Another superb themed puzzle from Virgilius, with the usual crop of outstanding clues, wonderful surface readings and many a smile raised. Solving time: 21 mins. The theme is phrases with the abbreviation PC.

* = anagram < = reversal

ACROSS

5 CLEMENT (Attlee). Labour PM appointed in 1945 at the end of World War II after a landslide election victory for Labour.

13 PEA Hidden The P of PC.

19 SEE The C of PC. Excellent surface. see(ing) = dating.

25 PRIVY COUNSELLOR The 1319 here gave me the theme, about 10 mins into solving.

It refers to the clue numbers. I’d first written “Councillor” but the crossing word resolved it, if I’m right. Collins for example gives both spellings.

26 REEFERS Double definition.

27 PER CENT PC

DOWN

1 C (OP S) HOP      9 is POLICE CONSTABLE

2 RALLY     (tennis) court.

4  (Friar) TUCK   Ref. Robin Hood

5 CON SORTING    “Associating Tory with creating class distinctions”.   Masterly.

6 ‘ECT (OP) IC      22 is HECTIC.

8 THE (URGe) Y     Right part of fairway = its last (i.e. rightmost) letter

12 A (LLIG A) TORS   (a gill)<  (sort)*

14 AFTER LIFE (i.e. a life sentence)

17 A COL (colonel) YTE   (yet)*

18 SHE-BEAR    “One looking out for Ursa Minor, naturally”    This was the one crossing the doubtful part of 25.    I think what’s intended it that the she-bear would looking after its young i.e. the little bear (Ursa Minor - from Latin - stars)

23 TIL(D)E    Another wonderful surface.    A tilde would appear over the n of Senor in Spanish

24 SNAP    Triple definition.

I don’t have a lot of time this morning, so it was convenient that I got most of this quite quickly.

Lots of long solutions, with lots of falling, dropping and coming to earth.

To reduce The Guardian’s carbon footprint and save ink, setters should endeavour to reduce the number of black squares in their puzzles. Discuss.

ACROSS 

8 CH-EERIER

9 Omitted on purpose

10 A(PA)CHE

11 VEHICLES - double meaning of “something you dissolve an active ingredient in” and “travel machines”

12 Omitted on purpose and it wasn’t really much of a challenge was it ?

13 HIT THE ROOF - Not M. Thatcher, just any thatcher

15 HYGIENE - (H EYEING)* 

16 FIR(CON)E

18 ou(TRAGED I ANS)were - i.e the opposite of “comedians” 

19 BOOK - as in the biblical book of Job

20 AP(PRO-V)AL - note : PRO-V is supporting + V(ery) - not anything to do with shampoo

22 Didn’t get it in time - anyone ?

23 METEOR - (REMOTE)*

24 NET WORTH - (THE TOWN)* + R

DOWN

1 THE PENNY DROPPED - Clever. Nothing to do with the period known as Epiphany - this refers to epiphanies in general.

2 DESCENDING ORDER - groan !

3 GIVE THE NOD - (HEED VOTING)*

4 Omitted on purpose - simple double definition

5 POOH - The famous bear. And to pooh-pooh is to ridicule

6 REACH ROCK BOTTOM - a rock is a diamond, “Nick in play” is “Bottom”. Less sure about why “reach” is “pass”

7 COME DOWN TO EARTH - reference to a fox “going to earth”

14 HAIR SHIRTS - (IRISH TRASH)* worn during Lent or other period of sorrow

17 FAL-LING - the river Fal runs through Fal-mouth and a Ling is every setter’s best fish

21 Didn’t get it in time - do help me out