Not much variety in the cluing this morning, but a sound enough puzzle from Everyman.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Conservative with role, say, treated rudely
COARSELY
A charade of C and (ROLE SAY)*
5 Stratagem using diplomacy in command
TACTIC
A charade of TACT and IC.
10 What’s provided with spirit by leading couple in ballroom?
RUMBA
A charade of RUM and BA for the first two letters of BAllroom. Let’s call it &littish.
11 Country, miles away, receiving order for cigar
PANATELLA
An insertion of TELL in PANA[M]A.
12 Nice siren sadly deceitful
INSINCERE
(NICE SIREN)*
13 Colour in mass of water probed by sleuth
SEPIA
An insertion of PI in SEA. PI for ‘Private Investigator’ rather than ‘pious’.
14 Poet losing energy after stuff about gentle steward
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Some of Everyman’s cluing can be a little bit convoluted, in my opinion. This is an insertion of LIGHT for ‘gentle’ in FATTEN for ‘stuff’ followed by DANT[E]. It’s not even as if the surface is that good.
17 Primate grim until leader reformed
RING-TAILED LEMUR
(GRIM UNTIL LEADER)*
20 Be quiet and copy form
SHAPE
A charade of SH and APE.
22 Humorist senses baffled spectators
WITNESSES
A charade of WIT and (SENSES)*
24 Free area spoilt by litter
AT LIBERTY
A charade of A and (BY LITTER)*
25 One in white vestment I excuse
ALIBI
A charade of I in ALB followed by another I.
26 Young animal in number behind equipment
KITTEN
A charade of KIT and TEN.
27 Anger with steamship being redundant
NEEDLESS
A charade of NEEDLE and SS.
Down
1 Cultivate cause, supporting club perhaps whenever in historic stadium
CARDIFF ARMS PARK
The old Welsh rugby stadium. A charade of CARD for ‘club perhaps’, IF for ‘whenever’, FARM and SPARK.
2 Notice calling for confession
ADMISSION
A charade of AD and MISSION.
3 Stumped by project abandoned by large firm
STAUNCH
A charade of ST and [L]AUNCH.
4 Failing circuits reported
LAPSE
A homophone of LAPS.
6 Train as arranged to become skilled worker
ARTISAN
(TRAIN AS)*
7 Flower in middle of mature border
TULIP
A charade of TU for the middle letters of maTUre and LIP.
8 Unusual care artist put into elegant, small features
CHARACTERISTICS
An insertion of (CARE ARTIST)* in CHIC followed by S.
9 Trouble loosening steel nut
UNSETTLE
(STEEL NUT)*
15 Wonder about holding pose, so to speak
AS IT WERE
An insertion of SIT in AWE and RE.
16 Excellent, gripping conclusion of war film, one showing end of hostilities
ARMISTICE
An insertion of R for the last letter of waR and MIST in ACE.
18 High-pitched voice containing minute quaver
TREMBLE
An insertion of M in TREBLE.
19 Pull fish up on the sheltered side
LEEWARD
A reversal of DRAW EEL
21 Vote to ignore book award
ALLOT
[B]ALLOT.
23 Herb forming part of worthy meal
THYME
Hidden in worTHY MEal.
Many thanks to Everyman for this morning’s puzzle.
Thanks Everyman and Pierre.
A pleasant solve. I had to Google to suss out CARDIFF ARMS PARK, last in was FLIGHT ATTENDANT.
I liked WITNESSES, ADMISSION and LAPSE among others.
Nice puzzle but two clues in particular took me a long time to parse. I kept looking at CARDIFF ARMS PARK for ages and when I finally broke it down, I wasn’t particularly happy with it. The other clue was FLIGHT ATTENDANT where DANT(E) especially, was difficult to see. Quite complex constructions for an accessible puzzle.
I liked COARSELY, WITNESSES, TREMBLE and LEEWARD among others. Thanks to Pierre and Everyman.
This was fairly straightforward, though STAUNCH took me a while to parse. I’ve no particular favourites.
Thanks to Everyman and Pierre.
A nice something for the dulled brain to attack on a Boxing Day morning. For a long while had long-tailed instead of ring-tailed having not paid due attention to the letters in the anagram. That delayed Cardiff Arms Park somewhat but got there in the end so can now go out and enjoy the sunshine on this lovely day. Thanks to all.
Found this rather dull to be honest. Kitten, leeward and thyme were really rather feeble clues I thought. Maybe I’m hung over, but it seemed to lack imagination or any really witty wordplay? Armistice was probably the pick of the crop.
I agree with Barrie. I also found it boring and don’t enjoy so many convoluted clues , such as 14 ac which I thought was terrible. Got all except 27 ac before I gave up today. Liked 18’d.
Now I’m going to,watch the cricket.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas.