ACROSS
1. Solicitor – legal adviser. Very (SO), proper (LICIT), otherwise (OR).
6. Bat – club. Bill (TAB) rejected/backwards.
8. Amateur – layman. A (A), anagram (strange) of TEAM, game (RU) backwards again but this time using recalled.
9. Issue – double definition.
10. All systems go – ready. Anagram (to be thrown) of MY LOT GLASSES.
12. Father – priest. Two articles (A, THE) inside (brought in by) French (FR).
13. Parson – clergyman – continuing the theme. Mean (PAR=average), boy (SON).
16. Consequences – double definition. One is ends=outcomes the other the game in which each player writes down a part of a story, folds over the paper, and passes it on to another player who continues the story. After several stages, the resulting (nonsensical) stories are read out.
19. Lagos – port. Gallons (G) in Asian country (LAOS).
20. Preview – sampler. Vicar and I (REV, I) inside (occupying) church bench (PEW).
22. Yet – still. In Sk(YE T)erriers.
23. Naturally – double definition.
DOWN
1. Shaw – playwright. In Dawli(SH A W)esker. Tracy’s ahead of me on literary knowledge. Sir A (Arnold) Wesker FRSL was a British dramatist known for his contributions to world drama. As I’m in Devon now I can’t get away from Dawlish the town, but assume Dawlish is a writer/or character. COD to a clever clue (too clever for me).
2. Leaflet – circular. Meadow (LEA), anagram (to be worked) of LEFT.
3. Cue – signal. Copper (CU) on (E)minence.
4. Thrash – party – it was a good thrash/bash. Nonsense (TRASH) written around hotel (H).
5. Raise Cain – cause a commotion. List (RAISE), one (I) inside prison (CAN).
6. Basis – first principle. I (I) put into singer (BASS).
7. Tie down – fix. Match (TIE), in advance (DOWN – put £100 down – as an advance payment).
11. Stevenson – novelist. Extreme letter of (S)hor(T), church service (EVENSON)g – without the last letter (curtailed).
12. Faculty – university department. About (C) to enter wrong (FAULTY – as in logic).
14. Special – memorable. Anagram (resort) of IS PLACE.
15. Puppet – dummy. (P)op, up (UP), favourite (PET).
17. Night – darkness. Anagram (confusing) of THING.
18. Away – apart. A (A), street (WAY).
21. Err – sin. English (E), bishop (RR).
And 12d. About = C ?
That is a new one on me.
Got solicitor but couldn’t see why. Thanks blogger.
Just looked up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circa
I’ll see if I can store that one away.
Last few were Father, consequences, Stevenson and faculty.
Couldn’t see why naturally was artless but clear now. Dnk party = thrash.
COD faculty
Ru for rugby union.
GeoffH 5’15”
CSky
Some new ones for me (probably not for experienced solvers):
RU for game? Why Rugby Union? Why not proper football or snooker or tiddly winks for that matter…
Issue being a double definition for problem and children. The first one yes, but children? Am I missing something??!!
Bass for singer?
RR for bishop?
I must write some of these down otherwise I will never progress….
DR31
RR for Bishop is short for Right Reverend.
Time to go and lie down for a bit to recover
Plett11
must be a wavelength thing
DaveG
LOI was Consequences ; did not know the game but meaning was clear. 4d held me up until Thrash occurred to me; have heard it used to describe a party.
COD 14d David
LOI was Consequences ; did not know the game but meaning was clear. 4d held me up until Thrash occurred to me; have heard it used to describe a party.
COD 14d David