I did like 6dn once fully parsed (I cannot tell a lie, though, I biffed it immediately upon spotting that the second word was HAND). WOD may be 25dn as I never knew that underwriters could also OVERWRITE.
Thank you to the setter, and now, time to eat something and then back to bed with me!
Definitions underlined, (ABC)* indicating anagram of ABC, {} deletions and [] other indicators.
Across
1 Locums, accepting pressure, give a lot back (8)
STOPGAPS – reversed SAG POTS [give | a lot], “accepting” P(ressure)
5 In the future, share whatever part remains (6)
OFFCUT – OFF [in the future, as in “a few days off”] + CUT [share]
10 Again tried to pass weapon back (5)
RESAT – reversed TASER
11 Sauce lost when cooking stew (9)
CASSOULET – (SAUCE LOST*), FOI
12 Leader of strategists in Carthage prepared to invade (4-5)
GATE-CRASH – S{trategists} in (CARTHAGE*)
13 Scavenger in middle of Sahara repressing thirst (5)
HYENA – {sa}HA{ra} “repressing” YEN [thirst]
14 Sucker repeatedly hit target (7)
LAMPREY – LAM PREY [repeatedly hit | target]
16 Clear out drain (3,3)
RUN OFF – double def
18 Gunners support non-firing weapon (6)
RAPIER – R(oyal) A(rtillery) PIER [gunners | support]
20 Trouper‘s safe, heading off aboard wagon (7)
VETERAN – {p}ETER “aboard” VAN
22 Term for online currency, such as pony? (5)
EQUID – or an E-QUID
23 Standard mass for cardinal (9)
PARAMOUNT – PAR AMOUNT [standard | mass]
25 Take on extra risk with service, chasing succession of balls (9)
OVERWRITE – W(ith) RITE, chasing a cricket OVER
26 Nameless dead artist’s intensely dark shade (5)
UMBRA – {n}UMB R(oyal) A(cademician)
27 Dad and I voiced early cartoon character (6)
POPEYE – POP and homophone of I
28 Canny guards somewhat short of rupees, like dad (8)
FATHERLY – FLY “guards” {r}ATHER
Down
1 Ulster ground hosting grand golf contest (8)
STRUGGLE – (ULSTER*) “hosting” G(rand) G(olf). LOI, appropriately
2 Start running group (5)
ONSET – ON SET [running | group]
3 Goes OTT, as sit-down protester often does? (4,7,4)
GETS CARRIED AWAY – colourful double def with the image of a sit-down protest being hauled off physically by police
4 Porcine mammal upended mushroom with a piercing yell (7)
PECCARY – reversed CEP with A “piercing” CRY
6 In poverty since employee (male) exposed husband (4,4,2,5)
FROM HAND TO MOUTH – FROM HAND TOM OUT H
7 Named driver’s caution delivered verbally, being required (6,3)
CALLED FOR – CALLED [named] plus homophone of FORE!
8 Striking red songbird in another’s nest to start with (6)
TITIAN – TIT + I{n} A{nother’s} N{est}
9 For contracting, chooses the right book (6)
ESTHER – hidden in {choos}ES THE R{ight}
15 Allotment raised to meet specifications (7,2)
MEASURE UP – MEASURE [allotment] + UP [raised]
17 Irregular stay, with nude dancing (8)
UNSTEADY – (STAY + NUDE*)
19 Discharged agent gets help (6)
REPAID – REP gets AID
20 Initially viewing mountain peak in time to see flower (7)
VERBENA – V{iewing} + BEN in ERA
21 Enforced change of leadership after troops get back (6)
RECOUP – COUP [enforced regime change] after R(oyal) E(ngineers)
24 Open University finally given added distinction (5)
UNBAR – U(niversity) {give}N + BAR [added distinction, in heraldry?]
Get well soon, V!
Not sure about the vocabulary being colourless, VERBENA and PECCARY were both NHO for me. Another nervous journey into the pink void until I got the thumbs up.
COD to GETS CARRIED AWAY, in lieu of any other stand-out candidates.
Thanks setter and V.
The only queries I had were with STOPGAPS and LAMPREY so thanks to verlaine for those. I spent some time trying make Limpet, or variation thereof, work with 14ac.
FOI: STRUGGLE
LOI: OFFCUT
COD: GETS CARRIED AWAY with runner-up prize to OVERWRITE.
Edited at 2021-11-26 10:11 am (UTC)
It’ll be some unCALLED FOR tit”
Then my thinking head said
“No it’s some type of red”
Life’s a STRUGGLE when I’m such a twit
Re 24 across. Dunno about heraldry, but bars are associated with medals awarded multiple times
P.S. Hands up if you spotted the allusion to Worzel Gummidge in line 3
Edited at 2021-11-26 08:48 am (UTC)
– Never knew FLY could mean “canny” – spent an age trying to fit in “sly” or “wily”. (However failing to get FATHERLY from —H—Y is a bit feeble)
– Failed to decode “with service” as W RITE to make the obvious but rather improbable OVEWRRITE. I’ve ignored “with” in clues once too often
– Need to remember to try BEN in addition to the others (COL, ALP) for mountain
Mood nonplussed – wondering when I’ll finally break the Friday hex
21.45 for me today; nho peccary but clueing gave it easily enough.
Really enjoyed this otherwise. Forgot that peter=safe, so I didn’t parse VETERAN and only got it once all the checkers were in place, and I didn’t know that TITIAN can mean red in colour, but bit by bit the clues fell into place. Thanks setter and blogger.
FOI 1dn STRUGGLE
LOI 24dn UNBAR
COD 8dn TITIAN red is commonly found In paint boxes
WOD 4dn PECCARY
Time: 34 Friday minutes
Steady solve; no dramas. NHO peccary, but wp was obvious.
Thanks, v.
I prefer V’s “a few days OFF” to my OF for “in the” plus F(uture), but at the time it didn’t matter.
I don’t think the BAR in 24d is heraldry, it’s a second or further award of a medal. It’s happened 3 times for the VC, but of course many times for lesser honours.
I gritted my teeth as seconds ticked away and parsed UMBRA properly, having thought most (if not all) crossword artists are dead anyway, and wondering whether one of them was UMBRAN.
Wishing the languishing V a speedy return to health.
13′ 50″, thanks verlaine (get well soon) and thanks to setter.
Bits and pieces in the left half building up slowly from the bottom — finally left with the three near the top: STOPGAPS, ONSET, RESAT solved in that order, and UNBAR down in the SE corner, which took considerable thought.
Re lampreys, I remember the surviving one of the Two Fat Ladies doing a TV programme cooking Elizabethan food, which included a lamprey pie. It looked truly disgusting. Actually the whole meal did. I think I picked the right Elizabethan reign to be born in.
Lampreys are (were) a big problem in the Great Lakes. The pie is trying to start a demand for them. Meanwhile expensive lamprey-catching is used. Chemical – pheromones.
Andyf
I liked EQUID but COD: GETS CARRIED AWAY.
LOI — 1ac “Stopgaps”.
Edited at 2021-11-26 11:45 am (UTC)
FOI CASSOULET (which I must try one day)
LOI TITIAN
COD GETS CARRIED AWAY (also liked EQUID)
TIME 9:34
I wonder if EQUID was originally submitted without the ‘Term for’ part of the clue? I parsed its final version as ‘Term for online’ = E, but I guess either interpretation works.
Frank Zappa took up one side of an album with a song called Greggery Peccary. It’s not up there with his really freaky stuff, but you’re unlikely to hear it played on the Radio 2 breakfast show.
Edited at 2021-11-26 01:56 pm (UTC)
Anyway enjoyed this one and thanks our sickly blogger (get well soon) and setter.
Nearly came a cropper with umbra having encountered umber only this week in a previous puzzle.
Ths setter and get well soon blogger.
I’ve got a heavy cold but have found Lemsip with added fresh lemon juice, a teaspoon of honey and a good jigger of brandy/ whisky/ rum ( according to preference) works wonders! Repeat as necessary.
While Titian was mixing rose madder
His model reclined nude up a ladder
Her position, to Titian
Suggested coition
So be nipped up the ladder and ‘ad ‘er!