This one delayed me for 44 minutes. Much of it was straightforward but I became bogged down over five clues, all on the right-hand side. There were two words unknown to me, one was the answer at 8dn and the other an element of the wordplay at 26ac, although in the latter case the answer was eminently biffable so my lack of GK was of no consequence.
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 | What's expected of orchestra, pure playing (3,3,3,6) |
| PAR FOR THE COURSE - Anagram [playing] of OF ORCHESTRA PURE | |
| 9 | Neglected child needs caressing, housing of superior character (9) |
| FOUNDLING - FONDLING (caressing) containing (housing) U (of superior character as in U / non-U) | |
| 10 | Seaman comes to island, back in old harbour (5) |
| OSTIA - OS (seaman), AIT (island) reversed [back]. The ancient port of Rome. | |
| 11 | I beam, receiving collection of books — something to put on desk (2-4) |
| IN-TRAY - I + RAY (beam) containing [receiving] NT (collection of books - New Testament) | |
| 12 | TV doctor had one work of fiction (8) |
| WHODUNIT - WHO (TV doctor), 'D (had), UNIT (one). It took me far to long to think of the TV doctor in question. Finlay, Kildare, even House were considered before the obvious one. I'd be more inclined to spell the answer WHODUNNIT, but the alternative single 'N' is permissable. | |
| 13 | Would-be lover wanting men at back of clubs? (6) |
| SUITOR - SUIT (clubs?), OR (men - Other Ranks) | |
| 15 | Horse above average height, one reined in by boy (8) |
| STALLION - TALL (above average height) + I (one) contained [reined in] by SON (boy) | |
| 18 | A bit that's positive about Italian in honourable mention (8) |
| CITATION - CATION (a bit that's positive) containing [about] IT (Italian). The positive bit is a word I only know from crosswords. | |
| 19 | Consider hunt gatherings savage ultimately, on reflection (6) |
| ESTEEM - MEETS (hunt gatherings), {savag}E [ultimately] reversed (on reflection). Not the most familiar usage of 'esteem' perhaps, but one can, for example, esteem it an honour to do something or other. | |
| 21 | Claim spa town is lacking hospital (8) |
| ARROGATE - {h}ARROGATE (spa town) [lacking hospital]. | |
| 23 | Rocky location with risk — one approaching it may be doomed (6) |
| GIBBET - GIB (rocky location - Gibraltar), BET (risk) followed by a cryptic definition | |
| 26 | Part of City invested in Indian money no longer (5) |
| PIECE - EC (City - of London), contained by [invested in] PIE [Indian money no longer]. An old currency that's beyond my ken. | |
| 27 | Insist on fan keeping quiet for minutes (9) |
| STIPULATE - STI{m}ULATE (fan - as in 'fan the flames') changes m (minutes) to P (quiet) | |
| 28 | Release from complicated relationship— gentleman ends it with difficulty (15) |
| DISENTANGLEMENT - Anagram [with difficulty] of GENTLEMAN ENDS IT | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Birds wanting home when caught in air currents (7) |
| PUFFINS - IN (home) contained by [caught in] PUFFS (air currents) | |
| 2 | Stir created by French author's introduction being cut (5) |
| ROUST - {p}ROUST (French author) [introduction being cut] | |
| 3 | Possible clue to mad don being a misfit (3,3,3) |
| ODD MAN OUT - The anagrind 'out' and anagrist 'ODD MAN' could possibly be part of a clue to which the answer might be 'mad don' | |
| 4 | Tease / silly person (4) |
| TWIT - Two definitions | |
| 5 | Get weight reduced somehow — one component of breakfast food? (3,5) |
| EGG WHITE - Anagram [somehow] of GET WEIGH{t} [reduced] | |
| 6 | Old invalid like Humpty Dumpty (5) |
| OVOID - O (old), VOID (invalid) | |
| 7 | Like a memory of event — tries forgetting the end somehow (9) |
| RETENTIVE - Anagram [somehow - again] of EVENT TRIE{s} [forgetting the end] | |
| 8 | Energy and most of remaining protein (7) |
| ELASTIN - E (energy), LASTIN{g} (remaining) [most of...]. I didn't know this word. | |
| 14 | Prisoners put down, observed to be upset (9) |
| INTERNEES - INTER (put down - bury), SEEN (observed) reversed [upset] | |
| 16 | Freedom, with saints for the first time showing sluggishness (9) |
| LASSITUDE - LA{t}ITUDE Freedom, with SS (saints) replacing [for] the first T (time) | |
| 17 | Foreign lady in trick, valuable person going the wrong way (8) |
| CONTESSA - CON (trick), ASSET (valuable person) reversed [going the wrong way] | |
| 18 | Restricted in temporary accommodation to house refugees primarily (7) |
| CRAMPED - CAMPED (in temporary accommodation) contains [to house] R{efugees} [primarily] | |
| 20 | Most intimate relations shown in a bit of coarse material (7) |
| MATIEST - TIES (relations) contained by [shown in] MAT (bit of coarse material) | |
| 22 | Pick up from valley around start of autumn (5) |
| GLEAN - GLEN (valley) containing [around] A{utumn} [start] | |
| 24 | Indifferent and mean, having trapped girl finally (5) |
| BLASE - BASE (mean) contains [having trapped] {gir}L (finally) | |
| 25 | One of the players in the side (4) |
| WING - Two meanings | |