Good morning, all. And happy World Book Day!
This offering from Sleuth was more Janet and John than War and Peace for me, but that’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable (though I do have a couple of minor grumbles). A pleasant stroll rather than an energising work-out. Thanks, Sleuth.
ACROSS
1. SATIRICAL I [island] within anagram of last car I
6. STAMP Hidden in paST AMPlified
9. EUROS U [university] within reversal of sore [painful]
10. TRAFALGAR RAF [Royal Air Force, servicemen] + a + l [lake] + g [grand] within tar [sailor]
11. MINESTRONE Anagram of men in store
12. PLUM Double definition
14. HAULAGE Haul [sounds like hall, Oxbridge term for a formal dinner] + age [get on]
15. REEDBED Reed [sounds like read, study] + bed [place for flowers – or indeed reeds, making this component less than cryptic]
17. TRANCHE Ranch [place for stock] within te [note]
19. ACRYLIC Ac [account] + anagram of cyril
20. HULK H [hospital] + l [left] within UK
22. LA ROCHELLE Reversal of coral [pink] + h [hotel] + Elle [magazine]
25. ANTIPATHY Anagram of in pay that
26. NOISE N [northern] + Oise [French river]
27. KAPUT K [a thousand] + a + put [place]
28. CLEVELAND Reversal of A-level [educational qualification] within CND [Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, protesting group]
DOWN
1. STEAM S [second] + team [group of sportsmen]
2. TARANTULA Tara [woman(‘s name)] + NT [National Trust, conservationists] + initial letters of Understand Large And
3. RESISTANCE Is within rest [others] + a + n [new] + CE [church (of England)]
4. COTERIE Anagram of rite within Coe [Lord, peer]
5. LEARNER L [Liberal] + earner [source of funds]
6. SPAN S [square] + pan [slate]
7. ANGEL Double definition
8. PARAMEDIC Anagram of I a cramped
13. GEAR CHANGE Reverse clue: gear is an anagram [change] of rage
14. HATCHBACK Hatch [mark with fine lines] + back [support]
16. BALALAIKA A [indefinite article] within ball [dance] + AI [A1, first-rate] + initials of Knowledgeable Artist
18. ELASTIC Asti [wine] within anagram of cel(lar)
19. ACOLYTE Y [yard] within anagram of locate
21. LET UP Let [sounds like Lett, eastern European] + up [at college]
23. EMEND Looks like e-mend, which might be an online repair
24. SPOT Double definition
Many thanks Ringo & Sleuth
This was very enjoyable.
However, I made it harder for myself by entering GEAR LEVERS for 13d until common sense asserted itself.