There is never anything new to say about Dac. As usual this is a thoroughly neat and satisfactory crossword. I found it a little harder than Dac usually is, although when I look back at the clues there seems to be no reason for this.
Definitions underlined.
Across
1 Seat in a horrid WC’s wobbly (7,5)
WINDSOR CHAIR
(in a horrid WC’s)*
9 Bandleader fell over, grabbing woman (5)
FREDA
Reverse hidden in BandleADER Fell
10 Starting to circulate around a heavenly body (5,4)
GIANT STAR
(Starting)* round a — it might be complained that we have ‘star’ in both clue and answer, but since they don’t refer to the same thing I don’t think it matters
11 Protein in eggs and beer? The reverse (7)
ELASTIN
(nits ale)rev.
12 Withdraw after eating large feast (7)
BLOWOUT
(bow out) round l
13 Ancient language, one lords misused (3,5)
OLD NORSE
(one lords)*
15 Put in prison, outlaw wants dog returned (4,2)
BANG UP
ban (pug)rev.
18 French soldier captured in Crecy ran off (6)
CYRANO
Hidden in CreCY RAN Off — I think this refers to Cyrano de Bergerac, who spent some time in the military
19 Music maker introducing really big-time comic, formerly (8)
COSTELLO
c(os t)ello — ref. Abbott and Costello
21 Good-natured fellow features in a story (7)
AFFABLE
a f(f)able
23 Rescue fifty held captive by brute (7)
SALVAGE
sa(L)vage
25 Animal seen by lake in splendid grazing area (9)
GRASSLAND
gr(ass l)and
26 Oliver? Leading parts in that would interest some thespians (5)
TWIST
t{hat} w{ould} i{nterest} s{ome} t{hespians}
27 Put off food consumed about mid-afternoon with newspaper chief (12)
DISHEARTENED
(dish eaten) round {afte}r{noon}, ed
Down
2 I cleared out, giving accommodation to north countryman (9)
ICELANDER
(I cleared)* round N
3 Drive onto part of ship? That’s the plan (5)
DRAFT
dr. aft
4 Order Paper is presented to House, ultimately (8)
ORGANISE
organ is {hous}e
5 Ill-tempered councillor bouncing baby (6)
CRABBY
cr (baby)*
6 Bottom in algebra? For revision turns to a high-flier (9)
ASTRONAUT
{algebr}a (turns to a)*
7 Old-fashioned postal worker, demanding rise, hasn’t succeeded (5)
RETRO
({s}orter)rev.
8 True-sounding professional detective needing time to safeguard what’s on computer? (5-7)
WRITE-PROTECT
“right” pro tec t
9 Unlikely to be summoned to court? That’s priceless! (4,2,6)
FREE OF CHARGE
If you are unlikely to be summoned to court, you don’t have a charge made against you, so are free of charge
14 Old writer inspired by Calliope and Erato, say, will produce volumes (9)
OMNIBUSES
o m(nib)uses — Calliope and Erato were two of the Nine Muses
16 Shock as vehicle is caught in heavy wind (9)
GALVANISE
gal(van is)e
17 Think about Tory party dominating right (8)
CONSIDER
Con. side r
20 Soldiers confronting wicked threat (6)
MENACE
men ace — ace = wicked in the already rather dated yoofspeak
22 Swindle woman from Bonn, Germany (5)
FRAUD
Frau [= woman from Bonn] D
24 A person avoiding alcohol is into the French style of coffee (5)
LATTE
l(a TT)e
As ever with Dac an enjoyable puzzle that was fairly clued. I’ve probably heard of a WINDSOR CHAIR before but I’d forgotten it so I’m glad the anagram fodder was helpful. COSTELLO was my LOI after GALVANISE.
Some very nice clues here that would have been harder without crossing letters to help out. 10 had some nice misdirection with the starting as the anagram fodder and the anagram was also well hidden in 6.
I agree with John that this was a bit harder than usual, but nothing too extreme. I stared at 19A for ages with only one thought: “Portillo”. Eventually I dragged my mind away to find the right answer. Unbelievably, because I’ve seen just the same clue and answer elsewhere, 20D, “menace”, was my last answer.
Thanks Dac and John.
I enjoyed this, in particular WINDSOR CHAIR, CYRANO, DISHEARTENED and OMNIBUSES.