Tricky fare from The Don – 18a and 23d took some unravelling
Across
1 IMPACTED made impression IMP (troublemaker) ACTED (took initiative)
6 SCORCH superficial damage ORC (monster) in SCH (school)
9 PROLIX long-winded PRO (publicist) [drive]L I (one) X (cross)
10 MERCHANT trader [sum]MER (season) CHANT (sing)
11 MOLYBDENUM element (MOB MEN DULY)*
12 LADY older female LAD (youngster) Y (yen)
13 DOCTOR dd
15 CASH DESK where money handed over
SH (quiet) in CAD (baddie) ESK (river)
18 COCKEYED absurd COCKNEY ED boss of newspaper in the East End of London (Poplar) minus N (name)
20 TRYING dd
21 AGHA commander AGHAST (horrified) minus ST (saint)
23 PATRIARCHY male led (PARTY CHAIR)*
25 YES AND NO dd
26 CUBIST artist CUB (trainee) IS T[utor]
27 DENTAL consonant hidden in [hid]DEN TAL[ent]
28 TASTIEST most toothsome ASTI (wine) in TEST (sampling)
Down
2 MARCO POLO traveller MAR (ruin) CO (company) POLO (VW car)
3 ALLAY calm A (article) in ALLY (friend)
4 TAXIDERMY preservation process (MATRIX DYE)*
5 DEMONIC wicked DEMO (protest) NIC[k] (prison)
6 SCRUM disorderly group R (run) in SCUM (worthless people)
7 ON HOLIDAY not working I (one) in ON HOLD (in suspense) A Y (year)
8 CANID dog maybe A N (new) in CID (detectives)
14 TAKE APART censure TAKE A PART (assume a role)
16 SET PIECES practised manoeuvres (all 32 chess men)
17 SYNTHESIS getting together (SHYNESS IT)*
19 DETROIT city by Great Lake St Clair O (old) in DETRITUS (mess) minus US
22 GEESE birds GEE (surprise) [the]SE
23 PEDAL re sustaining pedal on piano or organ – sounds like PEDDLE (market)
24 RABBI teacher A BB (bishops) in RI (religious instruction)
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit dd = double definition
Thanks Jed.
Another great Friday FT puzzle from the Don.
I needed your explanation for 18ac, Jed, and I went for POTTER at 13ac.
No record innings from Bradman in this test. I’d got him out in half an hour.
Like Mike04 I had POTTER for 23ac.
Thanks for the blog, Jed.
Thanks Bradman and Jed.
I’m another POTTER at 13ac.
I still don’t get 27ac.
27ac – in phonetics a DENTAL is a consonant articulated with the tongue against the upper teeth, such as t, d or n.
Thanks Bradman for an enjoyable puzzle with plenty of really neat clues. Thanks also to Jed for the blog.
I had DOCTOR at 13ac (my last one in) but thought it a rather weak double definition. I think POTTER is a more satisfactory answer.
Thanks for writing nice things. POTTER was the intended answer at 13A (as in Harry)