I like Orlando’s clean and precise cluing style — in this case, several instances of cheeky definitions probably deserving of a questionable indicator and more than one of working the answer out from the definition while still struggling with the wordplay.
Across
| 1 | THE,SSAL=rev(lass),Y – Y’s our unknown. |
| 5 | RAFFIA – I think the wordplay is rev(A=area,IF,FAR) if far can be much? |
| 9 | DAIRYF=Friday*,ARM – Friesians are cows. |
| 11 | LIZST=list* – ref. perhaps the list of musical pieces heard at a recital?? |
| 12 | THE ISLE OF MAN – (item on a shelf)* — but this time I really don’t understand the (what must be cryptic) definition: “…it has legs for arms”? |
| 19 | BE(D)E – BEE’s partner ant is the harder cryptic worker. Ref. The Venerable BEDE. |
| 21 | ALTER,NATIVES – an amusing charade. |
| 24 | OWNED – rev hidden |
| 25 | KIN,KIN,ESS – ESS is our letter. |
| 26 | [bit]T(USK)ER – the River USK is a frequent cryptic visitor. |
| 27 | FLAG,POLE – it’s where its raised. |
Down
| 2 | [d]ELIA – Charles Lamb’s pseudonym: rev(aile[d]). | |
| 3 | S,CY,THE – it’s a verb as well I guess. | |
| 4 | LEAP IN THE DARK | |
| 6 | ALL SOULS – nice clue since “incorporate” must literally mean “without body” I suppose. | |
| 7 | FISHMONGER – (he’s forming)* — I love the definition of “sole trader”. | |
| 8 | ASTONISHED – so the def is “gobsmacked” but the rest? “one’s dropped by university!” | |
| 13 | B,RING,A,BOUT | |
| 14 | KERBSTONES – (broken sets)* and they are literally “by the way”. | |
| 17 | B(E,GR)UDGE – GR is our monarch (as in George Rex). | |
| 20 | HE,WING – I suppose this hangs together. Lumberjacks HEW. WING is arm. And they are certainly men (usually!). | |
| 22 | ME,MO – ME the setter. |
20 down : Reverse of eh(reverse of what)) and wing(branch).
8 dn Aston (is a UK University – bit unfair on overseas solvers) i + shed.
12 ac. The Isle of Man’s symbol is a triskelion,: three bent legs, each with a spur, joined at the thigh.
11ac: LISZT. One can recite a list, I suppose.
20dn HE = reverse of EH = what (as in “Eh? What did you say?”)
Oops, meant to say: so “HE” is “what about”.
Oops again, I’ve just noticed Greyfox has already said all this. I’ll get my coat..
5ac: ‘far’ can often mean ‘much’, as in ‘far better, etc.’
I loved the sole trader, too. I also thought 10dn MULTINATIONAL was very clever.
11ac. How about: Liszt recited could be “list”, which has an old meaning of “listen to”. So “heard” in recital.
Some lovely clues, not all of which I got. 6dn & 21ac especially.
Some great clues, here. I liked 12ac especially, and did wonder if “It has legs for arms!” by itself would have been enough (or better, though a good deal harder)