Solving time: 19:06. Yes, I struggled a bit with this one, not sure why after going through it again for the blog. Yesterday's felt harder, although this one had its moments, e.g. the definition for 16D. This was also the last one I solved on paper - I've been "between gigs" (as we IT contractors say) this week, so I started solving online instead of from printouts, and the improvement in solving times was remarkable - I'd hazard a guess at 3-4 minutes quicker per puzzle, so it's not just about typing being faster than writing.
New job starts on Wednesday though, so I'll be back to solving on the train with all the usual distractions of snoring, tinny music from headphones, annoying ringtones and loud conversations in the background. No wonder you rarely see people doing crosswords on the train these days!
| Across |
| 1 | Very large sandwiches turned up with plenty of bubbly — terrific work! (6,4) |
| MAGNUM OPUS - OS (outsize, very large) around PU (turned up), along with MAGNUM (plenty of bubbly). |
| 7 | I kept retiring without husband, which is pointless (4) |
| IDLE - I + HELD (kept) reversed, minus the H for husband. |
| 9 | More brawny student getting to grips with arithmetic, say? (8) |
| STURDIER - STUDIER (student) around R (arithmetic, one of the "three R's"). |
| 10 | Make profession once that was painful after Virginia's rejection (6) |
| AVOUCH - OUCH (that was painful) after VA (state abbreviation for Virginia) reversed. |
| 11 | Sweep, apart from area in church where toddlers may play (6) |
| CRECHE - REACH (sweep) minus the A for area, inside CE (church). |
| 13 | Makes resolute attacks going round Cambridge area (8) |
| STIFFENS - FITS (attacks) reversed + FENS (Cambridge area). |
| 14 | Worldly commander's grouse about petty officer settled (12) |
| COSMOPOLITAN - CO'S MOAN (commander's grouse) around PO (petty officer) + LIT (settled). |
| 17 | Revised rules in place the cause of reduced illumination? (5,7) |
| LUNAR ECLIPSE - (rules in place)*. |
| 20 | They frequently appear rather posh with males around (8) |
| HABITUÉS - A BIT (rather) + U (posh), inside HES (males). |
| 21 | Local ruling by part of UK briefly overturned (3-3) |
| BYE-LAW - BY + WALE(s) (part of UK briefly) reversed. |
| 22 | Dissolute son primarily hooked on strong oriental drink (6) |
| RAKISH - S(on) + H(ooked), next to RAKI (strong oriental drink). |
| 23 | Australia's opening pair, turning, run one extra bye (2,6) |
| AU REVOIR - AU (Australia's opening pair) then R(un) + I (one) + OVER (extra), all reversed. |
| 25 | Made a call and spoke (4) |
| RUNG - double definition. |
| 26 | Retreating military detachment, 50 lost, subsequently hit back (10) |
| RETALIATED - DETAIL (military detachment) minus L for 50, + LATER (subsequently), all reversed. |
| Down |
| 2 | Rising, smoker fell over in chamber (8) |
| ANTEROOM - ETNA (smoker) reversed (rising) + MOOR (fell) reversed (over). |
| 3 | In addition, not taking mark off standard (3) |
| NOR - NORM (standard), minus the M for mark. |
| 4 | What's said to be West's staple food? (5) |
| MAIZE - sounds like MAE'S. Haven't seen her around for a while, but I doubt if she'll ever be killed off... |
| 5 | Friend's clothing certain to come up for inspection (7) |
| PERUSAL - PAL (friend) around SURE (certain) reversed. |
| 6 | Stone cutter finally abandons creative figure (9) |
| STATISTIC - ST(one) + ARTISTIC (creative) minus the R (cutter finally). |
| 7 | Innocent doctor in film fines five wayward nurses (11) |
| INOFFENSIVE - NO (doctor in film) inside (fines five)*. |
| 8 | Brilliant clue not edited — nothing must go! (6) |
| LUCENT - (clue not)* without the O (nothing). |
| 12 | Finding fault on the way round flat (11) |
| COMPLAINING - COMING (on the way) around PLAIN (flat). |
| 15 | Someone like Cratchitan assistant in swan-upping? (3-6) |
| PEN-PUSHER - two definitions, one cryptic. Bob Cratchit was Scrooge's clerk in Charles Dickens'A Christmas Carol, and swan-upping is the traditional practice of rounding up and marking swans on the Thames. |
| 16 | At a function, having tasteless stuff to eat (8) |
| ASTATINE - A SINE (function) around TAT (tasteless stuff). "At" is the well-hidden definition, being the chemical symbol for the element. |
| 18 | Support craft get into action again (7) |
| RESTART - REST (support) + ART (craft). |
| 19 | Part of Sussex — an adulterous ruler took his pleasure here (6) |
| XANADU - hidden in "Sussex— an adulterous". |
| 21 | Bachelor with melodious instrument tipped to get the girl (5) |
| BERYL - B(achelor) + LYRE (melodious instrument) reversed. |
| 24 | Half a dozen initially allowed through (3) |
| VIA - VI (half a dozen) + A(llowed). |