If I may do a bit of bah, humbug, I thought this was a bit one-dimensional, with the same devices being used lots of times. But if you like multi-part clues, then this would have suited you.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) missing
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Party in middle of tragedy following old-fashioned drill
SQUARE-BASHING
A charade of BASH for ‘party’, IN and G for the middle letter of ‘tragedy’ after SQUARE for ‘old-fashioned’.
9 Free revolutionary for example raised band
RIDGE
A charade of RID and a reversal (‘revolutionary’) of EG.
10 Repetitive song, after fashion, endlessly incisive
TRENCHANT
A charade of TREN[D] and CHANT.
11 Number, by end of episode in yarn, endangered
THREATENED
An insertion of TEN and E for the last letter of ‘episode’ in THREAD.
12 Solid mass behind tree
FIRM
A charade of FIR and M.
14 Book with translation of woeful poem
BEOWULF
A charade of B and (WOEFUL)* gives you the Anglo-Saxon poem.
15 Relish, in south and north, energy in language
SLOVENE
An insertion of LOVE in S and N, followed by E.
16 Understanding map they revised
EMPATHY
(MAP THEY)*
18 Picture that is, around edge, not right
IMAGINE
An insertion of MA[R]GIN in IE for id est, or ‘that is’.
20 Studied colour in speech
READ
A homophone (‘in speech’) of RED.
21 Total class trained regardless of expense
AT ALL COSTS
(TOTAL CLASS)* with ‘trained’ as the anagrind
24 Novel told one about man receiving benefit
ON THE DOLE
An insertion of HE in (TOLD ONE)*
25 Stumble, beginning to explain nonsense
TRIPE
A charade of TRIP and E for the first letter of ‘explain’.
26 Dance creator in job with reverse of average work ahead of her
CHOREOGRAPHER
A charade of CHORE, a reversal of PAR and GO, and HER. GO in the sense of ‘is it going?/is it working?’
Down
1 Odds on rodent getting fish
SPRAT
SP for Starting Price or ‘odds’ and RAT, for the fish that’s used to catch a mackerel.
2 Open, admitting hesitation before good experience
UNDERGO
An insertion of ER and G in UNDO.
3 Turn up with answer, overdue, about university review
RE-EVALUATE
A charade of VEER reversed, A for ‘answer’ and an insertion of U in LATE.
4 Complete race, second last in event, restricted by poor swimming style
BUTTERFLY STROKE
An insertion of UTTER for ‘complete’, FLY for ‘race’, S for ‘second’, T for the last letter of ‘event’ in BROKE for ‘poor’. Phew. I would never use this term, simply preferring BUTTERFLY; but I’m no swimming expert.
5 Pest revels, being mistaken for film director
STEVEN SPIELBERG
(PAST REVELS BEING)* for the famous director.
6 Distance covered by main character
INCH
Hidden in maIN CHaracter.
7 Stone jar containing nickel
GRANITE
An insertion of NI for the chemical symbol for ‘nickel’ in GRATE for ‘jar’. Nice misdirection.
8 Politician in sedate broadcast in charge
STAMPEDE
The anagrind is ‘broadcast’. It’s MP in (SEDATE)*
13 Number on course breaking through in province
NOVA SCOTIA
A charade of NO for ‘number’ and ASCOT for ‘course’ inserted in VIA for ‘through’.
14 Insect with steady pace consuming old vegetable
BEETROOT
A charade of BEE for ‘insect’ and an insertion of O in TROT.
17 Insincere in company about wine
PLASTIC
An insertion of ASTI for the sparkling Italian ‘wine’ in PLC for one of the possible set-ups for a ‘company’.
19 One page on change missing tons in town
IPSWICH
A charade of I, P and SWI[T]CH.
22 Promise small display
SWEAR
A charade of S and WEAR.
23 Prohibition some have tolerated
VETO
Hidden in haVE TOlerated.
Many thanks to Everyman for this puzzle and season’s greetings to all setters, commenters and bloggers.
Thank you Everyman and Pierre, do hope you are having a pleasant day.
I got held up having entered SQUARE FORMING at 1a since I thought the definition was “old fashioned drill”, forming squares no longer being part of the usual military drill, but it would not parse and it had to be BUTTERFLY STROKE at 4d. I also got stuck for a while on the clues for RIDGE and GRANITE!
Season’s greetings to everyone, and all the best for 2017 to the kiwi solvers who wait for the crossword in the Herald.
The one which held me up for a ridiculously long time, even after I knew I was looking for a film director ending with -BERG, was SPIELBERG. I was trying to think of obscure European directors and completely overlooked the most obvious answer, probably just because he is American.
Thanks, Everyman and Pierre, and season’s greetings to all setters, bloggers and blog readers.
A breezy, enjoyable solve. About all I could cope with at the time. 🙂
It didn’t really occur to me that this was one dimensional, I just thought it one of the easiest Everyman crosswords we’ve seen for a while.
No niggles, I agree with Pierre about Butterfly Stroke, but overall I enjoyed this, perhaps because it pandered to my ego as a master solver.
Like always, learnt some new words here 1ac, 10ac thanks to mr google. Struggled with the convoluted reasoning for the butterfly stroke,I just hoped it was right and couldn’t fathom why.
Got at least a good handful by default like 15ac….
we kiwis are not as used to the use of PLC for company so I will look out for that fish hook in future.
The puzzle that really stumps me now in the Sat Herald is the Sudoku Even the medium one is unsolveable to me anyway, I won’t go near the hard one. Anyone else noticed that they have got really really hard? ( I only do one a week so am probably extremely novice). The cryptic easy by comparison!
Sorry Vanessa, can’t help you. I much prefer words. Just don’t let on that I work in a bank.
Hi Vanessa,
The hard has been easier than the medium for the last few weeks. Don’t be put off by the name.
Although it may appear strange to be discussing another, number based, puzzle through a blog for cryptic crosswords; I agree with Eleanor – the recent ‘hard’ Sudoku have proven more logical to solve than the ‘Medium’ ones since New Year.
Took about 2 hrs to complete the crossword this morning (Sun). Favorite clue was 24 Ac (good misdirection) and, for once, didn’t have to resort to the Thesaurus.
Thanks Eleanor and Dexter will try the HARD to restore my sense of achievement! Was sure I was missing something.
Agree with Pierre that there were too many multi part clues but thank goodness this puzzle was more at my level.
Any others notice that this crossword is now called the Observer Everyman in the Herald.
Thanks Cookie for your New Year wishes but we are now halfway through January, and it is the coldest, wettest one for a long time. Where is summer?
I did see that Audrey.
I think the Guardian now owns the Observer and the Everyman crossword is published on a Sunday so technically it is probably more of an Observer crossword. The online version is on a cobranded website.
Wikipedia tells me the Observer is the uk’s oldest Sunday newspaper. We never had it at home, my dad preferring the Sunday Times coupled with the then News of the Screws (formally News of the World, which turned its toes up in ignominy a few years back).
I have lobbied both the Herald and Sunday Star Times to host a decent (prize?) crossword in their Sunday papers here to no avail.