A few more tricky clues today, such as 12ac which if, like me, you haven’t read the novel in question needed some online assistance. The customary smooth surfaces led to a pleasant Sunday morning solve.
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Across
1 Strip back mature herb (6)
BORAGE – ROB (strip) reversed (back) AGE (mature)
4 Bird after time swallowed by snake in country (8)
BOTSWANA – T (time) SWAN (bird) in (swallowed by) BOA (snake)
10 Studies including verse, part of Bible I love, and prayers (9)
DEVOTIONS – DENS (studies) around (including) V (verse) OT (part of bible) I O (love)
11 Perceptive account, subtle except for odd parts (5)
ACUTE – AC (account) [s]U[b]T[l]E (subtle except for odd parts)
12 Narrator of novel could handle life differently (6,9)
HOLDEN CAULFIELD – an anagram (differently) of COULD HANDLE LIFE – the novel being J D Salinger’s ‘The Catcher in the Rye’
13 Leading renegades in retreat (4)
STAR – RATS (renegades) reversed (in retreat)
14 Common foil containing aluminium (9)
PREVALENT – PREVENT (foil) around (containing) AL (aluminium)
17 Visionary man with muscular movement after support (9)
PROPHETIC – HE (man) TIC (muscular movement) after PROP (support)
20 Delayed dish, quietly taken away (4)
LATE – [p]LATE (dish, quietly taken away)
22 Man stared, never prepared to give exact reference (7,3,5)
CHAPTER AND VERSE – CHAP (man) plus an anagram (prepared) of STARED NEVER
24 Give up disregarding small rule (5)
REIGN – RE[s]IGN (give up disregarding small)
25 Random expression of disgust brought about by risk (9)
HAPHAZARD – PAH (expression of disgust) reversed (brought about) HAZARD (risk)
26 Lack of confidence in film with evidence of corrosion (8)
MISTRUST – MIST (film) RUST (evidence of corrosion)
27 Appearance made by last pair of children in turn (6)
VENEER – [childr]EN (last pair of children) in VEER (turn)
Down
1 Religion’s founder had to change, following upward call (6)
BUDDHA – an anagram (to change) of HAD after (following) DUB (call) reversed (upward)
2 Rebels getting right sign about development (15)
REVOLUTIONARIES – R (right) ARIES (sign) around (about) EVOLUTION (development)
3 Hide rage, tooth being broken (2,2,5)
GO TO EARTH – an anagram (being broken) of RAGE TOOTH
5 Unknown book possessed by sailor? Correct (7)
OBSCURE – B (book) in (possessed by) OS (sailor) CURE (correct)
6 Stick with workforce (5)
STAFF – double def.
7 Mad scene, amateur getting excited in area with gaming machines (9,6)
AMUSEMENT ARCADE – an anagram (getting excited) of MAD SCENE AMATEUR
8 A requirement, almost, to keep chapter with point in story (8)
ANECDOTE – A NEE[d] (requirement, almost) around (to keep) C (chapter) DOT (point)
9 Part of boot that’s excellent, up among best (6)
TOECAP – ACE (excellent) reversed (up) in (among) TOP (best)
15 Completely consumed, filled with endless bad temper (9)
ALLEVIATE – ALL (completely) ATE (consumed) around (filled with) EVI[l] (endless bad)
16 Power held by faction with unusual range (8)
SPECTRUM – P (power) in (held by) SECT (faction) RUM (unusual)
18 Lights necessary to assist orchestra (7)
TORCHES – hidden in (necessary to) ‘assisT ORCHEStra’
19 Container inadequate without right cover (6)
CANOPY – CAN (container) [r]OPY (inadequate without right)
21 Sensitive / bid (6)
TENDER – double def.
23 Catch up with tips from older singer (5)
TENOR – NET (catch) reversed (up) plus O[lde]R (tips from older)
I thought this was above average difficulty for an Everyman with the long anagrams a bit elusive (HOLDEN CAULFIELD was my last one in). I also took a long time to get BORAGE – not only was I unfamiliar with the word but I also was misled by not seeing “mature” could be a verb and therefore synonymous with “age”. A good tussle for a Sunday – thanks to Everyman and also Gaufrid.
Thank you Everyman and Gaufrid.
Agree with matrixmania that this was a little more difficult than usual. I read “Catcher in the Rye” in the distant past, but HOLDEN CAULFIELD did not come to mind even with all the crossers, finally thought FIELD a likely ending for the name, and HOLDEN seemed possible since we once had an Australian car of that make in Jamaica of all places. It also took me a while to spot TORCHES!
12ac for some reason I half knew, despite not having read the novel. One of those things you randomly pick up over the years I suppose. Agreed though overall difficulty a little above par.
Really enjoyed this perhaps because I tried as hard as I could to limit myself to less help from google. Oddly I seem to do better when I do this.
Had never heard of Holden Caulfield so that was where I needed some help.
4 ac was hard and it took me a long time to change Distrust to Mistrust. Glaringly obvious but stuck in the head.
Thought 1d and 1ac great as I normally struggle to start up there.
Nice, enjoyed this.
Just not sure of the hidden word indicator in 18D. Necessary to is a bit vague imho.
Holden Caulfield hit me straight away but I’d not heard of Borage and 4a had me a stumped – a real ‘aha’ moment when I finally cracked it. Hope everyone has had a good Easter weekend and it’s not too wet where you are
Loved this puzzle. Some good clues ( devotions , spectrum , Botswana to name a few )