A well-crafted Sindy puzzle from Poins. One or two that were tricky to parse, but all clearly clued.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Ends with Peg in a state of panic
TAILSPIN
A charade of TAILS and PIN.
5 Reptile dung mostly found in Iowa
IGUANA
An insertion of GUAN[O] for bird ‘dung’ in IA for the abbreviation for the American state.
9 Revealed in speech after former partner’s highly praised
EXTOLLED
A charade of EX and a homophone of TOLD.
10 A married woman finds it bestows immortality
AMRITA
A charade of A, M and RITA.
11 Grumble about Frank receiving an award
COMPLAIN
An insertion of OM for Order of Merit or ‘award’ in C for circa or ‘about’ and PLAIN for ‘frank’.
12 Rent collector finally entering the Strand
BREACH
Another insertion: of R for the last letter of ‘collector’ in BEACH.
14 Dressing table regularly coated with unfortunate off-white colour
SALAD CREAM
An insertion of AL for the even letters of ‘table’ in SAD, and CREAM.
18 Unconcerned by de Gaulle’s refusal to honour fellow president at the end
NONCHALANT
A charade of NON for the French ‘refusal’, CH for Companion of Honour, ALAN for ‘fellow’ and T for the last letter of ‘president’. We are honoured today.
22 A letter from the French founder of De Beers
RHODES
And we are having a bit of français today as well. A charade of RHO for the Greek letter and DES for one of the French words for ‘from’ Referring to Cecil RHODES, he of Rhodesia fame, and more recently a ‘let’s get rid of his statue’ fame.
23 Debutant essentially keeping fans excited in French Open
UNFASTEN
More French. Poins is asking you to put (FANS)* in UT for the central letters of ‘debutant’ and then follow it by EN for one of the French words for ‘in’.
24 Natural numbers between 1 and 8 say
INNATE
An insertion of NN for ‘numbers’ in I and ATE, which is a homophone (‘say’) of EIGHT.
25 Helps assistant to remove ass’s head from Bottom
BACKSIDE
Great surface, referencing Shakespeare’s MND. A charade of BACKS and [A]IDE.
26 Conclusion of tale by young writer
GREENE
GREEN for ‘young’ in its inexperienced sense, and E for the last letter of ‘tale’. Graham GREENE – Brighton Rock, The Third Man, and much more.
27 Just after, everything’s fine
ALL RIGHT
RIGHT for ‘just’ after ALL for ‘everything’. The spelling ALRIGHT is generally accepted these days, on the model of ALTOGETHER and ALWAYS; but I think careful writers still use this version.
Down
1 Enoch oddly neglected feeding you once as a consequence
THENCE
An insertion of NC for the odd letters of ‘Enoch’ in THEE. I’m more used to THENCE in a physical movement sense – ‘we went to Liverpool, and thence to Manchester’ – but I see dictionaries give Poins’ definition, so fair enough.
2 Noon before fellow packs – that’s early enough
IN TIME
N for ‘noon’ and TIM for ‘fellow’ inserted in IE for ‘that is’ or ‘that’s’.
3 Secretive about old king heading off alone
SOLELY
An insertion of Old King [C]OLE in SLY.
4 Certain to happen when Dicky invited duke to leave island retreat
INEVITABLE
(INVITE[D])* with ‘dicky’ as the anagrind, followed by ELBA reversed.
6 Cheap form of cocaine starts to get imported months earlier
GIMCRACK
A charade of GIM for the first letters of ‘get imported months’ and CRACK, which is a form of ‘cocaine’. I wouldn’t know. An American English usage mostly, I fancy.
7 Australia’s foremost philanthropist for instance maintains it stirs up public feeling
AGITATES
A charade of A for the first letter of ‘Australia’ and IT inserted in Bill GATES.
8 A soldier getting upset over the anonymous curse
ANATHEMA
A followed by an insertion of THE in MAN reversed, followed by A for ‘anonymous’, as in AA, the organisation that assists alcoholics.
13 Loud cry heard after cleric catches nationalist’s first shot
CANNONBALL
An insertion of N in CANON followed by BALL, which is a homophone (‘caught’) of BAWL.
15 Sure of returning after injury without a hint of trepidation
UNERRING
(RE[T]URNING)* with ‘after injury’ as the anagrind.
16 Girl needing lightweight trumpet
ANNOUNCE
A charade of ANN and OUNCE.
17 Changes near the time seem likely to occur
THREATEN
(NEAR THE T)*
19 Squabble with American taking the place of Internazionale’s principal sponsor
BACKER
Poins is asking you to replace the I in BICKER with A.
20 Train spotter’s back is in pain
STRING
An insertion of the last letter of ‘spotter’ in STING.
21 Dissatisfaction to remain after horse loses opener
UNREST
[D]UN plus REST
Many thanks to Poins for this morning’s puzzle.
Pleasant Sunday fare. I liked BACKSIDE as well.How many ‘bottom’ jokes have there been in the last 400 years, I wonder?
One minor quibble: Bill Gates is certainly an example of a philanthropist, but the reverse ain’t so. A philanthropist is not an instance of a Gates, as the clue seems to insist. (Or is it only me?).
Good fun nevertheless. Merci a Poins et a Pierre.
All fairly plain sailing, though I struggled with UNERRING, trying to make something with the sequence RUH (‘hurt’ reversed minus the t) before the penny dropped.
And in 13dn isn’t ‘heard’ the homophone indicator, with ‘caught’ the insertion indicator?
Grant @1: I think it’s just you, I read ‘for instance’ as the setter intended.
Thanks, Poins and Pierre.