Thank you Filbert. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1. Deputy leader of National Rally drops article in dock (9,3)
SUBMARINE PEN : SUB(short for “substitute”/someone’s stand-in/a deputy) + “Marine Le Pen”(leader of the National Rally party in France) minus(drops) “le”(French for “the”, an article in grammar).
Defn: …/base for submarines that also provides protection from bombs.
9. Kindly take time out from dealing with reproduction (6)
GENIAL : “t”(abbrev. for “time”) deleted from(take … out from) “genital”(dealing with/relating to human or animal reproduction)
10. Article encountered inside back of neck? (8)
NAMETAPE : [ A(article in grammar) + MET(encountered/came across) ] contained in(inside) NAPE(back of a person’s neck).
11. The way Americans pay for Go Fish (8)
TURNPIKE : TURN(go/the opportunity to do something that comes successively among a number of people) + PIKE(a freshwater fish with a pointed snout and large teeth).
Defn: In America a motorway on which a toll is charged.
12. Bone the last of half a dozen chickens, you’re told (6)
COCCYX : Homophone of(…, you’re told) “cock six”(numerical reference to the last of half a dozen chickens).
13. Silence bird with musket shot (6,4)
STRIKE DUMB : Anagram of(… shot) [BIRD plus(with) MUSKET ].
Defn: To ….
15. Worm’s inside bull’s balls (4)
ORBS : Inner letters of(…’s inside) “Worm” + BS(abbrev. for “bullshit”/bull/nonsense)
17. Large beer put back in carrier (2,2)
EL AL : Reversal of(… put back) [ L(abbrev. for “large”) + ALE(a sort of beer) ].
18. Leaving tip to date, not the usual policy (3-7)
OFF-MESSAGE : OFF(leaving/going) + MESS(the dirty and untidy state of a place/a tip) + AGE(to date/to determine how old something is).
Defn: Describing something said publicly that is different from the policy/the party line of the organisation that speaker belongs to.
20. Minister’s assistant keeps touching food laid out (6)
SPREAD : SPAD(informal term for a person who is to give political advice to a government minister/a minister’s assistant, from “special advisor”) containing(keeps) RE(with reference to/touching on).
22. New café with area upfront where waiters are? (8)
ANTEROOM : [ N(abbrev. for “new”) + [TEA ROOM](a café serving tea and other light refreshments) ] with its “A”(abbrev. for “area”) moved to the first position(with … upfront).
Defn: …, ie. a waiting room.
24. Blue American given part in Avatar, comedian recalled (8)
DEMOCRAT : Hidden in(part in) reversal of(… recalled) “Avatar, comedian”.
Defn: An American who is a member or votes for the Democratic Party which is associated with the colour, blue, in contrast to red for the Repulbicans.
26. Retiring cricketer allowed a small cake (6)
TABLET : Reversal of(Retiring) BAT(a cricketer, specifically a batsman) + LET(allowed/permitted).
27. Theatrical dame ordered sardine sandwiches, expensive dishes (7,5)
DRESDEN CHINA : DENCH(Dame Judi …, an English actress in the theatre as well as onscreen) contained in(… sandwiches) anagram of(ordered) SARDINE.
Down
2. Bulb changed high up by you for wedding (5)
UNION : “onion”(the edible bulb of this particular plant) with its 1st letter changed to(changed high up by) “u”(“you” in texting).
3. Victorian philosopher cracked codes in very little time (11)
MILLISECOND : MILL(John Stuart …, Victorian/19th century philosopher) + anagram of(cracked) CODES IN.
4. Novel or Auden poem (7)
RONDEAU : Anagram of(Novel) OR AUDEN.
Defn: … of a certain construction.
5/25. Hunter counting game with stick (6)
NIMROD : NIM(a counting game where 2 players take turns removing objects from separate piles/rows) plus(with) ROD(a stick/a straight bar).
Defn: A biblical figure who was a mighty ….
6. Ship whales ram from below to communicate (3,6)
PUT ACROSS : Reversal of(… from below, in a down clue) [ SS(abbrev. for “Steamship”, used in the names of such ships) + ORCA(whale/whales?) + TUP(a ram) ].
7. Cold drink partly drained (5)
NIPPY : NIP(a drink of a small quantity or sip of spirits) + “partly” minus all its inner letters(drained).
8. Argument against violent use of head to break concrete (8)
REBUTTAL : BUTT(a blow given with the head/a violent use of the head) contained in(to break) REAL(concrete/actual).
12. More or less happy with reason to scratch ropy design (5-6)
CABLE-STITCH : CA(abbrev. for “circa”/approximately/more or less) + BLEST(blessed/happy/having received pleasure or relief) plus(with) ITCH(a reason to scratch/a sensation that requires scratching to relieve).
Defn: … in knitting.
14. Arrive after Bill cycled back from late show in bad light (3,6)
ILL BECOME : COME(to arrive/to reach a specific place) placed below(after, in a down clue) [ 1st letter of “Bill” moved to last position(… cycled) + last letter of(back from) “late” ].
Defn: To …, as in “it ill becomes you to do that”).
16. My bingo stake ultimately turning into this? (3,5)
BIG MONEY : Anagram of(… turning) [MY BINGO + last letter of(… ultimately) “stake”” ].
Defn: …, ie. what my stake will give me if I win.
19. Level 50? Prepare for slaughter tackling that (7)
FLATTEN : L(Roman numeral for 50) contained in(… tackling that) FATTEN(to prepare an animal for slaughter by feeding it).
Defn: To ….
21. Allege lessee emptied cushion covers (5)
PLEAD : All inner letters deleted from(… emptied) “lessee” contained in(… covers) PAD(to cushion/to cover something with soft material to protect it).
Defn: To …/to present and argue for a case, say, in a court of law.
23. Visitor in the garden cut short tedium going around home (5)
ROBIN : Reversal of(… going around) [last letter deleted from(cut short) “bore”(tedium/a tedious situation or activity)]+ IN(home/not out).
25. See 5
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