Times 26,303: My Interrobang Won’t Come Back

I don’t know what the record is for number of question marks in the clues of a Times crossword, but double figures of them seemed quite a lot, and was probably a good sign that we were in for something a bit more oblique and wavelengthy than the average. In the event I finished under the 10 minute mark, which I was happy enough with, having hesitated only over the relatively unknown but lucidly clued COCKLOFT and PAIR-OAR. I *almost* committed a classic Verlaine off-by-one as my perverse impish fingers initially entered LEFT-HANDER at 3dn, but even my post-pub brain couldn’t let that one slip past the wordplay in question.

Some fun semi-&lits to enjoy here at 1dn, 9ac, perhaps even 8dn, but my COD is probably 14dn whose “on-line clip” afforded me a good chortle when the penny dropped. Many thanks to the setter: that was a lot of fun!

Across
1	COCKLOFT – room at the top: C [chapter] with reverse of FOLK [people “turning”] in COT [bed]
5	WRAP UP – finish off: WRAP [sandwich] wanting [“seconds of”] {s}U{mptuous} {s}P{read}
9	WAR – something fought: W [with] + AR{ms} [weapons? “not half”]
10	FREE SPIRITS – uninhibited types: double def with “drinks on the house”
12	OFF THE HOOK – no longer under threat: double def with “close to Dutch cape, perhaps” (i.e. the Hook of Holland)
13	SOLO – fly aircraft: homophone of SO LOW [very | near to the ground, “it’s said”]
15	ELANDS – wild beasts: E LANDS (as in eastern lands) are suggested by “China, etc?”
16	MALARIA – fever: reverse of LAM [“comeback of” hit] + ARIA [song]
18	ANISEED – spice: A [of top quality] + IS in NEED [demand]
20	WETTED – sprayed water on: WEED [plant], TT [dry] inside
23	LIEN – right: LIE [don’t get up] before N [noon]
24	PICARESQUE – telling of rogue: P.I. [private investigator] + RE [note] protected by CASQUE [helmet]
26	CHARITY SHOP – fund-raising outlet: CHAR IT’S HOP [daily | it’s | bound] to collect Y [variable amount]
27	INN – watering hole: I [current] + N N [names]
28	RUDISH – rather vulgar: R.U. DISH [rugby players’ | pin-up?]
29	PROGRESS – passage: PROG RE SS [short TV broadcast | about | ship]

Down
1	COWPOX – disease: C OW P OX [C{attle} “principally” | that hurt | quiet | bovine]
2	CAREFUL – meticulous: REF [judge] wearing CAUL [head cover]
3	LEFT-HANDED – awkward: HAND [assistant] brought in by LEFT ED [New Statesman editor?]
4	FRESH AS A DAISY – energetic: suggested by “so blooming cheeky”, fresh being cheeky, and a daisy being something blooming
6	RUIN – financial crash: {b}RUIN [bear “losing capital”]
7	PAIR-OAR – racing boat: PAI{n} [“endless” nuisance] with ROAR [engine noise]
8	PASTORAL – picture of countryside: PAST O R.A. [by | old | artist] overlooking L [lake]
11	STORMY WEATHER – number (1933 song, performed by Lena Horne, Billie Holiday et al) : in STORE [shop], MY W [my | wife] will get A THE [two articles] + R [right]
14	CLOTHES PEG – on-line clip: C{a}L{l}O{w} [“oddly”] + THESP E.G. [actor | say]
17	CABLE CAR – carriage: CAB [compartment] taking L [fifty] + reverse of RACE [people “up”]
19	IRELAND – republic: (A LINER*) [“at sea”] + D [“heading for” D{ominican}]
21	ESQUIRE – man’s address: (QUERIES*) [“doctor”]
22	DENNIS – fellow: reverse of SINNED [strayed “to the north”]
25	PILS – beer: P{up}ILS [students “who’ve not kept up”]