I may not be able to pronounce the setter’s name properly, but I have no trouble pronouncing this puzzle a nice and easy solve.
For most of the clues, the wordplay was so well signposted that I had no difficulty getting the answer. I only needed to refer to the dictionary once to understand how the definition fits in 17 ac.
Thank you PHSSTHPOK for the entertainment.
Definitions in clues are marked like this.
* anagram, + charade, – deletion, ~ sounds like, <= reversal, H hidden, DD double definition, CD cryptic definition
ACROSS
1 Scatter // babies in cradle (6) LITTER [DD]
4 Roasts meat: donkey contaminated by rabbit tail (8) LAMBASTS [LAMB + rabbiT inside ASS]
9 Grabbed a breather after getting caught (5) CLUNG [LUNG after C]
10 Frogmen get charged item for amusement (9) DIVERSION [DIVERS + ION]
11 Surrounding Vietnam, “bientot” is abbreviated (7) AMBIENT [H]
12 Learn // to produce profit (7) REALISE [DD]
13 Catch coming back on a thoroughbred (4) ARAB [BAR<= + A]
14 She was a pagan union leader with animal instincts wearing a gown (8) DRUIDESS [U + ID inside DRESS]
17 Entrails ripped out of heads (8) LATRINES [ENTRAILS]*
19 It spews out from top half of toilet (4) LAVA [LAVAtory]
22 Grandmother hid one Bible that described paradise (7) NIRAVANA NIRVANA [NANA outside I RV] RV: Revised Version of the Bible
24 Give nobleman a medal for piercing here, possibly (7) EARLOBE [EARL + OBE]
25 It coins new normality (5,4) ROYAL MINT [NORMALITY]*
26 Witnessed noisy outburst (5) SCENE [~SEEN]
27 Promising to perform melody without clothes (8) SWEARING [SING outside WEAR]
28 Not quite reliable soldier goes AWOL (6) TRUANT [TRUe + ANT]
DOWN
1 Hide // result of haircut? (4,4) LOCK AWAY [C&DD]
2 Scan and paste sketch (9) THUMBNAIL [THUMB + NAIL]
3 Standards often // save a couple of shots (6) EAGLES [CD] Two strokes under par (standard) in golf. [DD] See comments below
5 I vet tradesmen’s renovations to pitch (13) ADVERTISEMENT [I VET TRADESMEN]*
6 Frenzy follows pub riot (7) BARRAGE [BAR + RAGE]
7 Ask chiefs if odd characters are ignored in Star Wars, for instance (3-2) SCI-FI [aSk ChIeFs If]
8 Small, hidden offender (6) SINNER [S + INNER]
10 Nerve // end (13) DETERMINATION [DD]
15 Propose a lunatic to go on a TV programme (4-5) SOAP-OPERA [PROPOSE A* + A]
16 Wicked people keep bone in underground chamber (8) BASEMENT [BASE MEN + T]
18 Using towed vehicle, I turned to west for ship (7) TRAWLER [TRAILER with I turned to W]
20 Snaps at // pickles (6) SNARLS [DD]
21 Rubber tree finally found next to river after many years (6) ERASER [treE + R after ERAS]
23 Recited Frost’s poetry (5) RHYME (~RIME)
Thanks Bhavan and Phssthpok,
I think EAGLES may be definition + cryptic indication – (military or ceremonial) standards = definition, then either the whole clue or the other remaining words as the golf bit.
SNARLS took a bit of thought to tease out.
Phssthpok was the alien (Pak) in Larry Niven’s “Protector”
Muffyword @1 thanks. You are right of course about the eagle and standard connection. That makes it another DD.
This was indeed a nice puzzle to solve. Thanks to Phssthpok and Bhavan.
One minor typo in 22ac – should be NIRVANA.
17ac was a new learning for me, for the meaning of head.
Cheers
TL
19a would work better as a down clue. As it stands it’s really spewing out of the left hand half of the toilet…
Thanks Phssthpok and Bhavan
Although this didn’t take too long to actually finish, it felt as if it had taken longer for some reason.
Made an error with TRUANT – went with a ‘not fully parsed’ errant as my last one in. :(.
Didn’t parse ERASER … kept using the E and R at the front instead of at the back.
A subtle use of INNER as hidden caused a bit of a holdup with 8d. Liked LAVA in a gross humoured way.
Thanks to Phssthpok and Bhavan.
Could the definition in 19a be “It spews out from top”? Then the word play would be “half of toilet”, which would would make it acceptable as an across clue.
declanor @ 7 that makes better sense for an across clue and must be what was intended by the setter.