Unusual for a Raich, I can’t find a theme or Nina here.
Nothing terribly hard to parse, just a nice start to the week. Off to see what awaits over at the Grauniad now, thanks Raich.
Across
1 Help for travellers, broke, a shop arranged? (6,4)
PHRASE BOOK
[BROKE A SHOP]* is arranged. Not utterly convinced by the surface though.
9 Song about Northern Australia rejected in this state (7)
ARIZONA
ARIA (song) about N(orthern) OZ reversed, rejected
10 East End riled as characters abandoned part of plant (7)
TENDRIL
Hidden in easT END RILed
11 Embattled on regular basis where there’s no escape (4)
MATE
Alternate letters of eMbAtTlEd
12 Bearing right to meet soldiers in warehouse (10)
DEPORTMENT
R(igh)T & MEN all in DEPOT
13 Showing concern about call (6)
CARING
CA (circa, about) & RING call
15 Pale tree (6)
SALLOW
Double definition, not an obvious answer though
18 Court probes means of access for cook? (6)
DOCTOR
COOK as in books, C(our)T in DOOR
19 Starts to sample an unusual creation – exotic Russian dish (6)
SAUCER
Initial letters of Sample An Unusual Creation Exotic Russion
21 Area religious leader and artist in call for aid programmes (4,6)
SOAP OPERAS
A(rea) & POPE & R.A. all in S.O.S.
22 Sell off as game over (4)
FLOG
GOLF reversed
24 Go before decree altered after pressure (7)
PRECEDE
P(ressure) & DECREE* altered
25 Become anxious and start to moan in high-pitched voice (7)
TREMBLE
M(oan) in TREBLE
26 Part of recipe, popular, good, like some wine that’s not lacking body? (10)
INGREDIENT
IN popular & G(ood) & RED (wine) & IE (that’s) & N(o)T lacking body
Down
1 Drug supplier’s growth area heard about – bequest not on? (8)
PHARMACY
Hom of FARM & (LEG, ON in cricket) removed from (leg)ACY
2 Subjected to more questioning, slippery traitor reneged (14)
REINTERROGATED
[TRAITOR RENEGED]* is slippery
3 Small brick carrier given footwear (4)
SHOD
S(mall) & HOD
4 Brother about to take it easy in club wear? (6)
BLAZER
LAZE in BR(other)
5 Where in France you once used essentially smaller building (8)
OUTHOUSE
OU (where in French) & THOU (you once) & (u)SE(D) essentially
6 Part of Asia or of Ghana (to liar) (8)
ANATOLIA
Another hidden in ghANA TO LIAr
7 Uncompromisingly conflicting Conservative or nice Liberal after conversion? (14)
IRRECONCILABLE
[C(onservative) OR NICE LIBERAL]* converted
8 Move fast following drunk (4)
FLIT
F(ollowing) & LIT (drunk)
14 After container knocked over, message received – not entirely new element (8)
NITROGEN
TIN reversed & ROGE(r) not entirely & N(ew)
16 Plant producing type of shirt and jacket associated with 14 (4,4)
TREE FERN
T (shirt) & REEFER (jacket) & N(itrogen) (14)
17 Buyers of second-hand goods featured in newspaper piece (8)
FRAGMENT
RAG MEN in the F.T.
20 Teacher employed in Michaelmas term (6)
MASTER
Another hidden in michaelMAS TERm
21 Subdivision of clan – group seizing power (4)
SEPT
23 Guide daughter at foot of green area (4)
LEAD
LEA & D(aughter)
*anagram
I didn’t know the SALLOW tree and got it from its other definition. I found this towards the easier end of Raich’s spectrum but it felt just right for a Monday.
The grid screams Nina to me, but I’m not coming up with much. The symmetrical 4/20 down can be preceded by SCHOOL, the pairing of 18/19 across with FLYING, but I’ve not made any more connections so far – wondering if 24a is therefore significant?
11a, 18a and 20d can all be preceded by “ship’s” but that’s all I see.
Thanks flashling for the blog and also to those who have commented. There is no Nina or theme in this puzzle.
It is a VERY ugly grid, so something is up. Otherwise why?
A good all-round themeless daily cryptic – just right to start the week.
Thanks to flashling for blogging and to Raich for the puzzle.