A bit tricky for a Quiptic, I thought.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
9 Case of wine one fool damaged
PORTFOLIO
A charade of PORT and (I FOOL)* with ‘damaged’ as the anagrind.
10 Attempt easy trip round Sweden
ESSAY
An insertion of S in (EASY)*
11 Leading female soloist reportedly leaving performers playing Beethoven’s 5th
EMPEROR
Great surface, but a tricky clue for a Quiptic, imho. Moley is asking you to take F, S and R for the ‘leading’ letters of ‘female’, ‘soloist’ and ‘reportedly’
out of ‘performers’ and then make an anagram. The anagrind is ‘playing’, so it’s (PEORMER)* At least the definition was clear.
12 Break up: truer version
RUPTURE
(UP TRUER)*
13 Nonsense call for attention without spectacles
HOOEY
Slightly unusual word, but it’s OO for setter-speak for ‘spectacles’ inside HEY for ‘call for attention’.
14 Keep in reserve with space in the larder, say
STOREROOM
A charade of STORE and ROOM. A ‘larder’ could be a STOREROOM, I suppose.
16 Gatherers hint at broadcast that’s phenomenal
EARTH-SHATTERING
(GATHERERS HINT AT)*
19 Show way to spend our pound inside
SPLENDOUR
An insertion of L for ‘pound’ in SPEND OUR.
21 Aide ordered you, say, to bid farewell
ADIEU
A charade of (AIDE)* and U for textspeak for ‘you’. Not sure that the definition works.
22 Top of the range for very large parent?
MAXIMUM
A cd. A ‘very large parent’ might be a MAXI MUM, which is why there’s a question mark at the end of the clue.
23 Sigh when High Horse waywardly runs outsiders off
HEIGH-HO
Chuffing Nora, this is supposed to be Quiptic. It’s (HIGH HORSE)* with the outside letters of ‘runs’ deleted. The anagrind is ‘off’.
24 A thousand thanks when coming round for work
TASKS
Apologies, but I haven’t a Scooby about this. I see TAS, and K for ‘thousand’ but beyond that, I don’t know.
25 The first French painter to produce things for a bride
TROUSSEAU
A charade of T for the first letter of ‘the’ and ROUSSEAU for the ‘French painter’.
Down
1 Amazed and totally lost for words
SPEECHLESS
It wasn’t DUMBSTRUCK, was it? It’s a dd cum cd.
2 Might such an entrance catch one unawares?
TRAPDOOR
Another cd.
3 A very noisy chap joined in a brawl
AFFRAY
A charade of A, FF for the musical ‘very noisy’ and RAY, one of many ‘chaps’.
4 Aspersion cast by thoughtless, lurid piece
SLUR
Hidden in thoughtlesS LURid piece.
5 True proofs about a place to sleep
FOUR-POSTER
(TRUE PROOFS)*
6 Stage scenery for group work
SET PIECE
I think that this is a charade of SET and PIECE, but I don’t really know what’s going on here. Is it a dd?
7 US code used legal tender once
ESCUDO
(US CODE)* for the former currency of Portugal.
8 Student leaves reply about heap of wood for burning
PYRE
Moley is asking you to take the L for ‘student’ or ‘learner’ out of ‘reply’ and then make an anagram. ‘About’ is the anagrind.
14 Young friend to train lively team
SCHOOLMATE
A charade of SCHOOL for ‘train’ and (TEAM)*
15 Large wine bottle and spilt soup presented as a great work of art
MAGNUM OPUS
A charade of MAGNUM and (SOUP)*
17 Deer Tom’s treated was definitely the last
HINDMOST
A charade of HIND for ‘deer’ and (TOMS)* What ‘definitely’ is needed for, I don’t know.
18 Hire sis a building on a large stretch of water
IRISH SEA
(HIRE SIS A)*
20 Survive former lover turning up in the most easy-going way
LAXEST
Not a word I’d use often, but it’s a reversal of EX in LAST.
21 Maid lost on street at the Centre
AMIDST
(MAID)* plus ST.
22 Dumb letter to Greece by Lawrence
MUTE
A charade of MU for a Greek leter and TE for TE ‘Lawrence’, he of Arabian fame.
23 Animal’s foot had one of five to begin with
HOOF
The first letters of ‘had one of five’.
Many thanks to Moley for today’s Quiptic.
Thanks Moley and Pierre
Not a Quiptic. I always try to solve a long one that gives me lots of first letters first, so I confidently wrote in DUMBSTRUCK, though had second thoughts when “dumb” was in the clue for the next starting-letter one, 22d.
Lots of general knowledge required; for instance ROUSSEAU is far from the most obvious French painter; and “Beethoven’s fifth” (it’s the 5th Piano Concerto that’s subtitled “The emperor”).
I don’t think TRAPDOOR works as a cryptic definition. “RAY” as a random “chap” in 3d is weak. TASKS seems short of an S in the parsing,as you indicate, Pierre.
I did like SCHOOLMATE.
I agree a bit tough for a Quiptic, but all fair, except possibly for 24a, which remains undeciphered. If the first S were an A, the wordplay would work, but then of course the solution wouldn’t.
I think the anagrind in 23a is ‘waywardly’ and ‘off’ is a removal indicator.
I took 6d as a dd, where a a SET PIECE is on one hand a bit of the scenery on a stage, and an artistic performance by a group. The second definition might also refer to the post-stoppage play in football since it involves team work.
I did like HOOEY.
I could not parse 24a and thought this was a bit hard for a “Quiptic”
Thanks Pierre and Moley
You are right about HEIGH-HO, swatty. Of course, the anagrind is ‘waywardly’ and the removal indicator is ‘off’. Brain fade on my part.
Thanks Pierre and Moley
Bit tricky. I didn’t mind 6d, it made sense to me. Shame about 24a, I assume this is a mistake. Unless someone can parse it?
Thank you Moley and Pierre.
I found this most enjoyable, but not sure it is a Quiptic. Of course I entered DUMBSTRUCK first at 1d. Agree with swatty @2 as regards the parsing of HEIGH-HO.
I did not have a problem with TRAPDOOR (muffin @1), apart from the spider, there are those outside pubs in the pavement for beer deliveries, they are sometimes left open…
Incidentally, I would have thought Le Douanier Rousseau was well known.
“A thousand thanks when coming round for work”
Still trying to parse TASKS, K ‘A thousand’ TAS ‘thanks’, TAS ‘when coming round’ could give TAS K Sat (Saturday), not very likely.
I didn’t stop to parse TASKS so overlooked that it was missing an S. I agree this clue is a problem. For 1d, like others, I debated between DUMBSTRUCK and GOBSMACKED. SPEECHLESS was my third guess and only confirmed when other answers were in. Overall I thought this was okay for a Quiptic. Certainly not as difficult as some we’ve had recently by Anto!