I found this tough, though guessing the theme when I solved straightaway the very first clue (BROWSER) which was a hidden.
Grid filled with words associated with computers. Some very inventive clueing, as I
associate with Virgilius.
Solving time: 34 mins
* = anagram
ACROSS
9 COMPACT DISC CD is in middle of anecdote! Good.
10 E MU Mu is Greek equivalent of M
11 UN(SUR)E Two French words. Were you looking for ER or UM?
14 SPELL CHECKERS “Chequers” PM’s residence in holidays.
23 P(L)UG IN The architect PUGIN
25 UGH (HUGH) Grant, the actor, with the initial h missing (“for Cockney”), I think.
26 SPREADSHEET e.g. centre SPREAD in paper (2 pages) + SHEET (another)
27 SPOT and PAL (both reversed) to give laptops “going to West”. Excellent surface.
28 FOR MATS
DOWN
1 BACK UP Had to think a bit about this, before remembering that to get someone’s back up is to annoy them.
2 (c)OSMOS IS
15 (L (chemical finally) + REACT SAY)* CATALYSER Took me a while to spot the precise anagram. A brilliant & lit.
16 B I ANNU(A)L. Annoyed I did not get this, in a crucial position in the grid, more quickly. Means twice a year, unlike “biennial” which means every two years.
18 KETCH UP
19 RIG V (ED) A Got this eventually from the wordplay. A Hindu work.
20 UNITES SET IN U (university) “upset”
24 HALF A score (twenty) is half forty! Last I solved.
I thought this was a very good example of its type – because the quality of the clues matched the large number of thematic entries. Slightly delayed by a careless BEEF UP at 1D but otherwise it seemed average difficulty for a Virgilius puzzle.
Yes, very enjoyable. I think I’ve developed a Pavlovian response to Virgilius puzzles: “Where’s the theme, must find theme…”