Independent on Sunday 1728 Tees

Thank you to Tees. Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

9. Musical group disheartened about having cathartic effect (9)

PURGATIVE : Reversal of(… about) [ EVITA(the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) + “group” minus its middle letter(disheartened) ].

10. When to fence in trembling tree? (5)

ASPEN : AS(when/at that moment, as in “close the door as you leave) + PEN(to fence/to enclose in, say, a pen).

Defn: A tree species with leaves that tremble in even slight breezes.

11. Become ready to eat pie prepared in service (5)

RIPEN : Anagram of(… prepared) PIE contained in(in) RN(abbrev. for the Royal Navy, a service in the British military).

12. Unstable minerals, with oxygen, return to standard state (9)

NORMALISE : Anagram of(Unstable) [MINERALS plus(with) O(symbol for the chemical element, oxygen) ].

13. Care for little flower’s endless shoot (7)

TENDRIL : TEND(to care for/to look after) + “rill”(a little flower/a small stream that, obviously, flows) minus its last letter(…’s endless).

14. Spectral maiden on horse in Xmas show (7)

PHANTOM : M(abbrev. for “maiden”, in cricket scores) placed after(on) [ H(abbrev. for for “heroin” or “horse” in drug slang) contained in(in) PANTO(short for “pantomime”, a show traditionally performed at Xmas) ].

16. Picture defeat by France (5)

FLICK : LICK(to defeat decisively/to outclass) placed after(by) F(International Vehicle Registration code for “France”).

Defn: Informal term for a …/a cinema film.

18. Allow some crocodile tears (3)

LET : Hidden in(some) “crocodile tears“.

19. Strange passion returning in midweek? (5)

EERIE : Reversal of(… returning) IRE(a passion/a strong emotion, in this case, of anger) contained in(in) middle 2 letters of(mid) “week“.

21. Animal doctor near frisky warhorse (7)

VETERAN : VET(short for “veterinarian”, a doctor treating animals) + anagram of(… frisky) NEAR.

Defn: …/a soldier who has fought in many campaigns.

22. Economical water supplier to contact on phone (7)

SPARING : SPA(a spring that supplies mineral-rich water) + RING(to contact another on the phone).

24. What held up Greek fleet en route to Troy? (6,3)

AEGEAN SEA : Cryptic defn: What the Greek fleet of warships floated on/was held up by, on the way to attack Troy.

26. Daughter taking bucket down to sink (5)

DRAIN : D(abbrev. for “daughter”) plus(taking) RAIN(in this case, heavily/to bucket down).

Defn: …/to reduce to a lower level, say, of amount, as in “this will drain the respect they have for you”.

27. Communicate with influence (5)

REACH : Double defn: 1st: To get in touch with; and 2nd: …/to succeed in having an effect on.

28. Intensity in United game almost exploded (9)

MAGNITUDE : Anagram of(… exploded) [UNITED + “game” minus its last letter(almost) ].

Down

1. Impressionist perhaps with it, given drink before dinner (8)

APERITIF : APER(what you might/perhaps call an impressionist/one who acts out an imitation of/apes somebody) plus(with) IT + IF(given that/supposing, as in “Given that he wins, what would you do?”).

2. Old head saw parent off (6)

TREPAN : Anagram of(… off) PARENT.

In the old days, these were used:

  if you needed a hole in your head:

3. Lowly man ruined, ending in gutter (10)

PAWNBROKER : PAWN(a lowly man/one with low status and used by others) + BROKE(ruined/bankrupt) + last letter of(ending in) “gutter“.

Defn: A cryptic definition, I presume, with the solution being the one who did the ruining of others.

4. Extraordinary gesture (6)

SIGNAL : Double defn: 1st: …/outstanding; and 2nd: … to convey information.

5. Salesperson in ground cited as feeble (8)

DECREPIT : REP(short for a sales representative/salesperson) contained in(in) anagram of(ground) CITED.

6. Convict recalled having a field day? (4)

GALA : Reversal of(… recalled) LAG(a convict) plus(having) A.

Defn: …/a festive occasion, in this case, held outdoors.

7. Second line in menacing playwright’s sharp piece (8)

SPLINTER : S(abbrev. for “second” in time notation) + [ L(abbrev. for “line”) contained in(in) PINTER(Harold, playwright, some of whose works are described as “comedy of menace”) ].

8. Italian monk in Le Mans making move (6)

ANSELM : Anagram of(… making move) LE MANS.

Answer: Italian monk who once held the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

15. Lady Ogilvy perhaps drinking one’s port (10)

ALEXANDRIA : ALEXANDRA(possibly/perhaps, the Princess titled The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, a member of the British royal family) containing(drinking) I(Roman numeral for “one”).

Defn: … in Egypt.

17. Elected, given ample time for U-turn as necessary? (8)

INTEGRAL : IN(elected/voted in) plus(given) reversal of(… for U-turn) [ LARGE(ample/substantial) + T(abbrev. for “time”) ].

Defn: … to make a whole.

18. One’s honour in life less if solitary (8)

LONESOME : [ ONE’S + OM(abbrev. for the “Order of Merit”, a conferred award/honour) ] contained in(in) “life” minus(less) “if“.

20. Odd couple from Eire seen with motor mechanic (8)

ENGINEER : 1st and 3rd letters of(Odd couple from) “Eire” placed below(seen with) ENGINE(a motor/a machine converting one form of energy into motion).

21. Sex and the City — it has one staying up (6)

VIAGRA : VI(Roman numeral for “six”, represented by the English prefix “sex-“, as in “sexcentenary”) plus(and) AGRA(the city in N. India – where many go to see one of man’s – or one man’s – greatest erection for a favourite wife).

Defn: …, ie. that which lets one stay up/erect.

22. Like cormorant? Not well groomed (6)

SHAGGY : SHAG(a cormorant, any of a family of species of aquatic birds) –GY(suffix denoting “like”/having the same characteristics).

… naturally.

23. Ancient high-flier involved in crash (6)

ICARUS : Cryptic defn: In Greek mythology, the one who flew too close to the sun, which melted the wax holding his artificial wings, causing him to crash into the sea.

25. Long article by Ernesto Guevara? (4)

ACHE : A(an article in grammar) plus(by) CHE(nickname of Ernesto Guevara, Argentinian revolutionary).

Defn: …/yearn for.