This puzzle was a fine Monday fare with a mix of easy and harder clues. I found myself stuck in the SE corner and had to use One Across on 22A to get me through to the end. Even using a cheat I still have to decide which word is right and then figure the solution. Here's the pic:
1A - Cop took her tip - turned out to be portentous (9)
"Portentous" is our definition, "cop took her tips" is a way of splitting fodder "turned" is the anagrind. Mix the fodder to get PROPHETIC. This happens a few times in this puzzle.
6A - Consecrate without a Bible (5)
"Consecrate" is the definition. I guess this is a cryptic definition as I'm not sure how else to solve this: BLESS.
9A - Naysayers give vain stoics no alternatives (5)
"Naysayers" is our definition. "Alternatives" is a hint that we have an odd/even clue and within
"vAiN sToIcS" we see ANTIS.
10A - Room's groovy on an off-the-planet liner (9)
"An off-the-planet liner," is the definition. "Room's" = SPACES and "Groovy" = HIP for SPACESHIP.
11A - Mines are OK about a whistle or hooter (10)
"Whistle or hooter" is the definition. "Mines are OK about, " is fodder and anagrind to give us: NOISEMAKER.
12A - In for a little exam? (4)
Oh my. This one made me blush. It seems to be the Cryptic version of a porn movie plot. "Oh Professor, I'm worried about my grades. Can I do something get a little extra credit?" "Well are you in fOR A Little exam?" "Only if it's an ORAL exam..." Boom chicka wow wow.
14A - Alternatively in the event that it's frozen, make a hole (7)
"A hole" is our definition (oh dear why follow the porn clue?) I think this is solved as "Alternatively" = OR, "in the event" = IF, "frozen" = ICE for ORIFICE. Moving along...
15A - Discover peacekeeper's world (7)
"Discover" is the definition. "peacekeepers" = UN, "world" = EARTH for UNEARTH. It's official - I've read far too many romance novels in my lifetime as even this now has connotations. Or I'm terribly repressed.
17A - Angry with country in the EU (7)
I'm not sure how we solve this. I got it with cross letters and guess that "Country in the EU" is the definition: ICELAND. (I'm just guessing someone isn't quite there yet because the next answer gives away the plot)
19A - Blotch on a sheepskin hut (7)
I have no idea. Oh now I do! I'd misspelled 8D. "Blotch" is our definition. "sheepskin" is a one word instruction to take the "skin" or the first and last letter off "sheep" = SP and "hut" = LODGE for SPLODGE. (Oh no. He didn't)
20A - 'It's a pity', says a girl (4)
This is a homophone clue and "it's a pity" is the definition and "a girl" = A lass / ALAS. (I guess that was it? Was that it?)
22A - Grateful for a trip with peace organisation (10)
"Grateful for" is the definition. "a trip with peace organisation," is fodder linked by "with" and anagrind to give us:APPRECIATE. (It's fine! It happens to everyone at some time or other.) (I think this ends our porn subplot, unless you're more imaginative than I am and can carry on - be my guest. I'd love to see how you work in 1D)
25A - Sick from an excess of rubbish you reportedly loaned... (9)
"sick from an excess," is the definition and this was a recent "word of the day" on Dictionary.com. "Rubbish" = CRAP and "you reportedly," = U as a homophone of "you", "loaned" = LENT for CRAPULENT.
26A - ...a little, um, nipper (5)
"Nipper" is our definition and "a little" = BIT and "um" = ER as another type of verbal pause, for a BITER. I wonder why these are ellipses clues. I'm not seeing the connection.
27A - Bumpkin brings a neck restraint and a long lead (5)
"Bumpkin" is the definition. "neck restraint" = YOKE and a "long lead" = L because Long's leading letter is an L, giving us YOKEL. (Now regarding all Bumkins with extreme suspicion)
28A - Bad mood consumed the moderate (9)
"Moderate" is the definition. "Bad mood" = TEMPER and "consumed" = ATE for TEMPERATE.
1D - One of the 16 on board to eat first rate shrimp (5)
"Shrimp" is the definition. "One of the 16 on board," = PAWN if we think of pieces on a chess board, "first rate" = R as it's the first letter of "rate" to give us PRAWN.
2D - Taking a diluted recreational drug in a risky situation (2,3,4)
Double Definition: A thinned out version of the drug Ice and meaning in a risky situation: ON THIN ICE.
3D - Chile's arty set are hilarious (10)
"Hilarious" is our definition and "Chile's arty set" is fodder+anagrind to give us : HYSTERICAL. I'f not had "set" as an anagrind before, I don't believe.
4D - Has the will to try at the end (7)
"Has the will" is our definition, "to try" = TEST, use the AT, "thE end" = E for TESTATE.
5D - Fellow takes water from a hat (7)
"Hat" is our definition. "Fellow" = CHAP, "water" = EAU for CHAPEAU. I guess we don't need French indicators to use French words.
6D - On the buzzer get first round of lager (4)
"Lager" is our definition. "Buzzer" = BEE and "first Round" = R for BEER.
7D - I excluded one or the other anaesthetic (5)
"Anaesthetic" is the definition. "One or the other" = EITHER and we must "I excluded" = -I leaving us with ETHER.
8D - Sheep curl up by the grave (9)
"The grave" is our definition. "Sheep curl" is fodder but that means "up by" is an anagrind which I'm not sure I've encountered before. I know "up" as a reverse in the grid clue. But lets throw those letters up into the air to get SEPULCHRE. I've just realised I've spelled 8D wrong (had er not re) which is why I couldn't get 19A. Good, now that makes sense. Complete solve, yay!
13D - Can be reproduced with some more pliers and flex (10)
"Can be reproduced," I'm not sure how we solve this. I think it's some of "pliers" minus the S and does "flex" = CABLE? Quick dictionary check and yes it does! Gives is REPLICABLE. The word "more" confuses me. "Some pliers" looks more like a deletion, but "more" doesn't serve a purpose that I can see. Please correct me if that's bonkers wrong.
14D - Ruling clique are topographically inept without laptop (9)
"Ruling clique" is the definition and this was a satisfying solve. Use the word "Topographically" and remove the letters of "laptop" leaving letters OGRAHICLY to be mixed to get OLIGARCHY.
16D, 24D - Read tabloid to a Taurus - not a provocative act (3,3,2,1,4)
I think the "read tabloid," = RED RAG as a homophone perhaps - can "read" be it's own homophone signpost? Or is this clue saying "Tabloids" which tend to be Murdoch papers that predominately have "red tops" either in title or banner (Have Murdoch papers dropped the red tops? Do they still use them in the UK?) Is this a political stance against trash journalism? I kind of hope it is. "Taurus" = BULL and if we use the TO A from the clue we'll get RED RAG TO A BULL, which incidentally *is* a provocative act.
18D - Silliest party pie on the street! (7)
"Silliest" is our definition, "party" = DO + PIE from the clue and "street" = ST for DOPIEST.
19D - Layer of tar must be accommodated (7)
"Layer" is our definition. "tar must be accommodated," is fodder+anagrind to give us STRATUM.
21D - Oh dear! There's a deficiency (5)
I had cross letters for this and though it was not a coincidence this crosses with 20A's ALAS as this one becomes ALACK to complete the phrase ALAS & ALACK. Wouldn't this have made a better ellipses clue? I really have a thing about ellipses clues, I know.
23D - Headless deer - that is weird and a bit scary! (5)
"Headless deer" = EER, "that is" = I.E. becomes "weird and a bit scary" = EERIE!
Ha! done. I managed to solve this completely while doing the write up. I was three clues off solving but just writing the clues out and poking around in them here I got them. It's very satisfying getting a finish. Even better if I can solve and blog on the same day. I'll post in the morning when the solution is out. I'm really happy I got 19A in the end. Bring on Tuesday!
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