With the exception of a handful of clues I didn’t enjoy this puzzle, and thought that some of the complex wordplay was out of place in a Quiptic. I hope someone can improve on my parsing of 8 down (and they did!). Feel free to disagree!
Most of the definitions given are from Chambers 12th Edition. Most of the standard abbreviations used in the wordplay are shown with the unused letters in brackets e.g. CO(mpany). Definitions are underlined in the clue and only included in explanations where further information is given.
Across
1a Accept what a dissident director might do? (4,2,5)
TAKE ON BOARD – a dissident director might oppose his co-directors
9a,13a Remedy for dripping tap? You ought to get another for it (3,4,4)
ONE GOOD TURN – a very weak cryptic definition
10a See 1 down
11a Lawyers make use of this garden, having crept slyly around (9)
PRECEDENT – the biblical garden inside an anagram (slyly) of CREPT
12a Learner knowledgeable about garden flower (5)
LUPIN – L(earner) followed by a phrase meaning knowledgeable (2,2)
13a See 9
14a The time before written records perish, destroyed by politician (10)
PREHISTORY – an anagram (destroyed) of PERISH followed by a Conservative politician
16a Skyscraper where Anne Boleyn ended up? (5,5)
TOWER BLOCK – a cryptic definition of where Anne Boleyn was executed – apparently this is an historical inaccuracy as she was executed by a swordsman while kneeling rather that by an axe on a block
19a South American once trapped in train carriage (4)
INCA – hidden (trapped) inside the clue
21a Information about quartet supplied (5)
GIVEN – some information around the Roman numeral for four
22a Surprisingly mild ghost writer (9)
GOLDSMITH – an anagram (surprisingly) of MILD GHOST
24a Country hotels dilapidated, old (7)
LESOTHO – an anagram (dilapidated) of HOTELS followed by O(ld)
25a Called editor after page wrecked in accident (7)
PRANGED – a verb meaning to call on the phone followed by ED(itor) and preceded by P(age)
26a Loose bricks etc — those in lodge are bound by it (11)
FREEMASONRY – a four-letter word meaning loose followed by a term for bricks and mortar
Down
1d,10d Tipsy partners, going in with Fred, soon disrupted play (3,5,5,2,7)
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR – an adjective meaning tipsy and some female partners inside an anagram (disrupted) of WITH FRED SOON
2d Danish capital united under two kings (5)
KRONE – this unit of Danish currency comes from K(ing) and the Latin abbreviation of R(ex) [two kings] followed by a word meaning united
3d Elderly lady‘s daughter in frightful ordeal (3,4)
OLD DEAR – D(aughter) inside an anagram (frightful) of ORDEAL
4d We end up bitten by dog in entrance (7)
BEWITCH – WE reversed (end up in a down clue) inside a female dog gives a verb meaning to entrance
5d Chronicler sounds as if he’s breaking down (8)
ANNALIST – sounds like ANALYST (he’s breaking down)
6d Police detective alone securing commission, more’s the pity (15)
DISAPPOINTINGLY – a D(etective) I(nspector) followed by a word meaning alone around (securing) a verb meaning to commission
7d With father in bed, you’d take steps to avoid it (6)
COWPAT – W(ith) and a two-letter word for father inside a child’s bed
8d British with eager desire for drink (6)
BRANDY – B(ritish) followed by an adjective meaning with eager desire (thanks JB} a word meaning with and Y, which is the abbreviation for Japanese Yen
15d Conduct observed in Miss Midler is far from fair! (8)
BRUNETTE – a verb meaning to conduct inside the first name of the Divine Miss M
16d Time to shake, lacking top fastening for coat (6)
TOGGLE – T(ime) followed by a verb meaning to shake without (lacking) its initial (top) J
17d The French smarten up space between seats (7)
LEGROOM – the French definite article followed by a verb meaning to smarten up
18d Rulers‘ loose cash (about 51p) (7)
CALIPHS – an anagram (loose) of CASH around the Roman numeral for 51 and the P from the clue
20d Portion of flytrap hid several insects (6)
APHIDS – hidden (portion of) inside the clue
23d Son, pop’s offspring (5)
SPAWN – S(on) followed by a verb meaning to pop or pledge
Comments from solvers who are new to cryptic puzzles are more than welcome – and that doesn’t mean the usual suspects can’t add their thoughts as well!
8d = B + “randy” = eager desire
Likewise, jb. Thanks, Big Dave and Nutmeg.
I thought this was a good Quiptic, and I actually really liked the cryptic definition for 9/13ac. At 8dn the definition for “randy” is “with eager desire” rather than “eager desire”.
Thanks Nutmeg and Big Dave.
Nutmeg has moved on to the regular Guardian puzzle at times, so perhaps the wordplay is a bit difficult for a Quiptic. I started at the bottom and didn’t really have any problems, apart from ANNALIST, which was my last in.
I loved TOWER BLOCK, despite the inaccuracy. I thought ONE GOOD TURN was fine – I didn’t see it immediately, thinking of washers etc. Another good one was COWPAT.
Thanks Big Dave,
I did enjoy this puzzle although you didn’t. I found it mainly easy but the clue constructions were excellent. As always,
it took me ages to get the last few which were SPAWN (LOI), COWPAT, PRANGED and DISAPPONTINGLY (I could see DISAPPOINT but
the INGLY just would not come even though the ‘Y’ was there). I enjoy the simpler crosswords these days as I seem to have
lost the skill to do the more difficult ones. I was always more on Araucaria’s wavelength than any other compiler and now
that he’s gone, I feel slightly bereft.
Thanks Nutmeg for the excellent entertainment.
OK, I disagree. Don’t know what about, but you said feel free! Sorry, it’s been a trying time in Derek-land, so feeling frivolous!
Re #1
‘randy’, being an adj, is from “with eager desire” rather just “eager desire”.
“with,” therefore, is not an instruction to add ‘randy’ to ‘B’ in this charade clue.
Does the adj. ‘randy’ have a noun form for a sexually excited person? I don’t know!
Apologies to Andy B. I wrote my Comment at #7 without going through all the previously recorded notes.
Davy at 5 writes: “I enjoy the simpler crosswords these days as I seem to have lost the skill to do the more difficult ones.”
This seems to have happened to me too! The persistence with which I used to do crosswords is gone. The eagerness that I had and the dictionary work that I did to see them completed or very nearly completed is gone. Even the crosswords that were one so familiar have become daunting!
I set crosswords on a regular basis and so the question is: “Does a serial setter become less and less of a solver?”
I’ve only just got round to this one having just completed Nutmeg’s puzzle in today’s Grauniad. I thought that it was a very clever puzzle, but agree with Dave that it was a bit challenging for a Quiptic: what I don’t understand is why the crossword editor did not keep it for a main puzzle. Surely, it warrants such placement, and it was more difficult than many of the daily puzzles.