Thank you to Chandler. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1. Factory worker ready to supply remote control device (7)
HANDSET : HAND(a factory worker/one engaged in manual labour) + SET(ready/in a state of preparedness).
5. A cop is excited about southern artist (7)
PICASSO : Anagram of(… excited) A COP IS containing(about) S(abbrev. for “southern”).
9. One river after another in the countryside (5)
RURAL : URAL(a river flowing through Russia and Kazakhstan into the Caspian Sea) placed after(after) another R(abbrev. for “river”)
10. Counter with publication, clear source of attraction? (3,6)
BAR MAGNET : BAR(a counter such as one in a bar over which drinks are served) plus(with) MAG(short for “magazine”, a publication) + NET(to clear/to gain after all deductions have been made, as in “net earnings”).
11. Unreliable type made bankrupt by necessity? About right (6,4)
BROKEN REED : BROKE(bankrupt/unable to pay one’s debts) plus(by) NEED(a necessity/a requirement) containing(About) R(abbrev. for “right”).
Answer: …/one you cannot rely on for support.
12. Asian language proves draw by the sound of it (4)
THAI : Homophone of(… by the sound of it) “tie”(a draw/a match result where teams’ scores are level).
14. Two that stir in a haphazard way, initially (2,5,4)
TO START WITH : Anagram of(… in a haphazard way) TWO THAT STIR.
18. One agent had to be redeployed, requiring attention (2,3,6)
ON THE AGENDA : Anagram of(… to be redeployed) ONE AGENT HAD.
21. English archdeacon of a smooth nature (4)
EVEN : E(abbrev. for “English”) + VEN(abbrev. for “Venerable”, title given to an archdeacon in the Church of England).
22. Varied stars rejected food around old city (10)
STRASBOURG : Anagram of(Varied) STARS + reversal of(rejected) GRUB(an informal term for “food”) containing(around) O(abbrev. for “old”).
Defn: … in France.
25. Male in Spanish city starts to prefer exquisite entrées, loving covering of fruit (5,4)
LEMON PEEL : M(abbrev. for “male”) contained in(in) LEÓN(city in northwest Spain) + 1st letters, respectively, of(starts to) “prefer exquisite entrées, loving“.
26. Captain’s area on ship missing first raised strip of land (5)
RIDGE : “bridge”(the area on a ship from which the captain commands) minus its 1st letter(missing first).
27. Man’s best friend gets to slip in part of a stand (7)
TERRIER : ERR(to slip/to make a mistake) contained in(in) TIER(part of a stand, a raised structure with a series of levels on which spectators stand or sit).
Defn: A breed of …
28. Irregular method followed by section of a hospital (7)
WAYWARD : WAY(a method of doing things) placed before(followed by) WARD(a section, specifically a room or rooms, in a hospital with beds for patients).
Down
1. Something that might be blown in the presence of English writer (6)
HORNBY : HORN(something that might be blown to produce sound) + BY(in the presence of/beside a physical object).
Answer: Nick …
2. New item required for archery is restricted (6)
NARROW : N(abbrev. for “new”) + ARROW(an item required for archery).
3. Regard for number one? (4-6)
SELF-ESTEEM : Cryptic defn: …, number one being one’s own self.
4. Knob in brass instrument mentioned (5)
TUBER : Homophone of(… mentioned) “tuba”(a brass musical instrument).
Defn: …/a swelling or protuberance.
5. Fine type of pottery is evident around sides of older church (9)
PORCELAIN : PLAIN(is evident/easily seen) containing(around) [ 1st and last letters of(sides of) “older” + CE(abbrev. for the Church of England) ].
6. Companion has a time for casual conversation (4)
CHAT : CH(abbrev. for a “Companion of Honour”, an award for outstanding achievements) plus(has) A + T(abbrev. for “time”).
7. Songwriter is honed after working on first of musicals (8)
SONDHEIM : Anagram of(… after working) IS HONED placed above(on, in a down clue) 1st letter of(first of) “musicals“.
Answer: …, Stephen, composer, songwriter and lyricist who was a leading figure in musical theatre.
8. Utter slogan of a leftist? (8)
OUTRIGHT : “OUT, RIGHT”(maybe/? the slogan of a leftist/socialist calling for the ouster of right-wing/conservatives from positions of authority, to be replaced by the left-wing).
Defn: …/absolute.
13. Pinkish-red growths turn up on Chuck, maybe (10)
STRAWBERRY : Reversal of(… turn up, in a down clue) WARTS(small, hard growths on the skin) placed above(on, in a down clue) BERRY(Chuck, rock and roll musician).
15. Location, we’re told, upset Welshman, a tourist (9)
SIGHTSEER : Homophone of(…, we’re told) “site”(location/place where something is put or constructed) + reversal of(upset, in a down clue) REES(a Welsh surname).
16. Insurance policy on rental property, which is found on bed (8)
COVERLET : COVER(protection against loss provided by an insurance policy) placed above(on, in a down clue) LET(a property that is leased/rented out).
Defn: That …, on top of the bedsheets and blankets.
17. Flag shown by old seagoing vessel carrying queen (8)
STREAMER : STEAMER(an old seagoing vessel, powered by a steam engine, now outdated) containing(carrying) R(abbrev. for “Regina”/Queen).
19. Doctor is enthralled by fish in Arctic feature (6)
TUNDRA : DR(abbrev. for “doctor”) contained in(is enthralled by) TUNA(a food fish).
20. American with avarice is of the same mind (6)
AGREED : A(abbrev. for “American”) plus(with) GREED(avarice/strong desire for money and possessions).
23. A learner having little vitality gets permit (5)
ALLOW : A + L(letter displayed by a learner driver) + LOW(having little vitality/lacking in vigour/despondent).
24. One opposing some Italian timekeeping (4)
ANTI : Hidden in(some) “Italian timekeeping“.
This really filled the bill for a Quiptic. Thanks to Chandler and to scchua for the blog. Particularly for parsing 6D Chat. I had taken the initial letters of “Companion has a time …” and thought it was funny there was no initial indicator!
Thanks scchua as I had exactly the same confusion as Apteryx@1! I was also held up by the “seagoing” in 17d, there are plenty of steamers puttering around the lakes of Central Europe and surely they plied the mighty Mississippi too? But agree that this was both enjoyable and perfectly pitched, thanks Chandler.
Solved NW corner last.
Liked OUTRIGHT, AGREED, STRAWBERRY, NARROW.
New: VEN=Venerable (as the title of an archdeacon) for 21ac; BROKEN REED.
Thanks, both.
A good Quiptic, with some easy ish clues and some to make you think. I enjoyed the moment when I went from thinking “I don’t know any Arctic features” through “What’s a fish that ends in “a”? to the penny dropping.
Thank you scchua for the blog and for putting me straight on 10a! I had assumed that the publication was the boys’ weekly The Magnet (that featured Billy Bunter), and I was thinking gosh, that’s a bit of a dated reference! (I somehow managed to ignore the “clear”).
A nice Quiptic. Thanks Chandler.
Like Michelle @ 3 solved the NW last and didn’t know VEN (Venerable) for Archdeacon.
Good Quiptic.I think my favourites were BAR MAGNET, BROKEN REED, PORCELAIN
For me TUBER doesn’t sound like tuba (I will now duck).
Thanks Chandler and scchua
Nice and straightforward. A few belters, RURAL, BROKEN REED and PORCELAIN my favourites. HORNBY was my LOI, as I haven’t read any of his stuff.
Strawberries aren’t pinkish-red, they’re bright red, no pink about it.
Gazzh@2 There certainly used to be steamers on the mighty Mississippi, celebrated by Mark Twain among others. But they’re long gone there now.
Thanks Chandler and scchua.
Hmm. First time I’ve had to reveal on a Quiptic! BROKEN REED is new to me so even with so many crossers I just couldn’t get it.
Now to see if I fare any better with the cryptic…
You can tell a clue is well-structured when you learn a new word or term by parsing it. Several examples of this today!
Valentine@8 but a strawberry roan is more pinkish-red and a strawberry blonde would not have bright red hair.
That felt like a nicely pitched Quiptic.
Thanks to Chandler and PeterO
Yes nicely pitched, or rather perfect for my level – thanks Chandler, and to sschua for such an easy-to-understand/read solution that helped a few obscurities …in eVEN and CHat.
Fiona Anne — Re: 4d, like you I pronounce the R in TUBER, but in school I had a teacher from Boston who would have pronounced the musical instrument with a final “r” — kind of the reverse of our British friends. I remember her discussing the “Cuber” Missile Crisis.
— maybe I’m dating myself a little. 🙂
Very enjoyable, even if I needed a couple of reveals to finish.
– 21a, not knowing any CE archdeacons.
– 6d, where I had the ending as FLAT, not knowing LET as a noun.