The usual exquisite clueing by Dac, some fantastic surfaces but lovely stuff as ever, one of his more gentle offerings.
Sorry this is a bit rushed, so a fairly bare-boned blog today.
Across
| 1 | Group | GRO(w) + UP |
| 4 | Thwacking | WACK in THING |
| 9 | Rockeries | (COR SKIER [thes]E)* |
| 10 | Wonka | ON in WK + A |
| 11 | Lories | (g)LORIES |
| 12 | Broadest | ROAD in BEST |
| 14 | Make Amends | (MADAM’S KEEN)* |
| 16 | Oppo | Hidden in tOP Post |
| 19 | Yank | Double def |
| 20 | Ill natured | (ALL IN RUDE T[etchy])* |
| 22 | Hijacked | JACK in HIED |
| 23 | Flagon | FL(uid) + AGON(y) |
| 26 | Tempt | TEMP + T |
| 27 | Lohengrin | HEN in LOG + RIN(g) |
| 28 | Postrider | DIRT rev in POSER |
| 29 | Atone | 14 Make Amends – AT ONE (pm presumable) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | Gorblimey | OR in GB + LIMEY |
| 2 | Oncer | CRONE* |
| 3 | Plebeian | No I in P(i)LE + BE + IAN |
| 4 | Trio | T(ackle) + RIO (Ferdinand) |
| 5 | West Riding | WE + STRIDING |
| 6 | Cowpat | COW (bully) + PAT (boy) |
| 7 | Innkeeper | PEEK rev in (d)INNER |
| 8 | Graft | RAF in GT |
| 13 | Well Heeled | Hom of Healed |
| 15 | King James | Stephen King/PD James perhaps. |
| 17 | Ordinance | I in ORDNANCE |
| 18 | Atalanta | A in ATLANTA |
| 21 | Scoter | (T(errible) SCORE)* |
| 22 | Het up | Hidden reversed in (dis)PUTE H(e’s) |
| 24 | Garbo | GARB + O(ld) |
| 25 | Char | Triple definition |
There were lots of nice clues here. I liked 9 and 12 for the good surface readings. I was held up a bit on gorblimey – I’m still not exactly sure what the definition is, although I can see the word play. Is it an &lit? I’ve never heard it used in relation to soldiers, but it may be slang military term.
I thought it was more likely Henry James in 15 down, but PD is obviously possible.
Thanks flashling for the blog and Dac for another excellent puzzle.
This took a bit longer than expected for a Dac, challenging in parts. Got stalled a bit by last but one in, 11A LORIES, which apparently has 3 variants in the singular: LORY, LORIS, LORI. The latter was the one I was familiar with, and I believed that LORIS is the plural for the latter 2 variants, but which of course didn’t fit the wordplay.
Favourites were 12A BROADEST; 23A FLAGON – helped along by the fact that I had FL = “fluid” in my blog for the FT yesterday; and 13A WELL-HEELED.
Got the wordplay for 1A, but can’t find GORBLIMEY = “common”. Common what? language/expression/exclamation?
Nice puzzle, but I failed on “trio”, having only a very limited knowledge of sport, and even less of soccer.
Gorblimey = common is in COED. Going way back think I remember “My Old Man’s a Dustman” wearing “gorblimey trousers”. Great puzzle as always. I found it on the easy side until I faced the NW corner. All good, with favourites LORIES and BROADEST. Yes, it was Henry James I thought of, but either would do of course. Thanks, flashling and Dac.
Yes NMS! Gorblimey trousers exactly. Another very good puzzle from The Polisher, so smooth are his surfaes. well done Dac and The Indy!
Thanks flashling.
Another super puzzle from Mr.Dependable.
Thanks nms for the Lonnie Donegan memory,I used to love that song as a youngster.
20 and 27 were brilliant,but I think it is time the ORD(I)NANCE clue was retired.
15 down could refer to a good many writers,I thought Francis King and Henry James or possibly M.R. James.
It’s all been said, really. I did like it, but only got GORBLIMEY with a wordsearch. Didn’t realise that was its definition. I do like my football, but TRIO was my last one in. This is obviously a recent construction from Dac, or a recent edit by eimi!
Cor blimey! what a day, still back now. I thought gorblimey (trousers) was better known so let it pass in the blog but thanks to NMS for pointing it out in the comments. @KD surprised at you!