There was a theme, but it wasn't like one I'd encountered before because it wasn't confined to one clue, or a combination clue like I've seen printed before. Here the theme ran as "2 in the 22" and goof that I am, I thought that was some different kind of code and not references to clues 2D and 22D, which when put together make a popular phrase. We'll look at those first:
2D - Women moved out of complete dump (4)
I'm not sure I've got this right but here's how I solved this; Definition is "dump" and "Women moved out of complete" if "complete" = WHOLE -W leaves HOLE.
22D - Barrier hit after leaving work (4)
I read this like a quick clue and thought of runners "hitting the WALL" hit that "check" button and it was right. How to solve as a cryptic? I don't know! I'm just shocked it's not a pub.
So the theme is HOLE IN THE WALL for "2 in the 22".
Here's my pic:
Hey it's the 4H grid, again! We saw NS use this recently.
1A - Therapy with effervescent sounding ring to it (6)
"Therapy" is our definition. "effervescent" = FIZZY but it's "sounding ring to it" So a homophone of Fizzy with a "ring" = O on the end PHYSIO. Sweet clue.
5A - Force employees to save hospital filling teeth (8)
"Teeth" is the definition. "Force employees" if we think of the police force, are COPPERS and I'm not sure what "to save" is about but I thought "hospital filling" meant to put the H from hospital into Coppers for CHOPPERS.
9A - Native American has not a lot to go on, nose to tail with relatives (8)
This clue annoyed me, and on reading the comments on the Guardian page, I'm not alone. I grew up near this tribe and heard of them often. I'm a Dorothy Parker fan, but Algonquin had too many letters. As the cross letters fell into place and it looked likely but wrong. I'm not sure how to parse the clue but "relatives" = KIN not quin. ALGONKIN. I can see "A Lot to GO ON" in the clue but how would I know to remove certain letters? what's "nose to tail" mean unless to reverse something?
10A - Mawkish medic, one with flowers in 'is 'air (6)
"Mawkish" is our definition where "medic" = DR and "one with flowers in 'is 'air" is a HIPPY but since we're dropping H's like a Cockney it's IPPY, put together it becomes DRIPPY.
11A - Pretty, witty mistress, famously involved in making a 2 in the 22 (12)
Couldn't solve this. Even knowing the answer it's tough. I even had to google the answer. CRENELLATION.
13,7D - 2 in the 22 of shop one can't get repaired (9)
"Hole in the wall" is the definition and "get repaired" is an anagrind with "shop" + ("one" = I) + "can't" as the fodder. Mix them up to get CASH POINT.
14A - 22 must not get rebuilt with a 2 in it (3,5)
Previous clue used "get repaired" as an anagrind, this one uses "get rebuilt" and the words before that are "must not" with 7 letters. "with a 2 in it" means master clue had 2 = HOLE but here want to reduce that further to one letter, O. Mix up "must not O" to get TOM SNOUT. Tom Snout was a tinker who played the wall in the play within a play in Midsummer's Night Dream. Yes I had to look that up, don't judge me.
17A - One Turin game that's free of charge (8)
"Free of charge" is our definition, but what is free of charge? "Game" is an anagrind and luckily "One Turin" has eight letters, so mix them up to get NEUTRINO. (Not the last science question, but the other one is awesome.)
18A - Finished deliveries in Llandovery (4)
"Finished" is our definition and I think "deliveries in" is a container signpost, and a four letter word for finished is there, OVER.
20A - Bloody landlord always stashes away a penny for a special occasion (3-6,3)
"Special occasion" is the definition. I've had this answer recently in another puzzle, so when I saw "Bloody landlord" I thought RED (bloody) LETTER(landlord, one who lets flats) DAY (well, it just fit) straight off. How does "stashes away a penny" fit the clue? Is that for a rainy DAY?
23A - Servant uses 2 in the 22 in common location, withdrawing large amount (6)
I didn't get this one. Definition is "Servant" "uses a hole in the wall" could be ATM, I'm not sure what "in common location" means. Answer is BATMAN.
24A - Club I visit briefly, comic saying the opposite of what is meant (8)
"The opposite of what is meant" is the definition. "Club" = IRON (yeah, that club) plus I and "visit briefly" = CALL -L for IRONICAL. Perhaps "Comic" is supposed to in the definition?
25A - Those taking over position initially held by moneylenders (8)
I forgot to red pen the beginning. Definition is "Those taking over" and "moneylenders" = USURERS then "Position initially held" or take the first letter of position and put it into usurers to get the answer USURPERS.
26A - Agile doctor into line dancing (6)
"Agile" is our definition. "doctor" = MB (Ha, not DR this time) "into line dancing" So insert the MB into a mixed-up LINE for NIMBLE.
2D - *solved above*
3D - Deployment of cloth has covered uniform headgear (6,3)
I guessed the three letter word was HAT, but couldn't and can't get the beginning word SLOUCH.
4D - Alternative name held by island archipelago (6)
Got this in late with cross letters but I cannot parse this clue. I think "Alternative" means OR, like either/or but I know my Scottish isles so put in ORKNEY and hit that check button.
5D - Force nieces into cooking lots of sweets? (15)
What a great surface to the clue. "lots of sweets" is the definition and "cooking" is the anagrind. Mix up "Force nieces into" to get CONFECTIONARIES.
6D - Ex-moll, almost faded away (3,5)
I didn't get this one and not sure how to work this unless it's a double definition, which makes a bit more sense.
8D - Had kittens, possibly cloned (10)
Double definition clue and it's so clever! I love it. REPRODUCED. Give me some cloned kittens, please!
12D - Same as belt fashioned in lead and zinc (4,6)
"Fashioned" is an anagrind and "same as belt" the fodder. Scramble that to get BASE METALS, which are what "lead and zinc" are. I'd cone and looked up the symbols for them first and tried to work something that way, which didn't work.
15D - DIY mum, one surprisingly in element appearing nude regularly at 60 (9)
Ok, this looks dreadful, but believe me when I say that is the most generous clue I've ever come across. First it has a complete anagram, then it has a container hint and a further science-type hint. The anagrind is "surprisingly" and the nine letters before that "DIY mum one" get mixed-up to reveal NEODYMIUM. Now just to reassure us we're told "element appearing NuDe regularly" where ND is the symbol for neodymium, but also "at 60" because 60 is neodymium's atomic number. To put so much information into one sentence is astoundingly smart work!
16D - Aloofness first seen in Scandinavian that's cold inside (8)
"Aloofness" is our definition and here "first" = IST "seen in Scandinavian" = DANE so we need to put IST into DANE, or D (IST) ANE which is a word, but we're one letter short, "That's Cold inside" we need to take the C and put that inside, too for DISTANCE.
19D - Meet a radio presenter at 2 in...
Definition is "Meet" and we use the A + ("radio presenter" = DJ) + (2 = O) + IN = ADJOIN. Look at that, the woman with dyscalculia made it look like math.
21D - ...the 22 in Paris - an African native, often nocturnal (5)
I didn't get this one, and I could slap myself. The second part of the clue didn't help much either because we don't think of this "native" as African and they're listed as diurnal, not nocturnal. So with that, it made the answer more difficult. "The 22 (wall) in Paris" French for wall is MUR or LE MUR, which is the nocturnal African native we were to look for. I'm sure there's a cryptic way to read the second half but it eludes me.
22D - *Solved above, maybe. Possibly*
And that's that. Offer suggestion in the comments and I'll get to work on The Age's RM after coffee. Have a great day!
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