Absolute corker – especially 15down
Across
1 APPOSITE suitable A P (quiet) PO (river) SITE (location)
5 SPELLS dd
9 ABEYANCE suspension ANC (African party) in A B (British) EYE (detective)
10 ARMADA fleet RM (marines) in A ADA (girl)
12 LABEL mark L (left) on ABEL (Bible)
13 ACID HOUSE (1980s youth movement) AC (bill) (HIDEOUS)*
14 ITHACA island hidden in [w]ITH A CA[stle]
16 ROSEOLA German measles ROSE (girl) A LO< (a look back)
18 PARESIS partial paralysis PARE (cut) SIS (little girl)
20 MEDINA 2nd holiest city in Islam ME (this writer) D (died) IN A
22 DRAVIDIAN dark, wavy-haired race DR (doctor) AVID (eager) IAN (Scot)
23 MATER mother MATE (reliable friend) R (recipe)
24 MAIDEN girl AID (help) in MEN (blokes)
25 ACRIMONY (bitterness) IM (I am) in A CRONY (chum)
26 COMITY civility OM (honour) in CITY (square mile)
27 RELEASED freed LEAS (meadows) in DEER<
Down
1 ARABLE farming ARAB (horse) LE (the French)
2 PRESBYTERIANISM (ERR IN BAPTISMS YE)*
3 SMALL piddling [loutishness]S MALL (shopping area)
4 TOCCATA music piece CAT (jazz fiend) in A COT< (a bed turning over)
6 PURCHASED got hold of (USED CAR HP)*
7 LEAGUE OF NATIONS (A FELONIOUS AGENT)*
8 SPACE BAR witty dd
11 DIOR couturier DI (princess) OR (gold)
15 ABSTINENT &Littish TIN (can) in ABSENT (off)
17 EPIDEMIC disease MED< in EPIC (large-scale)
19 SHIN to kick H (hard) in SIN (something wicked)
20 MONOCLE optical device CON< (trick upset) in MOLE (spy)
21 FRAYED ragged F (female) RAY ED (chaps)
23 MAINE in America sounds like MAIN (premier)
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit < = reverse dd = double definition
Thanks, Jed.
In 17D it is med plus i(one) which is reversed inside epic.
Thanks, Jed.
Not sure this is an ‘absolute corker’, but I must say that in the last two years or so I have become a great admirer of this setter in all of his disguises. Effortless and precise cluing combined with good surfaces. I won’t complain.
As you say, 15d (ABSTINENT) is utterly brilliant.
It will go down in my Book of Classic Clues, and is surely a contender for the Clue of the Year.
Only one comment (now two), not much for a quality puzzle like this.
Blame it on the season.
Thanks Bradman and Jed
Paresis eluded me, really liked abstinent.