The usual Everyman crossword, good surfaces, mostly easy-ish clues without the outrageous devices seen in some other papers.
Thanks Everyman
Across
1 See vine tangled with herb (8)
ENVISAGE
A tangled VINE* & the herb SAGE
5 Abandon thread (6)
STRAND
Double def
9 Covered past life initially with relief (8)
OVERLAID
OVER – past & L(eft) & AID – relief
10 Is painful technique used in texting? (6)
SMARTS
I suspect it’s S(ocial) M(edia) ARTS – techniques, Sado-Masochistic ARTS could be quite painful too …
12 Environmentalist‘s signal to proceed (5)
GREEN
Double def
14 Custom immune to criticism from airman blushing aboard boat (6,3)
SACRED COW
AC – Aircraftsman (stardard abbreviation) & RED – blushing both inside – aboard – SCOW a type of boat
15 Propose measure before social gathering for indoor game (5,8)
TABLE FOOTBALL
TABLE – propose as in a motion & FOOT – a measure & BALL – dance- social gathering
17 Certainly sense hot excitement of bout, duo receiving cheers (7,1,5)
WITHOUT A DOUBT
WIT – nous, sense & H(ot) & an excited [BOUT DUO]* with TA – cheers inserted. Clue feels a bit clumsy for an Everyman unusually.
21 Resistance in territory by soldier, cold and calculated (9)
STRATEGIC
R for resistance in STATE – territory & G.I. & C(old)
22 Greek character absorbed by argument he tackled (5)
THETA
Hidden – absorbed by agumenT HE TAckled
23 License book in revolutionary electronic way (6)
ENABLE
B(ook) inserted in a reversed E(lectronic) – LANE
24 Unlucky one, round in valley, in retreat (3-5)
ILL-FATED
I for one & FAT – round in a reversed DALE – valley
26 Thirsty to grab attention? Not interesting (6)
DREARY
EAR – attention inside DRY – thirsty
27 Linguistic unit in translation of sly label (8)
SYLLABLE
A translated [SLY LABEL]*
Down
1 Stretch, with energy left, operating barrier (8)
ELONGATE
E(nergy) & L(eft) & ON (operating) & GATE – barrier
2 Struggle with unfinished scene (3)
VIE
An unfinished VIE(w)
3 Quiet because occupied by French article (7)
SILENCE
LE – the french article inside SINCE – because
4 Artist captures nobody’s heart? Harsh (12)
GAINSBOROUGH
GAINS – captures & the heart of (no)BO(dy) & ROUGH – harsh
6 Paint moderate area (7)
TEMPERA
TEMPER – moderate & A(rea)
7 Curtail urge to reform land management (11)
AGRICULTURE
A reformed [CURTAIL URGE]*
8 Deny any connection with inspector, planted (6)
DISOWN
D(etective) I(nspector) & SOWN – planted
11 English clubs still followed by supporter very happily (12)
ECSTATICALLY
E(nglish) & C(lubs) & STATIC – still & ALLY – supporter
13 Inclination, changing gear, to cut extra hard work (5,6)
ELBOW GREASE
BOW – lean, inclination & a changed GEAR* inside – cutting ELSE – extra
16 Trio, not half oppressed by burden, cross (8)
STRADDLE
Half of TR(io) inside – oppressed by – SADDLE – burden
18 Gossip time after time going into story? Right (7)
TATTLER
2 x T(ime) inside TALE – story & R(ight)
19 Responsible university scientist finally separating new fluid (7)
DUTIFUL
U(niversity) & the end of (scientis)T both in a new FLUID*
20 Move up when around goal (6)
ASCEND
AS – when & C(irca) – about & END – goal
25 Clumsy boat yet to capsize (3)
TUB
BUT reversed
Thank you Flashling. Straightforward puzzle although I had 10a made up of SMS and Art. Also the valley of 24a is dell, I imagine.
Thanks both. Usual Everyman – nothing wrong with that.
I agree with Heracles @1 about 10 & 24 across
Found this weeks fairly straight forward. Gainsborough was the last to fall, mainly because I was unfamiliar with his work.
Thank you Everyman and flashling.
An Everyman as enjoyable as ever. I also agree with Heracles @1, in fact I was delighted to see DELL since we had one in the garden when I was a child which I could swing out over from between two ngaio trees.
Thanks Heracles, that’s what you get for rushing the blog and not proof-reading….
6d and 10ac held me up for a while at the close, but the rest was the usual easyish, enjoyable Everyman.
Well good on all the Brits for finding it easy!! I found this to be one of the hardest for a long time. Good challenges though, not complaining. Thought 15ac was a good clue I had the Football but took me ages to get the Table even with B in the middle.
My last area to solve was the bottom LH corner, -I thought I would never get there.
Hmmm, this was an easy one. After 3 or 4 in a row I managed to get this out without too many problems. I had 10ac parsed as ART in SMS. Enjoyed 14ac
BTW where is Barry. Have not seen him in a while.
Got all except 10ac. Never thought of Social Media. Challenging puzzle but enjoyable.
I expect Barry has gone to warmer climes or else is acting in a local theatre production. I expect he’ll be back soon, by which time we might have a new government, I hope.