Guardian Cryptic 26955 with Picture Quiz

(Please post comments on ONLY the picture quiz hereinbelow.  To post comments on the crossword puzzle, please click here.)  A Goldilocks cryptic, not too hard and not too easy for me. Thanks to Brummie. Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

1 Hit triads dumping eastern heroin (6)

THRESH : “threes”(groups of threes;triads) minus(dumping) “e”(abbrev. for “eastern”) + H(abbrev. for “heroin”).

4 One large display of snowdrops without roots? (6)

ADRIFT : A(one;a singular article) + DRIFT(a snowbank;a large accumulation of snowdrops on the ground).

9 See 25

10 Worker wants small animal with temper as a variety act prop (4,6)

HAND PUPPET : HAND(a worker, especially a manual one) + PUP(a small dog) + PET(a fit of temper).

11 Performer sounded low note (6)

TENNER : Homophone of(… sounded) “tenor”.

Defn: … of a denomination of 10 pounds Sterling.

12 Defaulter, I organised housing beyond a certain point (8)

ULTERIOR : Hidden in(… housing) “Defaulter, I organised “.

13 Pseudo-technical jargon: “Drone verbal contention” (9)

BUZZWORDS : BUZZ(a drone;a low pitched continuous sound) + WORDS(a verbal contention;confrontation, as in “to have words with your opponent”).

15, 23 Which calls for show of hands from boss, Rod (4,5)

STUD POKER : STUD(a boss;a protuberance, like a knob, projecting from a surface) + POKER(a rod for, well, poking the fire).

Defn: Gambling game which calls for two or more players to show the cards they hold to determine the winner.

16 See 7

17 In respectful dread of one-way furrow (9)

AWESTRUCK : A(one;a singular article) + WEST(a way;a direction to move to) + RUCK(a furrow;a wrinkle in the skin, especially of the forehead).

21 Ground delays besetting team — Reading awkward with this (8)

DYSLEXIA : Anagram of(Ground) DELAYS containing(besetting) XI(Roman numerals for “eleven”, a sporting team of 11 players).

22 Down with family consumer protection! (6)

NAPKIN : NAP(down;a soft fuzzy coating) plus(with) KIN(family;relations).

Defn: That which protects a diner’s clothes from food spillage.

24 Junk‘s fish concession round barrier (10)

CODSWALLOP : COD(a food fish) + SOP(a concession;an incentive given to placate) containing(round) WALL(an erected barrier to movement).

25, 9 Part of truss delivered by Royal Mail (4,4)

KING POST : KING(the main royal) + POST(mail;written correspondence).

Not the truss you wear but:

26 Pop’s spiked with most of whiskey spirits (6)

DRYADS : DAD(the one you might also call “Pop”, informally)‘S containing(spiked with) “rye”(a whiskey made from, well, rye grain) minus its last letter(most of …).

Defn: Wood nymphs.

27 Reverse the unravelling and settle? (6)

DEFRAY : DE-(prefix indicating the reverse of an action, as in “defrock”) FRAY(the unravelling;a spot where the threads in a fabric have become tattered through wear).

Defn: … expenses.

Down

1 Embracing Aristotle’s conclusion, author turned philosopher (7)

THOREAU : The last letter of(…’s conclusion) “Aristotle” contained in(Embracing …) anagram of(… turned) AUTHOR.

Answer: Henry David, American philosopher, and author, poet, historian, etc.

2 Betray in no way a king ascendant (3,2)

RAT ON : Reversal of(… ascendant, in a down clue) [ NOT(no way!) + A + R(abbrev. for “Regina”;king)].

3 Southern pop singer needs backing of Australian movement (7)

SCHERZO : S(abbrev. for “southern”) + CHER(female pop singer) plus(needs) reversal of(backing of) OZ(slang for things Australian).

Defn: A lively movement in a piece of classical music.

5 Delegate gets stuck into British comic (6)

DEPUTE : PUT(gets stuck on to something, as in “the magnet is put on the fridge door”) contained in() DEE(Jack, the British comedian).

Defn: As a verb. I read it as a noun and got it wrong – no British comedian named Dey.

6 Monkey transformed to rear commander (9)

IMPERATOR : IMP(a monkey;a michievious child) + anagram of(transformed) TO REAR.

Defn: … of the Roman Republic of old.

7, 16 across Shamelessly go to bed with Hook — a basis for many an oath (3,4,4)

THE GOOD BOOK : Anagram of(Shamelessly) [GO TO BED plus(with) HOOK].

Defn: … viz. what one puts one’s hand on while swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

8 Not at all susceptible to gibes like 16 across, if absorbing (13)

UNPUTDOWNABLE : Cryptic defn: How you might describe one who won’t be affected; put down by gibes;cutting remarks.

14 Tissue transplant operation — developed lazy stoop (9)

ZOOPLASTY : Anagram of(developed) LAZY STOOP.

Defn: … from an animal to a human.

16 Lout pulled up headgear for time of his life (7)

BOYHOOD : Reversal of(… pulled up) YOB(a lout;a yahoo) + HOOD(a head covering, often attached to a robe or jacket).

18 Cy sleeps soundly, which allows a nervy connection (7)

SYNAPSE : Homophone of(… soundly) [ “Cy ” + “naps”(sleeps) ].

Defn: Connection for impulses across neurons.

19 Present distributor’s access point? (7)

CHIMNEY : Cryptic defn: Reference to Santa Claus distributing presents to individual houses.

20 Not what it once was, iconic bear without a spread (6)

EXPAND : EX-(prefix indicating what once was) + “panda”(a bear species used in the logo for the World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund) minus(without) “a”.

23 See 15

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The following pictures have unidentified links to the puzzle.

     

(Please post comments on ONLY the picture quiz hereinbelow. To post comments on the crossword puzzle, please click here.)