Thanks Armonie, for an enjoyable puzzle. Started easily in the NW, and last in were a couple in the SE. Definitions are underlined in the clues. There is a hidden connection in one of the picture sets.
Across
1 A yacht wrecked in China (6)
CATHAY : Anagram of(wrecked) A YACHT
Defn: A poetic and archaic, former name for China
4 Concealed former pupils getting pickled (8)
OBSCURED : OBS(old boys,former pupils) CURED(being preserved by salting, smoking and the like,getting pickled)
9 Midday flight is restricted (6)
NARROW : N(noon,midday) ARROW(flight arrow, a long and light one designed for long-distance shooting)
10 Pub in awkward place is the high point (8)
PINNACLE : INN(pub) contained in(in) anagram of(awkward) PLACE
12 Fish experiences having head cut off (4)
EELS : “Feels”,experiences without its initial letter,having head cut off
13 Whistled to girls having viewing aids (10)
SUNGLASSES : SUNG(made a whistling sound, as with a singing kettle or bird) plus(to) LASSES(girls)
15 A liking for prophesy about the Parisian (12)
PREDILECTION : PREDICTION(forecast,prophesy) containing(about) LE(the definite article, the, in the native language of a Parisian)
18 Consider ‘er intention in musical arrangement (12)
COUNTERPOINT : COUNT(take into account,consider) ‘ER POINT(an aim,purpose,intention)
Defn: Music where two or more parts/melodies are simultaneously played, giving a pleasant interaction/contrast.
21 Distress character reversing jalopy (10)
RATTLETRAP : RATTLE(to distress,make uncomfortable) TRAP{reversal of(reversing) “part”,a character role in a play/story/film}
22 Father an art movement (4)
DADA : Double defn: 1st: Informal term for father,daddy, probably derived from baby talk; and 2nd: An early 20C European and American artistic and literary movement, flouting convention and producing works characterized by nonsense, travesty and incongruity.
24 Moral tale of a parrot holding the stage (8)
ALLEGORY : A LORY(an Australasian parrot) containing(holding) LEG(a part,stage of a sporting contest made up of such legs, that in sum determine the winner)
25 Opponents notice flag (6)
ENSIGN : EN(East & North, in partnership with West and South respectively,opponents in bridge notation) SIGN(notice, eg. “Keep Off The Grass” or ….)
Defn: A flag,banner used to indicate nationality
26 With composure and cunning embracing oriental girlfriend (8)
SEDATELY : SLY(adjective, cunning) containing(embracing) {E(eastern,oriental) DATE(girlfriend – how many dates before she’s your girlfriend?)
27 Advocate having wife in bed (6)
LAWYER : W(wife) contained in(in) LAYER(not the hen, but a thick bed of the same material spread over a surface, sometimes bounded by different layers top and bottom)
Down
1 Cheat, seduce and disgrace (8)
CONTEMPT : CON(derived from confidence trick,to cheat) TEMPT(lure,persuade gently,seduce)
2 Ploughman reserves an hour for a novel (8)
THRILLER : TILLER(one who tills the ground,ploughman) containing(reserves) HR(abbrev. for “hour”)
3 Flower carried by Savonarola (4)
AVON : Hidden in(carried by) sAVONarola
Defn: There are more than one river,flower named Avon, even in England. I guess the most famous the one is in Warwickshire, because of Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of Shakespeare.
5 Supply a need for game fellow, good during strike (6,3,3)
BRIDGE THE GAP : BRIDGE(the card game) [HE(fellow,masculine chap) G(good)] contained in(during) TAP(a blow,strike)
6 Paul at once prepared fruit (10)
CANTALOUPE : Anagram of(prepared) PAUL AT ONCE
7 Holiday in secluded spot (6)
RECESS : Doube defn: 1st: A short/long break, as what Parliament has, presumably for members to take their holidays, and 2nd: Inner area,secluded spot, away from the mainstream, eg. figuratively, the recesses of your mind
8 Stylish, clean and young (6)
DRESSY : DRESS(as in to clean a wound) Y(young)
11 Psychic upset usual partner (12)
SUPERNATURAL : Anagram of(upset) USUAL PARTNER
14 It shows when working guide’s frivolous (5,5)
PILOT LIGHT : PILOT(guide,steerer) LIGHT(lightweight,unserious,frivolous)
16 Laughter or a term embracing it (8)
HILARITY : HILARY(the spring term at Oxford U, Inns of Court, et al, named after St. Hilarius, Bishop of Poitiers in 4C – I wonder if he was cheerful?) containing(embracing) IT
17 Coarse filter surprisingly isn’t rare (8)
STRAINER : Anagram of(surprisingly) of ISNT RARE
19 Greek devours the classics (6)
GREATS : GR(Greek, also the ISO code for Greece) EATS(devours)
20 Leader of thugs, buried in concrete, showing no emotion (6)
STOLID : T(first letter,leader of “thugs”) contained in(buried in) SOLID(unyielding,compact,tangible,concrete). Nice surface – image of gang warfare.
23 Foreign ruler much liked by accountant (4)
INCA : IN(in fashion,popular,much liked as in the “in-crowd”) plus(by) CA(Chartered Accountant – a million miles away from that amusing euphemism, turf accountant)
Defn: Ruler, or member of the royal family of the South American Inca people and their empire, pre the Spanish conquistadors.
Anent one of the sign boards above. That reminds me.
Decades ago we used to work on night shift and return home around 3 a.m. on cycles through dark streets inhabited by stray dogs.
Often we would be chased by these growlers.
A colleague told us he had a strategy to avoid them. Said he: “I would pedal furiously and turn into a one-way street. The dogs would obey the road sign and stop.”
Thanks Armonie for a pleasant puzzle and scchua for the blog.
Small typo in the explanation of 4ac: OBS + CURED.
I have a copy of the second sign pictured under 25ac just next to me as I am typing this – I found it at Tate Modern.
Thanks Pelham, typo now corrected.