Guardian Quiptic 795 Hectence

A nice easy Quiptic.� Thanks to Hectence.�Definitions are underlined in the clues.� (P.S. Due to urgent matters to attend to, the blog today is minimalist.)

Across

1����Head of flight’s stuff is found on a plane (7,4)

LANDING GEAR : LANDING(the area at the head of a flight of stairs) + GEAR(stuff such as clothes and other personal belongings).

9����Old boy has clean turned around after direction to stop drinking (5,2)

SOBER UP : [ OB(abbrev. for “old boy” of a school, say) contained in(has � around) reversal of(� turned) PURE(clean;unadulterated) ] placed after(after) S(abbrev. for “south”, the direction).

10����Yorkshireman declared the motive for treachery (7)

TREASON : T'(“the” as may be spoken;declared by a Yorkshireman in dialect) REASON(motive;basis for an action).

11����Irish city’s team get together for opening drink (9)

CORKSCREW : CORK(the Irish city)‘S
plus(� get together) CREW(a team, eg. in rowing).

12����Wally and I do it all over the place (5)

IDIOT : Anagram of(� all over the place) I DO IT.

Defn: A stupid person.

13����Anyone else having a piece of fish? (4)

EELS : Hidden in(� having a piece of) “Anyone else“.

14����Theatre props for kids? (10)

PLAYTHINGS : What stage props in a theatre might be loosely called.

Defn: � to play with.

16����He knows all about crank detective (6,4)

CLEVER DICK : C(abbrev. for “circa”;about, when referring to approximate dates) + LEVER(a tool to operate a mechanism, such as a crank) + DICK(slang for a detective).

19����Catcall gives start to blue tit (4)

BOOB : BOO(a catcall;a jeer) plus(gives) the 1st letter of(start to) “blue “.

Defn. and Answer: Slang for a female breast.

21����Mum takes gold kiwi back from New Zealand (5)

MAORI : MA(short for “mother”, as is “mum”) plus(takes) OR(gold colour in heraldry) + the last letter of(� back) “kiwi “.

Defn: One from New Zealand.

22����Disgusting loo’s filth is found at the bottom of mountains (9)

FOOTHILLS : Anagram of(Disgusting) LOO’S FILTH.

24����Cut short a game (7)

ABRIDGE : A + BRIDGE(the card game).

25����Inflamed by the stress of dieting (7)

IGNITED : Anagram of(the stress of) DIETING.

26����Reverse the flow of events – Canute couldn’t (4,3,4)

TURN THE TIDE : Cryptic defn: Reference to the story of King Canute who ordered the tide to stop coming in. Though proverbial usage casts this as arrogance on Canute’s part, the original story had the humble Canute giving the order, knowing that it wouldn’t be followed, as an illustration of the powerlessness of kings.

Down

1����Party member‘s open-minded to comrade’s reform model (7,8)

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT : LIBERAL(open-minded) plus(to) anagram of(�’s reform) COMRADE + T(the model of Ford car).

Defn: Member of the 3rd largest party in the UK.

2����Doctor mourns dropping university standards (5)

NORMS : Anagram of(Doctor) “mourns ” minus(dropping) “u”(abbrev. for “university”).

3����Jeopardise prime development on island lake (7)

IMPERIL : Anagram of(� development) PRIME placed above(on, in a down clue) I(abbrev. for “island”) + L(abbrev. for “lake”).

4����Escaped with 40% of goods, thanks to wife’s agreement (3,4)

GOT AWAY : The first 2 letters out of 5 of(40% of) “goods ” + TA(short for “Thanks”;thank you) plus(to) W(abbrev. for “wife”) + AY(aye;an expression of agreement).

5����I see said vision (8)

EYESIGHT : Homophone of(� said) “I” + SIGHT(as a verb).

6����Putin regime’s inner circle time and time again taking drug – it’s a dangerous game (7,8)

RUSSIAN ROULETTE : RUSSIAN RULE(as Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia might be called) containing(�’s inner;contraction of “� has inner”) O(the letter signifying a circle) + 2x(� and � again) T(abbrev. for “time”) plus(taking) E(abbrev. for the drug, Ecstasy).

7����Espy original child within the inner self (6)

PSYCHE : Anagram of(� original) ESPY containing(� within) CH(abbrev. for “child”).

8����Joins college climbing club (6)

UNITES : UNI(short for “university”;college) + reversal of(climbing, in a down clue) SET(a group of persons with sharing common interests;a club).

15����Live more recklessly and cause confusion! (8)

BEWILDER : [BE WILDER](to live more recklessly).

16����Doctor wearing jacket in battle (6)

COMBAT : MB(abbrev. for “Bachelor of Medicine”;a doctor) contained in(wearing) COAT(a jacket).

17����Most ridiculous fellow’s supporting lawyer on trial (7)

DAFTEST : [ F(abbrev. for “fellow”) placed below(supporting, in a down clue) D.A.(abbrev. for “District Attorney”;a lawyer in the US) ] placed above(on, in a down clue) TEST(a trial).

18����Cold going into pick treat from the freezer! (4,3)

CHOC ICE : C(abbrev. for “cold”) contained in(going into) CHOICE(a pick;a selection).

20����Insect eats son and one daughter to get by (6)

BESIDE : BEE(an insect) containing(eats) [ S(abbrev. for “son”) + I(Roman numeral for “one”) + D(abbrev. for “daughter”) ].

23����Eastern city‘s hospital has a new oxygen unit (5)

HANOI : H(abbrev. for “hospital”) plus(has) + N(abbrev. for “new”) + O(in chemistry, the symbol for the element, oxygen) + I(Roman numeral for “one”;a unit).