Due to the IT issues that loonapick has encountered, here is my analysis of the clues in this most enjoyable puzzle from Alberich. In view of the current time, I will not delay its publication by adding further commentary.
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Across
1 Exceedingly dejected about holding husband back (3,4)
NOT HALF – FLAT (dejected) ON (about) around (holding) H (husband) reversed (back)
5 A second artist goes round pub for a jar (7)
AMPHORA – A MO (second) RA (artist) around (round) PH (pub)
9 I can return, wired finally for sound (5)
VALID – I LAV (can) reversed (return) plus [wire]D (wired finally)
10 One composer frequently heard another (9)
OFFENBACH – a homophone (heard) of ‘often’ (frequently) plus BACH (another {composer})
11 Entertaining Earl is officer material (9)
CORPOREAL – CORPORAL (officer) around (entertaining) E (Earl)
12 Good opportunity for curry (5)
GROOM – G (good) ROOM (opportunity)
13 Take time off to destroy footwear (5)
SABOT – SABOT[age] (take time off to destroy)
15 Criminal is paroled, creating split into opposing camps (9)
POLARISED – an anagram (criminal) of IS PAROLED
18 Looking like egg sandwiches before start of repast? One will gorge (9)
OVEREATER – OVATE (looking like egg) around (sandwiches) ERE (before) plus R[epast] (start of repast)
19 They say it’s how to make 3 27 measure once (5)
CUBIT – sounds like (they say) ‘cube it’ (it’s how to make 3 27)
21 Rover’s certainly not barking (5)
NOMAD – NO (certainly not) MAD (barking)
23 Supporter is dashed right – Jana is extremely sexy (9)
JANISSARY – an anagram (dashed) of R JANA IS S[ex]Y
25 Live with outlook said to create happiness (9)
BEATITUDE – BE (live) plus a homophone (said) of ‘attitude’ (outlook)
26 Stain, tarnish – that covers it (5)
TAINT – contained in (that covers it) ‘sTAIN Tarnish’ with the fodder also providing the def.
27 Filling sink (in position), wipe out pan (7)
SKILLET – KILL (wipe out) in (filling) SET (sink (in position))
28 Light aircraft with no wings? It flies (7)
LANTERN – [p]LAN[e] (aircraft with no wings) TERN (it flies)
Down
1 A requirement for the pure beginners? (7)
NOVICES – NO VICES (a requirement for the pure)
2 Board assumes different role – that’s quite good (9)
TOLERABLE – TABLE (board) around (assumes) an anagram (different) of ROLE
3 Sound check? No time, love (5)
AUDIO – AUDI[t] (check no time) O (love)
4 Leading judge retires, acquiring humble place for Violet? (9)
FLOWERPOT – TOP (leading) REF (judge) reversed (retires) around (acquiring) LOW (humble)
5 Something boring about most of sport? That’s terrible (5)
AWFUL – AWL (something boring) around (about) FU[n] (most of sport)
6 Praise God for one younger in charge (9)
PANEGYRIC – PAN (God) EG (for one) YR (younger) IC (in charge)
7 Books travel around a region of NZ (5)
OTAGO – OT (books) GO (travel) around A
8 A phoney journalist is embarrassed (7)
ASHAMED – A SHAM (phoney) ED (journalist)
14 Student at last studied philosopher’s dull work (9)
TREADMILL – [studen]T (student at last) READ (studied) MILL (philosopher {take your pick between Harriot Taylor, James or John Stuart})
16 Treated an allergy affecting part of the throat (9)
LARYNGEAL – an anagram (treated) of AN ALLERGY
17 Loan by state secures river vessel (9)
SUBMARINE – SUB (loan) MAINE (state) around (secures) R (river)
18 Hefty volume from writer probing sumo wrestling (7)
OMNIBUS – NIB (writer) in (probing) an anagram (wrestling) of SUMO
20 Act audaciously and see if the dress fits? (3,2,2)
TRY IT ON – double def.
22 I make defective wheels for US city (5)
MIAMI – I MAIM (make defective) reversed (wheels)
23 Nothing should stop fair contest (5)
JOUST – O (nothing) in (should stop) JUST (fair)
24 Scratch head in amazement, enthralled by Laurel? (5)
SATAN – A[mazement] (head in amazement) in (enthralled by) STAN (Laurel)
Thanks Gaufrid and Alberich.
A good and reasonably straightforward puzzle. Needed your help to parse 16d.
Wow, panegyric appears again. Third time in just a few weeks (here or elsewhere). Learnt Janissary and how to pronounce beatitude – always thought ‘beat’ was the first syllable. Good crossword, as I expect from this setter. Liked CUBIT and SATAN clues.
Not surprisingly given the setter, i thought this was good. I loved the mix of simple clues and tantalising ones. I loved the perfect clueing. I enjoyed CUBIT, since I fell for the 3 27 thing until I realised there was little sense to be made of that. I struggled with the parsing of SKILLET. Luckily I’ve been to OTAGO.
I hadn’t come across JANISSARY before.
Lots of great clues in a classic style.
Many thanks Alberich and thanks Gaufrid
Thanks, Gaufrid, for stepping up to plate.
Your analysis matches mine exactly.
David (loonapick)
Alberich clues well but can’t resist overstepping the mark.
YR isn’t a recognised abbreviation for younger,
Offen isn’t a homophone of often.
The parsing of skillet simply doesn’t work!
Colin
YR as an abbreviation for ‘younger’ is in Chambers, Collins and the ODE. As for ‘offen’ and ‘often’ it depends how you say them. Many people don’t pronounce the ‘t’.
Thanks Alberich and Gaufrid
As mentioned this was a very good crossword with a lot of very slick and entertaining clues. Needed help with the parsing of the middle bit of PANEGYRIC … not seeing EG (for one) and not knowing the abbreviation of YR for younger.
Liked the same two as Hovis@2 and finished in the NW with NOT HALF, VALID and AUDIO as the last few in.