The Age Cryptic by DP #20,413

This was one of those puzzles that was broken into chunks. I had some time in the morning where I got a quarter of it done then had to get to other responsibilities. Then I went for lunch with my husband and the cafe had free newspapers and a fresh, untouched puzzle that the waitress assured me no one would mind if I filled in. I lie to think someone else couldn't resist a half-filled puzzle and went on to have a go at the rest. I put in the answers I knew then added a few more while we gossiped and enjoyed being in a busy environment that wasn't our house. (We both work from home)

I ended the night with seven clues unsolved and said as much on Twitter. Then almost the second I hit "send" I got 8D, which showed me 16A was wrong so I fixed that, then I saw 3D was wrong and I fixed that - oh and 17D was wrong too and I fixed that, too. All in about two minutes. Why does this happen? Why is it the moment we confess "I'm done, I can't solve this, I don't see how it works." the fog clears, the obstruction is gone and we can see the solution clear as day. What is it about a confession of weakness, the giving up the fight that breaks the barrier and offers resolution? There must be a psychological name for this phenomenon.

I was left with 4.5 unsolved: 14A, 21A, 9D, half of 12D and 25D which I was too lazy too google. I also did half of the Logodaedalus in the Guardian and was enjoying that before falling asleep in my pages.

Here's the pic:

1A - Flower is spotted within 24 hours (5)
"Flower" is the definition and "spotted" = SEE and "24hours" = DAY so we get SEE DAY. If we flip those to DAY SEE it sounds like DAISY. The clue doesn't have an obvious homophone signpost so how else are we to solve this?  Edit* Thanks to @Patrickavenell  on Twitter for helping me see this, "IS spotted in DAY = DAisY..." Much more straightforward than my cattwampus solve.

4A - How do egg-cooks hightail it? (8)
Cryptic Definition: SCRAMBLE.

10A - Starting higher up tongues get twisted by French Protestants (9)
"French Protestants" is our definition and "Starting Higher Up," = HU and "tongues get twisted," is fodder and anagrind to give us: HU(GUENOTS)

11A - Emblem may carry me first (5)
"Emblem" is our definition and "Carry" = TOTE and "Me first" = M for TOTEM.

13A - Dumpy mothers show the least amounts (8)
"Least amounts" is our definition and I can see "mothers" = MUMS but how does "dumpy" = MINI to give us MINIMUMS?

14A - How to overtax one's ancestry (6)
I didn't get this one. I guess this is a double definition and I can see how "How to overtax" can become STRAIN but "one's ancestry" as STRAIN? I guess if we use ancestry as an evolutionary mutation model.

16A - Exact copy of the late sexton (4,6)
Double definition: DEAD RINGER. I did have to look up what a Sexton was.

20A - Give weapons to Yankee Military (4)
Charade: "Military" is our definition and "give weapons to" = ARM and "Yankee" = Y for ARMY. In the pic I had ARMS and just ignored the Yankee Y, because...well I just did.

21A , 18A - Two wagons wrecked with vein of a native climber (5-5,4)
This bloody clue, I had a feeling "Two wagons wrecked," was hinting to an anagram and "with vein," was another part of the fodder to somehow get us a "Native climber," as our definition. I got the easy bit of  "vein" = VINE. "Two wagons" didn't have enough letters, Two of "wagons" had too many letters. We needed to remove the plural S and then double mix "wagon" to get:
WONGA-WONGA VINE which I've never heard of and did not get.

23A - Interfere with some eight amperes (6)
Hidden word clue: "Interfere" is our definition and I guess "with some" is the signpost
"eighT AMPERes," for TAMPER.

24A - A theoretical synopsis? (8)
I got this by searching around for synonyms of "hypothetical" and found ABSTRACT but I don't see how to solve this cryptically as it reads as a straight clue. I guess it's a double definition?

27A - Taxed at being in the red (5)
Container. "Taxed" is our definition and then we simply follow instructions and "AT being in the RED," become R(AT)ED.

28A - Cobbler perhaps might shake more (9)
Anagram: "Cobbler" is the definition and "perhaps might shake more" is  a wishy-washy, unsure, noncommittal, kinda-sorta anagrind and fodder to give us: SHOEMAKER.

29A - Depicts the left-hand beams (8)
Charade: "Depicts" is the definition and "the left hand" = PORT if we think of the left side of a boat and "beams" = RAYS for PORTRAYS.

30A - Give credit to a single battle-axe (5)
"Battle-axe" is the definition and "give credit" = CR if we think of ledger entry and "single" = ONE for CRONE. You ever see a wise crone wielding a Battle-axe you better run. Respect the crones!

2D - Muffles groan due to gas! (5)
Anagram: We are looking for a "gas" and "muffles groan" is anagrind and fodder to give us ARGON.

3D - Ships' wetsuits (8)
Double definition or is this an &Lit? STEAMERS which a kind of ship and a full body wetsuit.

5D - Throw actors in it (4)
Double definition of both "cast" and "actors in it" = CAST.

6D - Canny part of the least utensils (6)
Hidden word: "Canny" is the definition and "part of" is the hidden word signpost showing us
"leAST UTEnsils" gives us ASTUTE.

7D - Total ban I applied to unit within 20-across (9)
Anagram: I didn't need to look at 20-across (ARMY) to get this, "Total ban I applied," is fodder and anagrind to give us BATTALION. I'd had to look up the spelling to be sure because my accent says this as "B'Tillion" which my Scottish husband found hilarious. I couldn't explain why so I had to ask my Facebook friends to tell me how they pronounce it just to see if was a complete flake or if there was some New England/French Canadian influence.

8D - The threat from the crazy party host (3,3,6)
This was a post confession win. I'm still not sure how it's parsed but I got it by thinking of the "crazy party host," another way. THE MAD HATTER. Now "threat" is an anagram of hatter so could this be a reverse anagram where MAD is the anagrind?

9D - Who teases people between two rocky outcrops (9)
I didn't get this, although I have seen this clue reworded before. "Who teases" is our definition and "people" = MEN "between, two rocky outcrops" = TOR like this TOR(MEN)TOR

12D - Use polite words to say ground meat is important (5,7)
I had the first part of this clue but didn't know the second to make the phrase. I'm guessing that "Use polite words," is our definition and "ground meat" = MINCE and "important" = MATTERS but I've not heard the phrase MINCE MATTERS but it does sound like a good butcher's slogan.

15D - Single mob provides letters for Aussie star (3,6)
Anagram: We are looking for an "Aussie star," and " Single mob provides letters for," is fodder and not so much anagrind as open declaration of fact to give us: MEL GIBSON.

17D - Old school mother involved in change (4,5)
I'd had  "Home maker" lightly penciled and it worked with a few cross clues so I thought it was ok, but no. "Old school," is the definition and I'm not entirely sure but "mother" = MA and MATER - wait I see it now! I have to write these horizontal to get them sometimes. "Mother, involved in" = MAMA and "change" = ALTER for AL(MA MA)TER.

19D - It makes couple watch a dating cheat (3-5)
Charades: "Dating cheat" is our definition and "couple" = TWO and "watch" = TIMER for a
TWO-TIMER.

22D - A twister drinking spree (6)
Double definition: BENDER.

25D - Issue entry invitation to former Premier (5)
Double definition: ASKIN both as an "issue entry invitation," and the former NSW Premier, Robert Askin. Although he's from 1973 and not ever going to be on my radar as an answer.

26D - Credit cancelled for crispy kids' game (1,3)
Charade deletion: "Kids' game" is our definition and "credit cancelled" = -CR "for crispy" means to remove the CR from cr-ISPY leaving the game I SPY.

There, we are done, apart from gaps in 13A and 17D and not a bad effort. Looking forward to Friday but I have my NS printed and will give that a go today. Looking forward to the kids being on school holiday for the next two weeks. They are currently exhausted, bad tempered and grating. They need a couple weeks to slob about the house and forget school for a bit.

The Age cryptic by RM #20,411

This was a gift. A nice way to break into the week. Straightforward puzzle, no tricks, no themes. I did wake up quite early and had this printed off and started before 6am. I was finished by 9am with regular morning interruptions (my children). First clue in was 1D, last one in was 4A but that was because I'd put 8D in backwards.

I'm going to try and name the clue styles. More so I can get better at recognising them but we can learn together - it'll be fun. No really, don't make that face, it'll be good. If I get any wrong, please correct me. I struggle with bits on many of the clues even though they weren't hard to solve overall so help, guidance and information is always appreciated.

Lots of doodles:

1A - Disagree if, and only if, cover is red plastic (6)
"Disagree" is the definition. I'm not entirely sure how we get there. I knew that "if" and "red" were important. Having "cover" in Friday's DA, I wasn't sure if this was the same kind of clue where "red" is to "cover" something but it seems to split and go backwards - is that what "plastic" is for? To show "red" has some malleability? Answer is DIFFER. "if cover" could be like "discover" meaning to remove the first letter from "if" leaving the F, plus the original IF then the stretchy, reversed RED. Maybe?

4A - 20ml or less in deep end and soon almost full either side (7)
"20ml or less" is what we're looking for and "in deeP end" = P being put "in", "and SOON" = SOON, I'm not quite sure about "almost" but "FulL either side" is instructions to use the FL. So if "almost full" = FULL - U then why add "either side? I'm still pondering this one. Answer is S(P)OONFUL.

10A - Decayed meat, heart break and threadbare coat (4-5)
I don't think I like this clue, either. The phrase isn't one I know. I may have it wrong (I don't). "Decayed MEAT" is a hint the word MEAT is "further along" in the answer, "heart brEak" = E as the "heart" of the word "break,"and "threadbare coat" = WORN like this: WOR(MEAT)(E)N to give WORM-EATEN. But my way doesn't leave anything for a definition, which must be "Decayed." I'll have to come back to this one, too.

11A - Herb your old men use most (5)
This is a Charade clue but just goes to show it's easier to guess-solve the clues than to battle through breaking them down. I'm not sure how this one is solved either! Fat load-a-good I am to learners but let's have a crack: "Herb" is our definition, "your" = THY in biblical speak and "men, use most" is an instruction to not use all of MEN - N for THYME. See, we can get this. Just need some space to talk and hash it out. I got this by thinking "old man" = Father Time/THYME but that's way off as there's not even a homophone signpost, just a coincidence.

12A - Some morticians are bewildered by condolences (14)
Anagram clue and "Condolences" is our definition and "Some morticians are bewildered," is fodder and anagrind to give us: COMMISERATIONS.

14A - Members know ingoings are outstanding (5)
Hidden Word clue: "Outstanding" is our definition and we want to think in the sense of money not amazing. "knOW INGoings," gives us OWING as an "outstanding" balance. My computer is also freaking about the word "ingoings" which doesn't seem to be a known word.

16A - Feel nostalgic for that unrestrained writer whose letters are ill-formed (9)
I got this with cross letters and guessing the definition was "Ill-formed" which for most of the puzzle I thought was "ill-informed." I don't have all of this, I think "feel nostalgic" = MISS, and "writer" = PEN but where the middle letters  come from"unrestrained" = HA for MISS+HA+PEN as MISSHAPEN I'm not sure so there has to be more to this. Oh,  a day later and as I'm editing I see it's "that unrestrained" where we should take the first and last T off tHAt to get our HA.

18A - Artificial lunar tuna stew (9)
Anagram: "Artificial" is the definition and "lunar tuna stew" is fodder and anagrind for: UNNATURAL.

20A - Cheat church out of Triton's trumpet (5)
Charade: "Triton's trumpet" is the definition and "cheat" = CON, "church out" = CH or just an abbreviation of "church," to give us CONCH.

21A - Rosa gets maple sugar fresh from the brothel (7,7)
Anagram: "Brothel" is the definition and "Rosa gets maple sugar fresh," is fodder and anagrind to give us: MASSAGE PARLOUR.

25A - Gadget for soldiers' whiskers (5)
Charade: "Gadget" is our definition and "soldiers" = GIS plural and "whiskers" = MO short slang for a moustache to get GISMO. I always spell that with a Z so I didn't get this one straight off.

26A - Aim to cut a process till it becomes mechanical (9)
Anagram: "Becomes mechanical" is our definition and "Aim to cut a process," is fodder and anagrind to give us AUTOMATIC.

27A - As the sleigh went round the garden glistened (8)
Container clue: "Glistened" is our definition and "sleigh" = SLED to go "round" the "garden" = PARK for S(PARK)LED.

28A - British ladies nearly all like swords (6)
"Swords" is our definition and "British" = B as we tend to use the first letter from proper nouns. "Ladies nearly all," is a deletion indication that we don't want all the letters of LADIES -I for B+LADES. So is this a Charades clue or a Deletion clue or are deletion clues a sub-part of charade clues?

1D - And how curs resent carolling at sunrise (4,6)
Anagram: "Carolling at sunrise" is our definition and "And how curs resent," is fodder and anagrind to give us DAWN CHORUS.

2D - University intervenes in secondary students' conference (5)
Container or Charade? "Students' conference" is our definition and "University" = U which "intervenes" or is put into "Secondary" or is it "Secondary students'" to get FORM for FOR(U)M. We don't have "forms" in American schools so I'm unsure.

3D - Smoothing things out at the soiree (7)
"Smoothing" is our definition and...well I don't know. A "Soiree" is an evening party and "smoothing" also means to even something out so maybe it's a Double Definition clue with EVENING as its answer.

5D - Bear spends a penny and has a snooze on the way back (5)
Charade: "Bear" is our definition and I had cross letters to help get the answer. Where I know "a snooze on the way back," means NAP reversed to PAN, how does "a penny" = DA for PANDA. I looked into this closer and found a Wiki on pre-decimal currency in the UK "The symbol for the penny was "d.", from the French denier, from the Latin denarius (the solidus and denarius were Roman coins)" So that would get us the D and we can use the A from the clue "A penny/D" and reverse the whole thing.

6D - Host lost his head over wealthy bird (7)
Charade: "Bird" is our definition and "Host lost his head" = HOST -H, "Wealthy" = RICH for OSTRICH.

7D - Put small fish in the grill first then have a go at the skillet (6,3)
Charade: "Skillet" is our definition and "Small fish" = FRY + IN from the clue then "Grill first" = G, but here I get lost because "have a go at" = PAN and I'm not sure why to give us FRYING PAN. Is it like giving someone a bad review?

8D - Look sideways down a spool (8)
I'm not sure what the wordplay here is. It's like a double definition or is it a cryptic definition? "Look sideways at" = LEER but a "spool" = REEL and I'm not sure which one is the definition that's to be put "down" and I'd made the wrong choice first but we put in LEER from top to bottom.

9D - Ship without right banner (8)
I liked this clue, it's a deletion too. "Banner" is our definition and we want a "Ship" that when we add an R into it as it's currently a "ship without Right," then becomes a banner: STEAMER > ST(R)EAMER.

13D - Experiencing difficulties being neat on ice (2,3,5)
Double definition: ON THE ROCKS where the "neat on ice" bit refers to drinks making. I'd first guessed Skids because that's what I do on ice and thinking of Skid Row.

15D - Stretch of water in the Mediterranean and another one in Asia (6,3)
Anagram: "Stretch of water in the Mediterranean," is the definition and "another one in Asia," is anagrind and fodder to give us IONIAN SEA. "another" as an anagrind is a new one for me.

17D - Feeling sorry for yours truly is feisty plus in a way, un-American (4-4)
Part anagram and deletion: "Feeling sorry for yours truly," is the definition and anagrinds aren't easy to spot here but it's "Fiesty plus in a way" and "un-American" means -US or remove US from "plus" then scramble what's left FIESTYPL = SELF-PITY.

20D - Toffee-coloured dromedary bites a royal (7)
Container? "Toffee-coloured" is the definition and a "dromedary" = CAMEL but I don't know how "bites a royal" = RA I'm guessing there's a deletion involved but which abbreviation for royal gives is RA I'm not sure. Answer is CA(RA)MEL or is it C(AR)AMEL and the royal  = AR?

22D - Apprentice brought in to look at the glossy finish (5)
Charade or container - does a container have to be a full word inside another? Things to google later.  "Glossy finish" is the definition and "Apprentice" = L for "learner" to be "brought in" or inserted into "look" = GAZE for G(L)AZE.

23D- Chose to spit seeds evenly (5)
Odds/Evens clue: "Chose" is the definition and "tO sPiT sEeDs evenly," gives us OPTED.

24D - Matures for a long time (4)
Double Definition: Matures / a long time = AGES.

As done as I'm going to get. Quite a few gaps for a quickly solved puzzle (Quick for me is under three hours) and lots of chances to learn more tricks and pitfalls for these clues.

I printed off Monday's Rufus from the Guardian because I like Rufus a lot and have been missing him and I have today's Picaroon but I won't get a look at those until late tonight or even tomorrow. Too much Girl Guides stuff to get done. We are all looking forward to our two weeks off coming next week. We are going to be sofa slobs for the whole time doing the comatose regeneration method.

Have a good day! I mean it.

The Age Cryptic by DA #20,409

I got a few hours off and on to give to this on Friday and managed three confident answers and three lightly pencilled in probables. The D.A. Trippers were a bit quiet, one mentioning that as the puzzle was easy, not many people needed help. I'd like to disagree! Most assuredly not easy. I mean, if my getting three confident and three probable answers marks this as easy then, well, I'm going to go choke on my Newbie indignation for little while, excuse me...

Ok I'm recovered. I have 9A, 17A and 23A in first - my three confident answers. I'm typing this out in the hopes that as I do, more answers will come to me as I go along, it's happened before. In fact - as I type this, I just got the longest clue 5D,22A where I'd had a hint from Mort that the definition was "prepared." So it's going to be like that is it? Will this become my solving method?

As it's gone, through Friday and now it's about 8pm, I've left off with only 5A unsolved despite having all the cross letters. See, I perked up and got some hard solving done. Once 5D,22A was in the rest started falling into place. I always start out as such a miseryguts, don't I? Slap my hand...

1A - Herb begins English Unit (7)
Tad misleading from the start. We want an "herb" that's not really an herb. Are roots herbs? (Ok stand corrected as wiki calls this an "adaptogenic herb") "Begins" = GINS (scroll down to definition #3) and "English units" = ENG to give GINSENG. I took "Units" to be an abbreviation hint. I worked this backward thinking "begins English" = ENG at the end, and 'Does GINS mean begin?' Frantic dictionarying and yes, rework this a bit more. Is this right? Light pencil, erase, light pencil...

5A - Lumber has greenish bark enveloping a knot (7)
"Lumber" is our definition and we want the walking kind not the wood. I struggled with parsing and got help from Indy from DAT "5A defn is first word, but not in the sense of wood. Wordplay is “a knot” (as in your back or shoulder) inside bark of “greenish”"  I'm thinking "knot" = LUMP and "greenish" = GAH? Giving us GALUMPH. How is greenish GAH? Is that right?

9A - Spasm after surgery on eyes (5)
First clue solved! "Eyes" is the definition and "Spasm" = TIC and "surgery" = OP for OPTIC.

10A - One hint concerning appetiser (9)
"Appetiser" is our definition and "one" = AN, "hint" = TIP and "concerning" = AS TO for ANTIPASTO.

11,13A - Perhaps court intrigued focally in such a character (9,6,8)
Frustrating clue as it's pretty clear this was a long anagram (Perhaps being the anagrind "court intrigued focally in" the fodder)  requiring cross letters to crack into this. No anagram solvers worked for me so it was hard graft and patience. I got the middle word last and do not quite get the definition as a phrase for "Character" being COLOURFUL RACING IDENTITY. I'm told it's used to describe charismatic gangsters with a proclivity for gambling. It's been a week of very long anagrams, did the compilers have a lunch and plan this?

14A - Ready-made puree oddly delish! (6)
"Ready-made" is our definition. "PuReE oddly" is a partial odds/evens giving us PRE and "delish" = FAB playing on slangy synonyms, for PREFAB.

17A - Big Bang account (6)
Double definition: REPORT.

19A - Those folks calling Room at the Top topical (8)
"Topical" is the definition and "Those folks" = THEM and the "room at the top" of a house is the ATTIC but "calling" is a homophone indicator so we get THEMATIC instead.

23A - Local groom, when discombobulated (9)
"Local" is our definition and "groom, when discombobulated," is fodder and anagram giving us HOMEGROWN.

25A - Spotlit ostrich, very taken aback, has head in sand - that's expected (5)
This one was a guess, even with cross letters. We'll work it backwards, the answer is OSSIE which is a variant spelling of Aussie. That didn't seem to work with anything for a definition. Googling I found a classic Australian children's character called Ossie Ostrich. That would work if first two words are the definition - well not even sure about "spotlit". This was confusing for many solvers Mort tries to explain "Letters 1-2 are a word meaning “very” -taken aback. Letter 3 is “head in Sand”. Letters 4-5 mean “that’s” in its non-abbreviated form. I have no idea why “expected” is in the clue. " (bolds and italics mine)  So "very" = SO,  and "head in Sand" = S and "that's" = IE. How does "spotlit" work?

26A - Best friend pens short magazine story essentially upfront (7)
"Friend" = PAL, "short magazine" where short is a deletion signpost, so we want TIME -E for TIM, "StOry essentially upfront" = O as "essentially" hints to the middle letter of the word "story" and "upfront" tells us where the O should go to get O(P(TIM)AL) so where does "pens" come into play? Could that be the container signpost to put PAL into TIM? It must be.

27A - Great barfly repelled another (7)
I got this with cross letters and thought, no way. It couldn't be that. Too rude by far but Mort at DAT confirmed it for me. "Great" = TOPS as in old Rat Pack "You're the tops, kid" and "barfly" = SOT for TOSSPOT. Naughty words in the puzzles! Juvenile glee! Hey, that's almost a reverse Spooner, isn't it? Is it?

1D - Contracted band, nouveau riche and less amiable (9)
"Contracted band" = GROUP -P where "contracted" is a deletion signpost, "nouveau riche" is anagrind and part fodder to give us GROU(CHIER)

2D - Wood in Hollywood once picked up a Beat fiction (7)
I got this right off by definition but not sure how it's solved cryptically. "Wood in Hollywood" is the definition and the answer is NATALIE. I could see "fiction" = LIE  but I wasn't sure about how we get NATA but Jack at DAT suggested "to beat someone is to give them letters 4, 3,2,1. " that would be a A TAN, and is "tan your hide" "picked up" to put in reverse in the grid.

3D - Ran into bar, stopping dire need (11)
"Ran into" is our definition and I'm not very sure how we get there. I think "dire need" is anagrind and part fodder. I see it now - I find parsing down clues while vertical harder than if I write them horizontal then solve them. "Bar" = COUNTER (I'd love to know how Aussies came to call this a "bench") "Stopping" is a container signpost - is it? must be -  for "dire need" like this EN(COUNTER)ED.

4D - Bribery secures qualification, written up with Oxford's foremost tag (8)
"Tag" is our definition and "Bribery" = GRAFT, skip ahead to "Oxford's foremost" = O now the middle bit I have a question: Does "qualification" mean in F1 racing to get FI or is there some academic "qualification" that gets "written up" and is IF > FI? Answer is (GRAF(IT)T)O

5D, 22A - Prepare 74074, trebled? (3,3,4,5,2,1,3)
Oh this clue - putting math in the wordplay is not nice! I'm lucky I had a Eureka! on this or I'd have struggled. I had a hint from Mort the definition is "Prepared," leaving us with the distinct instruction to "treble 74074," which gives us 222222. When I write those they look like Zs, but they are supposed to represent DUCKS. Do you see it now? Get "prepared," or GET ALL YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW. Sneaky, wicked but will confess it's pure fun. Oh! Even worse! Husband just told me the bingo call for 22 is "Two little ducks."

6D - Child support circuit (3)
I had this in wrong. I didn't know what Australia's Child Support offices were called so I guessed AMP for "circuit" and then googled that with "child support" and found the Arrears Management Program (AMP) and thought that was a win. NO! Answer is LAP, so does that mean a child's support is a PAL? It's a pain as 5A was the only unsolved clue and the P being right for 10A made me think it was solid.

7D - When scaling, animated fireman spat at dog (7)
"Dog" is our definition and we're looking for a breed. "When scaling" is a reversal signpost to enter the answer backward in the grid. "Animated fireman" = SAM and "spat"  = TIFF for MASTIFF. Nice surface here, I'm happy no firemen are spitting at dogs.

8D - Asian tribe lasts in South Vietnam to northern Nanjing (5)
"Asian tribe" is our definition and "lasts" is an Initialism signpost and we don't get many of these from DA. "soutH vietnaM tO northerN nanjinG" for HMONG.

12D - First of all, 11-13-across plainly covers injury of melodic tart (11)
"Tart" is our definition. "First of all, 11-13across" is another initialism but we want the initials from the first three words for 11-13across's clue = CRI and I think "plainly covers" is a kind of container signpost. Then "injury of melodic" = HARMONIOUS - here I'm not sure if "injury" is a deletion signpost to get us to -H or if it's part of the clue to get HARM. If it's -H we can get A(CRI)MONIOUS. I'm not confident on how to solve this.

15D - Cereal (white) planted amid spring warmth (9)
Here's one I put in and erased many times. "Cereal" is our definition and I struggled to parse. I think "warmth" = HEAT and "spring" = BUCK if we think of the "bucking bronco" springing and jumping around at a rodeo, with "White planted amid" = W in the middle for BUCK(W)HEAT.

16D - Breast man? That's an old joke! (8)
No! Not Dirty Dad jokes. The horror. CHESTNUT. Stop making me grin over such things.

18D - 3-down, carrying first-class drop (7)
"Encountered carrying first-class drop" where "drop" is our definition. I got this with cross letters. Let's see: "encountered" = MET and "first class" = PLUM being "carried" by MET so PLUM gets put in the grid first for PLUMMET.

21D - Train tailors en masse? (6)
I'd pegged this as a double definition but then one of the DAT mentioned a "tailor" was a fish and Lo it is! Does that make this a cryptic definition instead? Answer is SCHOOL, meaning to train someone and also is a group of fish "en masse." Isn't that still a double definition? Oh it's rather confusing.

22D - Larrikin loves Down Under singer from Down Under (5)
I had this but couldn't figure out how to assemble the answer. "Larrikin" is our definition and "loves" = OO as love usually gives us O (for eternity like a wedding ring I like to think) and this is plural so we get two. "Down Under singer" is Colin HAY. I'm guessing  the "from Down Under" is a hint to enter the clue in reverse reading YAHOO, the icky people in Gulliver's Travels.

24D - Beam in pub, talking sport (3)
How can a three letter clue be so tricky? Gee wizz, right. "Beam in pub" alludes to the kind of "Beam" found in a pub to drink: JIM Beam, "talking sport" where "talking" is a homophone indicator so we want a JIM that sounds like sport, or a place to play sport = GYM.

We are done! Slain the mighty Friday beast. A few niggling bits but on the whole I'm happy with this effort. I still don't consider this easy but maybe that's because I go through the extra bit of breaking down all the clues.

I'm working on a few other projects and will stick to my three a week posting at this time as it works best for me. I've added a few extra links to my CrypTools list and on the right of the puzzlepic I listed a few of the rabbit holes I googled down, like 74074 is the ZIPcode for Stillwater Oklahoma which was not an anagram for anything useful here. Ok that would've been an Indirect Anagram anyway and they're a no-no.

I have a garden to rip apart and rebuild, peas and passionfruit to plant and a quarter ton of crab grass to pull out. Bunnings, my new best friend, let's get busy.

The Age Cryptic by DH #20,406

I got through this one in a couple lazy hours while watching TV and chilling out after a hectic day getting our big Girl Guides "Bring a Friend Night" where we baked cakes and played all kinds of crazy games the girls came up with. I'm glad Dodgeball is not popular anymore.

I got to this sometime before Good Game and set my limit to the end of Midsomer Murders, which was the wankiest episode ever so I moved over to something I didn't watch but used as background noise. Solution in hand by 11pm, save for 10A where I had all cross letters but couldn't decide on which answer of two was the right one, and no will to persevere. Here's what I had:

1A - They plan to change thermodynamic property? (8)

We are looking for a "Thermodynamic property" and looking at "They plan to change" is fodder and anagrind giving us: ENTHALPY. Quick google to verify if, like me, you're not a physicist.

5A - Boofhead! Ice is about for wild mountain goats! (6)

We want a breed of mountain goats.  "Boofhead" is a one word instruction to get B -  the head of boof, "ice is around" the B to give us IBICES. I've never heard of them.

9A - Captain Rudolph fixed the game equipment (5,3)

"Game equipment" is our definition. "Captain" = C and "Rudolph" = HESS and "fixed" = Set if we think of fixing broken limbs, perhaps to give us CHESS SET.

10A - Former star whipped spear carriers (6)

I didn't know which of two possible words, EXTRAS or EXERTS, was the right answer. I think this is an unusual clue because I can't see how from the clue we get an accurate definition. "Former" = EX then "whipped spear" = SPARE and then "SPARE carriers" = EXTRAS. But really only "spare" but how does "carriers" work here? Is this not about couriers/messenger type carrier? I'm sure there's something off with that so please tell me how you solved this.

12A- People Harris followers include Hungarian composer (5)

"Hungarian composer" is our definition. The word "include" is a hidden word signpost and look closer to "peopLE HARris" to get LEHAR.

14A - In prison, emu cooked? That's authentic? (5-4)

"That's authentic" is our definition and "In prison, emu cooked" is fodder and anagrind to give us SIMON PURE. Yet another new expression for me.

15A - Behind the bar, dear, arranged wedding for group of workers (5,5)

"Group of workers" is our definition "behind the bar" = T and I'm not exactly sure how so that needs some work. "dear, arranged" is part anagram and fodder, "wedding" = UNION, to get this: 

T(RADE) UNION.

16A - Left inside to be married Tuesday, in the joint (4)

I got this wrong in my grid, mistaking "joint" as WEED. Oops! "Left inside" = L to be placed "inside" "to be married" = WED for WELD a far more acceptable version of joining. 

18A - Ring New York at ten for banded chalcedony (4)

"Banded chalcedony" is the definition. "ring" = O, "New York" = NY, "ten" = X for ONYX.

21A - No? Beth is a problem for feature of Japanese horticulture (3,6)

"Feature of Japanese horticulture" is the definition and "No? Beth is a problem," is fodder and anagrind for

24A - Fine fellow from ancient city is pressing (6)

"Is pressing" is the definition and "Fine fellow" = GENT and "From ancient city" somehow becomes UR so let me in on that secret, please. *Edit: Ah, thanks to @Patrickavenell   who says "Ur was an old city in the Middle East - I think it was the first city to have 1 million occupants." So there we are. A nugget of information to be savoured for future puzzling exploits. I'm willing to bet this shows up loads in future puzzles, as per Murphy's Law.

27A - Specialist to freeze lure (6)

"Lure" is the definition. "Specialist" is an ENT as in ear, nose, throat doctor and "freeze" = ICE for ENTICE.

28A - The last impression before tea-break? Having no teeth (8)

"Having no teeth" is the definition and "thE last" = E, "impression" = DENT and "tea-break" is part fodder and anagrind leaving us with EDENTATE.

1D - Surpass when said to be forty in ancient Rome (5)

"Surpass" is the definition. This is a homophone clue so when we say "forty in ancient Rome" we say XL which is like EXCEL.

2, 19A, 22A, 13D, 6D, 25A - Crazy Dave Chumpling hated wee Honey-Beth Oxford waiting for Rocky Marciano (3,10,5,11,6,8)

This is likely the largest anagram I've ever encountered. Luckily I didn't have to solve this clue that way. I grew up not far from Rocky Marciano's hometown. He was a local legend and my Dad was a boxing fan so there was no escaping Rocky. I knew straight off he was THE UNDEFEATED WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION, but just in case, I did my little line drawing thing to show this (as no anagram algorithm can sort this) it really is: 

3D - Debra sob fitfully when taken in (8)

"When taken in" is our definition and "Debra sob fitfully" which has suspicious grammar is fodder and anagrind - always be suspicious of bad grammar. We get ABSORBED.

4D - Sent planes as movement revealed cordial treatment (12)

"Cordial treatment" is the definition. "Sent planes as movement," is fodder and anagrind "revealing" PLEASANTNESS.

7D - Bruce Tarr to adjust engine part (11) 

"Engine part" is the definition and yes, another anagram "Bruce Tarr to adjust" is fodder and anagrind giving us: CARBURETTOR.

8D - Need spuds cooked or hung up (9)

Another anagram? Geez...ok well "Hung up" is the definition and "Need spuds cooked," is fodder and anagrind giving us SUSPENDED.

11D- Irish member finished? I took off when destitute (12)

"Destitute" is the definition. This is a pain of a clue. I have read that if you have to use five or more tricks to make a solve it's a bad clue so here goes: "Irish" = I, "Member" = MP as a member of parliament, "finished" = OVER, "I" = I, "took off" = SGED for IMPOVERISHED. So much easier to just find cross letters and use a thesaurus. Only freaks like me go through the effort to break down a clue like this in its entirety. You're welcome.

15D - Our turtle chopped and used to catch fish? (5,4)

Have we developed a sixth sense for anagrams now? Are the red flags flying, the alarm bells ringing? Right, this is more like words tossed together to sort of be a phrase if you squint or are quite gullible. "To catch fish" is the definition, "Our turtle chopped," becomes TROUT LURE.

17D - Won final? Wow! Mean to change and be a refreshed lady (3,5)

"Refreshed lady" is the definition and "woW, final" = W,  "Wow mean to change" is part fodder and anagrind to give us: NEW WOMAN. 

20D - Captain can go back for some fine brandy (6)

"Fine brandy" is our definition and "Captain" = C and "can go back" means to reverse the previous bits to get C(OGNAC)

23D - Alighieri stake 500 before? (5)

"Alighieri," is the definition and "stake" = ANTE, "500 before" = D to be place before ANTE for DANTE.

26D - Top class rough-head in ascending militant group (1.1.1.)

"Top class" = A, "Rough headed," = R and "in ascending" = I but I think it's just In = I and the "ascending" part means to put those in reverse in the grid from bottom to top giving us IRA the militant group. I've not seen "in" = I before, is that a thing?

So a few gaps in my knowledge. I'll give today's DP a run later. I need tea and a cake, thanks very much.

The Age Cryptic by RM #20,405

I dipped in and out of this puzzle for most of yesterday. I had other projects I was working on and then completely absorbed in watching Many A True Nerd play his Fallout 3 Kill Everything play through on YouTube. I've found it hilarious and it's a game I spent the better part of a year playing so I know it well, and New Vegas. I wonder if we can do a kill everything run through Skyrim...

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!

The Age cryptic by DA #20,403

DA brings more pain and frustration. This was out of my skill level so I'm having to do most of this puzzle in reverse. Still a challenge, so don't go thinking it's cheating. It's still the best way to crack into these hard puzzle and expose them. Also the act of writing out the clues does serve to help break them up and see their parts easier. I often flip my paper and rewrite the clues and then scribble lines all over them, not in the aggressive scribble out manner either.

I got 1D on my own but didn't know which version of the homophone was wanted. I'd guessed 22-Across had some drug related importance. The signposts in these clues were hard to find. With DAT hints I got 24A and had to correct 5D (I'd had BANKSY instead which I could justify, to myself, claiming the N would come from somewhere) leaving the rest as red pen without the use of a red pen.

22-across features heavily in the wordplay of other clues so let's start there:

Drug zone to make an impression, wildly alleging or framing (6,8)

We want a "drug zone" known on the planet. "to make an impression" = DENT, "wildly alleging or" is anagrind and part fodder that will be "framing" DENT which becomes: GOL(DEN T)RIANGLE.

1A - Stands for agency (5)
Double definition: MEANS. I did have this as a possible answer from the thesaurus and it started with M which I had from 1D.

4A - Asian secretary smooched old US governor in conversation (9)
I'd had part of this in my notes. "Asian" is the definition. "Secretary" = PA for personal assistant, "smooched" = KISSED and from here I can guess the answer is PAKISTANI, but how do we get "old US governor in conversation," to give us TANI. I did search and the Philippines has a Governor  Tan, and the Philippines are an old US territory (going back to late 1800's) but that seems like such a stretch. Even if it is right, how does "in conversation" = I? I'm told by Mort that "last three sound like an old US governor " but I just cannot get who that is...unless it should have an R in there and it's ARNIE?

9A - Girl's family diary excerpt (5)
I'm guessing "Girl's" is our definition. "Excerpt" is a hidden word signpost and in "famiLY DIAry" is a girl's name LYDIA. So not anything to do with Anne Frank then? Just a random girl's name? Not even a hint of ink for my favourite Lydia?

10A - One enjoying 3-down perhaps in the 22-across? (4,5)
Skip ahead to see 3-down. "One enjoying stardom in the Golden Triangle?" is a TALL POPPY, both to mean the opium field crop of the region and the term used to describe the cutting down of one who shines or rises higher from the rest.

11A - Financial proviso of nicotine deal redrafted (11,3)
Here is an example of where once I write the clue out, it becomes much more obvious. "Redrafted" stands out as a possible anagrind and "of nicotine deal" had 14 letters when scrambled becomes CONDITIONAL FEE to mean "Financial proviso"

14A - I'd suppress hesitation, yawning outside 22-across hangout (5,3)
Golden Triangle hangout is the definition. "I'd suppress hesitation" where "hesitation" = UM, a verbal hesitation, suppressed by I'D to be IUMD, "yawning outside" = OPEN to be put "outside" to give us: OP(IUM D)EN.

15A - 22-across banker exposes Hollywood giant's crude intro (6)
"Golden triangle banker" is a river "banker" of the area. "Hollywood giant" = King KONG and his "crude intro" is ...ME KONG? I've not seen the movie but I did not think KK spoke. Is ME supposed to be the Me bank? Have I become so pedantic I've lost my sense of humour?

17A - You texted in a capital for a bite (6)
"Bite" is the definition. "You texted" = U referring to common phone text abbreviation. "A capital" = A CITY (that's mean! How many 5-letter "capitals" did we have to put around U before giving up?)(It was four for me) to give ACUITY. Acuity as a synonym for bite?

19A - Mushroom that idiot oddly found in rock (8)
"Mushroom" is our definition. "IdIoT oddly" = IIT "found in rock" = SHAKE to go around IIT like: SH(IIT)AKE.

22A - (solved above)

24A - Casual ratio internally adjusted for 22-across's major client (9)
Who is the Golden Triangle's major client? "C(asual rati)o internally" where "internally" means to take the letters from the middle of the phrase and then "adjust" them to get AUSTRALIA.

26A - A male problem came about in 22-across (5)
Perhaps "a male problem" as fodder + anagrind is too easy - too obvious for DA. I think this is A = A, "male" = M, "problem" = RUB "came about" means to reverse that for BURMA.

27A - Cut two quintets stuffing beach-related finale? (9)
Definition is "Cut" and "Two quintets" = TEN, "stuffing beach" = SHORE where TEN is "stuffed" into it, "relateD finale" = D like this: SHOR(TEN)E+D

28A - Seesaws - children's toys (5)
We want  "children's toys" that, like a seesaw, goes up and down: YOYOS

1D - 22-across worker heard to cry like a baby (4)
Homophone clue. A "Golden Triangle" worker that also sounds like the cry of a baby? MEWL/MULE and here we want MULE.

2D - Concerning film gave heart in its 27-across form? (11)
"Concerning film" is the definition. "gAVe heart" = AV "in its SHORTENED form" means AV is the abbreviation for: AUDIOVISUAL.

3D -  Second damn uppity celebrity (7)
DAT Rupert says "second = 7, 6; damn = 5 – 1. I think." "second" = MO put into grid reversed as OM, leaving "damn" as DRATS also reversed giving: STARDOM as a definition for "celebrity."

4D - Turning on little piggies as staple food (8)
"Staple food" is our definition. "Turning on" = ATOP > POTA which for some reason I can't read up and down and had to put horizontal to see it was right, "little piggies" = TOES for the staple of POTATOES. (Also I spelled it wrong in the grid because der!) (Potato, always bring joy for a gamer)

5D - Basically skill from eye created iconic graffiti character (6)
"Graffiti character" is who we're looking for. "Basically skKIl fROm eYe " = KILROY. It's an interesting history reading about the Chad. It's a pervasive meme whose origins are lost on new generations. I knew it from childhood, Bugs Bunny most likely. I think, as a kid, I thought Chad was really Ziggy.

6D - Biologically divided record lining, say (7)
"Biologically divided" is the definition. Answer is SEPTATE which is defines as "divided by a septum or septa." but I don't know if "record lining" is supposed to be a sleeve, or a homophone indicator, then "say" is another homophone signpost? Rather lost here. Ah Mort to the rescue! " Say = state, divided by a record = EP. Answer is a biological term." So it's: S(EP)TATE.

7D - Poisoner needs a pair of condiments (3)
Oh Boo! Let's have a basic lesson in venom vs poison. "Poisoner" is the definition which "needs A" = A and "pair of condiments" = S&P for salt and pepper giving us: ASP, an obvious envenomator. (Yes I'm just making up words to suit my needs) (Also I'm pulling out my copy of Arsenic and Old Lace because Cary Grant, fwoar!)

8D - Roman historian dips head to keen-sounding graduate of note (3,7)
This was super hard. "Roman historian" = LIVY who "dips head" or shunts the L to the end making IVYL, then "keen sounding" = EAGER to make a "graduate of note like this: IVY L(EAGUER)

12D - Spots the result of really good cream doughnut being demolished (4,7)
Oh dear, right. "Spots, the result of:" is the definition and we're to think of spots as hives and not zits. Answer is FOOD ALLERGY. What I can see is "really good" being most of the fodder of an anagram where "cream" is the anagrind. So how does  "donut being demolished" = F? Or is that completely off?

13D - Boozy social nurses called on horn (3,7)
"Horn" is the definition and I've never heard of this phrase. "Boozy social" is anagrind+partial fodder - that was easy to pick out, but I kept trying to work RNS for "nurses" in there but ran out of letters and got no where. "Nurses" is an instruction to insert a word for "called" = RANG inside the fodder like this:  CO(R ANG)LAIS.

16D - Hotel blocked shadow, also part of 22-across (8)
I don't remember reading this clue last night. I can see the answer in the grid, so let's see how it's done. "Hotel blocked shadow" where "Shadow" = TAIL and "hotel" = H the H is to go into TAIL, "also" = AND to make: T(H)AIL AND.

18D - Native of 24-across lasts in hot weather around coastal town (4,3)
Currently lost on this one. Answer is TREE RAT but how  it's parsed I've not managed to get. close I come to "lasts" = EER but the "hot weather" or "coastal town" for the rest. Ah, Mort said "in 18D, I think that the word “around” indicates that the coastal town should be reversed. The “lasts in hot weather” are at the start of the answer and not “around” the coastal town. " making this hoT weatheR = TR and TAREE the coastal town reversed.

20D - Only big transport in base fashion (7)
"Base fashion" is the definition. "Only big transport" is fodder+anagrind to give : IGNOBLY.

21D - Hot fruit and nut bread, kernel removed (6)
"Hot" is the definition. If only this clue had the word Christmas in it, I'd have gotten it quick. "Fruit and nut bread" = STOLLEN, "kernel removed" = -L for STOLEN. Something of a weakness for me, I could eat a whole one and pot of tea for days and never be sick of either,

23D - 22-across member racing from new 13-down...(4)
Golden Triangle member racing from new Cor Anglais? We want another country in the Golden Triangle. If we remove the word "racing" from the letters of "cor anglais" we are left with LAOS.

25D - ...on discovering baked biscuit (3)
Wordplay is lost on me here. The biscuit is an SAO. Ah got it! Hey those ellipses aren't just for looks! I know DA likes to use "discover" as a deletion signpost meaning to take the top off a word. Here it's LAOS from the previous clue, leaving us OAS to be "baked" which is an anagrind to give us SAO.

You can cry foul at me doing this in reverse, but it's taken me six hours to solve and write up. It's still no easy feat to hammer through these puzzles even with the answers. Sure I took breaks to have snacks, harass my kids and husband and get some fresh air. Now I have the rest of this gorgeous Saturday to go play and might even have a wander down to the beach.

Have a great weekend!

The Age Cryptic by LR #20,399

Mondays are always nicer when the puzzles are quick are cheerful. Feeling like the mind is sharp and the day is fresh, we can tackle what comes our way. Sadly not so much with this puzzle. It was harder than the previous three by LR. I got just under half out quickly then came up against a wall and every clue after was a struggle. I wanted that easy, clicking brain, aha, eureka thing but it didn't happen.

This puzzle had a mini theme running for a few clues which I figured out once I had two of them. The theme clue was 27A, so I didn't realise that was the theme until several clues in. 27A - Wheat for 1,9, and 18-across in song? (5) You have to get one of the other clues to know where to go here. I already had 9 and 18, but for some reason 1 took me a long time.

Here's the pic, most clues are solved on the line with few scribbles. 10A was my last solve because I'd changed the first word many times. It was my least favourite clue:

1A - Christian class leading sermon on gym court with reverence (7)
"With reverence" is the definition. "Christian class" = RE for "Religious education" (which is taught in Aussie schools by evangelists and is a blight to secular education) "leading Sermon" = S, "gym" = PE and "court" = CT to give us RESPECT.

5A - Fastened belt gave way? (7)
Double definition: BUCKLED.

9A - Fruitlessly plumbing gas, then eureka! (5)
"Eureka" is the definition. "fruitlessly plum bing" = BING as the "plum" has been removed and is now "fruitless", "gas" = O for oxygen to give us BINGO.

10A - Have a wild shot at putting fire out? (5,4)
This was solved last and it wasn't very satisfying. It's not quite a phrase I've heard. I think it must be a double definition: BLAZE AWAY. I'd had in Blows away, then Blast away but never considered Blaze. I do have a Bon Jovi song stuck in my head for which I am not thankful. Bon Jovi Earworms aren't cool.

11A - Giggle online with a 27-across "girl" (4)
This clue best kicks off the hint for the theme. "giggle online" = LOL "with a" = A for LOLA.  Knowing that 27A is SPELT, the theme shows all answers are songs where we spell out the title.

12A - In particular experimental pieces by friend (10)
"In particular" is our definition. "experimental pieces" is anagrind and part fodder, plus a word for "friend" = ALLY to give us (ESPECI)ALLY.

14A - Popular south-eastern remedy is unsafe (8)
"Is unsafe" is the definition. "popular" = IN, "south eastern"= SE, "remedy" = CURE for INSECURE.

15A - Come to overshadow (4,2)
A cryptic definition? I still suck at recognising clue types. SHOW UP. Maybe Double definition where one is "come" the other is "to overshadow."

18A - Word of praise for tattered oil rag (6)
"Word of praise" is the definition. "tattered oil rag" is anagrind and fodder to give: GLORIA, another theme answer. (I liked the video because I am an Outsiders fan)

20A - Lead singer has fur on tum, an outing uniform? (8)
"Lead singer" is the definition. "has fur on tum, an outing uniform" which gives fodder and a deletion indication where "uniform" = U to be "outed" leaving FRONTMAN.

23A - Practicing her pirouettes, hearing organ warble (10)
"Practicing" is the definition. "her pirouetting" = REH as "her" is reversed, "hearing organ" = EAR and "warble" = SING for REHEARSING.

24A - Current from hot energy causes pain (4)
"Causes pain" is the definition. "Current" = AC, "hot energy" = HE why? Well, I don't know why just because we want those first letters to make ACHE. There's no clue indication to say to take those letters but I guess we're just supposed to know. Edit*From LRxword "FYI Hot=H (as in bathroom taps & C=cold). E=energy in science (e.g. E=mc2)" Ok, red-faced. I knew that. Thank you. Skulking off.

26A - Chilling without outer layer getting directions in steepness (9)
"Steepness" is the definition. "Chilling without outer layer" means to remove the first and last letter from "chilling to leave HILLIN, then "getting directions" = ESS Which are directions that happen to make the end of a word for HILLINESS.

27A - Wheat for 1,9, and 18-across in song? (5)
Since we got RESPECT, LOLA, and GLORIA, we can guess a "Wheat" used in these songs is SPELT.

28A - Web writer bowled over lumberjack (7)
"Web writer" is the definition. "Bowled over" = B and I don't know why as I tend to see "over" used to show letter placements after something. Maybe it's more sinister like "You're over!" and then chop off its head? "Lumberjack" = LOGGER for BLOGGER. I'll have to look into the use of "over" as a device in cryptic clues. Edit* I'm told by @LRxword "B=bowled (cricket abbrev.)" Cricket stings me again!

29A - Badly behaved for a year last decade, reportedly (7)
"Badly behaved" is the definition. " "a year last decade, reportedly" is hinting to a homophone. The years for last decade are referred to as the "noughties" for their double zeros which leads us to NAUGHTY.

1D - Revolting chiming again? (9)
Double definition or cryptic definition? "Revolting" is the definition in the sense of uprise and "chiming again" = REBELLING.

2D - Tracks unmarried people (7)
Double definition: SINGLES. As in music tracks, not stalking single people.

3D - Emergency teacher working for English school (4)
I think I've got a hair-trigger response to seeing "English school" and knowing/strongly guessing it's ETON. "emergency teacher" has ET as their first letters but do we call emergency teachers ETs? I call them substitutes or Subs. "working" = ON

4D - Why do the Irish always say this twice? (2,2,4)
Cryptic definition, I got this one: TO BE SURE.

5D - Whipped vitamin consumed (6)
I got this right, but in a convoluted way. "Whipped" is the definition. "Vitamin" = B, "consumed" = EATEN for BEATEN. I'd somehow figured the vitamin was B-10 as BE TEN also "consuming" the vitamin A, but the clue isn't written as "vitamin consumes vitamin." I had the A in place and grabbed onto B-10.

6D - Loving revolutionary rebel leader one's greeting from New Guinea (10)
"Loving" is the definition. "Revolutionary" = CHE and is a regular in cluing, "Rebel leader" = R, "one's" = I'S (?) greeting" = HI and "New Guinea"= NG for CHERISHING. I'm not comfortable with "one's" = I'S so I could have that wrong.

7D - Hurtful comment on bass clarinet sound, perhaps? (3,4)
Again is this double definition/cryptic definition? A "hurtful comment" that's also a "bass clarinet sound" is a LOW BLOW.

8D - Sarcastically evens out dirty play (5)
"Sarcastically" is the definition. "evens out" means to remove the even numbered letters of the following phrase "DiRtY pLaY" leaving DRYLY.

13D - Starting part 4 of play, a chime? (10)
"Starting" is the definition. "Part 4 of play" = ACT IV, "a chime" = A TING for ACTIVATING.

16D - Sharply get wordplay easily (9)
"Sharply" is the definition. "wordplay" = PUN and "easily" = GENTLY for PUNGENTLY.

17D - $1000's wagered by my daughter's boy (8)
"My daughter's boy" is the definition. "1000's" = GRANDS, "wagered by" = ON I guess in the sense to place a bet ON something? GRANDSON.

19D - Shakespeare character puts the 2 fifties into nil-all draw (7)
Two "Shakespeare  character" clues, next to each other and not using ellipses? I figured this would be a time where that kind of clue would be useful? I don't write clues (obviously, if I can't readily identify clue types how could I write them) but wouldn't ellipses be useful here? "Puts the two fifties" = LL to be put into, "nil-all" = OO got me OLLO and a "draw" is a TIE? but how do we get THE for OTHELLO? Is it just "THE two fifties?"

21D - Computer wager from the core Shakespeare character (7)
The other Shakespeare character. "Computer" = MAC, "wager" = BET, "tHe core" = H for MACBETH

22D - Island dress on my mother's grave (1,5)
Tricky clue. "Island" = IS as abbreviation, "dress" = WEAR put together to make a phrase I SWEAR "on my mother's grave" as the second part of a common phrase.

23D - Uppity bar accepted English sides from detox clinic (5)
"Detox clinic" is our definition. "uppity bar" hints that the word BAR is placed in reverse, going upwards for this down clue. "accepted EnglisH sides" means the letters EH are placed into BAR giving REHAB.

25D - Thesaurus included Bible character (4)
We want a "Bible character" hidden in the word thESAUrus. ESAU.

Done finally. Late with apologies. This is a very busy week. I didn't even print yesterday's DH until this morning. chances of getting anything done tomorrow are slim and I have a day in Melbourne on Friday so that's my DA day gone as well. Will be a quiet blogging week, I'm afraid.