Independent 12,358 by Hoskins

I found this generally on the easier side. The south east corner took a little longer than the rest.

I liked the simple elegance and good surface reading of 3D. 6A felt a little contrived but it was a good effort to get a darts themed clue into the puzzle.

 picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1 COCKROACH
Bug found in chicken served by swimmer (9)

Cock(=chicken) + roach(=type of fish i.e. swimmer)

6 FLEET
Swift ends of legs? Littler’s bound to be involved! (5)

Feet(=the ends of the legs) around L[ittler]. I think the bound refers to the upper bound of Littler i.e. the first letter.

9 MANITOBAN
Canadian chap in boat in a state of distress (9)

Man(=chap) + (in boat)*

10 TACHE
Attachés covering up something right under Poirot’s nose? (5)

Hidden in Attaches. Poirot is famous for his moustache.

11 USHER
It’s a job being American in this place mostly (5)

US(=American) + her[e](=most of "in this place")

12 INSOLVENT
Penniless Poles involved in violent rioting (9)

NS(=North/South Poles) in violent*

13 ITCHING
Impatient moaning bishop needs excommunicating! (7)

[B]itching(=moaning with B{ishop} removed)

15 PERTURB
A flipping curt bruiser could cause trouble (7)

Per(="a" e.g. one per/a person) + brut[e]<(=bruiser)

18 TWANGED
Time pale German with my boss picked a G-string? (7)

T{ime} + wan(=pale) + G{erman} + ed{itor}(=compiler's boss). The def refers to a G string of a guitar rather than underwear.

20 UNDERGO
Sustain less than good offspring (at first) (7)

Under(=less than) + g{ood} + o[ffspring]

21 GERIATRIC
Old and new Cartier rings one put on gangsta (9)

G{angsta} + (Cartier* around i). I think G{angsta} is allowed as an abbrev in Gangsta rap, which can also be called G rap.

23 HARDY
Enduring author? (5)

DD referring to Thomas Hardy

25 USAGE
Employment you and me found by centre of Hagen (5)

Us(=you and me) + [H]age[n]

26 ARGENTINA
Spy screening king visiting a foreign country (9)

(Agent(=spy) around R{ex}(=king)) + in(=visiting) + a

27 TOKER
Batman villain making judge tense is a drug-taker (5)

Joker(=Batman villain) with j{udge} changed to t{ense}

28 TUSK SHELL
Animal skulls he set out on centre of altar (4,5)

(Skulls he)* on [al]t[ar]. A tusk or tooth shell is type of marine mollusc.

DOWN
1 COMMUNIST
Red cumin? Most unusual! (9)

(Cumin most)*

2 CONCH
Shell of blue; skin of Cheetah (5)

Con(=blue in the sense of Conservative) + C[heeta]h

3 RETURNING
English performer in band making a comeback (9)

(E{nglish} + turn(=performer)) in ring(=band)

4 AMBLING
Walking slowly being better? Good to be discharged! (7)

[G]ambling (=being someone who bets with g[ood] removed)

5 HANDS UP
Heroin plus drink? Show me who’d like some of this? (5,2)

H{eroin} + and(=plus) + sup(=drink)

6 FATAL
A trawler at front entering river terminal (5)

(A t[rawler]) in Fal(=a river in Cornwall)

7 EXCHEQUER
Old auditor perhaps on call in Treasury department (9)

Ex(=old) + hom of checker(=auditor)

8 TREAT
Surprise gift: upside-down pastry laced with MDMA (5)

Tart< around E{cstasy}(=MDMA)

14 CHAIRBACK
Part of a SEAT a chick smashed up with bar (9)

(A chick bar)*

16 REDSHANKS
Those wading by shore send shark into a frenzy (9)

(Send shark)*

17 BOOTY CALL
IT meeting arranged by phone? (5,4)

CD. A booty call is call to arrange to have sex ("it") with someone.

19 DORMANT
Torpid bouncer? One ball not delivered by Trueman primarily! (7)

Do[o]rman(=bouncer with one O removed) + T[rueman]

20 UNCAGES
A French composer and soprano’s releases (7)

Un(=French "a") + Cage(=John Cage, a composer best known for the "work" 4'33'', which doesn't actually have any music) + s{oprano}

21 GAUNT
Head to Goa with relative to get wasted (5)

G[oa] + aunt(=relative)

22 AMEER
Old Afghan leader always after a maiden (5)

E'er(=poetic spelling of ever) after a m{aiden}(abbrev used in cricket for maiden over)

24 RAISE
Increase level of sound (5)

Hom of raze, as in raze something to the ground.

1 comment on “Independent 12,358 by Hoskins”

  1. Rabbit Dave

    This was mostly good fun but with a couple of what seemed to me to be dodgy clues.

    Using Littler’s bound to signify an L, and G for gangsta were both a bit of a stretch, and, according to Collins, “booty call” is an American expression.

    RETURNING was my favourite with special mentions for ITCHING and RAISE.

    Thanks to Hoskins and to Neal.

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