Fifteensquared

Solving time:  22 minutes

A lovely cinematic experience from Brummie today.  Many of the clues shared the solution to 9 as a definition.  The usual smattering of clever and nudge nidge wink wink clues as well.

 ACROSS   (*)= anagram    (CD)= Cryptic def   (R)= Reversal

1  MAFIOSI    AIMS OF* + I

5  BROOKS     (Mel) Triple definition if you include 9.

9  DIRECTOR   DIRE (Awful) + T inside COR (Gordon Bennett!)

10 ASTHMA   Nice def (”No jolly wheeze”)  AS (like)  + TH(E) + MA(ID)

12 BODY SNATCHER  BODY (Corporation) + SNATCHER (Grasping type)

15 FATHER’S DAY Another nice def.   HAYES’ DRAFT *

17 LEE    Ang or Spike (K) + LEE

19 RAY  Indian director Satyajit.  (G)RAY

20 SYNTHESIZE   SYN+THE  (said “Evil” + article) + SIZE (Takes me back to my childhood! - a type of wallpaper paste)

22 ASTROPHYSICS  SOPHISTRY* inside AC (Bill) + S (Gates’ end)

26 ISOLDE  IS OLD + E

27 VOCALISE   (VASE + CLEO) *

29  ENTERED  TREE* inside END

DOWN

1  MODE    MOD + E

2  FORD    John -  FOR + D

3  ONCE OVER  Def =Butcher’s (Cockney Rhyming slang -  Butcher’s Hook = Look)   ONCE (L)OVER

4 IVORY  Linked with 18 -  O R inside IVY

7  OPHTHALMIC  CHIMP LOATH*

8  STARRY EYED   CD  If you get hit on the head, you’d see stars!

11  IN FACT  IN + FACT

13  OFF ROADING  OFF + GORDIAN*

14 STAY AT HOME

15 SCYTHE    CHESTY*

18 MERCHANT  R + C inside MEANT

21  JORDAN  Neil.   RD inside JOAN (La Stupenda)

23 STONE  Oliver

24  WEIR   Peter  sounds like We’re

25  REED  Sir Carol   DEER (R)