I thought this was going to be quite straightforward but time started to run away as I progressed around the grid and after about 40 minutes I came to a grinding halt with several incomplete answers in the NE segment. After spending ages on these I eventually resorted to aids to finish it off. I was very distracted by what turned out to be mistaken thoughts about 4dn and, to a lesser extent 16dn, and I think this added to my problems completing the grid. I'm only pleased that I realised my errors in this regard before expressing misgivings about the clues in public.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 1 | Bill, grabbed by impertinent girl, leaving coat on road? (7) |
| MACADAM - AC (bill) contained [grabbed] by MADAM (impertinent girl). I wonder if some may not have come across this colloquial meaning of "madam" as a conceited or precocious girl or young woman (SOED). | |
| 5 | Glib accounts one ignored following travel books (7) |
| GOSPELS - GO (travel), SP{i}ELS (glib accounts) [one ignored]. Books of the New Testament. This was among the clues that led to my downfall as I simply couldn't see the answer even though I had considered GO for "travel" along the way. | |
| 9 | Provision of refreshmentsthat would suit a small congregation? (4,7) |
| ROOM SERVICE - A straight definition with a cryptic hint | |
| 10 | Simple dwelling lacking home for vehicle (3) |
| CAB - CAB{in} (simple dwelling) [lacking home = in] | |
| 11 | Deity to be celebrated with event coming round (3,3) |
| SUN GOD - SUNG (celebrated), DO (event) reversed [coming round] | |
| 12 | Most considerate, giving information before learner enters exam (8) |
| GENTLEST - GEN (information), then L (learner) is contained by [enters] TEST (exam) | |
| 14 | A bolder flirt, one plays around — it can be shocking (13) |
| DEFIBRILLATOR - Anagram [plays around] of A BOLDER FLIRT + I (one) | |
| 17 | One ruined team, after transformation, went to great heights? (13) |
| MOUNTAINEERED -Anagram [transformation] of ONE RUINED TEAM | |
| 21 | Commanding little devil, last in the den, retreating (8) |
| IMPERIAL - IMP (little devil), {th}E [last], LAIR (den) reversed [retreating] | |
| 23 | Failure, I admitted in retrospect, making observation (6) |
| ESPIAL - LAPSE (failure) containing [admitted] I, reversed [in retrospect] | |
| 25 | Maiden rejected by flood survivor — the one demanding obedience? (3) |
| SHE - SHE{m}(flood survivor = son of Noah) [maiden - "m" - rejected]. The definition refers to "She who must be obeyed", the main character in a novel by Rider Haggard, and also to Hilda, the imperious wife of "Rumpole of the Bailey" by John Mortimer. | |
| 26 | Proper identification for additive in 2017? (5,6) |
| PRIME NUMBER - PRIM (proper), E-NUMBER (identification for additive). Will their name survive post-Brexit, I wonder. A DBE. | |
| 27 | Town has to manage growth — that's hard (7) |
| RUNCORN - RUN (manage), CORN (growth that's hard). Industrial town in Cheshire. | |
| 28 | It’ll be easy, not as we planned (2,5) |
| NO SWEAT - Anagram [planned] of NOT AS WE. A response I seem to come across almost daily when thanking somebody for a service they have provided e.g. in pubs or shops etc, along with "no problem". Whatever happened to "thank you" or "you're welcome"? | |
| Down | |
| 1 | After a short time wine makes one anything but cheerful (6) |
| MOROSE - MO (short time = moment), ROSE (wine) | |
| 2 | Loveless individual in army bashed on the head (7) |
| CROWNED - {o}NE (individual) [loveless] in CROWD (army) | |
| 3 | Distress of female in US university after party (9) |
| DISCOMFIT - DISCO (party), then F (female) in MIT (US university, the only one I know apart from Yale and Harvard, and then only from crosswords) | |
| 4 | Islamic ruler's beginning to sink in boggy ground (4) |
| MIRE - E+MIR (Islamic ruler) has its beginning "sink" to make MIR+E (boggy ground). My nightmare for parsing as I was convinced it was a contaimment clue with R{uler} in MIE (something Islamic???). | |
| 5 | Female in uniform given old-fashioned punishment for making suggestions (10) |
| GUIDELINES - GUIDE (female in uniform), LINES (old-fashioned punishment). Another one that eluded me. | |
| 6 | Loudmouth putting men off the tube (5) |
| STENT - STENT{or} (loudmouth) [putting men - OR - off]. And another. I didn't know the word for "loudmouth" although I later recalled "stentorian". | |
| 7 | Property returned in the case getting knocked about (7) |
| ESCHEAT - Anagram [getting knocked about] of THE CASE. Another unknown. I thought it was an anagram but was unable to make anything recognisable out of the grist. | |
| 8 | Thus heartless boss, political type, makes attempt to arouse sympathy (3,5) |
| SOB STORY - SO (thus), B{os}S [heartless], TORY (political type) | |
| 13 | A bishop has way of speaking about a regrettable royal event? (10) |
| ABDICATION - A, B (bishop), DICTION (way of speaking) containing [about] A | |
| 15 | A bit of fun with footballers appearing in bloomers (9) |
| LARKSPURS - LARK (bit of fun), SPURS (footballers) | |
| 16 | Hindu god outside prison set up somewhere in India (8) |
| AMRITSAR - RAMA (Hindu god) contains [outside] STIR (prison), all reversed [set up]. AMAR might well have been the Hindu god for all I knew. | |
| 18 | Lots of superior chaps keeping private (7) |
| UMPTEEN - U (superior), MEN (chaps) containing [keeping] PTE (private) | |
| 19 | Something to make small hole, allowing river to enter in trickle (7) |
| DRIBBLE - DIBBLE (something to make small hole - usually for planting seeds or bulbs) containing [allowing to enter] R (river). DIBBLE is my WOD. | |
| 20 | Holy woman with little time for wine (6) |
| CLARET - CLARE (holy woman - saint), T (little time). I guessed there would be a St Clare but didn't actually know it. Wiki lists two of them, so take your pick. | |
| 22 | Copy, somewhat inferior perhaps, on reflection (5) |
| REPRO - Hidden [somewhat] and reversed [on reflection] in {inferi)OR PER{haps} | |
| 24 | Capital to suffer 1666 event as reported (4) |
| BERN - Sounds like [as reported] "burn" (suffer 1666 event). The year of the Great Fire of London. The capital of Switzerland that's also spelt ending in "e". | |