I really enjoyed this puzzle which I felt was of a good level of difficulty with some nicely constructed clues. No queries or problems.

Across
1	NARK - (s)NARK; reference Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark;
4	ZAMARRAS - MAZ(e) reversed - ARRAS; sheepskin coats worn by Spanish shepherds;
10	ELIAN - EL(I)AN;
12	FANTAST - FAN-TAST(e); old word for person with fantastic ideas;
14	BERNARD - B(ERN)ARD; Milton for earn=ERN; St Bernard of Menthon after whom the Alpine pass and hence the dogs are named;
15	RAGINI - RAGIN(g)-I; a modified raga (piece of Hindu music);
16	DEFORM - D-E-FORM; GCSE grades run from A (top) to E (bottom);
18	UMBO - (j)UMBO;
20	PERIAKTOS - (operas kit)*; a revolving device used to display rapidly changing theatrical backdrops;
23	FREEBENCH - FRE(BEE reversed)NCH; widow's right to retain tenure of her late husband's land;
25	ETAT - E(TA)T; Territorial Army=TA; Egypt=ET; a state or rank (from the French);
28	RANZEL - RAN-ZE(a)L; a search for stolen goods in the Orkney Islands;
30	IDAEAN - (a ride withour r=right)*-A-N; knight=N (chess); reference Mount Ida;
31	AMESLAN - A(ME)SLAN; lion=ASLAN (Chronicles of Narnia); American Sign Language (ASL) - a language in its own right;
32	NAME-SON - (ann some)*; a name-child as with many monarchs;
33	DOLCE - DOL(C)E; an organ stop;
34	IN,A,SENSE - (uneasiness without "u" and "s")*;
35	FEER - FE(st)ER; st=saint; FEER=fere=old word for a companion;
Down
1	NEUROPTERAN - (nature prone)*; the lacewings;
2	ALKAHEST - A-L-KA-HE'S-T(ry); soul=KA; the much sought after alchemist's universal solvent (how would you store it?);
3	RINGER - RING-ER; a horse run under a false name to deceive bookmakers;
5	AFRIT - A-FRIT; destructive wheat fly=FRIT; the infernal Jinn (also Ifrit);
6	MANDATE - MAN-DATE;
7	ANAEROBE - A(NAE)ROBE; organisms that do not need oxygen, used for example in fermentation;
8	RADOME - R(AD)OME; Air Defence=AD; rad(ar)-(d)ome used to protect antennas and personnel;
9	ASAR - A-SAR; are=A; SAR=Search and Rescue; eskers;
11	ABIB - A-BIB; old name for Jewish month Nisan;
13	TAM,O,SHANTER - TAM(hat son)ER; cap named after Burns' hard drinking farmer from Ayr who disturbed Cutty Sark;
17	BAR-GEESE - BARGEES-(se)E; the bar (headed) goose is from Asia;
19	BECHANCE - BE(CH)AN-CE; old word for coin=BEAN; church=CH; Church of England=CE (Anglican); accidentally is the definition;
21	KEELSON - NO-SLEEK reversed; strengthener running above and parallel with the keel;
22	PANAMA - A-M(A-N)AP all reversed; financial centre where the hats come from;
24	NEEDLE - ELD-EEN reversed; old age=ELD;
26	KILNS - (sink + l=left)*;
27	MANO - MANO(r);a grinding stone roller;
29	AZAN - NAZA(reth) reversed; Nazareth as a biblical town is part of the synoptic problem; Muslim call to prayer;

Solving time: About 20 minutes offline.

Still on jury duty this week so, again, I printed this off to do while waiting to be assigned to a jury. Very straightforward this week. The easiest for a few months, so not much to talk about.


cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals like this

Across
1	PASS - dd
4	BALDERDASH = D between ALDER & ASH after B
9	URBANE = BA + Newnham in URE (a river in Yorkshire)
10	TAPESTRY = (PRETTY AS)*
11	ENVISION = (VENISON + juIce)*
13	Solicitor + HR + INK
14	APOLOGISED = (GAOLED + POISoner)*
16	Young Oafs Boorish + Surly
17	SweeT + AG
18	WEATHERMAN - cd
20	MASTICate
21	RE + GI + CIDEr
23	GERONIMO = (MORE GIN + Opposition)*
24	A + GATE + S
26	RE(S)TRAINED
27	TOGA = GOT rev + A
Down
2	fAIR
3	SWAM + I
4	BRiE + WING
5	LET ONES HAIR DOWN = (IS THE LONDONER + W + A)*
6	EXPOSED = EX + D about POSE
7	DESTROYER = (RESTORED + dinghY)*
8	SPRINGBOARD - cd
12	NAPHTHALENE = (AN ELEPHANT)* about Hippodrome
15	LIGHTS OUT - dd
18	WI + CHIT + A - Not the most obvious meaning of the word CHIT, but it's in the dictionary as 'a child or young person, especially a pert girl'
19	HAGGARD - dd - Rider Haggard, author best known for his character Allan Quatermain who featured in the book King Solomon's Mines and served as a template for Indiana Jones.
22	C + RAFT
25	ERG - dd - another meaning I didn't know. An erg can be a flat area of desert covered with wind-swept sand.

24:03 for this tricky little beast. I didn't know 18D and had to get it from the wordplay, but the one that totally threw me for a while was 23A - E?G??E?N?O just doesn't look like it's going to be a word, and I started looking for errors elsewhere before finally unpicking the wordplay - only to find it was a word I knew all along!

Across
1	TEA PARTY - APART (separate) inside YET (still) reversed. Brilliant clue to start off with - not a syllable wasted, and totally misleading but perfectly fair.
9	OLIGARCH - (goal, rich)*
10	SO LONG - SOLO (performance by one) + N(o) + G(ood).
11	BEHIND BARS - BARS (counters) with BEHIND (something to sit on).
12	AGOG - GO (split) reversed next to AG (silver = shiny metal). Two on the trot with the wordplay reversed, just to make it harder.
13	UKRAINIANS - UK (this country) + RAIN (drops) + (in a s)*.
16	LYING-IN - FLYING IN (arriving at Heathrow, perhaps) minus the first letter.
17	EGOTIST - ET ("Nice and" = "and" in Nice) around GOT(h) (old German briefly) + IS (one's). Definition "number one fan" = "fan of number one". Another one with a very misleading surface.
20	DOMAIN NAME - DOME (London landmark) around A, INN, A, M(edium).
22	EELY - STEELY (hard) without ST (blessed fellow).
23	EIGHTEENMO - E'EN (even) + M.O. (modus operandi = method of working), after EIGHT (team rowing). A printer's paper size created by folding and cutting the printed sheet into 18ths, giving a page size of approx. 4 x 6 inches.
25	OONAGH - OO (loves) + NAG (pester) + H(usband). Glad I'm not married to her - Sue's bad enough!
26	UP IN ARMS - double definition, one whimsical.
27	HISSY FIT - (I Y(ear)'s shift)*. Definition "wobbly" is a noun, being what you might throw when you have one!

Down
2	ENOLA GAY - ALONE reversed (rising unaccompanied) + GAY (not straight). The name of the bomber that dropped the A-bomb on Hiroshima.
3	PROPAGANDA - "proper gander" (Cockney rhyming slang - butcher's (hook) = look). I bet Jimbo was spluttering into his cornflakes over that one!
4	RUGBY UNION - RUG (wrap) + (bo)Y inside BUNION (painful swelling).
5	YOGHURT - (tough, RY)*, the RY from R(ubber)Y.
6	KILN - L(oaves) inside KIN (family).
7	ARMADA - AR (celebrity minus ST) + MAD (raving) + A (article). Great use of lift-and-separate.
8	CHESS SET - SSE (alternate letters of SyStEm) inside CHEST (treasury). Good, precise definition - "men, along with the board".
14	INGLENOOKS - IN GLENS (valleys) around O (zero), OK (green light).
15	IN THE MONEY - hidden inside "Needlepoint hem - one you"
16	LADLE OUT - LAD (young male) + LOUT (hooligan) around E(cstasy).
18	SOLFEGGI - FLO'S (Nightingale's informally) reversed + EG (example) + G(rand) I (one). Plural of solfeggio, singing exercise involving do-re-mi.
19	VARNISH - VAINISH (rather concerned with appearance), with the first I replaced by an R (runs for one).
21	MAGPIE - MAG (Spectator perhaps) + PIE(r) (endless attraction of Brighton).
24	EARL - (p)EARL(s). I always thought an earl was higher than a count, but apparently they're equivalent.

Solving Time: well, definitely something over an hour; I tend to do a bit and then leave it and come back later, so hard to say for certain, but it felt somewhat longer than usual. However the website total of 69 correct submissions (out of 76, with five of them under 30 minutes!) indicates that it probably is a tad easier than usual, so it must be just me.. New Year's day maybe was not the best time for this!

cd = cryptic definition, dd = double defintion, rev = reversed, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*

Across
1	Awetos - A = WET + mOSt. Awetos turn out to be half fungus and half larva, a curious creature indeed, and reputedly tasty..
5	Medjidie - Doctor mostly = MEDI containing J = judge + DIE
9	Clap-sill - In the region of = circa = C + LAPS + ILL = poorly
10	Bug out - Save = BUT containing superior = U + energy = GO. An Americanism, known to me only thanks to the moving picture "Top Gun."
11	Hypothec - Needle = HYPO + (ETCH)*
12	Q-train - QuaTRAIN
13	Cornpipe - (in copper)* - the cornpipe is "made out of the stem of an oat or other cereal," so is unlikely to be seen in the Berlin Philharmonic any time soon
15	Ptah - hidden in tHAT Pacified, rev. This held me up somewhat, since not only is it quite well hidden but it is not in the current edition of Chambers.. Though it is in Wikipedia. This omission is very surprising since apparently it was Ptah who called the world into being, and what's more, became the Primordial Mound. Religion, don't you just love it?
17	Tymp - part = PT containing "of mine" = MY, all spinning = rev.
19	Antefixa - sANTA containing XI + FE, both rev.
20	Unpope - UN + POP + E for one of the more unusual verbs
21	Yokozuna - (Yank + ouzo)* - my first one in, it just leapt out at me for some reason
22	Laidly - LA + IDLY = "without end" in the sense of purposeless. Laidly, which means dowly is not to be confused with gradely, which means the opposite. A year or two ago I walked along the Pennine Way, and picked up a number of useful Yorkshire phrases in the process. My favourites are the greetings "eh up" and "now then," both spectacularly meaningless, but somehow friendly sounding. In Kent they tend to cause quizzical looks
23	Inositol - lIgNeOuS mIx ToO oLd
24	Orthicon - wORTH + I + CON
25	Gossan - dirt = gossip = GOSS + ANd. Apparently Cornwall is full of it. (In more ways than one :-)
Down
2	Willyart - Any clue that includes both willy and tip is on a slippery slope, but the setter controls himself much better than I would: "And is" = WILL, + Y + ART. According to Chambers willyart means "wilful, shy," which I would have thought were mutually exclusive, but it takes all sorts I suppose. Nor am I certain about the synonymous meaning of will and "and is" or "and is going." what sentence can contain either?
3	Top-notch - "rear of ancient" = T, + CH = church, containing O + PN + OT. Why does the church have to be ancient, I wonder?
4	Sticheron - it follows = SO + N = some number, containing dwarf queen = TICH ER
5	Malacopterygian - Indonesian = MALAY containing chopper = COPTER, + GIANt. Can that be right, Indonesian = Malay? Wikipedia says not, on the whole, though it does seem something of a grey area. Certainly if like me you thought Malay = Malayan = that is considered somewhat simplistic apparently, though no part of the Malay peninsula is in Indonesia
6	Jauntie - JA + UNTIE = obscure naval slang
7	Doolally - DOOr + L + ALLY.. neat clue!
8	Eating up - worry = EAT + rING UP
14	Prick-song - hum = PONG containing strains = RICKS.. Once again, the setter is very restrained!
15	Piquillo - affecting good = PI + QUILL + O. I like the addition of "affecting" to the definition of pi. As for quill = "bit of penne," Chambers does not seem to support this but Tesco does
16	Acupoint - (CAmP TO UNI)*
17	Tadzhiks - touch = TAD + "base in Oz" = Z + HIcKS
18	Minneola - (LEMON IN A)*
19	Appalti - APPAL, + IT rev.

Time taken to solve - 42 minutes, but it seemed longer because apart from the four 3-letter words that went in immediately I took a while to get properly under way. After that the LH was slow and steady but when I returned to the NE the answers almost wrote themselves in and the SE followed on quite nicely. Apart from 1ac there's nothing too obscure today, I think, the NZ region being the only other reference that gave me a problem for a while. The poet, composer and opera are all fairly Dorset-friendly ones I would imagine and I get to quote an old lyric so my cup runneth over. Off shortly to see how the commentators' 'New Murray' theories stand up when he is tested by a real opponent for the first time this tournament. 

Across
1	ADMASS - AMASS (gather) takes in D (head of department). This is a word unknown to me, to the Oxfords and to Collins but it's in my ageing Chambers and at dictionary.com. The meaning required here is the segment of the public easily influenced by advertising in the mass media.
4	APPROVAL - LAVA (molten rock) takes in OR (gold) PP (pennies), all reversed.
10	UNDERWEAR - UNDE (nude*), REAR (back) takes in W (women). 'Shot' is the anagrind.
11	GONER - GONERil. My memory of King Lear has faded somewhat but I think he had two ungrateful daughters and I spent ages trying to make the other one fit the clue. The definition is 'being doomed'. I needed to think 'a being, doomed' to understand it fully. On edit: See comment from setter below clarifying how 'I'll cut' works. It's what I originally had in mind but didn't quite explain it.
12	HAND IN GLOVE - HANDING (passing), LOVE (fancy very much).
14	OBI - The kimono sash that was invented with crossword setters in mind is hidden and reversed at intervals within 'In BoOk'.
15	BEWITCH - BrEW (beer having run out), ITCH (long).
17	NATIVE - NAVE (church body) encloses IT (appeal) reversed (to the West).
19	KIBOSH - Bookish* minus an O. To 'put the kibosh' on something is to finish it off once and for all, usually with negative connotations in my experience.
21	LIBERIA - LI (some distance in China), BERIA (old secret police chief). I didn’t know the unit of length - c590 yards, apparently - but Stalin's henchman was within my ken.
23	BIZ - BIZet. The composer of Carmen includes the slang for business as in 'showbiz'.
24	ADVANCEMENT - AD (Anno Domini, modern times), VAN (those in front), CEMENT (make fast). If I ever knew how AD comes to mean 'modern times' I have forgotten it, but I have met it before in crosswords.
26	OTAGO - pOOr (heart of poor) encloses TAG (catching game). I'm sure I have come across this region of South Island New Zealand previously, probably with reference to its university, but it would have eluded me today but for the wordplay.
27	NAIL-BITER - NAIL (catch), BITE (champ), R (close to despair).
29	BAGUETTE - BuTTEr curtailed with its U (posh) replaced by AGUE (fit).
30	CANYON - CANdY (American's sweet, daughter's left), ON (leg - in cricket).
Down
1	ABU DHABI - A, BUD (China to US) HABIt (custom briefly). China is CRS for 'mate' as in 'China plate'. BUD is an American equivalent.
2	MID-ON - M (Middlesex opener), I (one), DONald (duck, after 'a Ld' - a Lord - has been removed).
3	SIR - reversed and hidden in 'florist'.
5	PART-OWN - PAR (standard), TOWN (urban location).
6	REGRETTABLE - RE (soldiers), GETTABLE (in range of capture) encloses R (resistance).
7	VANCOUVER - V (see), A, NCOUVER (uncover - show - with its first letter U moved to its centre).
8	LARKIN - LARK ( singer flying), IN (home). The gloomy poet who wrote something rude about parents. Betjeman was much more fun.
9	LENGTH - LEiTH (Scottish port) with its I replaced by NG (no good).
13	IL TROVATORE - (Travel to Rio)* - the opera by Verdi
16	WHIZZ-BANG - WHIZZ (ace), BANG (dead, as in 'precisely'). I only knew this bomb from the song in 'Oh, What a Lovely War': Hush, here comes a whizzbang, Hush, here comes a whizzbang, Now, you soldier men, get down those stairs, Down in your dugouts and say your prayers. Hush, here comes a whizzbang, And it's making straight for you, And you'll see all the wonders of no-man's-land, If a whizzbang hits you.
18	CAST-IRON - CON (criminal) encloses ASTIR (moving). Safe as in 'cast-iron guarantee'.
20	HAVE-NOT - HAVEN (shelter), OT (closed, reversed). If anyone wants to discuss doors open, closed and ajar please feel free, but I shall not be joining in this time.
21	LENTIL - LENT (fast, in the religious sense), ILl (with sickness not coming to an end). Thinking 'ailment' may help if 'ill' for 'sickness' seems a bit dodgy to you. On edit: Thanks to Ulaca for pointing out the misunderstanding, amended now in italics.
22	ABSORB - ABS (muscles), ORB (heavenly body).
25	Haven't left any out so far so I'll knock this one on the head…
28	…and unless there's any other business I'll wrap up and bid you a good morning.

Quite liked this one as there were a few nice clues along the way. Big tick for 47D for cluing the wordplay and definition entirely with cricketing "terms". A few non standard anagrams, with constructed content, some nice lift and separates, and misleading surfaces. One big query on 33D but fully expect a D'oh moment as someone explains the obvious that I have missed. All in all a thumbs up here.

Across
1	SKIFF - SKI=runner, F=following, F=female, for the boat. .
4	BUSTS UP - Nice little surface here with "separates" being the straight definition, and the cheeky description of what a bra does being the slightly cryptic one. Works well because "separates" can mean underwear also (I think!)
8	CATECHISM - A TECH IS = a school is, all inside C(lassroo)M, definition instruction.
13	AFFLUENCE - (UNCLE AFFE)*, AFFE = half afffected, wicked=anagrind, definition wealth. This is a constructed anagrist where you need to add some words or parts of words together to get the target letters. Often you get some words plus a single letter such as M(edium), or O(ver) to finish off. Whilst on the face of it this looks like a more clever ploy, it perhaps makes it easier to clue certain difficult anagrams which dont readily break into easy words?
14	TRANS-SIBERIAN - ART reversed then (BRAINLESS)* for the railway
15	CHALDEE - L(earner) in CHAD=african country, then E(rudit)E, for the ancient language, which I did not know, but the word play was clear enough.
16	RESOLED - (OR LEEDS)*. It is almost impossible to see Oxford in a crossword these days without thinking "shoe" and nine times out of ten that is the usage! Becoming a bit of a chestnut...
17	GRANADA - GRANDA(d) = relative, briefly, around A, for the Spanish city
18	SICK TO THE BACK TEETH - Weak cryptic-ish clue, which I dont quite get, apart from the presence of the word TEETH. It does the job of getting you the answer, but can you say "Dear Dentist, I have a sick to the back teeth" or "I am sick to the back teeth" - perhaps in kiddy speak. I will let it go because of the question mark!
21	TOPI - &lit. I put on TOP=head. Whole is the "sun" helmet
23	UNIFORMED - double def. Wearing special clothes, and made (FORMED) near Cambridge (UNI), with the question mark excusing the def by example. That makes two cheeky question marks in the last three clues!
25	TENDON - continue to treat = TEND ON
26	MARSHA - MARS=spoils, H=husband, then A(nniversary). Def = woman. I am always concerned about the use of arbitrary first names as answers, as it is a seemingly endless list. Is there a cut off point for what can be taken as "well known"? And does that set include new style names like Duwayne, or LaShawn ??
28	DIRECT ACTION - DIRE=terrible, T(ime) in CACTI=plants, ON=dealing with, def = strikes, say. A nice concise surface, with a lot of word play in a limited amount of words. That sort of thing always impresses me.
30	HIPPODROME - HIP=in, POD=school, ROME=capital. Something which has always caught me out is when "non-words" like conjunctions contribute to the wordplay. Here we have "in" giving HIP, others to look out for include "a" giving PER or even ARTICLE, and even "and" itself.
33	IMPRUDENCE - R=either end of revolver, in IMPUDENCE=mouth.
34	POINT OF ORDER - Not seen this version of the monk/ORDER chestnut. Its normally "out of order" but this one is much better!
37	CUBISM - CUB=inexperienced person, IS, M(ark) for the art school/movement
39	OFFING - GO=move, around NIFF=smell, all reversed, for the "area of the sea". Even though this is a common word, I had no idea of the maritime meaning, apparently it refers to the part visible from the shore.
40	WASTELAND - WAS=used to be, T(eeming), ELAND=antelope, for the barren region
42	NOOK - OK=fine, after ON reversing, def corner
43	ROLLING IN THE AISLES - soundalike to ROLLING (rich) in the ISLES (hebrides being an example thereof)
46	ORDINAL - First being an example of one, hence "maybe". DIN=commotion inside ORAL=exam
47	EXCITER - (ERETIC)* = headless heretic as the anagrist, around X for the cross. Definition is "he'll cause a stir".
48	ANTIQUE - TIQUE sounds like TEAK, with A N=note in front.
50	ANIMADVERSION - ANI= in "a" reversed, MAD=unsound, VERSION=translation. Whole is Criticism.
51	ON THE BEAM - EXPENSIVE=dear, EX=former partner, having left.
52	TREASURER - T(urn), REAR=back, around SURE=safe, for the financial expert.
53	GEEZERS - sounds like GEYSERS
54	SENOR - hidden in gibraltaR ONE Swoons (backwards) for the spanish man perhaps.

Down
1	SNATCH SQUAD - NATCH=of course, inside SS=ship, then QUAD=bike, I had not heard of a "Snatch Squad" but it was a fairly obvious name for some arresting officers.
2	INFRA - hidden in certaIN FRAgments, def=below.
3	FOUNDATION COURSE - (EDUCATION FOR US)* around ON=available, semi &lit with "that" being the answer.
4	BENNETT - NETT = clear, beneath BEN = someone such as Jonson, for the novelist.
5	SPEARHEAD - (HE PARADES)* for the point
6	SATISFACTION - SATIE'S (french composer) less (piec)E, FACTION=group, giving pleasure as the whole.
7	PEARLY KING - A RLY = a railway, through PEKING=city, for the east end symbol. RLY is slightly more obscure than the usual RY, but pops up now and again.
8	CASED - C(h)A(p)S (h)E(a)D
9	TAILGATE - TAIL sounds like tale=story, GATE=those attending. Def = closely follow
10	CRETAN - CRE(w) = gang, dropping with, TAN=effect of suns rays
11	IMITATORS - (MO(net) ARTISTI(c))* bent is the anagrind. Another composite anagrist, with two partial words only.
12	MANDARINATE - MANDATE=instruction, around AR = RA(regiment) backwards, IN=home. The whole are the top officials.
19	CHIRRUP - CH=church, I RR= 1 bishop, UP= posted. Nice surface effect with "posted a tweet" for the more modern among us.
20	ETONIAN - I NOTE (see) reversed, A, N(ew). Def=pupil
22	WARDROBE MISTRESS - Cryptic definition, although not a common phrase, so even knowing what I was looking for, took some checkers to work out.
24	MEANER - MEAN(d)ER, wind the verb rather than noun, without the D for daughter.
27	SPROGS - S=singular, PROGS=TV broadcasts, whole is "kids"
29	TACTFUL - ACT=operation, (FLU)* with T=temperature high, meaning on the top. Def = delicate.
31	ODDBALL - O=ring DD=matching diamonds, BALL=social event. Whole is strange.
32	LONG DISTANCE - (NOTED SCALING)* anagrind is rocks
33	INCONSONANT - IN + CONSONANT=letter, definition is strange though as it suggests the opposite. I know well by now that if ever I think the setter has made a mistake I am clearly mistaken myself, but after much thought I cant understand this one. Any help?
35	RUDESHEIMER - SHE=female, I, ME, inside RUDER=coarser, for the wine. Not a word I knew so needed wordplay to get it.
36	PICNICKING - NICKING=taking, PIC=photo, beforehand, for the outdoor eating.
38	BROADSIDE - BROAD = american woman, on SIDE = team, for the whole = stick
40	WATERHOLE - A TER(m) = short period, inside WHOLE=complete. Def = depression, where one drinks.
41	BOWL OVER - BOW LOVER = archery enthusiast. Definition is wow, as in the verb.
44	ERASTUS - ERAS = times, (journalis)T, US=american, def = theologian. Nice lift and separate with the times journalist!
45	ANZACS - A SCAN = study, reversed around Z=unknown for the antipodean soldiers.
47	ERROR - E(ssex) , RRR = several runs, with O=nought, caught. Definition is slip. Good surface, since every single constituent has a cricket double. Even the indicative words "opener" and "caught", and the definition "slip"! Great!!
49	QUEEN - Couldnt be anything else, but not sure what the exact reference is? Owl & the pussycat ?? Often is !

This is a very fair, challenging as well as entertaining piece of work with concise clues, few wasted words and some lovely surfaces. Alas, I was undone for many minutes when I wrongly equated an alternative anagram of the given fodder as cordial, the adjective when the noun was required. Would you call this an endearing blunder?

ACROSS
1 TEMERITY Ins of MERIT (good) in TEY (rev of YET, still)
5 MADCAP Ins of ADC (aide-de-camp, assistant) in MAP (plan)
9 DIRECTOR Cha of DIRE (fearful) C (circa, about) TO R (run)
10 DOMINO DO (achieve) MINOR (little) minus R
12 RENOUNCEMENT Ins of OUNCE (small amount) & MEN (people) in RENT (payment)
15 ALIBI AD-LIB (spontaneous remark) minus D (diamonds) + I (one)
16 GRENADINE *(EREA ENDING) cordial or thin syrup made from pomegranate juice; used in mixed drinks
18 KERFUFFLE WAKE minus WA = KE  plus ins of F (forte, loud) in RUFFLE (upset)
19 EVADE Ins of AD (advertisement, bit of publicity) in EVE (the first wrongdoer in the Garden of Eden)
20 DISAPPROVING Ins of SAP (juice) in DIP (slope) + ROVING (itinerant)
24 ORIGIN Cha of O (round) RIG (fix) IN (home)
25 IDENTIFY Ins of TIF (rev of FIT, attack) in I DENY (refuse)
26 NONETS NO (traditional Japanese style of drama developed out of a religious dance) NETS (yields) for compositions for nine performers.
27 EYESHADE Cha of E (energy) YES (certainly) HAD (possessed) E (English)

DOWN
1 Homophone answer deliberately omitted
2 ha deliberately omitted
3 RICHELIEU R (Rex, king) IC (in charge) plus ins of E (first letter of error) in HELIUM (element) minus M for Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu et de Fronsac  (1585-1642) the French prelate and statesman; principal minister to Louis XIII
4 THOROUGHFARE Ins of O (love) + ROUGH (uneven) + FAR (extreme) in THE (definite article)
6 AWOKE Ins of OK (approval) in AWE (wonder)
7 CHIMERICAL Ins of M (maiden) ERICA (heath) in CHILL (cold) minus L
8 PROSTHESES *(STRESS HOPE)
11 UNRESERVEDLY *(END RULES VERY)
13 MARKED DOWN Ins of R (Republican) in MAKE (form) D & D (Democrats) OWN (have)
14 DIGRESSION DIG (taunt) RE (about) + *(SON IS)
17 APENNINES Ins of N (new) NINE (number) in APES (mimics) for a mountain range consisting of parallel smaller chains extending about 1,200 km along the length of peninsular Italy.
21 PAINT PAIN (distress) T (time)
22 DIVA Rev of AVID (keen)
23 BYTE BY (past) + TraineE (first & last letters or tips)

Key to abbreviations
dd = double definition
dud = duplicate definition
tichy = tongue-in-cheek type
cd = cryptic definition
rev = reversed or reversal
ins = insertion
cha = charade
ha = hidden answer
*(fodder) = anagram

Solving Time: A long time, 39 minutes. I suspect that those of us who like to have a moan will find plenty of material here - apart from a single clue, this crossword is relentlessly arts/literature/religion based. It also contains some challenging vocabulary, and a rather uneven quality of clue - some sparklers, but also some I wasn't keen on though I think everything is bang on technically. And our overseas contingent may have trouble with one or two (not actually a problem in my eyes :-)
But I did struggle, partly through tiredness perhaps, to find the right wavelength here..

Across
1	Praetorian - (REPARATION)* - a Praetor was a Roman magistrate
6	omitted; ask if puzzled
10	retreat - a dd: to go back and to treat once again, ha ha. A rather clumsy clue, I thought
11	rounder - ROUNDER(S)
12	hush money - a cd.
13	minus - M(ARSHY) + IN US
14	Shiva - easy, once you discover that SHIV = "a knife or razor used as a weapon" (ODO). Shiva is one of the three major deities in the Hindu pantheon. I've always felt a choice of gods is a good thing, a pity we in the west settle for just the one..
15	sedentary - (RESENT DAY)*
17	bookstall - BOO(K)ST + ALL. For ages I was convinced this should be whelkstall, though not enough to actually write it in, espcecially as it should be two words
20	nappe - a homophone. I didn't know the word, but it couldn't be anything else so in it went..
21	Iliad - I + LID containing A. The Iliad is an epic poem, written in 24 "books," and a good read to boot
23	tetragram - TETRA + G + RAM. More tricky vocab here, but in this case I forgive it as I thought this a very neat clue indeed. Ram = beat in the sense of to ram earth. So the dictionary says, anyway. And a tetragram is just a four-letter word with added class
25	Lateran - not original = LATER + AN, an article. The treaty by which the pope appropriated the land that comprises the Vatican City.
26	Chagall - caught = C + HAG + ALL. I am fond of Marc Chagall, mainly because of his surpassingly beautiful stained glass windows in a church a few miles from me.
27	dust - another homophone and a tricky choice for me between DOST and DUST.. Which is the answer, which the soundalike? It turns out that DUST is correct. So "our mortal body" is the def., and Dost = do, in antique fashion, the homophone
28	contravene - story = CONTE containing RAVENYet more vocab., I hadn't heard of a conte before
Down
1	perch - a dd, we Brits having a wide range of obsolete measurements to choose from, including the rod, pole and perch. All of these, even more confusingly, are measures of both length and area.
2	altissimo - a weak cd.
3	The Ambassadors - Well, THE AMBASSADORS is a well known book by Henry James. But I'm unsure what the reference to St James's is. Can it mean the Ambassadors Theatre? If so it is off Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2; and if St James's, the district of London, extends farther from Mayfair than I thought. On edit: no, it is clearly a reference to the Court of St James, to which as Vinyl says, Ambassadors are presented; that being the official name of the UK Court.
4	ratings - a neat dd.
5	arrayed - formed up = ARRAYED, yet another homophone
7	had on - HAD(R)ON, today's foray into the world of science. Hadrons are a class of subatomic particle
8	peristyle - (PRIESTLEY)* - a good anagrammatic find, though I slightly resent having become an expert on greek architectural terms, entirely courtesy of the Times crossword!
9	Our Man In Havana - OUR MAN (a perpetrator, what the Mounties always get) IN + HAVANA, a smoke.. But I can't explain the IN - ah, wait, yes: IN = burning, as in fashionable. edit: or IN = burning, as in a lit fire which is said to be in, as mctext suggests.. the more likely answer perhaps?
14	subtitled - SUB + TITLED
16	aspartame - A + SPARTA + ME. Not sure how ME = I do?
18	Antonio - a cd alluding to the Merchant of Venice. I was seriously held up by confidently, but stupidly, entering "Shylock," until 23ac became impossible and 28ac highly unlikely
19	late cut - today's obligatory cricket term. Dead = LATE, and CUT = cut..
22	ictus - (SUIT + C)* - a metrical term used in poetry - another unwanted area of expertise for me!
24	Milne - MINE containing L = line, to make AA Milne, creator of Winnie the Pooh.

Solving time 25 minutes

A pangram with some complicated word plays and a couple of botanical obscurities. The old cricket term and reference to Richard Ingram's poorly titled magazine may cause some head scratching overseas. Overall, an enjoyable solve.

Across
1	SOLDIER - S(OLDIE)R; The Oldie is an eccentic magazine; a soldier is bread dipped into the yolk of an egg;
5	HOSTESS - HO-ST(r)ESS; the First Lady perhaps;
9	ROT - two meanings; rhubarb=rubbish=rot (slang);
10	TAM-O-SHANTER - TA-(the romans)*; appreciated=thanks=TA; Burn's eponymous hero's colourful cap;
11	IOLANTHE - I(w)O(u)L(d) - ANTHE(m); G&S, whose works are musical Marmite;
12	AGARIC - CI(RAG)A all reversed; a mushroom;
15	NEWT - NE(W)T; Ken Livingstone's pal or the next US President, perhaps;
16	SCHERZANDO - SCH-(zero)* surrounds AND=besides; Italian for joking used in musical notation to mean "playful";
18	CAMOUFLAGE - CAM(OU-FLAG)E; where in French=OU; blind (hidden from view) is the definition;
19	JOLT - JO(L)T;
22	OF,NOTE - O(FONT with ON transposed)E;
23	ATYPICAL - (I=one act play)*; in my experience people who aren't in some way eccentic are ATYPICAL;
25	UNDER,ARREST - UNDER AR(m) - REST; under arm bowling was the norm when cricket first started;
27	VEX - V-EX;
28	TIE,CLIP - TI(lice)*P; I threw my ties away the day I retired along with my mobile phone;
29	SHEARED - SHE(ERA rerversed)D;
Down
1	SERBIAN - S(brie)AN; SAN=sanitorium; Pavle Savic no doubt;
2	LITTLE,WOMEN - LIT-(WELT reversed)-OMEN; book by Louisa May Alcott that I have not read;
3	IN,TUNE - (d)INNE(r) surrounds TU=Trade Union=Brothers;
4	RAMSHACKLE - RAM-SHA(CK)LE; CK from C(ar sic)K;
5	HISS - HI-S(nake)S;
6	STARGAZE - (RATS reversed)-GAZE(ttes); I should think it's the last thing astrologers do - too busy being inventive;
7	EAT - (estimated) arrival time = ETA then move T=temperature; "drops" would have better than "shifts";
8	SIROCCO - SIR-(CO reversed)-C-O; business=CO; century=C; old=O; gentleman=SIR; unpleasant Saharan wind;
13	RUN,FOR,COVER - R(corfu + n=note)OVER;
14	WEIGHTLESS - W(a)(EIGHT)-LES-S; shilling=S; are floating and weightless synonymous?;
17	GUTTURAL - GUT-(ferven)T-URAL; The Urals separate Europe from Asia; English as spoken by 1D;
18	CROQUET - C-ROQUE(for)T; posh game I've never played;
20	TELEXED - (EXE-LET all reversed)-D(ecember);
21	SPATHE - S(PAT)HE; to have something "off pat" is to be perfect;
24	GRIP - G-RIP;
26	DYE - (goo)D-(Qualit)Y-(attir)E;

Solving time: Not recorded

Music: Golf on TV, then Liszt Sonata in B Minor, Ronald Smith






I tried to solve this casually while watching golf on TV - big mistake. You can do easy puzzles casually, but this one requires your full attention. There are a few quite tricky things here, and it is easy carelessly pop in a wrong answer from the literal and mess up the grid. I did a lot of that.

After Wilson made his final birdie putt on 18, I turned off the TV and put on my thinking cap. It still took me quite a while to finish, because although I had gotten many of the more obscure answers, I was left with the more difficult cryptics, or perhaps the parts of the puzzle where I had a completely wrong idea of how the clues work. The answers to my last half-dozen were surprisingly obvious once you see them, but I struggled mightily to get them.

After completing the blog, I have concluded that the puzzle was not really that difficult, and I was just not sharp tonight.

Across
1	WITCHCRAFT, WIT(C[rew])H + CRAFT. Simple, right? Not if you think 'accompanying' = 'be with' and put in 'bewitching'. Fortunately, I got 5 down almost immediately and erased it.
6	CUBA, CUB + A[stronomer], where an ursine minor is alluded to.
8	READABLE, READ(A B + L)E Reade is perhaps not a very prominent English novelist, but he is most useful to setters and should always be borne in mind by solvers.
9	STURDY, STU(R)DY, where 'arithmetic' is one of the 3 Rs. This gave me no end of trouble, since I expected the answer to be a geometric solid and tried for a long time to make 'sphere' work.....well, it does have an 'r' in it.
10	Omitted.
11	ABSOLUTION< AB(SO)LUTION. I also tried 'resolution' and 'desolution' before hitting on the obvious.
12	CARRIED ON, CARRIE + DON.
14	LOCK, LOCK + E. Childishly simple, but it gave me no end of trouble. I can never remember Locke when I need him, you would think Hobbes would bring him to mind.
17	SCOUR, S(C)OUR, another difficult easy one.
19	UTTERMOST, UTTER MOST. I was firmly convinced that 'way' = 'St', and I played around trying to justify 'sternmost' for a while.
22	LIGHT OPERA, LIGHT(O[ld] P[iano])ER + A. This clue has lots of possibilities; the contents could be an anagram of 'o piano' or 'old p', but they turn out to be both abbreviated.
23	HELM, H + ELM. I had 'beam' for a long time before deciding it didn't fit the clue at all.
24	INTACT, IN T[he] ACT. Recognized quickly as a removal clue, but still difficult in the solving.
25	ACID RAIN, AC I DRAIN, put in instantly from the literal.
26	FIAT, FI(A)T, another strangely elusive answer.
27	FLYING BOAT, anagram of FLOATING BY. At last, an obvious one!
Down
1	WAR DANCES, cryptic definition. I got the 'dances' part readily enough, but took the wrong sense of 'engagement' for a bit.
2	TOASTER, double definition. My relatives expect an envelope stuffed with cash for a wedding present, not a toaster, but this is probably an old-fashioned setter.
3	CABBAGES, a literary allusion, which is now a rara avis in puzzles.
4	AVERSION THERAPY, A + VERSION + THE(RAP)Y. I got the 'therapy' part readily enough, but had trouble with the first element.
5	Omitted, you'll have to wrestle with it!
6	COURTROOM, COURT + MOOR upside down. It is very tempting to take 'try to win' as the literal, and attempt to insert an inverted African into some sort of trying situation.
7	BEDROCK, BE + D(R[ing]OCK, where 'on trial' = 'in the dock'. This clever clue gave me plenty of trouble.
13	ROUGHCAST, anagram of CARS OUGHT. A fairly easy one, finally, since the 'ough' element remains intact.
15	ESTAMINET, ESTA(MINE)T, i.e. in an anagram of TASTE. Another easy one.
16	NEGATION, N(EG)ATION. Another that gave me a lot of trouble that shouldn't have. I fell into the expected trap of thinking 'just the opposite' meant 'reverse the cryptic'.....but no, it's the literal.
18	CHIANTI, CH(I)ANT + I. I had expected 'I'D' to be used, but quickly saw that it was otherwise.
20	OREGANO, O(REGAN)O, with a queen from another literary work.
21	SORT OF, hidden in [profes]SOR TO F[aculty]. Well-hidden, I would say.