Lorraine: I guess Everyman knows when I have to blog, as it is would appear that it is only difficult every other week – always my week!
Nick: I apologise for the doo’s 😉
Legend to solution comments:
* = anagram.
< = word reversed.
| Across | ||
| 1. | BLUE-CHIP | BLUE (down) + IP (1p) around CH |
| 5. | THEBES | HEBE in T(hi)S; See here too |
| 9. | UP IN ARMS | UP + IN + ARMS |
| 10. | ENIGMA | (IN GAME)* |
| 11. | CLOUT | C + LOUT |
| 12. | LOWESTOFT | L + O + (STOWE)* + FT (newspaper, Financial Times) |
| 14. | RIDE SHOTGUN | (ROUND EIGHTS)* |
| 18. | TRANSLUCENT | (T (first of Torquemada) + RAN) + NT (books) around (CLUES)* |
| 21 | GO BETWEEN | G + OBE (order) + ((WENT)* around E) |
| 23. | EXTRA | EX(i)T + RA |
| 24. | ARDENT | (forest of) ARDEN + T (close to coast) |
| 25. | SOCRATES | (REACTS SO)* |
| 26. | TASTER | T + ASTER |
| 27. | SLATTERN | SRN (nurse) around LATTE; nice – we tried to fit ‘tend’ in here somewhere for a while |
| Down | ||
| 1. | BOUNCE | B + OUNCE (ounce is a snow leopard, hence wild cat) |
| 2. | UNISON | UNION around S; strange clue, as SON is there in plain view in the answer: — 2. Complete agreement in marriage about son (6) |
| 3. | CHARTERIS | I in CHARTERS; (remember this guy? — or this? doo do do do dooo doo doooooo) |
| 4. | IRMA LA DOUCE | (ECUADOR + MALI)*; Thanks to Haliwell’s film guide for getting us this film title |
| 6. | HANKS | (SANK)* after H |
| 7. | BY GEORGE | B(o)Y GEORGE |
| 8. | SPARTANS | RAPS< + TANS |
| 13. | WESTERN ROLL | WESTERN (cowboy film) + ROLL; high jump technique |
| 15. | ON THE TROT | ON + THE + TROT (radical, as per Trotsky) |
| 16. | STAGNANT | STAG + ANT around N |
| 17. | BARBADOS | (BAR (local) + SODA<) around B |
| 19. | STATUE | STATU(r)E |
| 20. | PARSON | PAR + SON |
| 22. | TENSE | hidden: AusTEN‘S Emma |