Thanks Hoskins for an enjoyable crossword. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
6 Salary? Mine must be returned in post! (7)
STIPEND : Reversal of(… must be returned) PIT(a mine/a hole in the ground) contained in(in) SEND(to post, by snail mail in the old days).
Defn: A fixed regular sum paid to a clergyman, teacher or public official.
7 Embarrassed around naked milf (also hot under collar) (5)
RILED : RED(embarrassed as evidenced by one’s complexion) containing(around) “milf” minus its 1st and last letters(naked …).
The acronym MILF (a very tame version is “yummy mummy”) was new to me, but it fits perfectly the surface of the clue..
9 Large parts I flipping look at lustily (4)
OGLE : L(abbrev. for “large”) contained in(parts) reversal of(… flipping) EGO(I/self-image).
Priceless clue surface, as demonstrated here:
10 German dons drunk brandy with ale mostly (2,3,5)
BY AND LARGE : G(abbrev. for “German”) contained in(dons/wears) anagram of(drunk) [BRANDY plus(with) ALE].
11 Worker in a chippy, one with a violent past? (8)
BATTERER : One who applies batter in a fish and chips shop/a chippy, could be called a batterer.
13 Pure heroin snorted by actors with MDMA (6)
CHASTE : H(abbrev. for “heroin”) contained in(snorted by) CAST(the group of actors in a play or movie) plus(with) E(abbrev. for “Ecstasy”/the drug whose chemical name is abbreviated to MDMA).
15 Laugh about Phil’s missus being an illustrious type (4)
HERO : HO(a laugh expressing derision) containing(about) ER(abbrev. for “Elizabeth Regina”, Prince Philip’s/Phil’s spouse/missus).
17 A red swelling initially hurts (5)
ACHES : A + CHE(Guevara, the Argentinian Marxist revolutionary/a red) + 1st letter of(… initially) “swelling“.
18 Stop royal ultimately entering Balmoral? (4)
HALT : Last letter of(… ultimately) “royal” contained in(entering) HAT(an example of which is the balmoral, worn by certain Scottish regiments).
19 Small piece of gum or Sellotape (6)
MORSEL : Hidden in(of) “gum or Sellotape“.
20 Solo male part rejected by composer (8)
BACHELOR : Reversal of(… rejected) ROLE(a character part in a play or movie) placed after(by) BACH(Johann Sebastian, Baroque period composer).
23 This ironic broadcast is overly dramatic (10)
HISTRIONIC : Anagram of(… broadcast) THIS IRONIC.
26 Bitter Conservative needs help all around (4)
ACID : C(abbrev. for “Conservative”, a member of the Conservative Party) contained in(needs … all around) AID(help/assistance).
27 Party led by adulterous leader? For shame! (5)
ABASH : BASH(a party/a social event) placed after(led by) 1st letter of(… leader) “adulterous“.
Defn: To make someone feel ashamed.
28 Bit of lolly found in hot cake (7)
STOLLEN : 1st letter of(Bit of) “lolly” contained in(found in) STOLEN(hot/descriptive of goods that have been stolen).
Down
1 One involved in distribution of credits on courses (10)
DIRECTIONS : I(Roman numeral for “one”) contained in(distribution of) anagram of(CREDITS ON) .
2 Johnson & Johnson? (6)
MEMBER : Double defn: 1st: An example of which/? is what a human’s penis/johnson in slang is; and 2nd: An example of which/? is what Boris Johnson is in Parliament, in addition to being PM.
3 Hoskins would start to examine answer to make clue (4)
IDEA : I’D(contraction of “I would”/Hoskins, the setter, would, using the self-referential pronoun) + 1st letter of(start to) “examine” + A(abbrev. for “answer”).
Defn: …, as in “I haven’t got a clue”.
4 Goods for those possibly full of gas? (8)
PRODUCTS : PRO(for/in favour of, as in “the pros and cons”) + DUCTS(tubes that could possibly be full of gas).
5 Mountainous island fit for climbing (4)
ELBA : Reversal of(… for climbing, in a down clue) ABLE(fit/capable of).
6 In the morning, grunts lifting up letter (5)
SIGMA : Reversal of(… lifting up, in a down clue) [AM(abbrev. for “ante meridiem”/in the morning, before noon, hours of the day) + GIS(plural of GI/American solders/grunts)].
Defn: … in the Greek alphabet.
8 Unpleasant type poking face using fingers (7)
DIGITAL : GIT(unpleasant type/person) contained in(poking) DIAL(informal term for a person’s face).
12 Where the man in pub is turned around? (5)
REHAB : Reversal of(… is turned around) [HE(pronoun for a man) contained in(in) BAR(a pub/a watering hole)].
Cryptic defn: An establishment/rehabilitation centre, where an alcoholic/possibly/? a man in a pub, is turned around/cured of his alcoholism.
14 Possible a vile beach needs to be sorted out (10)
ACHIEVABLE : Anagram of(… needs to be sorted out) A VILE BEACH.
16 I react excitedly, having screened old smut (7)
EROTICA : Anagram of(… excitedly) I REACT containing(having screened) O(abbrev. for “old”).
17 Fine everybody that’s conservative (3,5)
ALL RIGHT : ALL(everybody) plus(that’s) RIGHT(the side of the political spectrum where someone conservative is).
21 Two firms working to make a case? (6)
COCOON : CO,CO(abbrev. for “company”/commercial firm X two) + ON(working/functioning, as with an electrical appliance or a machine).
22 Love and marriage, don’t start that as it can make you cry! (5)
ONION : O(letter representing 0/love in tennis scores) plus(and) “union”(marriage) minus
its 1st letter(don’t start that).
24 Chat volubly after drop of Tanqueray gin? (4)
TRAP : RAP(chat volubly/fluently) placed below(after, in a down clue) 1st letter of(drop of) “Tanqueray“.
Defn: A cruel device to capture (and often killing) birds and small animals.
And a milder one for larger mammals:
25 Lad that’s served up hot food (4)
NOSH : Reversal of(… that’s served up, in a down clue) SON(informal term of address for a boy/a lad) + H(abbrev. for “hot”).
Great puzzle. Fantastic clue for REHAB. Thanks Harry & scchua
A brilliant puzzle ruined for me by the inclusion of the utterly offensive word in the clue for 7a. I find it appalling that the setter and the puzzles editor both deem it to be acceptable in a supposedly reputable newspaper.
The excellent REHAB was the best of the other 29 very good clues.
Enjoyed this crossword. I hope that Rabbit Dave at 2 is being ironic, given the innuendo of his own online name. If not then calm down.
I’m with RD as far as 7a is concerned. I asked Mr Google about the unknown word in the clue and was frankly disgusted by what he had to tell me. Such a shame as it rather spoiled my enjoyment of the puzzle. I would add that Ericw @3 has made an incorrect assumption as to how RD came by his online name!
I had to guess at the Americanism in 6d (charming title!) but really liked 19a plus 12&22d.
Thanks to our ‘arry who always invites dissension and thanks to scchua for the review.
Never mind 7a, what about 10a? The past tense of drink is drank, not drunk. Grammar sacrificed to accommodate an anagram indicator, it’s an outrage. 😉
Hi Nila @5 – I think Hoskins is using ‘drunk’ as an anagram indicator!
We’re with RD and Jane aboput 7ac. We thought Hoskins had recently toned down his in-your-face offensive vulgarity but it seems he’s reverted to what Flanders and Swann satirised over 50 years ago as P** P* B**** B** D******. And a perfectly sound clue using the same construction might have read: “Embarrassed about skimmed milk (and rather annoyed)”
Well I’m personally with Harry on 7a. It’s hardly a modern phrase and if you are upset about a word that’s part of an acronym or the idea. Well. Crosswords are just words and if the non word milf rather than acronym offends… I’ve seen many people offended by perceived things over the years. It’s a fun game. It’s Hoskins, you may believe things are designed to offend if so don’t do it.
thanks Harry for much enjoyment. as well as the obvious, i thought the simple 5d ELBA was very pleasing and I enjoyed 20a BACHELOR as well. And I’ll concur with 22d.
and thanks scchua
I rarely comment below the line these days, mainly through being kept busy with other things but increasingly to avoid what remains of my time being eaten by stuff like this.
Still, I feel compelled to pop in and say that I too enjoyed this very much. Can’t really add more because, being a Hoskins puzzle, my immediate response on seeing the setter was to think “yippee!” and crack on with solving it. Didn’t want to interrupt the fun by stopping along the way to document it.
Thanks to Harry – please continue to amuse in your own style – and to scchua. And nice to see you Flashling. 🙂
Hello Jane @6 – I do see that it’s an anagram indicator, but it’s incorrectly used as the past tense of drink in the surface grammar when it’s actually the past participle. (I was being tongue-in-cheek nevertheless, and partly hoping to tempt Harry out of his Comments exile.)