I seemed to be on the wavelength with this one. Not a total write-in, as several clues needed returning to for a second go, but on the gentle end of the spectrum.
Definition underlined.
| Across | |
| 1 | Arena, attractive thing for opener (4-4) |
| RING-PULL – RING (arena) and PULL (attractive thing). | |
| 5 | Briton back on his bed (4) |
| SCOT – last letter of (back on) hiS and COT (bed). | |
| 9 | Brazilian steps into cheongsam bashfully (5) |
| SAMBA – hidden in (into) cheongSAM BAshfully. The unusual bit of vocab here, which one doesn’t need to know, is a fashionable Chinese dress. | |
| 10 | Trouble with soldier, perhaps, brave (7) |
| GALLANT – GALL (trouble) and ANT (soldier, perhaps). | |
| 11 | Intention to finish (3) |
| END – double definition. | |
| 12 | Hawk in range, worm agitated (9) |
| WARMONGER – anagram of (agitated) RANGE WORM. | |
| 13 | Red fruit carpet also’s covered (6) |
| TOMATO – TOO (also) containing (has covered) MAT (carpet). | |
| 15 | Reform of trades looked hard (6) |
| STARED – anagram (reform) of TRADES. | |
| 17 | Ticket seller cooler after fight cancelled (3,6) |
| BOX OFFICE – ICE (cooler) after BOX (fight) and OFF (cancelled). | |
| 19 | Force in London encountered (3) |
| MET – double definition. | |
| 20 | Passage runs into bar (7) |
| EXCERPT – R (runs) contained by (into) EXCEPT (bar). | |
| 21 | Top grade, as it happens, existing (5) |
| ALIVE – A (top grade) and LIVE (as it happens). | |
| 22 | Take courses perhaps in English following row (4) |
| DINE – E (English) following DIN (row). | |
| 23 | Dog leads on rumbustious Yorkies, mine (8) |
| COLLIERY – COLLIE (dog) then the first letters from (leads on) Rumbustious Yorkies. | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Admire sceptre that’s fake (7) |
| RESPECT – anagram of (that’s fake) SCEPTRE. | |
| 2 | No bananas for wanderer (5) |
| NOMAD – NO and MAD (bananas). | |
| 3 | Wily father I suspect after power — tempt fate (4,4,4) |
| PLAY WITH FIRE – anagram of (suspect) WILY FATHER I after P (power). | |
| 4 | Served up, magnificent drink (5) |
| LAGER – reversal of (served up) REGAL (magnificent). | |
| 6 | Horse: might one be on the phone? (7) |
| CHARGER – definition and cryptic hint. | |
| 7 | Egyptian king or teacher (5) |
| TUTOR – TUT (Egyptian king) then OR. | |
| 8 | Something to swat with The Observer? (3,2,3,4) |
| FLY ON THE WALL – double definition. Actually, it deserves a better description, but I dont have one. It’s a bit &lit-ish, but using a double definition ‘device’ for the wordplay reading. Or maybe it’s a cryptic defintion? | |
| 14 | National average inspiring cricket team, hundred following (7) |
| MEXICAN – MEAN (average) containing (inspiring) XI (eleven, cricket team) and C (hundred). | |
| 16 | Unable to think clearly, that chap in Dirty Dancing (7) |
| DITHERY – HE (that chap) contained by (in) an angram of (dancing) DIRTY. | |
| 17 | Roll of money? (5) |
| BREAD – double definition. | |
| 18 | Piece of counterpoint, roughly a couple of bars to start (5) |
| INTRO – hidden in (piece of) counterpoINT ROughly. | |
| 19 | Reportedly predominant state (5) |
| MAINE – sounds like (reportedly) “main” (predominant). | |
Had to change the login as Toxshot and the other Mark Davis seem to have vanished.
Can one of the moderators help?
Cheers