A minor masterpiece, this, from Gaff. I had a bit of a struggle with the NW corner, but in the end this was a fun and satisfying solve. Thank-you, Gaff.
The T that has one of two alternative meanings throughout can stand for ‘trick’ or ‘treat’. What might have been a rather contrived Hallowe’en-themed device works, I think, superbly.
ACROSS
1. DISMAL Hidden in saD IS MAL… with content acting as the indicator
4. VALENCIA Anagram of cava in le [‘the’ in French]
9. SWEETS Wee [small] within sts [streets, ways]
10,20. KNACKERS YARD Knack [trick] + ER [Elizabeth Regina, royal] + reversal of drays [trucks]
12. UNTESTED Double definition
13. APATHY Reversal of TA [Territorial Army, volunteers] within PH [Public House] within ay [always]
15. See 26.
16. SUPER DUPER Sup [drink] + dupe [trick] within err [stumble]
19. CATCH A CRAB Catch [trick] + (pani)c within Arab [horse]
20. See 10.
23. NOTIFY Reversal of fit [attack] within reversal of yon [distant]
25. CETACEAN Anagram of he can teach minus the Hs [aspirations]
27. OPERATES Anagram of poets are, with T standing for treat
28. ADVENT Double definition
29, 30. ELECTRIC KETTLE Cryptic definition; the solution also contains the word trick [see 24dn.]
DOWN
1. DISCUSS Discus [sport] + s(eriousness), with T standing for treat
2, 18. SPECTRE AT THE FEAST Not sure about the cryptic part here; an allusion to Macbeth? The solution also contains the word treat [see 24dn.]
3. ARTIST Arti(fice) [semi-trick] + st [street, road]
5. ACNE Initial letters of A Child Needing Emotional
6. ESCAPADE Hidden in cakES CAP A DElightful
7. CHEAT Double definition, with the T standing for trick
8. ASSAYER A + SS [ship] + anagram of year
11. DEFUNCT Fun [treat] within Dec [month] + T [time]
14. REGALED Anagram of a redleg, with T standing for treat
17. PLACEMENT Reversal of alp [mountain] + cement [join]
18. See 2.
19. CONDONE Con [trick] + done [completed]
21. DINETTE Net [clear] within anagram of diet
22. HANDLE Double definition, with T standing for treat
24. THEME Alluding to the thematic words trick and treat hidden in the solutions indicated
26, 15. PERISHED Peri [fairy] + shed [dropped]
Thanks, Ringo. I had a bit of trouble in the NW as well, especially with UNTESTED, where I think the clue is a bit weak.
2,18 refers to the appearance of Banquo’s ghost in Act 3 Scene 4 of Macbeth,. Only Macbeth sees the ghost, and others at the feast see him behaving oddly. Lady M asks him “Are you a man?” and he replies: “Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that/Which might appal the devil.” Perhaps a bit unfair if you don’t know the play well (I had to look it up to remind myself of the line), as the metaphorical meaning presumably comes from this scene.
Thanks Ringo and Gaff,
I agree that this was a masterpiece.
I saw ADVENT as a cryptic definition, but it works either way.
It was great to see so many different meanings of trick and treat.
Two great FT crosswords in a row.
It wasn’t until I had the electric kettle on that I saw what part of the theme was.
Even so it was still hard-going after that.
Thanks to Gaff and Ringo
Thanks Gaff & Ringo.
Not being familiar with rowing terms, I tried to make CATCH A SNAG work for 19a (with NAG = horse), which kept me from getting 11d as well. KNACKERS YARD also was new to me.
And for completeness, the T in 6d stands for trick.
Excellent puzzle – was stretched to the limit. Thanks to Gaff and Ringo.
Did the word ‘Elementary’ in 29,30 have special meaning in that an ELECTRIC KETTLE relies on an electric element for its operation, or is that too obvious to deserve mention?