Independent 11,896 by Vernon

New week and Vernon, who’s not been seen for a while returns

I found this tough in places, tricky to blog wordplay and a couple of unknowns, there’s a number of roads in the grid, ROAD, LANE, AVENUE, MEWS and so on but I don’t know if I’m missing a larger picture here, thanks Vernon

 picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1. Old photograph is a peculiarly absorbing record (5)
SEPIA

EP – record – absorbed by a peculiar [IS A]*

4. Contemplate announcing a comeback facilitated by this (9)
REFLECTOR

REFLECT – contemplate & A which we’re supposed to think sounds like OR, not convinced though

9. In that case the arbiter or umpire finally gives the answer (9)
THEREFORE

THE & REF – arbiter & OR & end of (umpir)E

10. Musical production inevitably contains this (5)
EVITA

Hidden in inEVITAbly

11. Where beginner in sports goes? (7,6)
LEISURE CENTRE

The centre of leiSure is S which what Sports begins with

13. Pet Sounds flyers (4)
MEWS

Double definition, I wasn’t aware of the seabirds however

14. Pitifully meek, oddly weird, and lacking in mental resilience (4-6)
WEAK-MINDED

A pitiful [MEEK odd letters of WeIrD AND]*

17. The latest intelligence about it leads to a South Pacific island (3,7)
NEW BRITAIN

IT in NEW BRAIN, again one I wasn’t really aware of.

19. See 24 Down

 

22. Selling treasures maybe, duke is wearing ceremonial dress (13)
DISINVESTMENT

D(uke) & IS & IN – wearing & VESTMENT – dress

25. Wander round Mediterranean island, taking in another one briefly (5)
AMBLE

M=Malta inside ELBA all reversed – round

26. Adjusts clothing worn by Welsh person (9)
REDRESSES

DRESS inside REES – a Welsh name

27. Insert the target for this important shot? (9)
KEYSTROKE

Not really convinced by this clue, KEY – important & STROKE – and a keystroke could be pressing INSERT

28. Stunning attacker rates high (5)
TASER

a high RATES*

DOWN
1. Resolution decided on: time to replace top of element (10)
SETTLEMENT

SET – decided on & T(ime) replacing the first E in (e)LEMENT

2. Old England manager apprehended by policewoman in taste of what’s to come (7)
PREVIEW

(don) REVIE ex England manager In PW – policewoman

3. Greeting oddly no use as line of approach (6)
AVENUE

AVE – greeting & odd letters of No UsE

4. Ex-President loves to restate empty smears (9)
ROOSEVELT

Surely not referring to Donald here, a smeared [LOVES TO empty R(estat)E]*

5. Uncommitted about Gauss, a German philosopher (5)
FREGE

Not heard of this one but it’s G – gauss in FREE – not committed

6. Pick Rice mainly — very exciting! (8)
ELECTRIC

ELECT – pick & most of RIC(e)

7. Be inclined to conceal distress in the last part (4,3)
TAIL END

AIL – distress inside TEND – inclination

8. British excluded from general course (4)
ROAD

British removed from (b)ROAD – general

12. Filling consultant starts to extend range through local newspaper (10)
ADVERTISER

Starts of Extend Range Through all filling ADVISER – consultant

15. Distressed kite feeding – it’s withdrawn and tense (5-4)
KNIFE-EDGE

IT removed from a distressed [K(it)E FEEDING]*

16. Waxing the top assumes endless money (8)
CRESCENT

Most of CEN(t) in CREST – top

18. Unscrupulous fellow, like Billy Bunter? (4,3)
WIDE BOY

Billy Bunter was famous for being fat

20. State of being sterile, as every poor sucker at first is (7)
ASEPSIS

AS & starts of Every Poor Sucker & IS

21. Urban square’s tree that sheds its outer parts (6)
STREET

hidden in squareS TREE That

23. Illegal runner, Croatian, without a time I suspect (5)
NARCO

No A, T(ime) or I in a suspect [CRO(ati)AN]*

24/19. Part of London Transport containing rescue centre (4,4)
PARK LANE

ARK – Noah’s rescue centre in PLANE – transport

 

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