A pleasant start to the week, courtesy of VELIA…
Nice mix of clue types today – especially 23 & 25, the like of which one does not normally see on a Monday. Not totally sure about the parsing of 10 – perhaps we’ve missed something.
A thoroughly enjoyable solve… Thanks VELIA!
Across
1 The French support rough sketch for 7 across (11)
LABRADOODLE
LA (the, in French) + BRA (support) + DOODLE (rough sketch)
7, 28 Part of race after Rover possibly making sharp turn (3-3)
DOG LEG
LEG (part of race) after DOG (Rover, possibly)
9 One who’s tight in the bedroom is erratic (5)
MISER
[bedroo]M IS ER[ratic] (in)
10 Goldilocks moment is merely what is due (4,5)
JUST RIGHT
Double definition
11 I’m unclear about digital (9)
NUMERICAL
(IM UNCLEAR)* (*about)
12 Sail around eastern passage (5)
AISLE
(SAIL)* (*around) + E (eastern)
13 Grub makes unpleasant noises (3-4)
DIN-DINS
Double definition
15 You once admitted reasonable oppression (4)
YOKE
YE (you, once) admitted OK (reasonable)
18 Place name for 7 across (4)
SPOT
Double definition
20 13’s finale could be black (7)
PUDDING
Double definition
23 Official inspection for German cart . . . . (5)
AUDIT
AUDI (German car) + T
24 . . . . with which see publicity in abundance (9)
CARTLOADS
CART (from previous clue) + LO (see) + ADS (publicity)
26 Incinerator missing an adjustable gauge (9)
CRITERION
(INCI[n]ER[a]TOR)* (missing AN, *adjustable)
27 Distance from base of palm tree perhaps (5)
METRE
[pal]M (base of) + (TREE)* (*perhaps)
28 See 7
29 Somehow catheter oil is not applied (11)
THEORETICAL
(CATHETER OIL)* (*somehow)
Down
1 Pop’s failure to get help by the sound of it (8)
LEMONADE
LEMON (failure) to get “AID” (help, “by the sound of it”)
2 Seed stored in club cellar (8)
BASEMENT
SEMEN (seed) stored in BAT (club)
3 Female left lighter and drier (5)
AIRER
[f]AIRER (lighter, F (femail) left)
4 Expresses disapproval of stuff (7)
OBJECTS
Double definition
5 Rising among the Savoy Alps, idyllic spectacle (7)
DISPLAY
([savo]Y ALPS ID[yllic])< (among, <rising)
6 All 7 acrosses should be set aside (9)
EARMARKED
Double definition
7 I had come up with joke heard in review (6)
DIGEST
(ID)< (I had, <come up) with “JEST” (joke, “heard”)
8 Meet and understand (6)
GATHER
Double definition
14 Tetchy trouble maker at one hospital department (9)
IMPATIENT
IMP (trouble maker) + AT + I (one) + ENT (hospital department)
16 Academic performed part of play initially in costume (8)
DIDACTIC
DID (performed) + ACT (part of play) + I[n] C[ostume] (initially)
17 Fragile cladding encourages inferno (8)
EGGSHELL
EGGS (encourages) + HELL (inferno)
19 Touchy diplomacy on Parisian island (7)
TACTILE
TACT (diplomacy) on ILE (island, Parisian)
20 Standard rent in arrears mate! (7)
PARTNER
PAR (standard) + (RENT)< (<in arrears)
21 Scrap metal container could easily leak initially (6)
CANCEL
CAN (metal container) + C[ould] E[asily] L[eak] (initially)
22 Velia would fish when taking things easy (6)
IDLING
ID (Velia would) + LING (fish)
25 Check I’m inflamed (5)
LIMIT
IM in LIT (flamed)
Yes, a walk in the park, although with a couple of stiles to climb to make things interesting.
In 10, I think, it’s JUST (‘merely’) + RIGHT (‘what is due’).
Thanks to Teacow and Velia.
Best clue for me CANCEL,good surface.
Thanks Velia and Teacow
Just like a Monday should be … not too hard, but with a few in which one had to take pause.
Parsed 10 the same as Grant.
Needed all of the crossers to get DIN-DINS and EGGSHELL, which was my last one in, took longer than it should have.
Goldilocks found her porridge not too hot, not too cold but just right. Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears?