Independent on Sunday 1,740 by Xestobium

Across

1             Primate has company with devilment? (6,8)

MONKEY BUSINESS :  MONKEY(a small to medium-sized primate) plus(has) BUSINESS(a company/a commercial organisation).

Defn:  …/reckless mischief.

9             Being left-handed, I slant, sir, all over the place (9)

SINISTRAL :  Anagram of(…, all over the place) I SLANT, SIR.

10           Guy providing drinks for the audience? (5)

TEASE :  Homophone of(… for the audience) “teas”(drinks).

11           Get backing part in ELO recording (4)

ROLE :  Hidden in(Get backing) reversal of(part in) “ELO recording”.

12           Hundreds once obeyed their orders (10)

CENTURIONS :  Cryptic defn:  Leaders of centuries, companies in the ancient Roman army, originally of a hundred men each.

14           Eatery as top grub organisation? (9)

GASTROPUB :  Anagram of(… organisation) AS TOP GRUB.

16           The Spanish leading European reform initially – one that’s completely unsuccessful (5)

LOSER :  LOS(Spanish for the article, “the”) plus(leading) 1st letters, respectively, of(.. initially) “European reform”.

17           Invert bobbin to produce twists (5)

LOOPS :  Reversal of(Invert) “spool”(bobbin/a cylindrical device round which thread is wound in weaving or sewing machines).

19           Need crate rebuilt so this can be staged again (2-7)

RE-ENACTED :  Anagram of(… rebuilt) NEED CRATE.

21           Confection that may be an alternative to Bath bun? (6,4)

SPONGE CAKE :  SPONGE(to cleanse with a sponge/an alternative to “to bath”/to cleanse by immersion in a bath) + CAKE(an example of which/? is a “bun”, a small cake usually containing dried fruit).

23           Either way, it’s a mistake (4)

BOOB :  A palindromic word(Either way) for a “mistake”.

26           Pole getting in point about particular view (3-2)

END-ON :  N(abbrev. for the north pole) contained in(getting in) reversal of (… about) NODE(a point where lines, in say, a diagram, intersect).

Defn:  …, one with the tip of an object facing the viewer.

27           He’s a louse, getting drunk in such places (9)

ALEHOUSES :  Anagram of(…, getting drunk) HE’S A LOUSE.

28           Would one go into the theatre with such a person, to get a better look? (7,7)

PLASTIC SURGEOENS :  Cryptic defn:  Reference to an operating theatre where a patient may have cosmetic surgery to look better.

Down

1             Degrees presented, with some hesitation, for microwave device (5)

MASER :  Plural of MA(abbrev. for Master of Arts, a graduate degree) plus(with) ER(an expression of some hesitation/uncertainty).

Defn:  Acronym for a microwave device, viz. one that provides “microwave amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation”.

2             Make uncertain? It just doesn’t add up (7)

NONPLUS :  NON(prefix indicating “not causing”/just does not) + PLUS(to add up two or more quantities).

Defn:  To confuse, hence ….

3             Teaset encapsulates peace and quiet (4)

EASE :  Hidden in(… encapsulates) “Teaset”.

4             Member of pub staff to prohibit entry to footballer? (9)

BARKEEPER :  BAR(to prohibit/prevent entry) + KEEPER(short for “goalkeeper”, a member of a football team).

5             The sound of something squishy striking part of chair, possibly (5)

SPLAT :  Double defn: 1st:  … a surface with force; and 2nd:  A piece of thin wood, possibly as part of a chair back.

6             AA rung last: desperate to obtain fuel (7,3)

NATURAL GAS :  Anagram of(…: desperate) AA RUNG LAST.

7             Salts, one might say? (7)

SEASONS :  [SEA SONS](or “sons of the sea”, as one might call sailors/salts).

Defn:  Adds salt to food.

8             Mining Engineer guaranteed to lose spades – it could be deliberate (8)

MEASURED :  ME(abbrev. for “mining engineer”) + “assured”(guaranteed/made sure that something will happen) minus(to lose) “s”(abbrev. for “spades”, a suit in a deck of cards).

13           Those who once provided ships’ crews: groups of hacks? (5,5)

PRESS GANGS :  [PRESS GANGS](how one might describe groups/crowds of hacks/members of the press).

Defn:  … by enlisting men forcibly.

14           Woman getting shoes ordered: such things will keep your feet dry! (8)

GALOSHES :  GAL(informal term for a “woman”/girl) plus(getting) anagram of(… ordered) SHOES.

Defn:  … and your shoes dry too.

15           Such tiny joints are said to be the best! (4,5)

BEE’S KNEES :  Literally/said to be, the joints in these particular tiny insects, corresponding to the joints in human legs.

18           Loo diva redesigned in special shape (7)

OVOIDAL :  Anagram of(… redesigned) LOO DIVA.  Another anagram, “OVALOID” has the same meaning, coincidentally!

20           Ties top of overshoe to upset child’s foot (7)

TOOTSIE :  Anagram of(… upset) [TIES + 1st letter of(top of, in a down clue) “overshoe” + TO].

Defn:  A child’s word for “foot”.

22           Garment one furry creature provided (5)

COATI :  COAT(an outer garment) + I(Roman numeral for “one”).

24           Sexually experimental offspring is an animal (5)

BISON :  BI(short for bisexual/sexually attracted to more than one sex – though I’m not sure that “experimental” is an appropriate description) + SON(a male offspring).

25           Type of screen raised to provide means of entry (4)

DOOR :  Reversal of(… raised, in a down clue) ROOD(a type of screen/partition between the chancel and the main part of the church).