Independent on Sunday 1464 Hoskins

Thanks to Hoskin for a hard enough IoS. Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

1 I rent pets or fish out (3,5,6)

THE FIRST PERSON : Anagram of(… out) RENT PETS OR FISH.

Defn: …, the first person pronoun.

9 A price cut given to old, half-dry fruit (7)

APRICOT : A + “price” minus its last letter(cut) plus(given to) O(abbrev. for “old”) + “tt”(abbrev. for “teetotal”;dry;abstaining from alcohol) minus 1 of its 2 letters(half-…).

10 A French Fancy with a filling that’s different (7)

UNALIKE : UN(French for “a”) + LIKE(to fancy;to prefer) containing(with … filling) A.

11 My parts have an unpleasant smell, okay? (2-3)

HO-HUM : OH!(my!;an exclamation of surprise) contained in(parts) HUM(to have an unpleasant smell).

Defn: …, but not especially good;so-so.

12 Playing tennis is, at first, terribly demanding (9)

INSISTENT : Anagram of(Playing) TENNIS IS plus(at) 1st letter of(first) “terribly“.

13 Too much Hoskins would upset? I agree completely! (5)

DITTO : Reversal of(… upset) [OTT(acronym for “over the top”;too much) + I’D(contraction of “I would”;Hoskins, the setter, would, self-referentially)].

15 Great dosh arranged for those looking after some kids? (9)

GOATHERDS : Anagram of(… arranged) GREAT DOSH.

Defn: … of the caprine kind.

17 A conservative moron hedging over “abnormal union” (9)

ACCRETION : A + C(abbrev. for a “Conservative”, say, of the political kind) + CRETIN(a moron, used abusively) containing(hedging) O(abbrev. for “over”, in cricket scores).

Defn: A growth from the joining together of animal or plant parts that are normally separate.

20 Type of dance music found back in drab Baghdad (5)

GABBA : Hidden in reversal of(found back in) “drab Baghdad“.

Defn: Alternative spelling of “gabber”, a subgenre of electronic dance music.

22 Are you texting people fed up with one’s downfall? (9)

RUINATION : [ RU(short for “are you”, when texting on your mobile) + NATION(a people) ] containing(fed up with) I(Roman numeral for “one”).

24 Trainee Indy setter about to get puzzle right … finally! (5)

CADET : Reversal of(… about) DAC(crossword setter appearing on Wednesdays in The Independent paper) plus(to get) last letters, respectively, of(… … finally) “puzzle right“.

26 Case full of French wine mostly, but no great shakes (7)

TRIVIAL : TRIAL(a case heard in a law court) containing(full of) “vin”(French for wine) minus its last letter(mostly).

27 Hoskins is a German! Bit of surprise for those scanning docs? (7)

IMAGERS : I’M(contraction of “I am”;Hoskins;the setter, is, self-referentially) + A + GER(abbrev. for Germany) + 1st letter of(Bit of) “surprise“.

28 Current Tory party? Half-hearted mob of little amount (14)

INCONSIDERABLE : IN(current;in fashion) + CON(abbrev. for a Conservative, a member of the Conservative Party;a Tory in short) + SIDE(a party;a group opposing another in a dispute, contest or debate) + “rabble”(a mob;a disorderly crowd) minus one of its 2 middle letters(Half-hearted).

Down

1 Intoxicated Time news chief who acts before thinking? (7)

TRASHED : T(abbrev. for “time”) + [RASH ED](what you might call a news chief;editor who acts rashly;before thinking).

2 Where we live the Man put up covering over Banksy’s work? (5)

EARTH : Reversal of(put up, in a down clue) HE(pronoun for a man) containing(covering over) ART(the work of Banksy, the graffiti artist).

3 Bother at home with multi-function toilet? (9)

INCOMMODE : IN(at home) + COMMODE(a piece of furniture, possibly a chair, that doubles up as a toilet, with a chamber pot concealed by a hinged flap in the seat, what you might call a multifunctional toilet).

Defn: …, as a verb.

4 What Hoskins does for work is kissing and canoodling (both topless) (7)

SETTING : “is petting”(is kissing and canoodling) minus their respective 1st letters(both topless, in a down clue).

5 Old state publicity on southern island area enthrals American (7)

PRUSSIA : PR(abbrev. for “public relations”;publicity) placed above(on, in a down clue) SIA(abbrev. for “southern”, “island”, “area”, respectively) containing(enthrals) US(describes things American).

6 Those leading reviews examine academic delivering social studies (5)

READS : 1st letters, respectively, of(Those leading) “reviews examine academic delivering social“.

Defn: …, say, a specific discipline at university.

7 A lovebird in a frenzy can make an American colour (5,4)

OLIVE DRAB : Anagram of(… in a frenzy) A LOVEBIRD.

Defn: Colour of uniforms of the US Army.

8 Having eaten the last of entrée, try special nuts (6)

TESTES : Last letter of(the last of) “entrée” contained in(Having eaten …,…) [TEST(to try;to sample) + S(abbrev. for “special”)].

Defn: For which “nuts” is slang.

14 I can’t act stupidly around Independent strategist (9)

TACTICIAN : Anagram of(… stupidly) I CAN’T ACT containing(around) I(abbrev. for an “Independent”, a politician who is not a member of any particular political party).

Definition and answer are not quite synonymous, one operating at a higher level than the other. But since one could take both (distinct) roles simultaneously, would this be within a crossword setter’s licence?

16 Stoned? Wanting a rich stew? Stick a baby in it before eating? (9)

HIGHCHAIR : HIGH(stoned;intoxicated with a drug) plus(Wanting) anagram of(… stew) A RICH.

A gruesome image from the clue’s surface.

17 Give oxygen to a singer that has been gripped by drugs (6)

AERATE : A + [ RAT(a singer;one who sings;betrays someone to the police, say) contained in(that has been gripped by) E,E(abbrev. for the drug Ecstasy, twice) ].

18 One cold with awful lice and small, frozen danglers? (7)

ICICLES : I(Roman numeral for “one”) + C(abbrev. for “cold”) plus(with) anagram of(awful) LICE plus(and) S(abbrev. for “small”).

19 Clergyman touring pub raised, then nursed a tot? (7)

NANNIED : Reversal of(… raised, in a down clue) [ DEAN(a clergyman) containing(touring) INN(a pub) ].

21 Not all of part is terrible for Folies performer (7)

ARTISTE : Hidden in(Not all of) “part is terrible“.

Defn: A performer in the Folies Bergère, the iconic cabaret music hall in Paris.

23 Is Hoskins good not to take too many drugs, mate? (5)

AMIGO : [AM I?](“Is Hoskins;the setter?”, self-referentially) + “good” minus(not) “OD”(abbrev. for “overdose”;to take too many drugs).

25 Nerd you and I must get in the sack (after some gyrating) (5)

DWEEB : WE(collective pronoun for you and I) contained in(must get in) reversal of(… after some gyrating) BED(for which “sack” is slang, as in “to hit the sack”).