This was a straightforward exercise, although in several cases I had to stop and think twice about well-disguised definitions. Finished in under 30 minutes, so I expect some fast times from the experts.
My clue of the day was 13dn. I also liked 26 across, perhaps for its messy structure.
Thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle.
Clues are in blue, with definitions underlined. Answers are in BOLD CAPS, followed by the wordplay. (ABC*) means 'anagram of ABC', with the anagram indicator in bold italics. Deletions are in {curly brackets}.
Across
1 Reported James before indiscretion in schoolgirl attire (7)
GYMSLIP: GYM sounds like Jim, followed by a SLIP.
5 Drop accomplished without a sign of damage (7)
DISCARD: DID (accomplished), around SCAR (sign of damage).
9 Fish in sudden increase leading to extra demand (9)
SURCHARGE: SURGE (sudden increase), around CHAR (fish).
10 Old support avoiding bishop in quiet spot (5)
OASIS: O (old), {b}ASIS (support, avoiding bishop).
11 Deceit admitted by an outsider (5)
ALIEN: LIE in AN.
12 Ill-fated liner left United States and hit (not hard) an island key (9)
LUSITANIA: L (left), US, {h}IT, AN, I{sland}, A (key). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania My first parsing of this clue started L, USA, TAN=hit, … until I decided I really was confident the spelling starts LUSI … not LUSA ... !!
14 Operation to prepare fabric workers during strike (3,11)
HIP REPLACEMENT: that is, PREP LACE MEN, inside HIT.
17 Runny chocolate drunk all the time (6,3,5)
AROUND THE CLOCK: a choice of possible anagram indicators here! Use “runny” as the pointer, so “drunk” is part of the anagram fodder, giving (CHOCOLATE DRUNK*).
21 Report civil disturbance about what carnivores eat? (5,4)
RIFLE SHOT: RIOT around FLESH. Terse but satisfying definition!
23 Soup’s unpleasant smell after overturning cup (5)
GUMBO: BO after MUG backwards. Down the Mississippi, down to New Orleans.
24 Bitter free on account (5)
ACRID: AC, then RID.
25 Legion having to carry not as much weight (9)
COUNTLESS: COUNT LESS (with a space) would be to carry less weight.
26 Distracted English prommer missing minutes in piano concerto (7)
EMPEROR: (E PROM-ER*). One of the “M”s (minutes) is missing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._5_(Beethoven)
27 Family character appearing embarrassed (7)
KINDRED: KIND (character), RED (embarrassed).
Down
1 An amusing thing to catch one who can’t stop talking (6)
GASBAG: GAS (amusing thing), BAG (catch). For a while, I tried fitting ASB or BSA inside GAG, without success!
2 Damage can come with one cocktail (7)
MARTINI: MAR (damage), TIN (can), I (one).
3 Most of Rheingold’s rewritten, leading to new Wagner opera (9)
LOHENGRIN: (RHEINGOL-*), then N for new. The final D in Rheingold is dropped from the anagram.
4 Pulp chapter needing rewriting for over-ornate passage (6,5)
PURPLE PATCH: looking at the first helpers, I expected the answer to be PURPLE PROSE, but the anagram is clear enough: (PULP CHAPTER*). To me a “purple patch” is a spell of good luck or good form, but Chambers lists “purple passage” as its first definition.
5 Appropriate work for a couple lacking time (3)
DUE: DUE{t}.
6 Small bird’s made to fly (5)
SCOOT: S, COOT.
7 Bishop interrupts dodgy seance for failure to show presence? (7)
ABSENCE: B in (SÉANCE*). My first thought was that the definition might be “presence” – quite the opposite!
8 Aversion therapy’s beginning during endless misfortune (8)
DISTASTE: T{herapy} in DISASTE{r}.
13 Steps on top of lorry, compelled to act (5-6)
STAGE-STRUCK: STAGES, TRUCK. I saw STRUCK immediately but found STAGES elusive. Part of my problem was that I was thinking of acting in a more concrete “doing” sense. In the end, this was my LOI.
15 Make cultivated land with river rising around it (9)
ENLIGHTEN: NENE (the river), backwards around LIGHT.
16 Conduct beginning of civil wedding, though Mark’s gone missing (8)
CARRIAGE: C{ivil} {m}ARRIAGE.
18 Flawless turning needed after bad test for fit (5,2)
OFFER UP: PURE backwards, after OFF. Another definition I found elusive.
19 One of similar ability is one likely to succeed without exercise (7)
COMPEER: COMER around P.E. Not a word I would feel confident to use!
20 Pressure on Love Island has top journalist ready and prepared (6)
POISED: P{ressure}, O (love), IS{land}, ED{itor}.
22 Duck always found around one delta (5)
EIDER: EER (ever), around I and D.
25 Aggressive dog runs after copper (3)
CUR: CU, R.
My clue of the day was 13dn. I also liked 26 across, perhaps for its messy structure.
Thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle.
Clues are in blue, with definitions underlined. Answers are in BOLD CAPS, followed by the wordplay. (ABC*) means 'anagram of ABC', with the anagram indicator in bold italics. Deletions are in {curly brackets}.
Across
1 Reported James before indiscretion in schoolgirl attire (7)
GYMSLIP: GYM sounds like Jim, followed by a SLIP.
5 Drop accomplished without a sign of damage (7)
DISCARD: DID (accomplished), around SCAR (sign of damage).
9 Fish in sudden increase leading to extra demand (9)
SURCHARGE: SURGE (sudden increase), around CHAR (fish).
10 Old support avoiding bishop in quiet spot (5)
OASIS: O (old), {b}ASIS (support, avoiding bishop).
11 Deceit admitted by an outsider (5)
ALIEN: LIE in AN.
12 Ill-fated liner left United States and hit (not hard) an island key (9)
LUSITANIA: L (left), US, {h}IT, AN, I{sland}, A (key). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania My first parsing of this clue started L, USA, TAN=hit, … until I decided I really was confident the spelling starts LUSI … not LUSA ... !!
14 Operation to prepare fabric workers during strike (3,11)
HIP REPLACEMENT: that is, PREP LACE MEN, inside HIT.
17 Runny chocolate drunk all the time (6,3,5)
AROUND THE CLOCK: a choice of possible anagram indicators here! Use “runny” as the pointer, so “drunk” is part of the anagram fodder, giving (CHOCOLATE DRUNK*).
21 Report civil disturbance about what carnivores eat? (5,4)
RIFLE SHOT: RIOT around FLESH. Terse but satisfying definition!
23 Soup’s unpleasant smell after overturning cup (5)
GUMBO: BO after MUG backwards. Down the Mississippi, down to New Orleans.
24 Bitter free on account (5)
ACRID: AC, then RID.
25 Legion having to carry not as much weight (9)
COUNTLESS: COUNT LESS (with a space) would be to carry less weight.
26 Distracted English prommer missing minutes in piano concerto (7)
EMPEROR: (E PROM-ER*). One of the “M”s (minutes) is missing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._5_(Beethoven)
27 Family character appearing embarrassed (7)
KINDRED: KIND (character), RED (embarrassed).
Down
1 An amusing thing to catch one who can’t stop talking (6)
GASBAG: GAS (amusing thing), BAG (catch). For a while, I tried fitting ASB or BSA inside GAG, without success!
2 Damage can come with one cocktail (7)
MARTINI: MAR (damage), TIN (can), I (one).
3 Most of Rheingold’s rewritten, leading to new Wagner opera (9)
LOHENGRIN: (RHEINGOL-*), then N for new. The final D in Rheingold is dropped from the anagram.
4 Pulp chapter needing rewriting for over-ornate passage (6,5)
PURPLE PATCH: looking at the first helpers, I expected the answer to be PURPLE PROSE, but the anagram is clear enough: (PULP CHAPTER*). To me a “purple patch” is a spell of good luck or good form, but Chambers lists “purple passage” as its first definition.
5 Appropriate work for a couple lacking time (3)
DUE: DUE{t}.
6 Small bird’s made to fly (5)
SCOOT: S, COOT.
7 Bishop interrupts dodgy seance for failure to show presence? (7)
ABSENCE: B in (SÉANCE*). My first thought was that the definition might be “presence” – quite the opposite!
8 Aversion therapy’s beginning during endless misfortune (8)
DISTASTE: T{herapy} in DISASTE{r}.
13 Steps on top of lorry, compelled to act (5-6)
STAGE-STRUCK: STAGES, TRUCK. I saw STRUCK immediately but found STAGES elusive. Part of my problem was that I was thinking of acting in a more concrete “doing” sense. In the end, this was my LOI.
15 Make cultivated land with river rising around it (9)
ENLIGHTEN: NENE (the river), backwards around LIGHT.
16 Conduct beginning of civil wedding, though Mark’s gone missing (8)
CARRIAGE: C{ivil} {m}ARRIAGE.
18 Flawless turning needed after bad test for fit (5,2)
OFFER UP: PURE backwards, after OFF. Another definition I found elusive.
19 One of similar ability is one likely to succeed without exercise (7)
COMPEER: COMER around P.E. Not a word I would feel confident to use!
20 Pressure on Love Island has top journalist ready and prepared (6)
POISED: P{ressure}, O (love), IS{land}, ED{itor}.
22 Duck always found around one delta (5)
EIDER: EER (ever), around I and D.
25 Aggressive dog runs after copper (3)
CUR: CU, R.