Solving time: 35 minutes. A much clearer run than yesterday with no unknown words or meanings, nor any other problems.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. I usually omit all reference to positional indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
| Across | |
| 1 | Your health the worst: drink! (7,2) |
| BOTTOMS UP : BOTTOM (the worst), SUP (drink). “Cheers!” | |
| 6 | Confirmation is academic, being empty? (5) |
| PROOF : PROF (academic) containing 0 [being empty] | |
| 9 | Patron supposed to be heard? (5) |
| GUEST : Sounds like [to be heard] “guessed” (supposed) | |
| 10 | Good, fertile housing market initially in brief dip (9) |
| ADMIRABLE : ARABLE (fertile) containing [housing] M{arket} [initially] which is itself contained by [in] DI{p} [brief] | |
| 11 | An imperative in confidentiality agreement? Who knows? (3,5,3,4) |
| YOU NEVER CAN TELL : The alternative reading is a command or imperative. An expression that’s been used as the title of a play by Bernard Shaw and a song by Chuck Berry. | |
| 13 | Cult said to be in pieces (8) |
| SECTORAL : SECT (cult), ORAL (said) | |
| 14 | Driving aid positioned in front of reversing vehicle (6) |
| SATNAV : SAT (positioned), VAN (vehicle) reversing | |
| 16 | Fruit is getting watered, presumably? (6) |
| RAISIN : IS in RAIN (so getting watered, presumably) | |
| 18 | Comedian absolutely right to defend further comment (8) |
| QUIPSTER : QUITE (absolutely) contains [to defend] PS (further comment – post script), then R (right) | |
| 21 | After gallivanting, in with flush, high card too much to expect? (7,8) |
| WISHFUL THINKING : Anagram [gallivanting] of IN WITH FLUSH, then KING (high card) | |
| 23 | Put out sepulchre that’s cut in stone (9) |
| AGGRAVATE : GRAV{e} (sepulchre) [cut] contained by [in] AGATE (stone). It was helpful that the stone came up only yesterday. | |
| 25 | Star featuring in musical is terrific (1-4) |
| A-LIST : Hidden [featuring] in {music}AL IS T{errific} | |
| 26 | Skirt on back of horizontal shelf (5) |
| LEDGE : {horizonta}L [back], EDGE (skirt) | |
| 27 | State failed doctor in Irish country (4,5) |
| EAST TIMOR : Anagram [failed] of STATE, then MO (doctor) contained by [in] IR (Irish) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Vehicle experiencing programming malfunction? (5) |
| BUGGY : A straight definition and a cryptic hint | |
| 2 | Hunger matters around mealtime, starter polished off before one (3,8) |
| THE MUNCHIES : THEMES (matters) containing [around] {l}UNCH (mealtime) [starter polished off] + I (one) | |
| 3 | In action working, he got to work (2,3,2) |
| ON THE GO : ON (working), anagram [to work] of HE GOT | |
| 4 | Key establishment selling out-of-this-world drinks? (5,3) |
| SPACE BAR : A straight definition and a cryptic hint | |
| 5 | Englishman abroad, one remains reduced to a pulp (6) |
| POMACE : POM (Englishman abroad), ACE (one). Collins: The pulpy residue of apples or similar fruit after crushing and pressing, as in cider-making. | |
| 6 | Predator managed to gatecrash a joint from the basement? (7) |
| PIRANHA : RAN (managed) contained by [to gatecrash] A HIP (joint) reversed [from the basement] | |
| 7 | Eye relative up (3) |
| ORB : BRO (relative) reversed [up]. Somewhat poetic, I think. | |
| 8 | Fling in cash for sybarite (4-5) |
| FREE-LIVER : REEL (fling – dance) contained by [in] FIVER (cash). I understand the dances are subtly different but for crossword purposes are probably close enough. | |
| 12 | Radioactive element beginning to escape in minutes, I suspect (11) |
| EINSTEINIUM : E{scape} [beginning], anagram [suspect] of IN MINUTES I | |
| 13 | Cheat on bouncer, odd character (9) |
| SCREWBALL : SCREW (cheat), BALL (bouncer) | |
| 15 | Savage not to be trusted after a scalping? (8) |
| RUTHLESS : {t}RUTHLESS (not to be trusted) [after a scalping] | |
| 17 | Swell occupying fifth apartment? (7) |
| INFLATE : IN (occupying), FLAT E (fifth apartment) | |
| 19 | Writer and poet ultimately wanting jewellery (7) |
| PENDANT : PEN (writer), DANT{e} (poet) [ultimately wanting] | |
| 20 | Beer bottles container for French region (6) |
| ALSACE : ALE (beer) contains [bottles] SAC (container) | |
| 22 | Snapper dropping camera went to mender, finally (5) |
| GATOR : {droppin}G, {camer}A, {wen}T, {t}O, {mende}R [finally] | |
| 24 | Being worshipped, boxer, say, lifted up (3) |
| GOD : DOG (boxer, say) reversed [lifted up] | |
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