A straightforward puzzle, but said as a compliment. No gimmicks or clever-clever stuff, just straightforward interesting and enjoyable clues. Thank you Hypnos.
| Across | ||
| 1 | AI WEIWEI | Top methods becoming pronounced in Chinese artist (2,6) |
| AI (A1, top) and WEI WEI sounds like (pronounced) way way (methods) | ||
| 5 | CLOVER | Plant left in part of field (6) |
| L (left) in COVER (part of field, cricket) | ||
| 9 | TERRACING | Note end of summer sport in traditional area of ground (9) |
| TE (note) summeR (end of) and RACING (sport) | ||
| 11 | CELLO | Source of music in Purcell opera (5) |
| found in purCELL Opera | ||
| 12 | PRALINE | Fool curtailed trade in confection (7) |
| PRAt (fool) and LINE (trade) | ||
| 13 | OBSCURE | Dim old boy certain to tour college (7) |
| OB (old boy) and SURE (certain) contains C (college) | ||
| 14 | PUT A SOCK IN IT | Piano? It stuck out as quiet (3,1,4,2,2) |
| (PIANO IT STUCK)* anagram=out | ||
| 18 | SLUGGISHNESS | Torpor from two drinks taken round quiet English ship (12) |
| SLUG and GIN (two drinks) contain (taken round) SH (quiet) then E (English) SS (ship) | ||
| 21 | CHIANTI | Greek character opposing Italian wine (7) |
| CHI (Greek Character) ANTI (opposing) | ||
| 22 | APPROVE | Commend two pages in a range (7) |
| P P (two pages) in A ROVE (range) | ||
| 24 | EVICT | Remove fault almost kept in film (5) |
| VICe (fault, almost) in ET (film) | ||
| 25 | EDITORIAL | Aisle I trod awkwardly with second gone to get view of organ? (9) |
| anagram (awkwardly) of AIsLE I TROD missing S (second) – an organ is a newspaper | ||
| 26 | TRENCH | Ditch fish in river? The opposite (6) |
| R (river) in TENCH (fish) | ||
| 27 | UNCTUOUS | A French scout mistakenly embracing unionist that’s smarmy (8) |
| UN (a, French) and SCOUT* anagram=mistakenly contains U (unionist) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | ANTIPOPE | A refusal to accept advice in rival religious authority (8) |
| A NPOE (refusal) contains TIP (advice) | ||
| 2 | WARRANTY | Desire to defend a bishop close to holy covenant (8) |
| WANT (desire) contains (to defend) A RR (Right Reverend, bishop) with holY (closing letter of) | ||
| 3 | IRAQI | Beginnings of international rejection are quite injurious for Saddam, say (5) |
| first letters (beginnings) of International Rejection Are Quite Injurous | ||
| 4 | EMINENCE GRISE | Shadowy official activated in emergencies (8,5) |
| (In EMERGENCIES)* anagram=activated | ||
| 6 | LOCKSMITH | Specialist in stopping admissions? (9) |
| cryptic definition | ||
| 7 | VALOUR | Stomach a very uppity threatening look (6) |
| A V (very) reversed (uppity) with LOUR (threatening look) | ||
| 8 | RHODES | Routes mentioned in Greek island (6) |
| sounds like (mentioned) roads (routes) | ||
| 10 | GLORIFICATION | With day fading, idol facing riot breaking out in festivity (13) |
| anagram (breaking out) of IdOL FACTING RIOT missing (with…fading) D (day) | ||
| 15 | SPLENETIC | Irritable writer, around 50, among names raised (9) |
| PEN (writer) contains (around) L (fifty) in (among) CITES (names) reversed (raised) | ||
| 16 | GERONIMO | Brave leader upset over child, say (8) |
| O (over) MINOR (child) EG (say) all reversed (upset) – a brave is a Native American | ||
| 17 | AS WELL AS | In addition to a sign of inflation, a sign of slump (2,4,2) |
| A SWELL (sign of inflation) and A Slump (sign of=just one letter?) – I’m not sure about this | ||
| 19 | ACCENT | Here’s, maybe, a grave intensity (6) |
| double definition – I think here’s is just an introduction to the clue | ||
| 20 | LIAISE | To make and maintain contact in Australia is essential (6) |
| found in austraLIA IS Essential | ||
| 23 | PROST | French writer ignoring posh sporting compatriot (5) |
| PROuST (French writer) missing U (posh) | ||
*anagram
definitions are underlined
Nice puzzle. Fair bit of ingenuity. Who would have thought Ai Wei Wei could turn up as a cryptic solution? Thought GERONIMO very good.
19D is I think referring to the French “accent grave”.
Thanks to Hypnos and PeeDee.
gwep – yes, a grave is certainly an accent. I was wondering where here’s fits into the clue.
“A straightforward puzzle, but said as a compliment.” – Hear, hear! Took me ages, though, to get VALOUR (‘stomach’ as in ‘he which hath no stomach for this fight’) and to see 20dn as a hidden.
Thanks, Hypnos and PeeDee.