Guardian 26,023 / Orlando

It’s always a pleasure to solve (and blog about) Orlando’s puzzles, and this one was true to form. We found it on the easy side for a prize puzzle, but lots of fun to do. I didn’t spot any particular theme here, but maybe I missed something.

Across

1. Find views of university in excellent books (5,3)
SOUND OUT
U = “university” in SOUND = “excellent” + OT (Old Testament) = “books”
Definition: “Find views of”

5. Wretched sailor getting cold in stream (6)
ABJECT
AB (Able Seaman) = “sailor” followed by C = “cold” in JET = “stream”
Definition: “Wretched”

9. Extremely rude vagrant came inside for wine bottle (8)
REHOBOAM
R[ud]E = “Extremely rude” + HOBO = “vagrant” + [c]AM[e] = “came inside”; a rehoboam is one of the larger sizes of champagne bottles at 4.5 litres, between a Jeroboam and a Methuselah.
Definition: “wine bottle”

10. Conjuror sometimes a pilgrim (6)
PALMER
(This was our last one in.) Double definition: “Conjuror sometimes” (palming a coin, for example, as part of a trick) and “a pilgrim”
Definition:

12. Heartless girl close to tears after playing around with more than one husband (11)
POLYANDROUS
PO[l]LY followed by (AROUND)* and [tear]S = “close to tears”
Definition: “with more than one husband”

15. Log first axed in middle of America (5)
ENTER
[c]ENTER = “middle of America” (i.e. the US spelling) of “centre” with “first axed”
Definition: “Log”

17. Prepared for conflict in pits? (5,4)
UNDER ARMS
Double definition: “Prepares for conflict” and “pits?” (referring to armpits or underarms)

18. Gluttons’ bread ration somewhere in France (9)
PERPIGNAN
A nice clue, suggesting a nan bread for each pig: PER PIG NAN = “Gluttons’ bread ration”
Definition: “somewhere in France“

19. Crime writer Wallace and Gromit initially read in translation (5)
EDGAR
(G[romit] READ)* – the anagram fodder is G[romit] = “Gromit initially” and READ
Definition: “Crime writer Wallace“

20. Staggering behind empty stable, second in horse race (11)
SENSATIONAL
S[tabl]E = “empty stable” followed by S = “second” in NATIONAL = “horse race”
Definition: “Staggering”

24. A daughter of Mnemosyne — daughter unlike Queen Victoria (6)
AMUSED
A MUSE = “a daughter of Mnemosyne” + D = “daughter”
Definition: “unlike Queen Victoria”, referring to the remark “We are not amused” which is attributed to Queen Victoria, although it’s doubtful that she ever said it.

25. What a canary will do repeatedly in prison (4,4)
SING SING
SING = “What a canary will do” twice (“repeatedly”)
Definition: “prison” referring to the jail near New York City

26. Very smooth malt whisky finally put on plane (6)
MIGHTY
[smoot]H [mal]T [whisk]Y = “smooth malt whisky finally” after MIG = “plane”
Definition: “very”

27. Organ part that is holding notes back (5,3)
INNER EAR
IE = “that is” around N N = “notes” followed by REAR = “back”
Definition: “Organ part”

Down

1. Opening for Steptoe’s rubbish? Plenty here (10)
SCRAPHEAPS
S[teptoe’s] = “Opening for Steptoe’s” + CRAP = “rubbish” + HEAPS = “plenty”
Definition: “here” (in the context of the whole clue, referring to Steptoe and Son, who were scrap merchants)

2. It may be stuffed poultry he’s cooked (10)
UPHOLSTERY
(POULTRY HE’S)*
Definition: “It may be stuffed”

3. President unknown in Middle East state? Not entirely (5)
DUBYA
Y = “unknown” in DUBA[i] = “Middle East state? Not entirely”
Definition: “President” (the nickname of George W. Bush)

4. Fully functional as a mountain stream (2,3,7)
UP AND RUNNING
Double definition: “Fully functional” and “as a mountain stream”

6. Egg roll for starters in old-fashioned club or restaurant (9)
BRASSERIE
E[gg] R[oll] = “Egg roll for starters” in BRASSIE = “old-fashioned [golf] club”
Definition: “restaurant”

7. Outer Mongolia supports Forster novel (4)
EMMA
M[ongoli]A = “Outer Mongolia” under EM = “Forster”
Definition: “novel” (Jane Austen’s “Emma”)

8. Brown bears right in lake (4)
TARN
TAN = “Brown” around R = “right”
Definition: “lake”

11. Action! Send on cast for film! (12)
CONDENSATION
(ACTION SEND ON)*
Definition: “film!”

13. Ship — Titanic — one going down in salt water (10)
BRIGANTINE
GIANT = “Titanic” with “one going down” to give you GANTI, in BRINE = “salt water”
Definition: “Ship“

14. One has twelve houses, making realtors go crazy (10)
ASTROLOGER
(REALTORS GO)*
Definition: “One has twelve houses” – a horoscope is divided into twelve houses

16. In Hollywood Claude shed tears, often getting soaked (9)
RAINSWEPT
RAINS = “In Hollywood Claude” + WEPT = “shed tears”
Definition: “often getting soaked”

21. Sound of sleigh bells? Non-starter in a hot spot (5)
INGLE
[j]INGLE = “Sound of sleigh bells? Non-starter”
Definition: “a hot spot”, more often used as part of “ingle nook”

22. Not all classical music is serene (4)
CALM
Hidden in “[classi]CAL M[usic]”
Definition: “serene”

23. Girl lacking energy, needing good psychiatrist (4)
JUNG
JUN[e] = “Girl lacking energy” + G = “good”
Definition: “psychiatrist“