Times 26107 - Over and over, more or less

Solving time: 23 minutes

Music: Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante, Davis/LSO.






We're back to the easy Monday mode, with many of the clues being chestnuts that I was unfortunately very slow to recognize. My LOI was particularly galling, as it is a stock clue if there ever was one.

I have not been solving or posting much lately, owing to summer activities such as golfing and travelling. On my last junket, I took six unsolved Guardian puzzles with me, and only had time for one, so I am getting further and further behind. At least I am nearly caught up with the Times, although the May 19th puzzle threw me for a loop. Xyster, indeed!

Across
1	VANITY, VA(N.I)T + Y.
4	SARAJEVO, SARA + JE + V[ery] O[ld]..
9	ROTUNDA, sounds like WROTE UNDER for you non-rhotic chaps.
11	ATTACHE, CAT backwards in A + THE.
12	IDYLL, backwards hidden in [rea]LLY DI[slike], an apt clue for those who read Tennyson as 14-year-olds.
13	TENTACLED, TEN + TAC[k]LED.
14	HEADSTRONG, anagram of ORGAN[i]ST + HE'D.
16	OPUS, O + PUS[s].
19	DALI, DA(L)I. However, if you check with the Office Of National Statistics, you'll find that you are far more likely to encounter a boy named Oliver or Jacob in modern-day Wales.
20	AFFABILITY, A + F + F + ABILITY.
22	DYSPEPSIA, anagram of PEPYS SAID, rather obvious because PEP stays together.
23	LIMBO, L(I'M + B[eing])O.
25	TSUNAMI, ST backwards + UN AMI.
26	NIBLICK, BIN backwards + LICK, biffed in by me.
27	DRY STONE, DR(anagram of STY)ONE.
28	URGENT, UR GENT, unfortunately my LOI.
Down
1	VARNISHED, VA(R)NISHED.
2	NATTY, N + A(T,T)Y.
3	TUNELESS, anagram of LUST SEEN.
5	AGAIN AND AGAIN, A GAIN AND A GAIN.
6	ASTRAY, AS[h]TRAY, a chestnut.
7	EUCALYPTI, anagram of CUTE PLAY + I.
8	OREAD, cryptic definition, with 'fell' as one of the identically-spelt substantives, in this case an upland plateau.
10	AFTER A FASHION, double definition.
15	AYLESBURY, sounds like ALES + BURY.
17	SKYROCKET, S(KY R)OCKET. How McConnell was re-elected?
18	MILLIBAR, sounds like MILLIE + BAR.
21	PEDANT, P + DANTE with the last letter moved to the top.
22	DATED, double defintion..
24	MAINE, MA IN E. Since Maine is an Eastern state, this is not a particularly deceptive clue.