Back to Rufus for Monday morning and a good example of how a puzzle can be perfectly straightforward and still enjoyable and satisfying. We have Rufus’ characteristic wit and elegance in the surfaces, some clever anagrams and a couple of great &lits.
Across
1 PUSH THE BOAT OUT: a nice easy double definition to start us off
8 SIREN: RE [about] in SIN [depravity]: I loved ‘rock singer’!
9 METEORIC: anagram of TO CRIME + E [drug]
11 ORPHEUS: anagram of HE POURS: &lit
12 UNCLEAR: UNCLE AR[thurs{day}]: this made me smile
13 ENNUI: anagram of NUN I.E.
15 EXERCISED: ER [hesitation] in EXCISED [removed]
17 BARTENDER: BAR [save, in the sense of ‘except’] + TENDER [money, as in ‘legal tender’]
20 LILAC: I in reversal of CALL
21 SHERBET: HERB [simple – medicinal plant] in SET [ready]
23 NOSTRUM: NO + ST + RUM
25 HANDSOME: anagram of HOMES AND
26 ESSEN: anagram of SENSE
27 ADVERTISEMENTS: clever anagram of TV SETS REMAINED
Down
1 PAST ONE’S BEST: double definition
2 SCRAP: double definition
3 TANGERINE: TANG [taste] + IN [popular] in ERE [before]
4 EN MASSE: MA’S [mother’s] in anagram of SEEN: another wry smile
5 OBTRUDE: anagram of DOUBTER: the surface was a little weak here, since ‘obtrude’ and ‘intrude / intrusive’ have the same root
6 TRONC: this has to described as a cryptic definition but here it was the ‘hidden’ meaning that leapt out. Tronc is the collection of tips shared out among waiters
7 UNIVERSAL: anagram of IVAN’S RULE – another great surface
10 PREDICAMENTS: AMEN [last word] in PREDICTS
14 NURSEMAID: cryptic definition
16 COLOSSEUM: anagram of SOUL COMES – great &lit
18 DETROIT: anagram of EDITOR + T [junction]
19 RUNNERS: double definition
22 BUDGE: BUDGE[rigar]
24 ROSIN: ROSIN[ante]: nice use of ‘bowman’
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