The usual satisfying fare.
Solving time: 15 mins
* = anagram
ACROSS
1 PLAYED OUT “Play” “doubt” “said”
9 R (E) ICH STAG e is the most common letter in English so abbreviations for it you will see often, such as e for energy. The German Parliament up to the end of the Weimar Republic in 1933 – now it’s the Bundestag.
11 Yuri G (AGA) RIN The first person in space. Aga = governor (Turkish). Remember it.
13 PATIENCE “Patients” Defn = game (cards)
16 ON SIDE Cricket. Two sides to the cricket field: on (or leg) and off. A sweep shot is one of those made towards the leg side.
18 BAR ON AGE
21 PAN (face) ACE (very good) A
26 THE ((OS) (OP)) H Y Two useful crossword staples here. OS = outsize i.e. “very large” op. = work from Latin opus used for a musical work.
DOWN
2 ANGORA r for l in Angola. I learned from this that Angora (which I’d always associated just with wool) is the old name for Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
3 ELECTRA COMPLEX In crossword speak this answer could mean (as part of a clue) “make an anagram of Electra” – hence treacle. cf Oedipus complex
7 MID GET “Upset” teg dim
13 PROM P TEST
17 SUNRISE “Nurse is collapsing – now after night duty?” (Nurse is)* Very good, indeed, linking the definition back to the wordplay and raising a smile. My favourite clue.
19 A L(Theatre)AIR A star (in the heavens). If memory serves, this was the pseudonym of a Guardian setter.
20 HANG-UP Good. Communicating refers to the phone.