Guardian Cryptic N° 23,215 by Rufus

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The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26215.

I found this harder than most Rufus puzzles, not helped by some definitions that I find doubtful. He seems to be on an envelope kick.

 

Across
7. Girl has an unusual idea of earthly paradise (7-2)
SHANGRI-LA An anagram (‘unusual’) of ‘girl has an’.
8. Agree the score (5)
TALLY Double definition.
9. University takes two scholars in exchange (4,5)
ALMA MATER An envelope (‘takes … in’) of MA MA (‘two scholars’) in ALTER (‘exchange’; Chambers gives change as an obsolete meaning of exchange).
10. Go round twice at speed (5)
OOMPH A charade of OO (’round twice’) plus MPH (‘speed’).
12. Darwin’s crafty dog (6)
BEAGLE Double definition, nearly.
13. Gathering round about a friend (8)
RALLYING An envelope (‘about’) of ALLY (‘a friend’) in RING (’round’).
14. A burnt-out pantomime character? (7)
CINDERS Cryptic definition.
17. A course in writing may bring fortune (7)
MASCOTS An envelope (‘in’) of ASCOT (‘a course’) in MS (‘writing’). I think the definition is rather loose.
20. Criticise article about Rome’s Hall of Fame (8)
PANTHEON A charade of PAN (‘criticise’) plus THE (‘article’) plus ON (‘about’), with a cryptic definition.
22. Complete exposure of corruption in Dundee (6)
DENUDE An anagram (‘corruption’) of ‘Dundee’.
24. A picking-up point (5)
PRONG Cryptic definition.
25. Allowing real distress (9)
SUFFERING Double definition; ‘real’ seems irrelevant, but could go with ‘distress’.
26. Pushing forwards gets all-round credit (5)
SCRUM An envelope (’round’) of CR (‘credit’) in SUM (‘all’).
27. Carried by lawyer for a short trial? (9)
BRIEFCASE A charade of BRIEF (‘short’) plus CASE (‘trial’; I think not an exact synonym, so the clue might be better regarded as a play on ‘brief’).

Down
1. Gradually descend to procrastination? (6)
SHELVE Double definition (but SHELVE is a verb, ‘procrastination’ a noun).
2. Big finish about to be made bigger (8)
ENLARGED An envelope (‘about’) of LARGE (‘big’) in END (‘finish’).
3. Talk about kitchen finally being decorated (6)
ORNATE An envelope (‘about) of N (‘kitcheN finally’) in ORATE (‘talk’).
4. Fast scoring rate (7)
ALLEGRO Cryptic definition.
5. Flier eating chop and banger (6)
JALOPY An envelope (‘eating’) of LOP (‘chop’) in JAY (‘flier’).
6. Granny, say, has problem on undergarment (8)
SLIPKNOT A charade of SLIP (‘undergarment’) plus KNOT (‘problem’).
11. Call for energy in mountain climb (4)
PLEA An envelope (‘in’) of E (‘energy’) in PLA, a reversal (‘climb’, in a down light) of ALP (‘mountain’).
15. One certain to be replaced immediately (2,1,5)
IN A TRICE An anagram (‘to be replaced’) of ‘one certain’ I (‘one’) plus ‘certain’.
16. Grass blown in the wind? (4)
REED Double definition.
18. Close agreement (8)
CONTRACT Double definition; ‘close’ does not look very close.
19. Wreck aground, des­pite exercising caution (2,5)
ON GUARD An anagram (‘wreck’) of ‘aground’.
21. Mouth organ held in silence (6)
TONGUE Double definition.
22. It’s challenged, if raised in a legal document (6)
DEFIED An envelope (‘in’) of FI, a reversal (‘raised’) of ‘if’ in DEED (‘a legal document’).
23. Describing Hamlet and his difficulty (6)
DANISH An anagram (‘difficulty’) of ‘and his’. Rather neat.

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