Guardian Quiptic 1,389/Anto

Anto is this week’s setter, with a sound Quiptic to test out newer solvers and entertain others.

Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed

definitions are underlined

Across

1 E.g. Red Cross wanting information for marketing firm
AD AGENCY
I want to make something of GEN being ‘information’ but I think this is just a charade of AD for ‘information’ and AGENCY as being an example of what the Red Cross is.

Edit: as our first three commenters point out, this is in fact A[I]D AGENCY, with the removal of the the I being ‘wanting information’.  My bad.

5 Has a go at finding these birds
SNIPES
A dd. Many birds have invariable plurals, and do not add S: a flock of teal, a group of wigeon. And I’d personally say a flock of snipe (or a wisp of snipe, if you’re into collective nouns); but the alternative is not wrong, so we’ll crack on with the Obligatory Pierre Bird Link. Snipe are waders with short legs and long, straight bills. Their zig-zag flight made it notoriously difficult to hunt, which resulted in the verb ‘to snipe’ and gives us the related noun ‘sniper’ for a hidden gunman. My picture shows the Common Snipe.

9 Silly farce about elderly relative getting bouquet
FRAGRANCE
An insertion of GRAN in (FARCE)* The insertion indicator is ‘about’ and the anagrind is ‘silly’.

11 More extensive work involved designing employment rules initially
WIDER
The initial letters of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh words of the clue.

12 Summer is what new TV shows look forward to!
SECOND SEASON
A dd. If asked to list the seasons, most folk would say spring, summer, autumn, winter. So fair play to the clue.

15 Complains about empty threats by workers group
TUTS
A charade of TU for Trade Union and TS for the outside letters of ‘threats’.

16 Establishes repository for daily sources of astronomical data
STAR CHARTS
An insertion of CHAR in STARTS. The insertion indicator is ‘repository for’.

18 Instrument on parading ground
GRAND PIANO
(ON PARADING)* with ‘ground’ as the anagrind.

19 Test current means of transport
TAXI
A charade of TAX and I, the SI symbol for ‘current’ (after the French intensité du courant). Ohm’s Law, for those who haven’t done science for a while, says that I = V/R.

21 New mutiny on a reshuffle is imminent
ANY MINUTE NOW
(NEW MUTINY ON A)* with ‘reshuffle’ as the anagrind.

24 Icon that is featured on outside of journal
IMAGE
An insertion of MAG in IE for id est. The insertion indicator is ‘featured on outside of’.

25 Reverse part of extremity revealed consistently
EVERY TIME
Hidden reversed in extrEMITY REVEealed.

26 Philosophy advocating a stripped-down life?
NUDISM
A cd.

27 If necessary move slowly after a knock
AT A PINCH
A charade of A, TAP and INCH.

Down

1 How Nato spells out start of attack regularly falls flat
ALFA
The even letters of fAlLs FlAt. The start of ‘attack’ is A, which in the NATO alphabet is ALFA. You also see ALPHA (in crosswords at any rate), but Anto’s solution is strictly correct, because not all languages use PH to represent the F sound. While we’re on the subject, J is actually JULIETT. But you’ll find JULIET in crosswordland.

2 Unfortunately it’s essential to medical assessment
ALAS
Hidden in medicAL ASsessment.

3 Student lacks head for income-generating activity
EARNER
[L]EARNER

4 Excitedly tout candidate showing focus on achievement
CAN DO ATTITUDE
(TOUT CANDIDATE)* with ‘excitedly’ as the anagrind.

6 Capital hotel invested in fresh food store
NEW DELHI
An insertion of H for the NATO alphabet ‘hotel’ in NEW DELI. The insertion indicator is ‘invested in’.

7 Kind of crossing that’s slow and boring
PEDESTRIAN
A dd.

8 Healthy and fit? It may be one’s best feature
STRONG SUIT
A charade of STRONG and SUIT.

10 Misplaced utterances end long difficult trial
ENDURANCE TEST
(UTTERANCES END)* with ‘misplaced’ as the anagrind.

13 Men-only race showing lack of progress
STAGNATION
A charade of STAG and NATION.

14 Stable worker, one unlikely to get flustered
STEADY HAND
A charade of STEADY and HAND.

17 A doctor’s concealing soft spot for lovers
ADMIRERS
An insertion of MIRE in A DRS. The insertion indicator is ‘concealing’.

20 Pay for father to take on big city university
PONY UP
An insertion of NY and U in POP. The insertion indicator is ‘to take on’. PONY UP is slang for having to pay for, often with a sense of not wanting to.

22 Predator consumes only half of live ones
LION
A charade of LI[VE] ON[ES]

23 Ran into hospital to get drug
METH
A charade of MET and H.

Many thanks to Anto for this week’s puzzle.