotswold sheep is dyed at some point in its wool, you can tell it from someone else's sheep. The origins of the phrase - 16C - relate to colours applied to the wool before it was spun being more colour-fast hence resistant to change.
25	Perfect sound from space (5)
	WHOLE - Sounds like HOLE, I suppose, a hole is a space.
26	Change of opinion on boat race (5-4)
	ABOUT-FACE - ON = about, BOAT RACE being CRS for face.
27	Abruptlysoon (7)
	SHORTLY - Yet another neat DD.
28	Chap keeping a jolly item of clothing (7)
	GARMENT - A Jolly is slang for a Royal Marine or RM, insert him into GENT = chap.

Down
1	Topless bathing area for every single (4)
	EACH - BEACH, a bathing area, loses its top B.
2	Hat Mr Bough’s seen out in? (7)
	HOMBURG - (MR BOUGH)*.
3	Beer this thirst finally quenched (5)
	STOUT - S T = final letters of this thirst, OUT = quenched.
4	Illegal resident is comparatively thick (8)
	SQUATTER - Another DD.
5	Spectator we found absorbed by a German quartet (6)
	VIEWER - WE goes inside VIER = German for four.
6	Monitor, perhaps, triplane I rebuilt (9)
	REPTILIAN - (TRIPLANE I)*. Monitor as in a type of lizard.
7	Appropriate admission by poet? (7)
	IMPOUND - The poet says: "I'M (EZRA) POUND".
8	Western shire perhaps taking over for each area (5,5)
	HORSE OPERA - A shire perhaps = HORSE, O = over, PER = for each, A = area. A horse opera is a formulaic Western movie or TV series, akin to a soap opera but with cowboys, who sometimes were seen singing to their horses. Not my cup of.
12	Race course owns mopeds for scrambling (5,5)
	EPSOM DOWNS - (OWNS MOPEDS)*.
14	Skill securing constant success with City planner (9)
	ARCHITECT - ART = skill, then insert C = constant, HIT = success, EC - City (of London).
16	Long-standing criminal gatecrashing free party (8)
	LIFELONG - FELON = criminal, to be incarcerated in LIG. To LIG is to take advantage of freebies, as one used to do; the supply seems to have dried up. An odd clue where LONG is in the clue and the answer.
18	Vibrating noise in shaky Metro line that’s old (7)
	TREMOLO - (METRO)*, L(ine), O(ld). Remember Brian Poole and the Tremeloes (why spelt differently? Tremelo is a place in Belgium) ; I recall having one on my pocket-money-depleting £12 guitar in the days of our Shadows-inspired shambles of a band, or 'group' as it was then. Before your time, V, I was there being Jet Harris.
20	Benefit of warning about magical being (7)
	WELFARE - WARE = warning, as in beware; ELF is the magical being inserted.
21	Like a sauna group found in outskirts of Shrewsbury (6)
	STEAMY - TEAM inside S Y which are the 'outskirts' of Shrewsbury.
23	Power tool’s not starting outside (5)
	OUTER - A ROUTER is a power tool, it makes grooves and such, it loses its R. Another one with same part word in clue and answer.
24	Amphibian’s leg removed by famous scientist (4)
	NEWT - Sir Isaac NEWTON loses his leg or ON side in cricket.

I’m going to stick my neck out and predict that this puzzle by Mara will cause a few newbies some difficulties. I started quickly with 1a and 4d going straight in, but then found it hard to find another connecting clue or new starting point. I finished in just over my top-target range of 10 – 15 minutes after a couple of recalcitrant clues finally yielded.

Of course, my slowness may be due to my own lack of practice. Although I am now back from vacation, other priorities have kept me from completing the puzzles until I had a crack at this one. Lots of anagrams and part-anagrams helped, but I found the two long clues resisted until I had most of the checkers.

Thanks Mara for your satisfying puzzle. I’ll be surprised, but delighted, if everyone found this easier than I did.

Across
1 To cover piano, trace woven rug (6)
CARPET– Anagram (woven) of [TRACE] covering (containing) P{iano}
6 Name occupying chair with English governing body (6)
SENATE– SEAT (chair) with N{ame} inside (occupying) and E{nglish} to follow
8 Tory money quota gets attention (13)
CONCENTRATION– CON (Tory) with CENT (money) and RATION (quota)
9 Love in bronze: Rodin! (4)
ZERO– Hidden in {bron}ZE: RO{din!}
10 Labelling coming together about right (8)
BRANDING– BANDING (coming together) about (around) R{ight}
11 This succeeds firsttime (6)
SECOND– Clever double definition and &Lit – SECOND succeeds first, and is a unit of time.
13 Country is requiring return of king (6)
ISRAEL– IS (is) and LEAR (king) returned (reversed)
15 Observe article, furious (8)
SEETHING– SEE (observe) and THING (article)
17 Wrestling in bedroom usually backfiring (4)
SUMO– Another hidden, this time reversed (backfiring) in {bedro}OM US{ually}
19 Certain moves not nice - steady (13)
INCONTESTABLE– Anagram (moves) of [NOT NICE] followed by STABLE (steady)
21 Colours on bottle (6)
FLAGON– FLAG (colours – a regiments FLAG is referred to as its colours) and ON (on)
22 Acidic drink (6)
BITTER– Two word clues – look for a double definition, which is what is happening here.

Down
2 A beautiful woman appeared (5)
AROSE– A (a) and ROSE (beautiful woman)
3 Image surprisingly cool for an orchestral instrument (7)
PICCOLO– PIC (image) and an anagram (surprisingly) of [COOL]
4 Brown vat almost finished (3)
TAN– TAN{k} (almost finished)
5 In giving off vapour, water finally flowing (9)
STREAMING– STEAMING (giving off vapour) with {wate}R (finally) inside it (in)
6 Famous– as is music (5)
NOTED– Self-explanatory cryptic
7 Beat counter when drunk (7)
TROUNCE– Anagram (when drunk) of [COUNTER]
10 Hopeless potter in game (9)
BADMINTON– BAD (hopeless) and MINTON (potter), as in Thomas Minton, founder of the company bearing his name who were, and are (now part of Waterford Wedgewood) famous ceramicists and potters.
12 Everlasting monologue ultimately learnt inadequately (7)
ETERNAL– {monologue}E (ultimately) with an anagram of [LEARNT] (inadequately is the anagrind)
14 Again begin to relax with painting (7)
RESTART– REST (relax) with ART (painting)
16 Skimpy underwear awfully hot, no good (5)
THONG– Anagram (awfully) of [HOT] with N{o} G{ood}
18 Children’s author left in pit (5)
MILNE– L{eft} inside MINE (pit), and referring to AA MILNE, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh
20 Form of transport coming up, one has a periscope (3)
SUB– BUS (form of transport) reversed (coming up in a Down clue), and a definition by example (DBE)

Solving time: 15:03, with one rather thick-headed error. While I write this up there is a small gathering of blog regulars in New York City, unfortunately just a little too far away for me to make on a weeknight. Sounds like everyone is having a good time, so raise one for me!

I've had a pretty insane couple of weeks here to the point that this is the first daily puzzle I have solved in nearly two weeks. Wonder how long it takes to get rusty? Two weeks should do it - I took a bit longer than usual, and made a particularly careless mistake. Oh well... better get back in the game eh?

First definitions are underlined.

Away we go...

Across
1	Disproof in due course turning round objection (8)
	REBUTTAL - LATER(in due course) reversed around BUT(objection)
5	Cavalryman, one acting as surgeon? (6)
	LANCER - double definition
9	Panellist following trick: his? (8)
	CONJUROR - JUROR(panellist) after CON(trick)
10	I regret returning a mobster’s first greeting (6)
	SALAAM - ALAS(I regret) reversed, then A, M~~(obster)~~
12	Reluctant to punch hole in strip of wood (5)
	LOATH - O is the hole in a LATH(strip of wood)
13	Ancient creature’s droppings covered by one lecturer (9)
	IGUANODON - GUANO(droppings) surrounded by I(one), DON(lecturer). This was my undoing as without thinking I put in IGUANADON
14	Spotted pieces undergoing chain reaction (6,6)
	DOMINO EFFECT - mostly a cryptic definition
18	Excessively disobediently scuttling boat (12)
	INORDINATELY - INSUBORDINATELY(disobediently) with SUB(boat) removed
21	Try tiny portion, admitting it hurts not to be used (2,2,5)
	GO TO WASTE - GO(try) and TASTE(tiny portion) containing OW(it hurts)
23	They are expecting one to open what is not his? (5)
	HEIRS - I inside HERS(not his)
24	Artillery piece shooting from side to side (6)
	RAKING - RA(artillery), KING(piece in chess)
25	Leave a key in flat, half inside self-contained unit (8)
	MODULATE - half of flAT inside MODULE(self-contained unit). This is the musical use of the term
26	Day to depose a not entirely horrible ruler (6)
	DYNAST - DAY missing A, then NAST(y(not quite horrible)
27	Move slowly by high ground for battle (8)
	EDGEHILL - EDGE(move slowly), HILL(high ground)

Down
1	Playground and dinner room, not hard to bring to mind (6)
	RECALL - REC(playground) and HALL(dinner room) missing H
2	Stop eating all types of fig (6)
	BANYAN - BAN(stop) containing ANY(all types)
3	Suppressing that hurt, couple make up, if they’re lucky (5,4)
	TOUCH WOOD - OUCH(that hurt - this is a puzzle filled with pain), inside TWO(couple) and DO(make) reversed
4	Model mobilisation against slavery movement (12)
	ABOLITIONISM - anagram of MOBILISATION
6	A trap pinches area on the other hand (5)
	AGAIN - A, GIN(trap) containing A(area)
7	Dealer held new car after ordering (8)
	CHANDLER - anagram of HELD,N,CAR
8	Consider carefully, hearing of space in boat (8)
	RUMINATE - sounds like ROOM IN EIGHT(a boat with eight oars)
11	Beer may be safe (3,2,3,4)
	OUT OF THE WOOD - double definition - beer could come from a wooden cask or firkin
15	Capacity audience gives good hand (4,5)
	FULL HOUSE - double definition, the hand being in poker
16	Toyed with splendid diamonds, holding up plate (8)
	FINGERED - FINE(splendid), D(diamonds) with REG(registration plate) reversed inside
17	Asking to change wine container (8)
	GOATSKIN - anagram of ASKING,TO
19	One rule I would have lifted for festival (6)
	DIWALI - I, LAW(rule), I'D(I would have) all reversed
20	Like a bone from very large duck? (6)
	OSTEAL - OS(very large), TEAL(duck)
22	What pilot earns proceeds from bet, leaving pub (5)
	WINGS - WINNINGS(proceeds from bet) missing INN(pub)

In contrast to recent blog outings, I had a very low-resistance trip through this one, coming in a shade under 6 minutes. It seems to be a very fair and straightforward puzzzle, and hopefully a confidence-builder for beginners. Surface readings are generally excellent, and I liked 3dn. Across
7	Flatten out bun, skipping the first bread product (6)
	UNROLL - (B)UN + ROLL
8	Not caring, needing some soap at hygienist’s (6)
	APATHY - hidden word: soAP AT HYgienist's
9	Had the sensation of being left out (4)
	FELT - anagram ('out') of LEFT
10	Banned bringing Disney back into Open University edition (8)
	OUTLAWED - WALT backwards inside OU and ED
11	Schedule to conclude between California and Arkansas (8)
	CALENDAR - END (conclude) inside CAL and AR. Not sure I approve of 'CAL' as an abbreviation for California, which isn't the official US Postal Service one (CA) and isn't in my dictionary. Having said that, it does feature in Wikipedia, along with a whole load of other code systems, including the US Coastguard one, which uses CF for California, and CL for Colorado. Can't help thinking that a Coastguard vessel that's anywhere near Colorado is a bit lost.
13	Even parts of ideas that give information (4)
	DATA - alternate letters of iDeAs ThAt
15	You might hear someone admired for not working (4)
	IDLE - sounds like IDOL
16	Going around that place, Edward is tied down (8)
	TETHERED -TED is Edward, arranged around THERE
18	Rough Spanish agreement accepted by a Native American fighter (8)
	ABRASIVE - spanish agreement is SI, inside BRAVE
20	Fake news’s ending bad actor (4)
	SHAM - news's ending is S, HAM is bad actor
21	Problem for long-haul traveller let loose in expensive car (3,3)
	JET LAG - anagram ('loose') of LET, inside JAG. Though if the Jag in question is a second-hand diesel, it's becoming rather cheaper.
22	Beast of burden put on small island (6)
	DONKEY - DON (put on) + KEY (island)

Down
1	Criminal Roman den being held before trial (2,6)
	ON REMAND - anagram ('criminal') of ROMAN DEN
2	Swede possibly got over reassembling European piece of furniture (4,9)
	ROOT VEGETABLE - anagram ('reassembling') of GOT OVER + E (European) + TABLE
3	Mad on nuts, swallowing large nut (6)
	ALMOND - anagram ('nuts') of MAD ON with L inside. Nice. There's probably a name for this sort of clue which uses the same word repeatedly with different meanings. They can be fiendishly confusing, but his one is a gentle introduction to the genre, I think.
4	Teasing talk is taken away from stair-rail (6)
	BANTER - stair-rail is BANISTER, minus IS
5	South Africa left dealing with savoury sauce (5,8)
	SALAD DRESSING - SA + L + ADDRESSING
6	Audible word to scare away trainer, say (4)
	SHOE - sounds like SHOO
12	Initially archbishop promotes ecclesiastical primate (3)
	APE - initial letters of Archbishop Promotes Ecclesiastical
14	Young person brewing green tea (8)
	TEENAGER - anagram ('brewing') of GREEN TEA
16	Colour slightly covering wife’s stab of pain (6)
	TWINGE - TINGE with W inside
17	Attempt to keep finish in fashion (6)
	TRENDY - TRY with END inside
19	Flying insect on female cattle’s flesh (4)
	BEEF - BEE + F

I'd describe this one as a "hard easy puzzle" - looking down through the parsings everything seems rather straightforward, but as a result of this sancta simplicitas it wasn't always easy for me to find the required answer quickly. 1ac, 10ac and 18ac were the first three in, and quickly, but such things as the "service details in printed form", the measuring "residue", and the combinable synonyms for tax and limit, took longer to summon.

I also did exactly what I mustn't do in November and, with the timer a few seconds away from the ten minute mark, banged in STAKEHOLDER for 7dn and hit submit. Very foolish! Very

verlaine.

Various amusing clues in the mix here but I think my Clue of the Day goes to the slightly racy 24ac, for finding a more interesting homophone for HOARD than the chestnutty "horde". Thanks setter for this and the rest of a fine puzzle.

ACROSS
1 A new hair preparation finds backer for production (5)
ANGEL - A N GEL [a | new | hair preparation]

4 Release detective's service details in printed form (9)
DISMISSAL - DI'S MISSAL [detective's | service details, in printed form]

9 Fresh maid organised beer and stout (9)
SOUBRETTE - (BEER + STOUT*) ["organised"]

10 Fine fish scraps (5)
FRAYS - F RAYS [fine | fish]

11 Means of measuring residue on vault (6,7)
SPRING BALANCE - BALANCE [residue] on SPRING [vault]

14 Article fifty covered by Times well (4)
ABLY - A [article] + L [fifty] "covered by" BY [times]

15 Land taken from previous county, in part hard to manage (10)
CUMBERSOME - CUMBER{land} [previous county, with "land" taken away] + SOME [in part]

18 Great unorthodox priest's last sermon due (10)
TREMENDOUS - ({pries}T SERMON DUE*) ["unorthodox"]

19 Detailed plan to protect pound is futile (4)
IDLE - IDE{a} ["de-tailed" plan] "to protect" L [pound]

21 Additional levy resulting from attack on fighting force (7,6)
SERVICE CHARGE - CHARGE [attack] on SERVICE [fighting force]

24 Save used tart, we're told (5)
HOARD - homophone of WHORED [used tart, "we're told"]

25 Retiring storyteller, sedate, skirting a bar to avoid accidents (9)
GUARDRAIL - reversed LIAR DRUG [storyteller | sedate], "skirting" A

27 Today's journalist held out (9)
PRESENTED - PRESENT ED [today's | journalist]

28 Energy required in violent exercise (5)
WIELD - E [energy] in WILD [violent]

DOWN
1 Those attending function entertained by jazzmen, bishop having left (10)
ASSISTANTS - TAN [(mathematical) function] "entertained by" {b}ASSISTS [jazzmen, minus B for bishop]

2 African nomad's regular display of genius (3)
GNU - G{e}N{i}U{s}

3 A source of roar in wild cat? (6)
LARYNX - A + R{oar} in LYNX [wild cat], &lit

4 Required tax limit (4-5)
DUTY-BOUND - DUTY BOUND [tax | limit]

5 Shall we put up with a boarding pirate? (5)
STEAL - reversed LET'S [shall we?], with A "boarding"

6 Troops recently formed line (8)
INFANTRY - INFANT RY [recently formed | line]

7 Monarch once imprisoning queen upset senior investor (11)
SHAREHOLDER - SHAH [monarch once] "imprisoning" reversed ER [queen "upset"] + OLDER [senior]

8 Beyond redemptionat sea (4)
LOST - double def

12 Shifting end of rack, restore all detachable footwear (6,5)
ROLLER SKATE - ({rac}K RESTORE ALL*) ["shifting"]. Most of the roller skates I've seen are no more detachable than any other kind of footwear, but some do just clip onto other shoes I expect.

13 Richly adorned Eastern believer eclipsed by lovely daughter (10)
BEJEWELLED - E JEW [eastern | believer] "eclipsed by" BELLE D [lovely | daughter]

16 Laboured badly crossing very wide city street (9)
BOULEVARD - (LABOURED*) ["badly"] "crossing" V [very]

17 Reluctantly admit Dickensian's supporting petition (8)
BEGRUDGE - RUDGE [Dickensian] is supporting BEG [petition]

20 Dog kept cutting inside pig (6)
SHADOW - HAD [kept] "cutting inside" SOW [pig]

22 Metal bar obscuring other exhibits (5)
INGOT - exhibited inside {obscur}ING OT{her}

23 Cold fruit flake (4)
CHIP - C HIP [cold | fruit]

26 A church provides one (3)
ACE - A CE [a | church]

Times 27153 - mostly 27a but more fun than shopping.

Times Cryptic No 27154 Thursday, 27 September 2018? Why, then, 'tis time to do't

Times Quick Cryptic No 1188 by Hurley

Times Quick Cryptic No 1189 by Izetti

Times 27,155: The Full Nelson

Saturday, 22 September 2018 - Times Cryptic No 27150. Pack round, people.

Jumbo 1343

Sunday Times 4817, by Jeff Pearce — Like a result in the night

Mephisto 3030 by Paul McKenna

Times 27157 - Everything but a Norwegian Blue

Times Quick Cryptic 1190 by Flamande

Monthly Club Special 20,216: Hoarse Beans and 20ac Bears

Times Quick Cryptic 1191 by Pedro

Times Cryptic 27158

Times Quick Cryptic No 1192 by Felix

Across

Down

Times 27135 - more Double Definitions than a topless beach ...

Times Quick Cryptic No 1193 by Mara

Times 27160 - Not Live From New York

Quick Cryptic 1194 by Rongo

Times 27,161: By Hooke Or By Crook