A pretty straightforward puzzle today, very enjoyable nonetheless. Thank you Cinephile.
Hold the mouse pointer over any clue number to read the clue.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ALLIGATOR | sounds like “alley gaitor” (passage and legwear) – see you later alligator |
| 6 | LUPUS | UP (raised) following L (student) then US (America) – chronic TB of the skin |
| 9 | COMPEER | COMPERE (MC) with the last two letters reversed (tail twisted) – a person of equal rank |
| 10 | DESERVE | Snake (head of) in DEER (animals) and ‘VE (have been, short form) |
| 11 | TWEAK | Time and WEAK (week, say=sounds like) |
| 12 | INWROUGHT | I WORN* (out=anagram) UGH (disgusting!) T (shirt) |
| 14, 19 | HATRED | RED HAT (the galero, a wide brimmed red hat word by cardinals) with words reversed (inverted) |
| 15 | INHERITANCE | IN (among) CATHERINE* (work=anagram, to knead or massage) |
| 17 | RIGHT HANDED | RIGHT (privilige) HANDED (given to) – the majority of people do things (operate) with their right hand |
| 19 | See 14 | |
| 20 | BIMONTHLY | anagram (rendered) of HYMN TO LIBerty (briefly) |
| 22 | LASER | sounds like “lazer” (one who lazes about) |
| 24 | ABOLISH | (BOIL HAS)* |
| 26 | ITALIAN | IT ALIA (other things, latin) New – ‘Gin and Italian’ is a martini |
| 27 | DELVE | Died and ELVEs (little people) not ending (didn’t stop) |
| 28 | THEREWITH | THE (the definite article) WRITE* and History (start of) – definition is ‘using that’ |
| Down | ||
| 1 | ASCOT | A SCOT (northern Briton) – race course |
| 2 | LAMBENT | BENT (determined) on LAM (strike, hit) – in flame |
| 3 | GREEK GIFT | GG (sounds like “gee gee”) outside REEK (smell) IF on Things (top of) |
| 4 | TURKISH BATH | anagram of KIT and BRUSH HAT |
| 5 | See 25 | |
| 6 | LASSO | LASS (girl) O (love, zero tennis score) |
| 7 | PARAGON | P (piano, quiet) ARAGON (home of Catherine) – definition is ‘perfect type’ |
| 8 | SHEET BEND | SHEET (something for the bed) N (pole) in BED (which, refering back to bed) – knot, a more secure variant of the reef knot |
| 13 | WORLDLY WISE | WILDLY* (anagram=wrong) in WORSE (not so good) |
| 14 | HARDBOARD | HARD (unkind) BOARD (directors) |
| 16 | TIDAL WAVE | DALIT* and WAVE (bid farewell to) |
| 18 | GUMBOIL | GUMBO (soup) I Left |
| 19 | ROSSINI | Sir James Clark ROSS (arctic explorer) IN Island |
| 21 | NOISE | NO (number) IS E (a transcendental number) |
| 23 | RANCH | RAN (managed) CH (church) |
| 25, 5 | HOT ROD | HOT (enthusiastic) ROD (staff) |
*anagram
Not too tricky but enjoyable. I was held up by having to find out whether the clearly indicated word in 9a existed and waiting for the penny to drop about IT in 26a. Thanks to setter and blogger too
Yes, certainly enjoyable: 2D stumped me, and thanks also for deciphering 12A – I couldn’t see why that was the solution. BTW I think you mean CATHERINE with an “E” in both 15A and 7D.