GOZO kicks off the week…
A nice gentle and enjoyable challenge for a Monday.
Thanks GOZO!
ACROSS
1. Minor difficulty at midnight, having landed by church (6)
GLITCH
[ni]G[ht] (mid) having LIT (landed) by CH (church)
4. Egyptian god’s very big flag (6)
OSIRIS
OS (very big) + IRIS (flag)
8. Last Letter from America about historian and disciples’ father (7)
ZEBEDEE
ZEE (last letter from America) about BEDE (historian)
9. View circular wing (7)
OPINION
O (circular) + PINION (wing)
11. This tune will cause tension (6)
STRAIN
12. Soft-soaps in cricket trousers (8)
FLANNELS
13. African expresses disapproval to Indian leader (5)
TUTSI
TUTS (expresses disapproval) to I[ndian] (leader)
14. Client’s habit with Her Majesty (8)
CUSTOMER
CUSTOM (habit) with ER (her majesty)
16. Playwright could be art giant (8)
RATTIGAN
18. Some progressive giants? (5)
OGRES
20. Sees term out with six-month course (8)
SEMESTER
22. Drunk seen at assembly (6)
SENATE
24. Not just fed, having used a hosepipe (7)
WATERED
Double (cryptic) definition
25. Gusher will ensure there’s no friction (3,4)
OIL WELL
Double (cryptic) definition
26. Cockerel lost love on duty? (6)
ROSTER
RO[o]STER (cockerel, lost O (love))
27. Democrats use missing member to place troops strategically (6)
DEPLOY
D (democrats) + E[m]PLOY (use, missing M (member))
DOWN
1. Roll out the red carpet and burst into tears (5)
GREET
2. 10 multiplied by one hundred — a solution that’s inaccurate (7)
INEXACT
(TEN + X (multiplied) by I (one) + C (hundred) + A)* (*solution)
3. Removing impurities from single can (9)
CLEANSING
5. Page one edged with deep colour (5)
SEPIA
(P (page) + I (one)) edged with SEA (deep)
6. Meet — by accident? (3,4)
RUN INTO
Double (cryptic) definition
7. Takes responsibility but rebuffs, when cold (9)
SHOULDERS
Double (cryptic) definition
10. Slightly misaligned, not wanting recent changes (3-6)
OFF-CENTRE
OFF (not wanting) + (RECENT)* (*changes)
13. This showcase for businesses exchanges ethical economic policy (5,4)
TRADE FAIR
FAIR TRADE (ethical economic policy), exchanges
15. Northerners long for tree in Caledonian forest (5,4)
SCOTS PINE
SCOTS (northerners) + PINE (long for)
17. Greek hero comes from America after the Home Counties (7)
THESEUS
US (America) after (THE + SE (home counties))
19. Genuine novel included in restoration (7)
RENEWAL
REAL (genuine), NEW included
21. Consolation, if repeated, at that point (5)
THERE
Double (cryptic) definition
23. Match label (5)
TALLY
Yes, enjoyable as ever and rattled off pretty quickly so perfect for a Monday solve over coffee. Top pick was THESEUS.
Many thanks to Gozo and Teacow.
I was unfamiliar with ZEBEDEE outside of the Magic Roundabout but the wordplay was clear
I thought GLITCH, INEXACT & ZEBEDEE raised the difficulty dial a notch
Cheers T&G
A gentle and enjoyable solve. Zebedee last one in for me.