Smooth solving this morning.
Nothing too taxing in this Monday puzzle. SATRAP was a new one for me. A few clues felt quite familiar, but an enjoyable solve overall. Particularly enjoyed GRATEFUL, WARFARIN, SETH and GOLDFINCH. Thanks to Armonie!
Across
1 Creepy-crawlies need septic treatment (10)
CENTIPEDES
(NEED SEPTIC)* (*treatment)
7 Pundit initially put down performance (4)
PLAY
P[undit] (intially) + LAY (put down)
9 Instruct archer (4)
TELL
Double definition (William Tell)
10 He attracts constituents but only with difficulty (2,1,7)
AT A STRETCH
(HE ATTRACTS)* (*constituents)
11 Propose to much-liked nurse (6)
INTEND
IN (much liked) + TEND (nurse)
12 Obliged to pull back when about to consider force (8)
GRATEFUL
(LUG)< (to pull, <back) when about RATE (to consider) + F (force)
13 Jack receives tirade that’s brazen (8)
FLAGRANT
JACK (flag) receives RANT (tirade)
15 Respect customs (4)
DUTY
Double definition
17 Tumbled down hill (4)
FELL
Double definition
19 Let Maria make up stuff (8)
MATERIAL
(LET MARIA)* (*make up)
22 Drug that can be helpful in conflict that’s goin’ on (8)
WARFARIN
WAR (conflict) + FARIN’ (goin’ on)
23 Make beloved’s aim, to get attention (6)
ENDEAR
END (aim) to get EAR (attention)
25 Ron Butcher prepared pigment (5,5)
BURNT OCHRE
(RON BUTCHER)*(*prepared)
26 Backing for some Macedonians is swelling (4)
NODE
[mac]EDON[ians] (some, <backing)
27 Arranged hotel for Adamson? (4)
SETH
SET (arranged) + H (hotel) (Adam’s son)
28 Agile people initially take additive (10)
SUPPLEMENT
SUPPLE (agile) + MEN (people) + T[ake] (initially)
Down
2 A bird in each hand is never- ending (7)
ETERNAL
TERN (a bird) in EA (each) + L (hand, left)
3 Mark’s daughter wearing a hat (5)
TILDE
D (daughter) wearing TILE (a hat)
4 President managed control of dinner (8)
PRANDIAL
P (president) + RAN (managed) + DIAL (control)
5 Checker on board liner shows drawing ability (15)
DRAUGHTSMANSHIP
DRAUGHTS MAN (checker on board) on SHIP (liner)
6 Belt worn by a Persian governor (6)
SATRAP
STRAP (belt) worn by A
7 One has aspirations before the bid (9)
PRETENDER
PRE (before) + TENDER (bid)
8 A Tory peer is to give an explanation (7)
ACCOUNT
A + C (Tory) + COUNT (peer)
14 Winger died in game on island (9)
GOLDFINCH
D (died) in GOLF (game) on INCH (island)
16 Key article’s heartfelt? That’s immaterial! (8)
ETHEREAL
E (key) + THE (article) + REAL (heartfelt)
18 Removal time guaranteed (7)
ERASURE
ERA (time) + SURE (guaranteed)
20 A group on leave (7)
ABANDON
A + BAND (group) + ON
21 Rustlers shepherds lay hold of (6)
CROOKS
Cryptic definition
24 Material dug up is put back (5)
DENIM
MINED< (dug up, <put back)
Thanks Armonie and Teacow
I saw 17 as a triple definition: tumbled, down (either verb as to fell/down with a punch or ‘ An upland tract of wasteland, pasture or moorland’ [Chambers]) and hill.
Thanks Armonie and Teacow
Pretty straightforward today and not taking too long at all to finish. Still some interesting clues, taking a while to lift and separate ‘Adam son’ at 27a (I know some folk don’t like these but gotta say I do !).
Finished in the NW corner with FLAGRANT and PRANDIAL (that took nearly as long as the rest of the puzzle to solve.
Thanks to Armonie and Teacow. Smooth sailing, even for me,though I wasn’t sure about DUTY. I discovered that there is an author, SETH Adamson.
Thanks Teacow.
I put in ENGAGE for 23ac, before realising my mistake – which made me grumpy.
Didn’t get 3dn because I didn’t know that hat = tile, which made me grumpier.
Likewise discovered Seth Adamson, the (minor) author — was pleasantly surprised when I realized need to lift and separate indeed (another device!) – I too love these kind of clues.