A simple and somewhat uninspiring puzzle, unusually for a Friday. 14’s mildly misleading use of ’suit’ stood out as most of the other clues were totally straightforward in definition and structure. Took me 13 minutes (from West Finchley to Tufnell park).

Apologies for the lack of comments, there wasn’t that much to say.

1. WHATNOT. NOW THAT*.

10. EDGE. Hidden in retirED Gentlemen.

11. SWALLOWING. WALLOW in SING.

13. GAUNT + LET(ter).

14. COURTSHIP. SHIRT* in COUP. Nice clue with misleading definition.

19. AGGRESSOR. AG + GRE(y) + ROSS<. Ag being the chemical symbol for silver.

23. SEA CHEST. ACHES in SET.

24. V AUNTS. Minor quibbles - is V ‘five of’ or just ‘five’; should ‘mother’s sisters’ have a ?, as aunts can also be father’s

sisters, mothers’ brothers’ wives etc?

26. MAD AGA SCAR.

28. LEATHER. THE in LEAR. Nice clue.

DOWN.

2. HIDALGO. HI + GLAD< + O. Spanish nobleman, perhaps the only word that may have caused a few people problems.

3. THE Me(al). Might as well just put the solution there. Oh, it is there.

4. OYSTERS. ROY SETS*. Uninspired.

7. BEWITCHES. WEB, + ITCHES.

9. LAUGHING STOCK. Is that the same as an Aunt Sally?

15. RELUCTANT. UNCLE + TART*.

21. OCT + OPUS.

22. DEBATE. BE< in DATE. Remain=be?

25. US + HER. Might as well just - oh I give up!

Solving time: 9:52

I don’t think this was one of Phi’s more inspired offerings; unless there is a theme I have missed, I suspect the construction started with the interlinking 11ac, 7dn and 21dn, which are three of the more original clues, but lots of the others were very standard fare with simple word breakdowns. There are also three question marks I don’t like (1ac, 28ac, 5dn).

Beginners’ tips of the day: ‘fashion’ = TON, ‘behold’ = LA (or LO), ‘lecturer’ = L.

* = anagram.

Another good puzzle from Quixote including some treatments that were novelties for me. A little harder than his average.

Solving time: 28 mins

* = anagram

ACROSS

1 S (second) + KATE in (CRIES)* i.e. ICE-SKATERS Excellent surface. Definition followed by ? as that’s just one possible set of ice-skaters.

7 FI(S)T

10 RE(LIE)F Ref = Whistle-blower is good. Was at first looking for an adjective meaning “with ease”, but “with” is, I think, a link. I think there has been some discussion on whether it’s OK as a link and opinions may vary.

12 B(ASS)ET playing with different meanings of lay i.e. laying a bet and past tense of lie.

19 SLOVEN This was new to me and really good S + O (LOVE) + N “Son cryptically interpreted”.

24 GANDHI Something similar here that I liked also. G and H,I (the two characters that follow G in the alphabet!). Historical figure from India’s move to independence, portrayed in an eponymous film in more recent times.

25 V (very little) + IN (at home) + DAL (pulse) + OO (eggs)

26 I learnt from doing this crossword that a FAUN in Roman mythology is “a lustful rural god represented as a man with goat’s horns, ears, legs, and tail”. Maybe that’s why I was not told about it when young. “Fawn” (cower).     Hope I’ve got this right.  “Old deity to make one cower, we hear”

27 Clever misdirection with “not moving around” which could be an anagram.    It’s PEC (muscle) in RESTING i.e. RESPECTING.

DOWN

4 A (DRAW)(rev) - playing with different meanings of both tie and present.

5 ELEMENT “of TV” is TELE- and it goes to Sky (i.e. upwards) bringing in MEN (blokes)

7 FELL (died) IN I (Italy) (Country symbols mainly from International Vehicle Registration). Only very well-known ones would appear in the daily cryptics, but advanced crossword solvers meet them from the world over.

15 GREENHORN Guessed this straightaway but did not see why till the very end. RN - mower broken ultimately i.e. last letters replacing USE in GREENHOUSE. (”no use in garden building”). Building misdirected too as a possible anagram indicator.

17 ALADDIN Good this, an & lit A LAD and I (one) in confines of DEN i.e. its outer letters. “Aladdin’s cave”

23 (P)OUNCE

Posted as the scheduled blog did not appear!

30 minutes (with one error!)

From Paul’s very first appearance, it became clear that he possessed an amazing talent to provide the most wonderful puzzles that make you smile as you solve.

Today’s puzzle was no exception with some laugh out loud solutions to some scintillating clues.

Star was 10,28 which still has me chuckling as I type this. 9 across was another amusing one, though I can imagine some abroad having trouble with that.  16 was another lovely &Lit clue and 21 was from the Nudge Nudge dept, which is a forté of Paul!

My error came with 11, and was oBvious, but I couldn’t see the definition and wriote in Wheel House, which took me a deep thought or two to recognise it.

ACROSS

8  MAGAZINE -  Double def - weapon store and OK is a gossipy magazine.

9 ORPHAN  Homophone of often.    Sean Connery made an appearance a few weeks back in a puzzle as a homophone indicator and it’s HRH’s turn today.

10,26  WIFE SWAPPING    Anag of WISE & F (centre of maniFesto) inside WAPPING (the new Fleet Street).  Lovely definition -  found on the agenda of a liberal party!

11   WHEEL HORSE    -  HEEL & H (beginning to horrify)  in WORSE

12, 14  TOILET TRAINING  Cryptic definition (I think!)

15  DEICIDE  - one of those words encountered in pub quizzes.  Think the defintion is a bit weak here.

20  THANK    YOU   -  Hanky (nice def!) in anag of OUT

23,24    HOLIER THAN THOU - Nice cryptic def

Down

1  CAMISOLE      - I fish (I SOLE) under river   (CAM)

3  DIMWIT    -  Hidden

4 SEVENTY  -  Napoleon here?  Check Animal Farm  QUIT = EVEN as in Get Even With

5  KOHLRABI  - Helmut KOHL - with I BAR rev -  Is definition for KOHL OK, now Mrs Merkel is there?  I did wonder if this was perhaps a puzzle that had been in the Guardian Ed’s cupboard fora while!

16 LICENTIOUS  -  LICE (Insects) - move = anag of INTO -  Many States = U.S.

19 DUCHESS  -  Does DU =  “From” French or “From the” in French? Probably one of those things dailies can get away with, but a more strict puzzle wouldn’t be allowed.

21  HOOKER -  Double def!  Need I explain??!!

22  SUNDAE  Straight homophone

24,2  TYPEFACE Sort = TYPE and Features =  FACE

Splendid fare!

It’s 4am and yesterday’s Guardian hasn’t been blogged yet, so as I have ‘flu and can’t sleep I thought I’d fill the breach. Please excuse any mistakes.

Easier than usual for Paul, I think - I had most of this done in about 8 mins, then slowed down on 10/26ac, 1dn and 8ac. Gave up after 15 mins or so with 8ac blank. Or maybe it wasn’t easier, and I was just cavalier - looking through the clues I realise that there were loads that I wrote in without understanding fully, or even mostly.

* = anagram.