Magwitch has been appearing monthly since last September so this is his/her sixth puzzle in the FT. I found this one to be on the easy side but this did not detract from the enjoyment of solving it as most of the clues had a good surface, though this did entail using some slightly tenuous synonyms at times.
Across
1 It strips plants of copper thrown away outside (6)
LOCUST – LOST (thrown away) around (outside) CU (copper)
4 Identify backing number to help with middle of set (8)
DIAGNOSE – SONG (number) AID (help) reversed (backing) [s]E[t] (middle of set)
9 Place of this solution in the grid! (5)
NINTH – cryptic def. referring to the clue number
10 Practical Eric gets muddled without an agenda (9)
REALISTIC – anagram (gets muddled) of ERIC around (without) A LIST (an agenda)
11 Close down second dwelling of a poor standard (4,3)
SHUT OFF – S (second) HUT (dwelling) OF F (a poor standard {in exams I assume})
12 Invalid is less than semi-insentient following stroke (7)
PATIENT – PAT (stroke) [insent]IENT (less than semi-insentient)
13 After half a mile roadside verges turn into mud (4)
MIRE – MI[le] (half a mile) R[oadsid]E (roadside verges)
14 Protected her after he left during love affair with boy (8)
ARMOURED – [he]R (her after he left) in (during) AMOUR (love affair) ED (boy)
17 Judge in English Chancery without opportunity for cleaning things up (8)
REFINERY – REF (judge) IN E (English) [chance]RY (Chancery without opportunity)
19 Make slow progress in the opening parts of championship (4)
INCH – IN CH[ampionship] (the opening parts of championship)
22 Part of milk production process limited by waste (7)
LACTOSE – ACT (production process) in (limited by) LOSE (waste)
24 Harsh EU rates are ridiculous (7)
AUSTERE – anagram (are ridiculous) of EU RATES
25 Spoil Green politician beset by bout of illness (9)
DECOMPOSE – ECO (Green) MP (politician) in (beset by) DOSE (bout of illness)
26 Take responsibility for fuss over exercise (5)
ADOPT – ADO (fuss) PT (exercise) – the ‘over’ would work if this was a down clue
27 Marine reptile found wriggling in eastern Kansas and Europe (3,5)
SEA SNAKE – anagram (found wriggling in) of E (eastern) KANSAS E (Europe)
28 Grounds for disloyalty after beheading (6)
REASON – [t]REASON (disloyalty after beheading)
Down
1 Isolated rumour of amount lent by a few (8)
LONESOME – homophone (rumour of) of ‘loan’ (amount lent) SOME (a few)
2 Victor or William (9)
CONQUEROR – double def.
3 Train speed limit initially restricts its noise (6)
SCHOOL – S[peed] L[imit] (speed limit initially) around (restricts) CHOO (its noise)
5 I appear on trip drunk and unfit (13)
INAPPROPRIATE – anagram (drunk) of I APPEAR ON TRIP
6 Sparkly decoration is discarded waste after midnight (7)
GLITTER – [ni]G[ht] (midnight) LITTER (discarded waste)
7 True love can be fantastic (5)
OUTRE – anagram (can be) of TRUE O (love)
8 Rouse former lover to issue a court summons (6)
EXCITE – EX (former lover) CITE (issue a court summons)
10 Where to find information on recommendation to make a reservation (9,4)
REFERENCE BOOK – REFERENCE (recommendation) BOOK (make a reservation)
15 Insecure police officer conceals indignation over old uniform (9)
DANGEROUS – DS (police officer) around (conceals) ANGER (indignation) O (old) U (uniform)
16 Aren’t the sick put at risk? (8)
THREATEN – anagram (sick) of AREN’T THE
18 He searches lakes and rivers for abusive French person (7)
FROGMAN – FROG (abusive French) MAN (person)
20 Criticised after leaving me behind with drugs runners (6)
BLADES – BLA[me]D (criticised after leaving me behind) ES (drugs)
21 Leak found in back of storage space unfortunately (6)
ESCAPE – [storag]E (back of storage) anagram (unfortunately) of SPACE
23 Firm’s top man is above a drink (5)
COCOA – CO (firm) CO (top man {Commanding Officer}) A
With regards to 11A, I thought the second word was simply “off”, as in the expression that the something was a bit off.
Hi AID
On re-reading the clue, I think your parsing may well be correct.
Magwitch is definitely a lady setter – I had the pleasure of meeting her in December.
Another enjoyable puzzle so thank you to her and Gaufrid. I agree with AID about OFF in 11a
Thanks Magwitch for a very enjoyable puzzle and Gaufrid for the blog.
11ac: I took this the same way as AID@1, but think it works either way.
26ac: I agree with Gaufrid that “over” to mean following is best kept for down clues.
2dn: The two definitions are general and a specific example for the same meaning of the word. I prefer double definitions to be used only when the meanings are more distinct. As always, I have no quarrel with those whose preferences differ from mine.
Thanks Magwiwitch and Gaufrid. Very enjoyable. I parsed 11ac as Gaufrid did in his blog.
9a is also a hidden answer, in “solutioN IN THe grid”.
I took 9a it in the same way as Tom_I, which to me is doubly elegant. I’m afraid Magwitch had me on 4ac: I’d spent so long justifying ‘ringtone’ that I couldn’t see the wood for the trees. Thank you, Magwitch, for another nice one; and to Gaufrid for his usual hard work.
Thanks Magwitch for a great puzzzle and Gaufrid for explaining 1a and 20d and 9a which I did not see despite looking for a longish time.