Not very tricky but some nice surfaces and clues – favourites were 13ac, 3dn, and 6dn. Thanks to Pan.
| Across | ||
| 1 | TROOPS | Soldiers in play about capturing second in command (6) |
| SPORT=”play”, reversed/”about”; around second letter in cOmmand | ||
| 4 | UNREST | Rebellion contained by gun restrictions (6) |
| Hidden in gUN RESTrictions | ||
| 9 | SMUG | Unpleasantly satisfied when turning sticks (4) |
| reversal/”turning” of GUMS=”sticks”=fastens with adhesive | ||
| 10 | CARBUNCLES | Run into vehicle with relatives’ jewels (10) |
| R for “Run” in CAB=”vehicle” + UNCLES=”relatives” | ||
| 11 | TURNED | Boy inhaling pot suddenly felt sick (6) |
| TED=”Boy” around URN=”pot” | ||
| 12 | AT A PINCH | In case of emergency, put a drain to part of foot (2,1,5) |
| A + TAP=”drain” + INCH=unit of distance=”part of a foot” | ||
| 13 | BARBARIAN | Wild West Indian right for daughter (9) |
| BARBADIAN=”West Indian”, swapping Right for Daughter | ||
| 15 | LAME | Weak fellow fleeing fire (4) |
| FLAME=”fire”, losing Fellow | ||
| 16 | BURN | Poet losing son in stream (4) |
| BURNS=”Poet”, losing Son | ||
| 17 | ADAPTABLE | Parents turning to furniture that’s easily modified (9) |
| PA and DA=”Parents”, reversed/”turning2 + TABLE=”furniture” | ||
| 21 | MISNOMER | Unsuitable term for skinflint carrying no money (8) |
| MISER=”skinflint” around: NO + M for “money” | ||
| 22 | MORTAR | River to fill moat damaged by king’s gun firing shells (6) |
| R for “River” in (moat)* + R for Rex=”king” | ||
| 24 | BASSET HORN | Graduates almost fix letter in Old English to instrument (6,4) |
| BA’S=Bachelors of Arts=”Graduates” + SE[t]=”almost fix” + THORN=”letter in Old English” | ||
| 25 | CONY | Rabbit trick with funny ending (4) |
| CON=”trick” + the ending of funnY | ||
| 26 | DEADLY | Lead widespread in the outskirts of Derby is very dangerous (6) |
| (Lead)* in the outer letters of DerbY | ||
| 27 | BOPPED | Danced beginning and end of bolero with retired film star (6) |
| beginning and end of BolerO + Johnny DEPP=”film star” reversed/retired | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | TEMPURA | Office worker casually visiting old city to get a deep-fried dish (7) |
| TEMP=”Office worker casually” + UR=”old city” + A | ||
| 2 | ORGAN | Old rag changed to new newspaper (5) |
| O for Old + (rag)* + N for new | ||
| 3 | PICADOR | Bull-baiter told to choose a way in (7) |
| homophone/”told” of ‘pick a door’=”choose a way in” | ||
| 5 | NOUGAT | Tongue almost twisted around a sweet (6) |
| (Tongu[e])* around A | ||
| 6 | ENCHILADA | Mexican dish and Indian dish served up in English-designed china (9) |
| DAL=”Indial dish” reversed/”served up”, inside: E for English + (china)* | ||
| 7 | TREACLE | Syrup from plant with a caramel coating inside (7) |
| TREE=”plant” with A + CarameL inside | ||
| 8 | TRIAL AND ERROR | Fear surrounding money and experimental methodology (5,3,5) |
| TERROR=”Fear” around RIAL=Iranian currency=”money” + AND | ||
| 14 | BERING SEA | Social worker screening calls by Australian in part of the North Pacific (6,3) |
| BEE=”Social worker” around RINGS=”calls”; plus A for Australian | ||
| 16 | BRIGAND | Bird flapping round horse upset robber (7) |
| (Bird)* around NAG=”horse” reversed/”upset” | ||
| 18 | PIMENTO | People in bed get nothing as hot food to eat (7) |
| MEN=”People” in PIT=”bed” + O=”nothing” | ||
| 19 | LEARNED | Local leader deserved to be educated (7) |
| leading letter of Local + EARNED=”deserved” | ||
| 20 | AMYTAL | American stirred malty sedative (6) |
| =Amobarbital or sodium amytal, a barbiturate A for American + (malty)* |
||
| 23 | RECAP | Go over head of corn during harvest (5) |
| head letter of Corn inside REAP=”harvest” | ||
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