The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/30105.
Vulcan fulfills his usual task of providing a gentle start to the week’s solving.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | TREASURE |
Love endless free entertainment? Indeed (8)
|
| A charade of TREA[t] (‘free entertainment’) minus its last letter (‘endless’) plus SURE (‘indeed’). | ||
| 5 | ISLAND |
Is not sea, but is in it (6)
|
| A charade of ‘is’ plus LAND (‘not sea’). | ||
| 9 | RAG TRADE |
It’s the fashion to purchase from this business (3,5)
|
| Cryptic definition. It is tempting to try to make some wordpay from RAGE and TRADE, but I cannot see how that would work. | ||
| 10 | MEDIUM |
Person entranced that is often called happy (6)
|
| Double definition (‘entranced’ as in a trance). | ||
| 11 | EVENTIDE |
Flow that’s regular late in the day (8)
|
| A charade of EVEN (‘regular’) plus TIDE (‘flow’). | ||
| 12 | FINALS |
Late stages of World Cup seen in Netherlands, Belarus and Wales (6)
|
| FINAL S: ‘NetherlandS BelaruS and WaleS’. | ||
| 14 | PICCALILLI |
Relish saying ‘Choose a flower’ (10)
|
| Sounds like (‘saying’) PICK A LILY (‘choose a flower’). | ||
| 18 | REANIMATED |
With new energy, admire neat dancing (10)
|
| An anagram (‘dancing’) of ‘admire neat’. | ||
| 22 | CONKER |
Reportedly overcome hard nut (6)
|
| Sounds like (‘reportedly’) CONQUER (‘overcome’). | ||
| 23 | SERAGLIO |
Gaoler is to reorganise women’s quarters (8)
|
| An anagram (‘to reorganise’) of ‘gaoler is’. | ||
| 24 | IN TOTO |
Completely at home with Dorothy’s pet (2,4)
|
| A charade of IN (‘at home’) plus TOTO (‘Dorothy’s pet’ dog in The Wizard of Oz). | ||
| 25 | CARTHAGE |
Ancient city prison: pictures initially hung in it? (8)
|
| An envelope (‘in it’) of ART (‘pictures’) plus H (‘initially Hung’) in CAGE (‘prison’). | ||
| 26 | ESCAPE |
Key exercise, to trap a fly (6)
|
| An envelope (‘to trap’) of ‘a’ in ESC (‘key’ top left if you have a full keyboard) plus PE (physical ‘exercise’). | ||
| 27 | VELOCITY |
Love to break down large town fastness? (8)
|
| A charade of VELO, an anagram (‘to break down’) of ‘love’ plus CITY (‘large town’). | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | TARGET |
Given time, smash great goal (6)
|
| A charade of T (‘time’) plus ARGET, an anagram (‘smash’) of ‘great’. | ||
| 2 | EAGLET |
Young bird caught by beagle terrified (6)
|
| A hidden answer (‘caught by’) ‘bEAGLE Terrified’. | ||
| 3 | STRATA |
Working on skills, turning up in more than one bed (6)
|
| A reversal (‘turning up’ in a down light) of AT (‘working on’) plus ARTS (‘skills’). | ||
| 4 | RED ADMIRAL |
Senior Soviet officer, one previously safely cocooned (3,7)
|
| Definition (the butterfly, prior to emergence, was in a cocoon) and literal interpretation. | ||
| 6 | SPECIAL K |
No ordinary king’s breakfast? (7,1)
|
| A charade of SPECIAL (‘no ordinary’) plus K (‘king’) for the packaged cereal. | ||
| 7 | AMICABLE |
Is the crossword setter to appear on television as friendly? (8)
|
| A charade of AM I? (‘is the crossword setter?’) plus (‘to appear on’) CABLE (‘television’). | ||
| 8 | DOMESTIC |
Maid accustomed to home (8)
|
| Double definition. | ||
| 13 | ACCELERATE |
A cold salad plant not quite consumed: hurry up! (10)
|
| A charade of ‘a’ plus C (‘cold’) plus CELER[y] (‘salad plant’) minus its last letter (‘not quite’) plus ATE (‘consumed’). | ||
| 15 | PRACTICE |
Cost to hold part of play rehearsal (8)
|
| An envelope (‘to hold’) of ACT (‘part of play’) in PRICE (‘cost’). | ||
| 16 | MAGNETIC |
Showing a natural ability to draw? (8)
|
| Cryptic definition. | ||
| 17 | SIDESTEP |
Avoid son, despite staggering (8)
|
| A charade of S (‘son’) plus IDESTEP, an anagram (‘staggering’) of ‘despite’. | ||
| 19 | TATTOO |
Pageant shows tasteless stuff as well (6)
|
| A charade of TAT (‘tasteless stuff’) plus TOO (‘as well’). | ||
| 20 | ALKALI |
Walk a little, holding lime or soda perhaps (6)
|
| A hidden answer (‘holding’) in ‘wALK A LIttle’, with ‘lime’ being calcium oxide or hydroxide, and ‘soda’, sodium carbonate or bicarbonate. | ||
| 21 | COMEDY |
Will’s play full of errors? Dante’s was divine (6)
|
| Double definition: references to Shakespeare’s play A Comedy of Errors and Dante’s poem The Divine Comedy. |
Good fun. I managed one of the UK clues (PICCALILLI) but had to reveal the other (CONKER). My first guess for 10a was LARRY, which didn’t have enough letters …
Vulcan with a variety of stimuli — Treasure Island, Rag Trade, Escape Velocity, the Comedies, and Carthage, which always evokes Dido’s haunting Lament in Purcell’s opera, or you could have Mozart via Seraglio. Lovely, many thanks V and Peter.