The Age/SMH Cryptic by RM #20,889

Oh Hello! Yes I'm back. I haven't really left; I've been busy. So busy. I'm missing my puzzle blogging and puzzle friends! I've been keeping up with the puzzles (more or less) but not had time to share or discuss them. Defeats the purpose of having this blog, right? It's here to talk about the puzzles.

I need the distraction anyway as my in-laws are here for three weeks visiting from Scotland. Joy! I may need to become a regular drinker for a wee while. The curmudgeonliness (Oh, that may have broken the dictionary) the subtle gaslighting, the overt sexism, and low level but persistent grousing. All reinforces why I now live in beautiful, amazing Australia. I fucking love this place. Enough of that - onto the puzzle...

I really enjoyed this one and it had a few sweet clues in it, too. 9A, 12A, 1D, 2D, 5-7D all lovely. I got through the top half no bother, a bit tougher in the SE corner and then a bit stuck in the SW corner. Four down-clues have me stumped:

6D - Couple of poulterers overwhelmed by applause for egg production (9)

"Egg production" is the definition and "applause" = OVATIONS leaving "couple of poulterers" to be UL for OV(UL)ATIONS. I don't see how we get UL. Is it just telling us to take the two letters that will fit from "poULterer" to make the answer fit?

8D - Having stopped work, she must ignore pang to peregrinate perfidiously (7)

"Having stopped work" is the definition and I had all the cross letters to make the word/definition connection but the wordplay eludes me. OK. Wait. Is it removing pang from "peregrinate" leaves ERERITE meaning "perfidiously" is an anagrind getting us RETIREE. I wasn't seeing "perfidiously" as an anagrind.

14D - In the beginning there were five divinities and a brother-in-arms (9)

"In the beginning" is the definition and the answer is INITIALLY. I see the "brother-in-arms" = ALLY part but how are we to know to strip out bits of "divINITIes," which again seems like I'm supposed to know to pull five letters from this word to fit into our solution. What am I missing here and in 8D instructionwise? It happens again in 10A with "pOPULar"

23D - Except for the couch covers, the room is yellow (5)

Definition is "Yellow" and the answer is AMBER but I don't know how. I look at "couch covers" = CH but no. Is "couch" a homophone signpost? I don't even know another word for couch covers that I could play with.

There we go. Monday done. How many puzzle win days can I tick off the calendar until April 12th when my house will blissfully empty again as even the Husband will be travelling and the kids will be back in school. Sweet solitude, I drink to thee!

Hope your choccie eggs were delicious.