Times for the Times

This is the first wifi challenge on my travels - but when you've got views over Lake Macquarie you don't really need wifi - well, except to fulfil the duties of a QC blogger. Fortunately the very friendly and wifi-functional Wangi-Wangi public library has been my comfortable home for the 12 minutes it took to complete this entertaining Izetti. I was pleased to find this not such a stern challenge as I first feared as the library doesn't open until 2pm and the Melbourne Cup is being shown at the RSL at 3.

Minor hold ups included the location of miracles and 18dn which I approached from completely the wrong angle.

ACROSS

1. Leathered - beaten. Lead outside there.
6. Bee - insect. (BEE)f.
8. Liberal - generous. Artist (RA) inside defamation (LIBEL).
9. Forte - loud. Supporting (FOR), (TE)am.
10. Brain Teasers - problems. Anagram (around) of NASTIER BEARS.
12. Keep - double definition.
13. Inca - old ruler. Not all in Spa(IN CA)red.
17. Old Testament - ancient texts. Anagram (translated) of MODEST TALENT.
20. Knave - scoundrel. Homophone of nave.
21. Elapsed - slipped away. ED around LAPSE.
23. Toy - model. (TO)r(Y).
24. Take Heart - feel encouraged. Prerequisite for a heart transplant.

DOWN

1. Loll - relax. (LOLL)y.
2. Auberge - French hostelry. (AUBERG)in(E).
3. Her - that woman. (HER)o.
4. Relate - double definition.
5. Defeatism - giving up too easily. Anagram (somehow) of I SEEM DAFT.
6. Barge - double definition.
7. Even So - nevertheless. EVE, anagram (fantastic) of SON.
11. Implement - tool. Some s(IMPLE MENT)ality.
14. Canasta - game. A street (A ST) inside place with wedding feast (CANA). This was the location of the water into wine miracle (which I'm sure would be much appreciated at the RSL in a few minutes).
15. Rocket - double definition.
16. Streak - double definition.
18. Diary - log book. Girl (DI), a (A), line (RY- as in railway line). I was looking for a 5 letter girl's name for a while.
19. Adit - passage to mine. Notice (AD), IT. The going down may indicate that the IT is under the AD.
22. Ash - double definition.

A fairly straightforward puzzle today, I thought, which included several "hidden" type clues - one of which I found to be particularly well disguised at 10ac.

The parsing of 18ac might hold people up for a short while, albeit the answer pretty much jumps out from the definition and enumeration. No real obscurities, although some might not have come across the prophet (I happened to remember him from Sunday School where, as irreverent 10 year olds, me and my mates were quite amused by his unorthodox matrimonial circumstances).

Thanks to Dazzler for an enjoyable offering.

Definitions underlined; DD = double definition; anagrams indicated by *(--)

Across
1	Bound to be included in revealing sports event (11)
	SHOWJUMPING - JUMP (bound) is 'included in' SHOWING (revealing)
9	Calm period - as is seen after end of aggro (5)
	OASIS - O (end of aggrO) + AS IS. I'd always thought of an oasis as a place of calm rather than a period of calm, but it can apparently also be used to describe a calm interval in an otherwise hectic time
10	Snob appearing in novel? It is true! (7)
	ELITIST - Cunningly disguised hidden (which broadly translates as "took me an age to spot it") in novEL IT IS True, with 'appearing' indicating we are looking for this kind of clue
11	Leaders holding trial: crazy people (9)
	HEADCASES - HEADS (leaders) 'holding' CASE (trial)
13	The female appearing amongst others (3)
	HER - Hidden inside otHERs, again with 'appearing' serving as our signpost. Today's gimme
14	Worry after theatre shows same play again? (6)
	REPEAT - REP (theatre) + EAT (worry - as in gnaw away at)
16	In the middle of change it's mad (6)
	AMIDST - *(ITS MAD) with "change" as the anagrind
17	Arrest outlaw on way back (3)
	NAB - Reversal of BAN (outlaw - as a verb)
18	Refusal, we hear, by one unbelievable smart alec (4-2-3)
	KNOW IT ALL - KNOW (sounds like - we hear - "no", being a refusal) + I (one) + TALL (unbelievable - as in a tall story)
21	Opera song about area mainly in US state (7)
	ARIZONA - ZONE (area mainly -i.e. without its last letter) 'in' ARIA (opera song)
23	To have an irritating effect can be wicked, we hear (5)
	GRATE - And another homophone - sounds like "great", which equates to 'wicked' in the parlance of people younger than me (thus speaks a man who was once told he was not cool enough to use the word "cool" - ah well...)
24	His poor help upset Isaac Newton, perhaps (11)
	PHILOSOPHER - *(HIS POOR HELP) with "upset" as the anagrind. The celebrated mathematician and scientist does not make it into The Bruce's Philosophers Song - my standard reference source for philosophers - but in his day he was referred to as a "natural philosopher".

Down
2	Prophet in OT book has house overlooking Galilee, say (5)
	HOSEA - HO (standard abbreviation of house) + SEA (Galilee being an example)
3	We must accept one's attempt to make joke (9)
	WISECRACK - W(IS)E - We 'accepting' is - plus CRACK (attempt - go on son, 'ave a crack...)
4	Guides containing no hints at the front for employers (5)
	USERS - The H is removed (no hints at the front) from USHERS (guides)
5	Horse caught by one Greek character or another (3)
	PHI - H (abbreviation for horse in certain quarters - including, notably, crossword setters) - 'caught by' PI (one Greek letter) giving another Greek letter
6	Sounded like filly agitated in hedge (7)
	NEIGHED - *(IN HEDGE) with "agitated" as the anagrind
7	Minor wealth? That's oddly sort of relative (6-2-3)
	MOTHER IN LAW - *(MINOR WEALTH) with "that's oddly" as the anagrind
8	Novelist could be a liar (11)
	STORYTELLER - Not quite a DD - more a case of a faintly cryptic secondary definition, I believe - not that it makes any difference...
12	Epitomizingjudge's review of evidence (7-2)
	SUMMING UP - ... whereas this one truly is a straight DD
15	Issue in boozer is between landlady originally and husband (7)
	PUBLISH - PUB (boozer) + IS between first letter (originally) of Landlady and H (husband)
19	Standards of behaviour abandoned by millions in exams (5)
	ORALS - M (millions) "abandons"MORALS (standards of behaviour)
20	Saw part of broad agenda (5)
	ADAGE - And another hidden (indicated by 'part of') in broAD AGEnda
22	Bird dog's cry initially ignored (3)
	OWL - First letter removed (initially ignored) from HOWL (dog's cry)

I tackled this on a sunny afternoon under "exam conditions" and was surprised to find I had finished it just with the 20 minutes, with all parsed, although 4d and 6d were from wordplay alone until I checked them afterwards. The long clues at 1a and 28a went in quickly, making the rest easier. No doubt you brave contestants in London were lulled into a sense of unwarranted optimism; I suspect the next few are not so gentle. It seems they're coming along every Wednesday so I have the short straw. Apologies to those who already sat the exam.

Across
1	DO ONES LEVEL BEST - DOONE'S = Lorna's, LEVEL = flat, BEST = second to none; D make the maximum effort.
9	LETTING ON - DD.
10	CLUNG - C(ONSERVATIVE), LUNG = organ; D held on.
11	AGORAS - AGO = previously, RAS(H) = reckless, curtailed; D Greek markets. I'd have thought the plural of agora should be agores, but apparently not in English.
12	MATERIEL - MATE = ally, R = end of war, I E - that is, L = left; D military stuff. A French word adopted into English for this meaning only.
13	DIETER - DETER = put off, stuff in I (end of salami); D &lit.
15	TOUCHING - DD; moving as in emotional, on as in 'in contact with'.
18	BROUHAHA - BROU sounds like BREW = plan, cook up. HAHA = laughter. D uproar. Curious, I looked up the etymology, which is doubtful, beyond the French; possibly from Hebrew words to do with noisy welcomes.
19	STONED - I see this as STD for standard, insert ONE for joke, as in 'you are a one'; D wasted.
21	SPINSTER - PINS for skittles, inside STER(N) for endlessly demanding; D she's unmatched.
23	DARKEN - (N)ARK = nameless informer, inside DEN = retreat; D dim.
26	IVORY - OR = gold, inside IVY = climber; D tooth.
27	DUNSTABLE - D for DUKE, UNSTABLE = not firmly settled, D English town. In my haste I first put in D ON CASTER thinking on a caster would be unsettled, but the checker from 24d made me think again; the right answer is better.
28	TOSSING THE CABER - (SCOTS HATE BEING)*, R = introduction of Rare; D Highland fling. Nice and easy.

Down
1	DULLARD - LUD = lord, as in M'Lud; sent up = reversed; LARD = fat; D stupid.
2	OUTDO - OUT = available, DO = make; D best, as in beat.
3	ELIZABETH - Port Elizabeth in South Africa; Elizabeth David, superb cookery writer (French Provincial Cooking remains a classic); DD.
4	LOGE - LOG = tree trunk, E = eucalyptus primarily; D box, a loge is a private box e.g. in a theatre.
5	VINDALOO - VINO for wine, insert O LAD (old boy) reversed; D hot dish.
6	LUCRE - Insert R (last for eveR) into LUCE (alternative name for a pike); D tin, money.
7	ERUDITION - Insert RU (game) into EDITION (version); D learning.
8	TAGALOG - TAG (label) A, LOG (record); D Asian language. I spent a week diving in the Philippines once, and never understood a word of Tagalog, but it sounded nice.
14	EMOTICONS - (ECONOMIST)*; D smileys, for example; ☺ ☺ ☺
16	CATHARTIC - CATH is the lady, ARTIC(ULATED) lorry, D effecting release.
17	SHEEPDOG - (SPEED HOG)*' D one could redirect.
18	BASSIST - B(ook); ASSIST = second; D musician.
20	DANSEUR - (SUNDAE)*, R for right; D Pavlova's partner.
22	STYLI - STYLIST is the hairdresser; remove the second ST; D needles, e.g. once used in record players.
24	KEBAB - BABE = gorgeous girl, add K for king; flip to reverse; D dish.
25	INCH - Hidden word in plaIN CHocolate; D small amount.

Solving time : 10:32, but a lazy typo is keeping me off the leaderboard. Interesting puzzle this one, it is not too difficult, and I expect a lot of the longer answers will be susceptible to biffing. It is a pangram, but that didn't help me in solving, as most of the outlier letters went in pretty quickly.

There are also no direct anagrams! I can't think of a daily where there haven't been any at all - there are a few partial anagrams. In all the wordplay is exceptionally sound, the sort of puzzle that is straightforward to blog. I was very impressed by 8 down with tricky wordplay and an excellent surface.

Away we go....

Across
1	DISCIPLINE: P, LINE(score) after DISC,1
6	LAZE: sounds like LAYS
9	MALEVOLENT: MALE and then we'll take the middle away from VOL-au-vENT
10	JUNE: two bits of French here, JE(I) holding UN(a)
12	BRIGHT AND EARLY: RIGHT(proper) with BAN(outlaw), DEARLY(much) surrounding it
14	ABOARD: ABROAD with the R moved
15	FOOTPATH: FOOT(pay the cost of), P, AT, H
17	FRONTIER: N, in FR(French),O,TIER(level). Glad I didn't have to know the name of the French version of O-Level - is it Baccalaureate?
19	BEACON: or BE A CON
22	THELONIOUS MONK: (IN,HOTEL)* then MONK(brother) after O,US
24	HOAX: H, and OX holding A
25	COTTONTAIL: TT(crosswordlands favorite races) inside (LOCATION)*
26	DOES: DOPES missing a P
27	MENDICANCY: D,ICY(showing no warmth) around CAN, with MEN(people) at the start

Down
1	DUMB: Take the end off of DUMBO
2	SALERNO: SR(sister) containing ALE then NO
3	IN,V,I,GO,RATION
4	L,O,LIT(books),A: The Russian-American being Nabokov. I used to work with a Nabokov scholar, who recently passed away, and was friends with his wife and translator, Vera, until her death
5	NON-UNION: NUN,1 in NOON
7	AQUARIA: A QUAR~~(t)~~ then A1 reversed
8	EVERYTHING: VERY THIN inside EG
11	WEST GERMANIC: WE and then C~~(elebrate)~~ after (MASTERING)*
13	FAR-FETCHED: double definition
16	SEMITONE: TIMES(a national newspaper) reversed then ONE
18	O~~(ut)~~,PE,RATE
20	CONTAIN: CON(Tory), then alternating letters in TeAm, IN(elected)
21	HUNTED: an old German in drainpipe trousers could be a HUN TED
23	CLAY: hidden reversed in roYAL Castle

Morning all

Thanks to jacktt for stepping last week in at the last minute when I was longer at the hospital than I should have been. Back today with Grumpy and a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle that I think will please most people. Lots of different devices but everything was accessible and no obscurities. The mark of a good setter for me is when there is no padding in the clues, and that is certainly the case today. For me, probably the most enjoyable quickie for a while.

As I was solving it, two quotations came to mind. I'll share them as we go....

ACROSS
8 ORATION - O (first letter, i.e. Leader of Opposition) + RATION (helping of food). Speech is the definition.
9 ON CUE - When expected is the definition. ONCE (formerly) around U (university).
10 SALAD - Healthy meal is the definition. SA (AS rejected, i.e. reversed) + LAD (young fellow).
11 EXCERPT - The definition is selected passage. EXCEPT (bar, other than) around R (right).
12 NEWGATE - The name of an old London prison is the definition. A wordsum. NEW (modern) + GATE (entrance).
14 KNELL - Sad sound is the main definition, and it's a homophone of the name of Dickens' creation in The Old Curiosity Shop about whom Oscar Wilde observed: “One must have a heart of stone to read the death of little Nell without laughing.”
15 TIMES - A double definition. The results used to determine the winner of a race is the name of the newspaper we all love. Well, most of us.
17 MASONRY - One of my favourites today. Beautifully crafted, like the clue.
MARY (Madonna) with SON (child) inside (in) and the stonework is the name of the craft. Very nice.
19 CANTEEN - Another double definition. Where people eat at work is where the posh people keep their cutlery.
20 BASIC - An anagram (somehow) of ABC IS gives a word meaning fundamental.
22 NIECE - The name of the (Southern) French resort goes around (overwhelming) E (English) to give the name of a relative.
23 TANGIER - A double definition. A word meaning with more piquancy is also the name of an African city, and not as some would have it with an 'S' on the end.

DOWN
1 TOPS - A double definition. A word for spinning objects is a slang word for excellent or the best.
2 CALLOW - A word meaning immature, often used in a phrase to describe young men, can women be callow? COW (beast) with ALL (everything) inside (eating).
3 KIND - Another double definition. A word meaning benevolent is also one that means sort or type.
4 INDETERMINATE - Being uncertain is the definition. An anagram (out) of DINE plus TERMINATE (stop).
5 HOT CAKES - A way of describing something that sells well is the definition. An anagram (jumbled in) of OAK CHEST.
6 ACCRUE - A word that means build up (esp in accountancy) sounds like the name of a team or gang.
7 MENTALLY - A wordsum. MEN (people) + TALLY (correspond) = by telepathy.
12 NOTICING - An anagram (being ordered) of GIN, TONIC is a word that means aware of.
13 ANSWERED - Hidden in 'HISTORIANS WERE DULY" isa word that means acknowledged.
16 MONKEY - Primate is the definition. M (mass) + ON + KEY (small island, think Florida).
18 NESSIE - An affectionate name for a certain famous master is the definition. An anagram of IS SEEN.
20 BUNK - A double definition. A word meaning rubbish is also somewhere to sleep. The other famous quotation was by Henry Ford when he described history as this.
21 CURS A word that means to swear minus its last letter is the name for scoundrels.

I'll see you next week!

Another Friday quickie which left me going through the alphabet to get the last one after everything else had gone in fairly easily. Even after deciding that it had to be ATOM, it took a while for the wordplay to make sense; perfectly clear now, of course. The award for the word which seems to appear more in crosswords than it ever does in real life goes, today, to TOTE.

Across
1	FIRM - company; producer of cones = FIR beside motorway = M
4	RECORDER - instrument; note = C inside again request = REORDER
8	PASSOVER - double definition
9	ATOM - not much material; an encyclopaedia split into two volumes would be A to M and N to Z, the contents of the first being A TO M
10	TENNER - note; homophone (vocally produced) of male singer = TENOR
11	LARKIN - English poet; mostly fooling = LARKIN(G)
12	GENERATION GAP - problem for the family unit; double definition, one cryptic
16	TISSUE - paper; time = T, to give out = ISSUE
17	TWENTY - a score; melted away = WENT in second half for city = TY
19	FETA - cheese; hidden in bufFET Always
20	INTREPID - brave; anagram (messed about with) of DINER and TIP
21	STUD FARM - horse-breeding establishment; boss = STUD, distant = FAR, male = M
22	TIED - bound; initial letters (only just starting) of To Irritate Experienced Deliverymen

Down
2	IMAGE - portrait; I am = IM, mature = AGE
3	MISUNDERSTAND - read wrongly; anagram (rewriting) of MISS REDUNDANT
4	ROVER - someone wandering about; run = R, across = OVER
5	CORELLI - Italian composer; centre = CORE, badly set up = LLI ( ill backwards )
6	REARRANGEMENT - change of plan; anagram (working) of ENTER MANAGER, following right = R
7	EROTICA - dirty pictures; ripped up = EROT, (tore backwards) by Institute of Contemporary Arts = ICA
10	TAG - chasing game; heading off male deer = (S)TAG
13	EVIDENT - obvious; I had = ID, in incident = EVENT
14	AMERICA - the States; a = A, married = M, girl = ERICA
15	PLY - work steadily; college once, not wanting second = P(O)LY
17	TOTEM - tribal symbol; to carry = TOTE over head of monarch = M
18	TWINE - wind; turbine’s first = T on Madeira, say = WINE

Very quickly this morning as I've got to catch a lift up to Derbyshire where I'm partaking in a weekend of murder mystery play readthroughs including the title role in Oedipus Rex, you know, because I wasn't busy enough already. Fortunately for my schedule this was atypically, nay phenomenally easy for a puzzle this late in the week: I did it on paper in noisy surroundings but still had it done in 6 minutes.

8d FOI, 7d LOI, glad to have been able to biff 22ac from S_M at the end, and to have come across 3dn in another puzzle within the last year or two. Lots of very genial clues, not sure if any will prove very controversial, but let's find out in the comments below. Thanks setter, and now, over to you lot!

Across
1	GUMPTION - common sense: P [quietly], GUM TI ON [stick \| it "back" \| on] "outside"
5	MOSAIC - decorative artwork: MO SA I C [instant \| appeal \| I \| caught]
10	MANIFESTO - policy statement: AN IF [a condition] + (SET*) ["out"] in MO [second]
11	TATTY - unkempt: homophone ["we hear"] of TATTIE ["Murphy for one", i.e. a spud]
12	DYER - one changing colour: D{rear}Y ["extremely"] + ER [I hesitate to say]
13	SACRILEGE - profanation: SAC [accountant's, i.e. CA'S, "recalled"] + E.G. [say] in RILE [anger]
15	CLAVICHORD - instrument: (OLD VICAR*) ["transported"] round CH [church]
17	CARD - double def: possibly a club / eccentric
19	ETNA - mountain: reverse of {d}ANTE [poet "from the east""loses daughter"]
20	ANTISOCIAL - disruptive: (CAT IS A LION*) ["on the rampage"]
22	CHEONGSAM - Chinese dress: CHE SAM [revolutionary \| woman] "carrying" ON G [about \| grand]
24	EDGY - irritable: D.G. [BBC boss] "cutting" EY{e} [viewer "short"]
26	OLIVE - woman: reverse of ["setback for"] EVIL O [wicked \| old]
27	WINDBLOWN - dishevelled: WIND [orchestra members] + BLOWN [how their (wind) instruments are played]
28	LEGEND - double def: celebrity / traditional story
29	GRANDSON - young relative: ON [performing] with R [king] in G AND S [light opera]

Down
1	GAME - single def (?): ducks and drakes is a game, and ducks and drakes are game birds
2	MONEY-LAUNDERING - illegal activity: for which "cleaning brass" is a punny definition
3	TAFFRAIL - (something) at stern of vessel: TAFF RAIL [Welsh river \| bird]
4	OASIS - area of calm: AS in OIS{e} [French department "mostly"]
6	OXTAIL - (something) in the soup: for which "a neat end" is a punny definition
7	AS THE SAYING GOES - according to proverb: (EASY*) ["awfully"] "to stop" AS THING GOES [when \| obsession \| departs]
8	CLYDESDALE - horse: (LADY'S LED*) ["confused"] into CE [church]
9	CONCERTI - works: ONCE RT [formerly \| right] "for introduction into" CI [Channel Islands]
14	SCREECH OWL - bird: H ["beginning to" H{ide}] in COWL [cover] under SCREE [loose stones]
16	HANDSAWS - cutters: HAND SAW S [worker \| observed \| "first of" S{everal}]
18	HONEYBUN - sweetheart: H ["initially" H{aving}] + ONE BUN [little bread] "fed by" Y [Y{outh} "leader"]
21	INTERN - medic: TE [note] "penned by" IN RN [popular \| navy]
23	MINOR - youngster: "from" {Sale}M IN OR{egon}
25	ANON - unidentified writer: AN [article] about NO [traditional drama]

Solved online in 11:57, so fairly easy despite the high GK content. I suppose it's one where you either know the words or you don't, as there was also some tricky vocab (KABADDI, SERAI, BDELLIUM), what must be a near-record 4 people (KEPLER, LISZT, NIXON, YEATS) and two plants (LEYLANDII, GENISTA). Still, I'd expect most regular solvers to know most if not all of them, and there were quite a few faster genuine times than mine on the leaderboard. Oh, and I forgot to mention that it's also a pangram, so thanks to smicks1 (and congratulations on the run of good form, keep it up).

Across
1	Contact sport Islamic judge holds undesirable (7)
	KABADDI - KADI (Islamic judge) around BAD (undesirable). I remember seeing this on TV years ago (maybe World of Sport on ITV, or early Channel 4). Very popular in India and Pakistan, it's basically a game of tag, where players from each side take it in turns to try and touch one of the opposition and return to their half, without taking a breath and saying KABADDI-KABADDI-KABADDI all the time.
5	Reveal in error using grams for tons where one may be caught out (3,4)
	LEG SLIP - LET SLIP (reveal in error) with the T(ons) replaced by G(rams). A cricket fielding position.
9	Forecast of programme numbers is to follow (9)
	PROGNOSIS - PROG(ramme) + NOS (numbers) + IS.
10	Nothing working for disgraced politician (5)
	NIXON - NIX (nothing) + ON (working). American president brought down by the Watergate scandal in 1974.
11	Provide last with no end for cobbler (5)
	ENDUE - ENDURE (last) without the R (no end of cobbler).
12	Elderly mother mostly suffering during parade (9)
	MATRIARCH - TRIA(l) (mostly suffering) inside MARCH (parade).
13	20-style vehicle unlike any other, failing to start around valleys (13)
	CARNIVALESQUE - CAR (vehicle) + (u)NIQUE (unlike any other, failing to start), around VALES (valleys).
17	One trying locally in redevelopment to just direct dig (8,5)
	DISTRICT JUDGE - (just direct dig)*.
21	What’s often used for boundaries, ideally in taking on new layout (9)
	LEYLANDII - (ideally in)*, but I'm pretty sure they no longer in fashion as they've been the cause of many neighbourhood disputes.
24	South-eastern Arabic music for khan (5)
	SERAI - SE (south-eastern) + RAI (Arabic music).
25	Sleep during sex is unseemly (5)
	INAPT - NAP (sleep) inside IT (sex).
26	Not immoral about old lacking representation (9)
	VOICELESS - VICELESS (not immoral) around O(ld).
27	Fur’s an essential if covering chest over (7)
	MUSKRAT - MUST (an essential) around ARK (chest) reversed.
28	Shrub that’s regularly green is provided by volunteers (7)
	GENISTA - alternate letters of GREEN + IS + TA (Territorial Army, volunteers). A shrub more commonly known as broom.

Down
1	King always holds place for astronomer (6)
	KEPLER - K(ing) + E'ER (always) around PL(ace). German astronomer (1571-1630), best known for his laws of planetary motion.
2	What’s helpful with common weeds in rough country (9)
	BOONDOCKS - BOON (what's helpful) + DOCKS (common weeds).
3	Ballerina’s partner regrets nothing when too short in lifting (7)
	DANSEUR - RUES NAD(a) (regrets nothing when too short), reversed. An old friend from this year's Championship ("Pavlova's partner? Fudge sundae, right").
4	One manic son unfortunately is not sleeping (9)
	INSOMNIAC - (I manic son)*.
5	Record includes an unknown composer (5)
	LISZT - LIST (record) around Z (an unknown).
6	Real information on audiences found to be regularly lacking (7)
	GENUINE - GEN (information) + alternate letters of aUdIeNcEs.
7	A measure of illumination men found in ancient Egyptian city (5)
	LUXOR - LUX (a measure of illumination, 1 lumen/m²) + OR (men).
8	We help in transporting firework (8)
	PINWHEEL - (we help in)*.
14	A daughter marrying next door (9)
	ADJOINING - A + D(aughter) + JOINING (marrying).
15	See nurse running after question: “vaguely unwell feeling?” (9)
	QUEERNESS - (see nurse)* after Q(uestion).
16	Bishop pondered over introducing iodine and resin used as incense (8)
	BDELLIUM - B(ishop) + MULLED (pondered) reversed, around I(odine).
18	An American’s very corrupt over local estate agent (7)
	REALTOR - REAL (an American's "very") + ROT (corrupt) reversed.
19	See and record short-tailed eagle (7)
	DISCERN - DISC (record) + ERN(e) (short-tailed eagle).
20	Some selfies taken to show holiday (6)
	FIESTA - hidden in "selfies taken". Also helps to define 13ac.
22	Support given over including English poet (5)
	YEATS - STAY (support) reversed, around E(nglish). WB Yeats, an Irish poet.
23	Use up time over video which may be launched by club (5)
	DIVOT - T(ime) + O(ver) + VID(eo), all reversed.

As I mentioned a while ago, this blog was first started by Pete Biddlecombe on 3rd December 2005, so we're going to try to have a party in London on Saturday 5th December to celebrate (I don't think a Thursday night would be suitable). I've had a word with the manager of The George Inn at Southwark (same place we went to during and after the Times Crossword Championships), and although he can't let us have exclusive use of the room that close to Christmas, he's happy to host the event and has agreed to reserve a few tables for the afternoon. It's an ideal spot about 100 yards from London Bridge tube station, and just around the corner from the Times offices.

I'll be getting there about midday and will hope to see a lot of you during the afternoon and evening. Everyone's invited and I hope there'll be a few setters and bloggers (or sloggers and betters) turning up. The invitation's also extended to everyone at Fifteensquared and Big Dave's blogs so we should get a good crowd of crossword enthusiasts.

There's also a small satellite event planned in New York City being organized by paul_in_london, vinyl1 and oliviarhinebeck, so if anyone else who's going to be on the US East Coast then wants to meet up with them, drop Paul a message on LJ for the details.

Let me know if you're planning to come along so I get an idea of numbers.

Apologies for the somewhat late posting - I've been travelling today.

As always, * indicates an anagram.

Across
1	ZEBEDEE - ZEE around BEDE
5	DOTCOMMER - sounds like dot + comma, which together form a semicolon - hence '; quoted?'
10	ISIS - the Egyptian goddess ISIS was both the wife and the SISter of Osiris
14	ATTENTION SPAN - ATTENTION (sounds like 'a tension') + SPAN
15	NESTORIUS - (son is true)*. This 5th-century archbishop of Constantinople was new to me
16	HANDBARROW - HAND + BAR + ROW
17	RENEGOTIATE - RENE + GOT + I + ATE
18	SKILL - S, + KILL (indicated by 'while away', as in 'kill time')
19	PREMIER CRU - (rum recipe)* around R
21	JULIET - LIE in JUT
23	FUNNY HA-HA - last letters of 'if you run down any', + HA-HA. FUNNY HA-HA as opposed to FUNNY PECULIAR
25	EAT UP - hEAT UP
26	ASHFORD - hidden in areA'S HF OR Digital
28	THE PARTY'S OVER - THE + P + ARTY + SO + VERy
31	OUT WITH IT - OUTWIT + HIT
33	POPULATED - P + (due to pal)*
35	APPLE OF THE EYE - double indication
37	LAY DOWN - LAY + DOWN
38	NOUNS - NOUS around N
40	MILLBOARD - L + BOAR, in MILD
42	SEDATE - S + E, + DATE
44	RATTLETRAP - RAT-TRAP (answer to 20dn), around LET
46	RALLY - double definition ('over the Net' here refers to tennis)
48	DISNEYESQUE - DI's + N + EYES + QUE
50	DRAG QUEENS - DRAG, + QUEEN'S (college)
52	TASMAN SEA - (steam as an)*
53	SPIN-THE-BOTTLE - SPIN ('Dress up', as in 'put a spin on'), + THE BOTTLE
54	HIDE - 'villain doctor turned to when speaking' indicates that HIDE sounds like 'Hyde', as in the novel 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'
55	ICED LOLLY - ICED ('American finished off', i.e. killed), + LOLLY (like 'bread', a slang term for money)
56	SHEA NUT - (EU hasn't)*

Down
1	ZEAL - Z ('some value'), + alternate (even) letters of 'detail'
2	BATTALION - BAT + TA + LION
3	DON'T DILLY-DALLY ON THE WAY - a quotation from the song 'My old man said follow the van'
4	EPICARP - EPIC + CARP, with the C shared between the two words
5	DONER KEBABS - (d breaks bone)*
6	TYPEWRITE - geT ~~priorit~~Y + PEW + RITE
7	OWNER - dOWNER
8	MA NON TROPPO - MANON, + (op port) reversed
9	RESIGN - S in REIGN
11	SHIKARI - HI + K, in SARI
12	SUSPECTED - S + US + PEC + TED
13	NOT TOUCH WITH A BARGEPOLE - cryptic indication
18	SOFT-TOP - SOFT + TOP
20	RAT-TRAP - (part + tar), reversed
22	WASTEFUL - (a few lust)*
24	ANTITANK - hidden in barbariAN TITAN Known
27	OCHRE - chore, with O moved to the front
29	EMPTY - (my pet)*
30	VIADUCT - sounds like 'vier [one who vies] ducked'
32	TUESDAY - Wed(nesday) comes after Tue(sday)
34	DON PASQUALE - SQUAd, in DON + PALE
36	ELMER GANTRY - E~~poxy~~ R~~esin~~, in ELM + GANTRY
37	LAST-DITCH - LAST + DITCH
39	SEED DRILL - SEE + DD + RILL
41	ARLINGTON - (to large inn)*
43	DISUSED - U in DISSED
45	PIQUETS - PIQUE, + st reversed
47	SENSEI - SENSE + I
49	EASEL - EASE + ~~genera~~L
51	NEXT - X in NET

It was pointed out last week that there had been three rather straightforward Mephistos in a row. I think this one breaks the run, and I can see two reasons why.

- the grid construction is intriguing, effectively breaking the puzzle up into four quadrants without a great deal of overlap. I found myself working on one quadrant before moving on to the next. The unching, as you would expect from the Mephisto setters, is impeccable, but you really need to get some answers other than the four twelve-letter entries to get helpful checking letters

- the definitions are more crafty than they have been in recent weeks, with a number of the better buried definitions in Chambers seeing some use. I had to look up far more of the answers to confirm definitions and wordplay than I had in the previous few weeks.

Paul McKenna has treated us to another clue in French, oddly enough for a Latin word with wordplay being military slang from a French phrase. It seems I like these flourishes more than my colleagues here, maybe because it gives me a chance to trot out the Australian Schoolboy French I learned in the 80s that has made me the laughing stock of Francophones and Quebecois alike.

Away we go...

Across
1	BRIDLE: IDLE(mothballed) after BR
6	SWEETS: STEWS reversed with E inside
10	LOVE(no score),CH,ARM(projection)
12	S,MATTER
13	RETRO: hidden reversed in fOR TERrific
14	TETH: N out of TETH (which makes the 9th letter, according to Chambers)
16	PEE(go),OY(grandchild)
17	NISEIS: IN reversed then SEIS(finback whales)
18	DECONSECRATE: anagram of (ART,DECO,SCENE) - I was rather taken with this clue and its extended defitnition
20	ON AND ON AND ON: Three ON's containing two AND's. I wonder if Paul McKenna was listening to ABBA at the time
24	E(spain),'N',DURO
25	ELDER: WELDER missing the first letter of W~~(alnut)~~
28	C~~(hairs)~~,ANY(to some extent): I didn't know the technique of wrapping thin paper around wire was called Lloyd Loom, so you learn something every month. On their website they call it "neither cane nor wicker" so I guess a companion clue to this could have the answer WICKERY
29	ERICA: ERIC is the fine and there are duplicate A's in HAYWARD
30	TSETSES: SET(regular),SES~~(h)~~ after T
31	MISCREEDS: sounds like READS after MISC
32	AWHEEN: A, then WHEE~~(l)~~ - 19th definition of WHEEL In chambers is a refrain, then N
33	SORELY: SLY surrounding ORE(seaweed)

Down
1	BUSTED: double definition, one chesty
2	ROME-PENNY: (MEN,PREY,ON)*
3	IRATE: PIRATE(appropriate) missing the P
4	LOTION: LOON(rascal) containing IT reversed - chambers has LOTION as a washing (obsolete)
5	EVERY SO OFTEN: EEN(evening) containing VERY SOFT containing O(round)
6	SERENENESSES: RES reversed then (SEE,SENSE) surrounding N. That's a lot of N's, S's and E's in a word
7	EHED: HE in ED
8	EAT LEAD: EAT(mess, a verb) then LEAD(van) - GO WEST in this case means to die
9	SMOUSE: 'S, MOUSE(seventh definition in Chambers, a handle of beef). But does he slap his elbow?
11	C,RAI,C: RAI is pop music from Africa
15	RITORNELL: anagram of STEAM-ROLLERING less GAMES
19	CADDISH: DISH(looker) underneath R(take) removed from CARD
20	OEDEMA: AME reversed after OED
21	DR,EAR(till, plough)
22	ALBEDO: L(IVR code for Luxembourg) covered in A, BED, O
23	NAYSAY: anagram of ANY, then SAY - a fabric like serge
26	EASLE: L in EASE - the bard in this case is Robert Burns
27	ECCE: RECCE(reconnaissance) minus R pour la fin

15:37. I remember finding this mostly easy, but then getting quite seriously held up by a few at the end. However I can’t now remember which ones! The unknown 13dn was one of them.

I thought there might be a bit of a theme here: the words GRANDSTANDING PRIVATE MEMBER and OBSCENE HEARSAY reminded me of the recent activities of a particular British politician, but perhaps that’s just me.

Across
1	Hard for bishop in party to get dope
	HASH - H (hard) replacing B (bishop) in BASH (party).
4	Not satisfying in the Civil Service: little power and total change
	CLEAN SWEEP - C(LEAN)S, WEE, P.
9	Showing off excellent upright?
	GRANDSTANDING - GRAND, STANDING. What attention-seeking politicians on select committees do in a desperate and transparent attempt to get on the telly.
10	Small tree cultivated in Bosnia
	BONSAI - (BOSNIA)*.
11	Element in some degree outflanking Athenian
	ANTIMONY - TIMON of Athens inside ANY.
12	Extra games not available in Toys
	PLAY-OFFS - PLAY(OFF)S. I’m not sure what PLAY-OFFS are, but from my time in Canada I have picked up that in the context of the Stanley Cup they are a thing, and that they are quite important in some way that remains unclear to me. The Leafs always seem to be doing badly in them, if they're in them, which sometimes they aren't.
14	Both parents carrying a new hat
	PANAMA - P(A, N)A, MA.
15	See about opening back shed regularly
	EVENLY - E(VENt)LY. ELY for ‘see’ is a crossword staple. Very useful for adverbs.
17	Views over wings
	OPINIONS - O, PINIONS. I am more familiar with PINION as a verb.
19	Gunners wearing some ties for colourful displays
	RAINBOWS - RA (Royal Artillery, gunners) IN BOWS.
21	Loose top on teenager? Right, this
	T-SHIRT - (T~~eenager~~, R, THIS)*. &Lit.
23	Backbencher’s organ not normally on display
	PRIVATE MEMBER - fnarr fnarr.
24	Great Danes barking in eateries outside
	TEA GARDENS - (GREAT DANES)*.
25	Weight of ladder reported
	TARE - sounds like ‘tear’. I think I knew this unit of weight, but only vaguely.

Down
2	Trouble since taking in former King
	AGGRO - AG(GR)O.
3	Talk, for example supporting shooting hare
	HEARSAY - (HARE)*, SAY.
4	Insect is fine left in kitchen container
	CADDIS FLY - CADD(IS, F, L)Y.
5	After dropping a ball, Paterson bowled over in nets
	ENTRAPS - (PATERSoN)*.
6	Given a turn, ten having taken the stage? One too many!
	NONET - reversal of TEN, ON. I’m not really sure where the definition is here, or if there is one, but the idea is that ten would be one too many for a NONET.
7	American writer in western hired gun
	WHITMAN - W, HITMAN.
8	Call a number up about Golf driver
	ENGINEMAN - reversal of NAME, NI(G)NE. Not a term I knew, but perfectly guessable.
13	Old tomato and duck on cooker?
	LOVE APPLE - LOVE (nil, duck) on APPLE, of which cooker is an example. An unknown term that caused me some trouble.
14	Short of a close catcher, to be blunt
	POINTLESS - POINT is a fielding position near the batsman, so if you’re short of one you’re POINTLESS.
16	Lots of relatives close to bustling Chinese city
	NANKING - NAN, KIN (lots of relatives), ~~bustlin~~G.
17	Old boy’s view is disgusting
	OBSCENE - OB, SCENE.
18	Occupy fashionable, prime part of Hampstead? Rather!
	INHABIT - IN, H~~ampstead~~, A BIT.
20	Live in Ohio next to the pits, out of centre
	ON AIR - O, NAdIR.
22	Stranger in large car touring region briefly
	RARER - RR (Rolls Royce) containing AREa.

I thought this puzzle contained a good selection of surface readings, with the difficulty level on the easy side.

The crossword can be found here if the usual channels are unavailable: http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20151109/10789/

Definitions are underlined.

Across
1	Children not keen on first part of The Four Seasons (9)
	OFFSPRING - OFF (not keen on) + SPRING (first part of The Four Seasons)
6	Piano work, music youngsters like? (3)
	POP - P (Piano) + OP (work). As a fortysomething who still listens to a-Ha and OMD, I suppose that makes me a youngster.
8	Fury as old car fails to start (5)
	ANGER - {b}ANGER (old car fails to start, i.e. "banger" without its first letter)
9	Sycophantic knight, we hear, horrid (7)
	SERVILE - homophone (we hear) of SIR (knight), + VILE (horrid)
10	What leaderless school must do to make progress (3,5)
	GET AHEAD - a leaderless school must GET A HEAD(master/mistress)
11	Don't eatquickly (4)
	FAST - double definition
13	Strongly criticise country's Christmas fare? (5,6)
	ROAST TURKEY - ROAST (Strongly criticise) + TURKEY (country)
17	Cuts of meat reduced in butchers' shops for a start (4)
	RIBS - initial letters (for a start) of Reduced In Butchers' Shops
18	Reach old ruined town in NW England (8)
	ROCHDALE - anagram (ruined) of REACH OLD. Lisa Stansfield is perhaps Rochdale's most famous pop export.
21	Less than 50%? Absolutely right (3,4)
	NOT HALF - literally, less than 50% is NOT HALF
22	Expected almost everyone to attend American university (5)
	USUAL - AL{l} (almost everyone, i.e. "all" without its last letter) after US (American) + U (university)
23	Three lakes containing fish (3)
	EEL - hidden (containing) in ThrEE Lakes
24	TV compere now introduces member of the royal family (9)
	PRESENTER - PRESENT (now) + ER (member of the royal family)

Down
1	Fruit cultivated in Gerona (6)
	ORANGE - anagram (cultivated) of GERONA, with the surface reading presumably referring to the Spanish/Catalan name for the city that the English would call Girona. The setter could equally have used Gerano, a township near Rome, or Nagore in India.
2	Aggressive action causing alarm? Not right (5)
	FIGHT - F{r}IGHT (alarm? Not right, i.e. "fright" without the letter r)
3	Buy bag containing tea (8)
	PURCHASE - PURSE (bag) containing CHA (tea)
4	Cafe isn't often brewing potentially hot drink (7,6)
	INSTANT COFFEE - anagram (brewing) of CAFE ISN'T OFTEN
5	Female left oil installation, heading north (4)
	GIRL - reversal (heading north) of L (left) + RIG (oil installation)
6	Apea man of the cloth (7)
	PRIMATE - double definition
7	Forty days and nights in Paraguay's borders? That's quite enough! (6)
	PLENTY - LENT (Forty days and nights) in PY (Paraguay's borders, i.e. the first and last letters of "Paraguay")
12	Share out proceeds from this independent cinema (3,5)
	ART HOUSE - anagram (proceeds from) SHARE OUT
14	Like the M25? Part gets spoken about (7)
	ORBITAL - BIT (Part) surrounded by ORAL (spoken)
15	Sound of bell in church makes you feel embarrassed (6)
	CRINGE - RING (Sound of bell) in CE (church). This clue immediately brought back the memory of, as a novice altar boy, being lambasted by the priest for not generating a loud enough jangle from the altar bell during the eucharist. In possibly related news, I now avoid churches, priests, bells, bread, and red wine.
16	Stock of wine merchant talked about (6)
	CELLAR - homophone (talked about) of SELLER (merchant)
19	A mostly uninteresting time for grown-up (5)
	ADULT - A + DUL{l} (mostly uninteresting, i.e. "dull" without its last letter) + T (time)
20	Catch one's breath as general practitioner comes round (4)
	GASP - AS surrounded by GP (general practitioner)

Solving time: 41 minutes

Music: Schubert, Piano Sonatas, Kempff

I spent most of the day, on and off, trying to solve Saturday's rather difficult offering. So I was hoping for a nice easy Monday puzzle, but this one presented a few challenges. Even after solving it, I am not all that happy with some of the answers. I'm sure they're correct, but the setter has taken a few too many liberties for me.

I had finished all but two answers in 31 minutes, but I had a wrong word at 8 down. It took a while to get that straightened out, and then to conclude that 'slipcases' was indeed the only possible answer for 18, and that it did indeed fit the cryptic and literal.

Across
1	RABBIT, double definition, but not the first 'meat' that comes to mind....I hope.
4	POTBELLY, POT(BELL)Y, where 'potty' is close in meaning to 'dope', but not an exact synonym.
10	INJUSTICE, I[effectual] + N(JUST)ICE.
11	LABEL, L + ABEL, where both 'mark' and 'label' should be taken as verbs.
12	FOUR-LETTER WORD, overlapping double definition, looking at both the number of letters and the slang meaning of 'blue'.
14	ROWER, double definition.
16	EGLANTINE, E + anagram of GENTIAN around L[ilies].
18	SLIPCASES, SLIP(CASE)S. Both the literal and the cryptic are very vague, but fortunately this is the only English word that fits. My LOI.
20	CHEEP, sounds like CHEAP, as in a 'cheap shot'.
21	BEEF WELLINGTON, cryptic definition, when presumably the boots as well as the beef are among the ingredients.
25	HEAVE, H(E)AVE.
26	TASK FORCE, hidden in [conflic]T ASK FOR CE[asefire]. I didn't see the hidden and just biffed it.
27	TALISMAN, [juggernau]T + anagram of ANIMALS.
28	ARDENT, AR(DEN)T.

Down
1	RAIN FOREST, RA(INFO)REST, a bit of a chestnut.
2	BIJOU, JIB upside-down + O[r] U[ndisirable]. The literal is a bit loose.
3	INSULAR, anagram of URINALS, with another loose literal.
5	OBESE, O.B.E. + S[ublim]E.
6	BALDWIN, BALD + WIN.
7	LIBERTINE, LI(anagram of TRIBE)NE.
8	YELL, double definition. I had 'Mull' for quite a while, thinking it must be some obscure word for a loud noise. Yell is in the Shetlands, not the Hebrides.
9	MISTRESS, MIST + [d]RESS, very straightforward.
13	DESPONDENT, [livlihoo]D + anagram of NO END, STEP, another biff for me.
15	WHITEHALL, W(HIT, EH?)ALL.
17	LISTLESS, double definition, a definite chestnut.
19	COFFERS, C + OFFERS.
20	CONIFERS, CON(I)FERS.
22	EXTRA, E.(X)T. + R.A., a compendium of crosswordland cliches.
23	THREE, last letters of [conten]T [wit]H [thei]R [nic]E [flexibl]E.
24	CHAT, double definition, my FOI.

I completed all but 27ac, 28ac and 26dn in 25 minutes but then took nearly as long again to crack the remainder. And after that I didn’t really know what the problem had been apart from my usual brain freeze that sets in when I have done well on a puzzle and there are only a couple more answers needed to finish in good time.

When it came to blogging there was quite a lot to think about so I wouldn't say the puzzle was easy by any standards but I'm not sure what to expect from other solvers. I wonder how many completing on-line will have an error at 18ac.

Deletions are in curly brackets and indicators in square ones

Across
1	CONVERGES - A straight definition and a cryptic one suggesting if one were to CON (look at) VERGES one may see 'wayside flowers'
9	CORDOBA - COR (my!), DOB (birthday), A (ace). And take your pick from the city in Spain or the one in Argentina.
10	ESTATES - STATE (say) inside {si}ES{ta}
11	FLORA - L (left) inside FORA (ancient marketplaces)
12	RECIPIENT - I (one) inside RECIPE (feature of cookery), NT (books - New Testament)
13	ENTENTE - ENT+ENT (medical departments - Ear Nose & Throat), {negotiat}E
15	EAGER - EA (each), GER{man} (European) [not half]
17	REBEL - B (bishop) inside REEL (dance)
18	GOT IT - A straight definition is preceded by vaguely cryptic one. There's scope for a biffing error here as 'get it' so nearly fits until one notices the past tense 'became'. The straight definition 'you understand' might fit either answer although it seems to me marginally more suitable for the wrong one!
19	TEDDY - T{he}, EDDY (whirlwind). Deletion of 'he' is indicated by 'sweeping away the male'.
20	PRESSIE - PRESS (hug), IE (that is)
23	HEARKENED - HEAD (top teacher) encloses RE (Religious Education) which in turn encloses KEN (boy). A bit of a Russian doll, this one. I'm more familiar with the answer spelt without the first 'E'.
25	ASCOT - {m}ASCOT (magic source of help supposedly). 'When maiden goes off' indicates the deletion of 'm'.
27	AVARICE - A, VICE (wicked inclination) encloses A+R (king). As the clue suggests, the legendary King Midas is an example of someone afflicted with this particular vice.
28	ELEVENS - The definition was clearly 'teams' but the remainder of the clue was a mystery until I twigged that 'a couple of' 11s make 22 which combined with 'catch' give us the title of the novel by Joseph Heller that has passed into the language as a term meaning 'an impossible situation'.
29	EXTRAVERT - EXTRA (more), VERT (green). Once again I'm more used to an alternative spelling of the answer i.e. 'O' for 'A'.

Down
1	CHEERY - CH (child), E'ER (always), {Frida}Y
2	NOTICEABLE - NOT ABLE (incapable) encloses ICE (dangerous drug)
3	ESTOPPEL - Anagram [unruly] of PEOPLE encloses ST (good person - saint)
4	GESTE - Hidden in {stran}GEST E{xpedition}. This is another of those words I only know from crosswords, along with 'conte' of similar meaning.
5	SCATTERED - Anagram [peculiarly] of ACT inside anagram [terribly] of DESERT. It's unusual to have two separate indicators.
6	PROFIT - PRO (publicist - Public Relations Officer), FIT (deserving)
7	POLO - A straight definition (game) is preceded by a cryptic reference to the explorer Marco Polo.
8	PARAKEET - PET (cat?) encloses A, RAKE (thing in the garden)
14	NATIONWIDE - Anagram [travelling] of I WAN{t} TO DINE. The deletion of a 'T' is indicated by 'spending time'.
16	GATEHOUSE - Anagram [designed] of SO HUGE encloses ATE (goddess)
17	REPEATED - REED (grass) encloses PEAT (organic material)
18	GYMKHANA - GYM (James said - sounds like Jim), KHAN (Eastern ruler), A. 'Introduce' means 'come before' here.
21	SETTEE - SET (some tennis), T{h}EE (you) with 'won't want hard' indicating the 'H' is to be deleted. I'd normally expect a reference to old language when 'thee' and 'thou' etc appear.
22	IDLEST - L (learner) inside ID EST (that is)
24	ADAPT - AD (notice), APT (fitting)
26	CUES - Two straight definitions

Let me know if anyone was on Teazel's wavelength today - because I was a long way from it. Possibly my own fault as I've been walking around Brisbane all day and have an hour slot to solve/blog before going out so I've been rushing. It does seem a touch on the tough side.

ACROSS

1. Manic - over-excited. MAN, in charge (IC).
4. Shallot - vegetable. HALL inside SOT.
8. Augusta - city in America. AUGUST with A.
9. Milne - children's author. Dig (MINE) around (L)ibrary.
10. Possessive. Double definition - unwilling to relinquish and the possessive case.
14. Eyelid - batter. Homophone of I lid = I must have helmet. I liked the 'batter' = eyelid bit but not the homophone.
15. Milord - gentleman abroad. Formerly a continental tile for an English gentleman. Even tempered (MILD) welcoming soldiers (OR - ordinary ranks).
17. Folklorist - collector of popular tales. Anagram (out) of TOOK FRILLS.
20. Ad hoc - for a particular purpose. Homophone say of 'add hock'.
22. Braille - cryptic definition - nice clue.
23. En masse - in big group. Anagram (mad) of MEN plus (ASSE)s.
24. Eider - duck. RED and IE all backwards.

DOWN

1. Mean - average. MAN holding energy (E).
2. No-go - banned area. All red (traffic) light = no go.
3. Custodial - a court sentence. Anagram (wounded) of SCOUT ~~FACE~~, face (DIAL) - thank you Anon.
4. Sparse - scattered. Boxes (SPARS) over (before) garag(E).
5. Train - aim as in a gun. Morning (AM) holding I.
6. Lollipop - sweet. Relax (LOLL), one (I), fizzy drink (POP).
7. The bends - life threatening condition. Can't get the bends straight.
11. Shipshape - neat. A humorous description of a boat (if you're not much of a sailor).
12. Beefcake - muscle man. Main course = BEEF, sweet course = CAKE.
13. Sealyham - dog - one I'd actually heard of. Anagram (unusually) of LEASH MAY).
16. Treble - 'young' singer - well, yes it is, but can also be an adult female. A treble whisky would be a very stiff drink (one you may need after today's puzzle).
18. Glad - happy. Good (G), boy (LAD).
19. Bear - double definition.
21. Cos - lettuce. Firm (CO), small (S).

Well, nowhere near as difficult as yesterday’s but Tracy had me stumbling over several clues. Unknowns (golf clubs, plants) aside, even the charades, where all I had to do was put words and synonyms in the right order, seemed tricky today. Perhaps I’m out of practice. Anyway, this is the sort of crossword I look forward to; not too easy, but straightforward once you get the answer. For me, getting stuck on a clue and realising you don't know the vocabulary is what most feels like training for the big crossword. Not that I've made much progress there!

Enjoy.

Definitions underlined.


1	Member holding head of orchid with a distinctive smell (5)
	AROMA - arm (member) containing first letter (head) of Orchid with A.
4	Article quite new — not this then! (7)
	ANTIQUE - AN (article) plus an anagram of (new) QUITE.
8	Cops out, deployed to find sea creature (7)
	OCTOPUS - anagram of (deployed) COPS OUT.
9	Money that is missing from old golf club (5)
	BRASS - remove i.e. (that is) from BRASSie (old golf club). Nope, me neither. After some obligatory Googling, I now very much look forward to spade mashie and pitching niblick showing up soon.
10	Form of cricket in Tokyo Olympics year (6-6)
	TWENTY-TWENTY - double definition.
12	Last of intake failing to pass (6)
	ELASPE - last letter of intakE, with LAPSE (failing).
13	Stuff about English and their patron saint (6)
	GEORGE - GORGE (stuff) around E (English).
16	Candid conversation in centre — try feeding toddler afterwards (5-2-5)
	HEART-TO-HEART - HEART (centre), with HEAR (try) inside (feeding) TOT (toddler) afterwards. But a moment to see the answer, an age to parse this tricky charade.
18	Conclude there's no escaping from hell (5)
	INFER - INFERno (hell) without no (no escaping).
20	Turn tide somehow at a plant (7)
	GODETIA - GO (turn), an anagram of (turning) TIDE, and A. More Googling!
21	A new girl returned after short time for aerial (7)
	ANTENNA -A, N (new), with ANNE (girl) backwards after T (short time).
22	Most unpleasantdefeat (5)
	WORST - double definition; the first superlative, the second a verb.


1	Simon perhaps having job holding drink? The opposite! (7)
	APOSTLE - the opposite of ‘job holding drink’, is ALE (drink) holding POST (job).
2	Seemingly vandalised that one office (2,3,4,2,2)
	ON THE FACE OF IT - anagram of (vandalised) THAT ONE OFFICE.
3	An aperitif? A favourite is brought in for each (9)
	APPETISER - A, PET (favourite) and IS, inside PER (for each).
4	Dope about fixed property (6)
	ASSETS - ASS (dope) around SET (fixed).
5	Bill shot when heading off (3)
	TAB - heading off sTAB (a go, shot).
6	Army officer taking pity on merchant ship's skipper (13)
	QUARTERMASTER - QUARTER (pity) on MASTER (one in control of a Merchant Navy ship).
7	Relaxedwithout difficulty (4)
	EASY - double definition.
11	Watch programme that includes ad for beauty aid? (9)
	EYESHADOW - EYE (watch), plus SHOW (programme) surrounding AD.
14	Remove from superfluous court (7)
	EXTRACT - EXTRA (superfluous) plus CT (court).
15	Heads of stores take in goods, marketing a brand (6)
	STIGMA - all the first letters (heads) of Stores Take In Goods Marketing A.
17	Prima donna keen to come over (4)
	DIVA - AVID (keen) reversed (to come over).
19	Manageto go (3)
	RUN - double definition.

Thus far, I am on target to survive the prelims (had I been in London to enter and not been fazed by the presence of 88 other hopefuls and Magoo, all eyes-down). This one seemed on much the same level as the first, and was completed within my 20 minute target, although one or two bits of parsing needed more thought. Of course, any puzzle with Arsenal in the solution can't be bad.

Across
1	FRANTIC - FR for father, ANTIC(S) = cut short tomfoolery; D overwrought.
5	ABJURES - AB for sailor, J for Jack, (C)URES for salts, perhaps, without the C: D gives up. It's not about curing ailments, it's about curing bacon, for example.
9	DISCOURSE - DISCO for dance, then (SURE)*: D conversation.
10	VINYL - VIN = wine, Y the unknown, L label primarily; D records.
11	LUNCH - LAUNCH = start, loses the A; there's no such thing as a free lunch, unless you're an MEP on expenses perhaps.
12	OMBUDSMAN - Insert BUD (shoot) SM, into OMAN the eastern state, (well, middle eastern); D commissioner.
14	BLOCK AND TACKLE - DD.
17	CATHERINE WHEEL - You could biff this from the enumeration, or spot the anagram (A CHEER WHEN LIT E)*.
21	LIGHTEN UP - LIGHT UP = srart smoking, insert (M)EN; D to relax.
23	MYOPE - EPONYM (titled person) reversed, remove the N: D wanting contacts (lenses); a short-sighted person like moi.
24	TRIBE - Find the River TIBER, move the R at the end to second place; D race.
25	PARODYING - OP (work) round RA (artist), all retro = PARO, then DYING = final; D taking off.
26	DRESDEN - DR, (NEEDS)*, anagrind 'mobile'; D city.
27	DOYENNE - YEN = longing, inside DONE = through, finished; D she's admired by juniors.

Down
1	FIDDLE - Insert DD for theologian into FILE for dossier; D cook, as in cook the books.
2	ARSENAL - ReAd, regularly, over, is AR; LANES (passages) elevated is SENAL; D magazine, or The Gunners.
3	TOOTHACHE - Slightly witty cryptic def.
4	CORPORATION - COR = my, exclamation; PORTION = allotment, insert A for area; D concern, as in business 'a going concern'.
5	AXE - AXLE = shaft, lose the L(arge); D fell, chop down.
6	JIVED - D(E VI)J reversed, where DJ = formal attire, E = event's top, VI = six = three couples; D danced.
7	RAN AMOK - A MO (modus operandi, way of working) insode RANK = class; D got out of control.
8	SPLINTER - Replace the R in SPRINTER (runner) wth the other side , L, D breakaway.
13	BAD-TEMPERED - DAB = fish, reversed; TEMPERED = tougher after heating; D peppery.
15	ASHAMEDLY - A SHAM ED = no pukka journalist, L(AD)Y; D with red face?
16	SCULPTED - SCUL(L) is a brief row, P T E D first letters (leads) to Program's Top Exec Defending; D what Moore did.
18	TAGLINE - S leaves STEALING to give the anagrist (TEALING)*; D end of joke.
19	EROSION - OR (men) inside NOISE (racket), all reversed; D long term damage.
20	MEAGRE - Hidden word in HO(ME AGRE)EMENTS; D spare.
22	TREAD - THREAD = drift, loses its H; D walk.
25	PEN - OPEN = begin, remove O for old; DD a bird (female swan) or a cage.

Not a particularly difficult one - 15 minutes and 1 second for me, including the usual search for typos and justification of wordplay just to be sure. Plenty of wit to go around, which, together with some interesting devices, raises this above the run of the mill. Without further ado, my workings, some of which are not much more than hopeful:

Across

1 POPISH PLOT Hoax to discredit catholics
Even if your knowledge of late 17th century religious conflict is not as sharp as it might be, I thnk this is gettable both from the "Catholic hoax" and the wordplay. Titus Oates was the character at the centre of the piece, a serial liar who invented a plot by the Jesuits to assassinate Charles II and whipped up considerable anti catholic hysteria until (sort of) exposed as a perjuror, by which time at least 22 innocent high-ranking Catholics had been executed. To get a modern day flavour, try looking up "Tom Watson" in conjunction with, say, "Ted Heath".* Ah yes, the wordplay. "Try" is POP, as in have a pop at, "rats" is PISH by loose association of mild expletive (I'm open to better suggestions). Wrap one round the other, and add LOT for "many"
*Other suggestions are welcome: lets have some conspiracy fun!
6 OBEY Conform
Being overweight is OBEsitY. As instructed strike "sit" out.
9 SEASIDE Coast
No fancy geographical term required. If you exclude southeast, not only do you miss out on Margate, but you set SE ASIDE
10 MOSELLE German wine
Endless champagne is MOË(t), insert SELL for trade. Other fizzy drinks are available.
12 HEART mood (I think)
By one of those three point turns in a Thesaurus, mood via disposition gets to heart. The wordplay invites you to imagine a similar if reversed solicism to thou is as HE ART. Don't shoot your humble messenger.
13 UNSPOILED pristine
Re-sort ENDS UP and throw in a slick of OIL.
14 SPRINGER SPANIEL dog
An extended talk is a SPIEL. Put it about RINGERS for callers, and PAN for slag off.
17 EVENING STANDARD (news) paper
The London version manages to prove that you don't have to charge your readers after all (copy to our beloved News UK, please). Quality gives rise to STANDARD, and becoming less erratic is EVENING (out). Yodafy
20 COMBATIVE militant
Search: COMB. In operation without C(aught) gives A(c)TIVE
21 TOXIC damaging
Steer in this incarnation is OX, around which the uncontrolled TIC settles.
23 ANTWERP European port
Take the letters of WEPT and RAN, "off" them and see how they settle.
24 ORINOCO~~Womble~~ What follows Colombian course
Today's hidden, in yakitORI NO COmment.
25 PUCE Colour
Take the lightest stone you know, PUmiCE, and strike M(arks) and I.
26 LEMON GRASS fragrant ingredient
Looks like an anagram, and is, of ROAMS GLENS. Smells like this █████ (scratch here)

Down

1 POST-HASTE very quickly
Our Setter eschews Spooner, but invites us to take HOST entertainer and PASTE fake gems, and switch the first letters, tops in down clues
2 PLAZA public space
Arizona's abbrev. is AZ, and after overturning it and a mountain ALP, it provides our answer
3 SPITTING IMAGE Duplicate
A carefree symbol for slightly damp weather would of course be, well, our answer. Wouldn't it have been a more fun clue as, say

→

?
4 PRELUDE passage that opens
Bar is PREcLUDE. Remove the C(lubs)
5 OSMOSIS Absorption.
IS under cOSMOS or universe without the first letter. Curiously the third clue to require you to remove a C
7 BALALAIKA Russian instrument
An Albanian is a BALKAn, most of which gathers round "in the style of" À LA plus I, one
8 YIELD &lit...
...I think. If you take a variable, Y and use it to replace the F of FIELD (arable land), you get an answer that, if you squint a bit, is also clued by the surface meanng.
11 STOP AT NOTHING Be determined...
...and what you do if you complete a countdown. Mind you, some of us can remember the countdown to acquisition of signal from the returning Apollo 13 extending for a terrifying 87 seconds beyond Zero, and the explosion of relief when the silence broke.
15 RHEUMATIC to do with joint complaints
A write in for me (my sister had teenage rheumatic fever, very nasty), but it's an anagram of IRATE MUCH
16 LUDICROUS Laughable.
Follow the construction manual carefully. Begin with piece 1, L(earner). Add piece 2 and 3, STUDIOUS (bookish). Remove the temporary piece 2, ST(umped). Insert piece 4, CR(redit) where you can make it fit. I appear to be suffering from grandchild-induced LegOCD
18 GLIMPSE Quick butcher's ('ook)
CRS. I rather appreciated this construction. Good just gives the G. Easy gives SIMPLE, in which you swap the L(arge) and the S(mall).
19 TREMOLO fluttering effect
Usually as heard on a pipe organ when rapidly changing the airflow in mawkish Victorian sentimental pieces. Activity under lids, R(apid) E(ye) M(ovement) is kept by TO and LO (behold)
20 CHAMP &lit
More succesful to my eye than the other one. Fellow, CHAP, accepts the first letter of Medals.
22 XHOSA South African
Strictly speaking, there should be a click sound at the beginning, but we have no space or symbol. Anagram of HAS OX

It's nearly 1PM and there's no sign of the Quickie. If there's no news of it by 1:30 I shall post an emergency blog. I have disabled comments so if it appears in the meantime I can just delete this thread.

Okay it's now 1:30 so here goes:

This one took me 10 minutes and I'd rate it as of moderate difficulty, but please feel free to differ. As I've bunged this together in a hurry there are no clues today but I have added definitions. Comments are now enabled so any queries, please ask.

{deletions} [indicators]

Across
1	CRYSTAL PALACE - Anagram [broadcast] of CLEARS PLAY ACT. Def: in London area
8	ACTIVE - A (area), CT (court), I, 'VE(have). Def: busy
9	RACILY - RA (artist), CI (Channel Islands), L{ovel}Y [extremely - first and last letters]. Def: with spirit
10	BRAG - B (bishop), RAG (charity event - think university rag week). Def: card game
11	CARTLOAD - Anagram [worked out] of ACTOR LAD. Def: vehicle's capacity
12	BYRON - BY(alongside), R (river), ON (working). Def: poet
13	DECOY - DE (of, French), CO (firm), Y{ou} [initially]. Def: lure
15	CONSPIRE - CON (argument against), SPIRE (church feature). Def: act together
17	MASK - M (1000), ASK (request). Def: protective covering
19	CANINE - CA (not exactly - circa = about/around), NINE (square - 3x3). Def: tooth
20	PLANET - PLANE (aircraft), T (time). Def: Jupiter, say - by example
21	GET THE PICTURE - GET (fetch), THE PICTURE (Gone With The Wind, perhaps). Def: understand

Down
2	RECUR - RE (engineers), CUR (scoundrel). Def: again happen
3	SNIGGER - Anagram [ contrived] of GINGER'S. Def: laugh
4	AYE - Hidden in [inner part of] {l}AYE{r}. Def: yes
5	PARTRIDGE - PART (separate), RIDGE (crest). Def: flier
6	LOCAL - Hidden [in] {Os}LO CAL{m}. Def: somewhere to drink
7	CALGARY - CAL (California), GARY (Cooper, perhaps). Def: city
11	CENTIPEDE - Anagram [ruined] of DECENT PIE. Def: insect
12	BROCADE - Anagram [adapted] of BARCODE. Def: fabric
14	COMPACT - Two definitions: concise / agreement
16	SKIRT - SKI (runner), RT (right). Def: avoid
18	SPEAR - S (small), PEAR (fruit). Def: pierce
20	PHI - P (pressure), HI (welcome). Def: Greek character

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