No time to declare as I was interrupted but I think this will prove to be on the harder side. There’s the odd philosopher and Dickensian character to deal with as well as some tricky-ish 12 letter answers and a smattering of double definitions. Good luck!
Definitions are underlined.
| Across | |
| 1 | Current run taken by Scottish philosopher (8) |
| MILLRACE – run (RACE) beside Scottish philosopher (MILL) – 1773 to 1836 – no, I hadn’t heard of him either. | |
| 5 | Young creature identified by US city doctor (4) |
| LAMB – US city (LA), doctor (MB). | |
| 9 | Report of examination relating to the ears (5) |
| AURAL – homophone (report of) examination – oral. | |
| 10 | A French waterway lacking security? (7) |
| UNSOUND – ‘a’ in French (UN), waterway (SOUND). | |
| 11 | TV inspector impolite about good Dickensian halfwit (7,5) |
| BARNABY RUDGE – TV inspector in Midsomer (BARNABY), impolite (RUDE) about good (G). Mr. Rudge wandered around with a pet raven called Grip for some reason. | |
| 13 | Liberal at site of cathedral in the recent past (6) |
| LATELY – liberal (L), at (AT), site of cathedral (ELY). | |
| 15 | Menu item’s recent re-emergence, somewhat reduced (6) |
| ENTREE – a reduced form of rec(ENT REE)mergence. | |
| 17 | Openness familiar to photographers (12) |
| TRANSPARENCY – double definition. | |
| 20 | A couple of blokes introducing a form of forage (7) |
| ALFALFA – a couple of blokes (ALF ALF) plus an a (A). | |
| 21 | Chap showing interest at first in bird of prey (5) |
| ERNIE – another bloke. (I)nterest inside bird of prey (ERNE). | |
| 22 | Make an impression, and so on, with husband (4) |
| ETCH – and so on (ETC), husband (H). | |
| 23 | Graduate motionless beside European fortress (8) |
| BASTILLE – graduate (BA), motionless (STILL) beside European (E). Initially, I underlined European fortress but realised the ‘E’ is used in the parsing. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Part of grain provided for breakfast, perhaps (4) |
| MEAL – double definition. The first is a rough powder made from crushed grain. | |
| 2 | Immature form of life right in centre of volcanic discharge (5) |
| LARVA – following on from ‘lamb’ above. Right (R) in centre of volcanic discharge (LAVA). | |
| 3 | Harshly made fewer advances in bank (12) |
| RELENTLESSLY – made fewer advances (LENT LESS) inside bank (RELY). Well, I liked this one so award it COD but is it a bit convoluted for newer solvers? Let me know. | |
| 4 | Like bread — inferior, by the sound of it (6) |
| CRUMBY – homophone (by the sound of it) of crummy. | |
| 6 | In pieces, in the manner indicated below (7) |
| ASUNDER – in the manner upindicated below (AS UNDER). | |
| 7 | Pestered, wanting emblem of bright colour (8) |
| BADGERED – emblem (BADGE), bright colour (RED). | |
| 8 | Separation of weird blokes in Egypt’s borders (12) |
| ESTRANGEMENT – weird blokes (STRANGE MEN) inside (E)gyp(T). Similar clue construction to 3dn. | |
| 12 | Dull ship’s officer, one sharing apartment (8) |
| FLATMATE – dull (FLAT), ship’s officer (MATE). | |
| 14 | Trade in motor vehicles? (7) |
| TRAFFIC – double definition. | |
| 16 | Mostly own an area in Caribbean capital (6) |
| HAVANA – mostly own (HAV)e, an (AN), area (A). | |
| 18 | Is Capone able to identify a watercourse? (5) |
| CANAL – is Capone able to (CAN AL Capone). | |
| 19 | He entertains the Queen in this place (4) |
| HERE – he (HE) entertains the Queen (ER). | |
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