Apologies for lateness of this post, and the terseness and shoddy formatting of what follows (IT issues).
Great puzzle, with consistently strong clueing, and one absolute corker (to my mind at least).
Across
1 Carp for instance about silly oaf’s heirs (6,4)
COARSE FISH : C (about) then anagram (silly) of OAFSHEIRS
6 Sort of poker for piercing (4)
STUD : Double definition
9 Claim I’m accepting about great boxer’s expertise (15)
PROFESSIONALISM : PROFESS (claim) IM around ON (about) ALIS (great boxer’s)
11 Free place in Devon without hesitation filled by politician (6)
EXEMPT: EXETer (place in Devon, without (er) hesitation), filled by MP (politician)
12 More intense sort, animated by annoyance, opening out (8)
STRONGER : Anag. (animated) of SORT, then aNGER (annoyance, without the opening)
14 Champion put off about result (8)
DEFENDER : DEFER (put off) about END (result)
15 Article linked to file involved in Michael Caine film (5)
ALFIE : A (article) anag (involved) of FILE
18 Fastening some tinsel at Christmas (5)
LATCH : Hidden answer
19 Nails, say, prepared for examination (8)
ANALYSIS : Anag (prepared) of NAILSSAY
21 Negative aspect in party extensive around north and south (8)
DOWNSIDE : Do (party) WIDE (extensive) around N and S
23 Fly from Spain after end of fortnight with groups (6)
TSETSE : E (spain) after T (end of fortnighT) SETS (groups)
25 Law officer in amendment of note, nearly great (8,7)
ATTORNEY GENERAL : Anag (amendment of) NOTENEARLYGREAT
26 Firm and even parts of estuaries (4)
SURE : eStUaRiEs
27 Informer with opportunity wanting new wife left alone (5,5)
GRASS WIDOW : GRASS (informer) WInDOW (opportunity, wanting n(ew)). New term for me, apparently “a woman whose husband is away often or for a prolonged period”
DOWN
1 Metal helicopter losing height (6)
COPPER : ChOPPER (helicopter losing h(eight))
2 Sound fellows amid rising cheers giving satisfaction (9)
ATONEMENT : TONE (sound) MEN (fellows) in reversal (rising) of TA (cheers)
3 One in race changing place – he’s in lead (13)
STEEPLECHASER : Anag. (changing) of PLACEHES in STEER (lead)
4 Combine force and exercise (4)
FUSE : F (force) USE (exercise)
5 Insufficient money for biscuit (10)
SHORTBREAD : SHORT (insufficient) BREAD (money)
7 Dilute good article (5)
THING : THIN (dilute) G (good)
8 Slander upset cooks in Scottish town (8)
DUMFRIES : MUD (slander) reversed (upset) FRIES (cooks)
10 Was Coppola smitten with yen to make this? (10,3)
APOCALYPSE NOW : Anag. (smitten) of WASCOPPPOLA with YEN. What a fantastic clue, best this year for me.
13 Editor fighting over line retained by precious poet (6,4)
EDWARD LEAR : ED (editor) WAR (fighting) L (line) in DEAR (precious).
16 Wasted time in loud ceremony, blushing (9)
FRITTERED : T (time) in F (loud) RITE (ceremony) RED (blushing).
17 Jokes about boy ruining initially smart clothes (4,4)
GLAD RAGS : GAGS (jokes) around LAD (boy) R (ruining, initially)
20 Mature elm, diseased? Sad (6)
MELLOW : Anag (diseased) of ELM, LOW (sad)
22 Liquid tar we mixed (5)
WATER : Anag (mixed) of TARWE
24 Leaves, not parking for a long time (4)
AGES : pAGES (leaves, without p(arking))
Thank you Everyman and Matt – the blog is fine.
I enjoyed the puzzle, but stupidly took an age to understand STUD and to parse COPPER, “chopper” not coming to my mind!
As Matt says, APOCALYPSE NOW is really good, and I also liked COARSE FISH, GLAD RAGS, GRASS WIDOW and STEEPLECHASER.
Yes, thought APOCALYPSE NOW was particularly good. On the whole found this a little trickier than usual. 27ac one that was new to me, unusually for an Everyman.
A late comment with much less excuse than the blogger’s delay …
I concur with earlier opinions on APOCALYPSE NOW. I also enjoyed COARSE FISH, STEEPLECHASER, EDWARD LEAR and GLAD RAGS.
Thanks, Everyman and Matt.
Really good crossword. Best yet from the ‘new’ Everyman. A few write-ins (eg 22d) but no harm in that, others were more involved.
I think a Grass Widow was originally one whose husband is on the golf course all weekend.
Thanks Matt – and Everyman.
Laboured over this one and can’t say I enjoyed it because of that, but got all but two in the end. I don’t think I’ve got the right sort of brain to latch onto this setter’s clues easily. Takes me too long.
I agree with Barrie’s definition of grass widow.
Yes, I really enjoyed this one as well; couldn’t visualise tsetse for some time so that was the last one filled in here. No grass widow left at home today with this changeable weather we’re experiencing.
Thanks to all.
Solved this puzzle but it took hours and hours. Too difficult to be enjoyable. Last one in was 1a Coarse Fish. Did not like 3d Steeplechase. I doubt that in lead = steer.
Quite liked 27a Grass Widow, knew golf reference. Thought nothing of 10d Apocalypse Now, it was fairly obvious, did not realise it was an anagram (split over separate words).
Couldn’t parse 3 down, nor 12 across, although I got them. Had never heard the phrase “coarse fish” and had to Google it to make sure it was a real phrase. Struggled with
2 down (atonement = satisfaction is pretty remote IMHO). Also struggled with 8 down.
Overall the puzzle was good and enjoyable; again just the right level.
I thought there were some good challenges in here and who doesnt like a challenge. I quite like it when it makes me work hard to find the answers…. with resources or otherwise.
I always learn something, how useful is another story, my new word this week was Grass Widow ( or Widower perhaps i wonder if that is allowed)
At least I understood the make up of all the clues this week which is not always the case….
Been a while people. Hope all is well. I kinda stopped doing crossies for a while as family and work got in the way (I was working weekends).
I managed to do last week’s one but was left with 8d and 14a for this week’s crossie.