A Puzzle by Faz
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The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
As usual, the setter will be delighted to receive feedback from you, the solvers. We do ask that you remember that for most setters this is a new experience, so please only offer constructive criticism.
As with previous crosswords, Faz has the ideas for good clues but sometimes does not quite bring them to completion. The commentometer reads as 4 / 30 or 13.3%
Across
1a No sex in interminable performance with heavyweight in charge (8)
PLATONIC: A four-letter word for a theatrical performance without the final letter (interminable) followed by a three-letter word for a heavy weight and the abbreviation for in charge.
5a Fish drifting off? (6)
KIPPER: Double definition. I think that the second needs “one drifting off” to work.
10a You must be joking, Yank – not this? (4,3,5,3)
PULL THE OTHER ONE: A four-letter word meaning yank followed by a phrase (3,5,3) meaning not this.
11a Return to court after upsetting scripture lesson inside (7)
RETRIAL: A reversal (upsetting) of a five-letter word meaning after with the abbreviation for religious instruction (scripture lesson) inside it.
12a In gaols, when nothing replaces right, killers emerge (7)
POISONS: a seven-letter word for gaols with the letter representing nothing replacing the abbreviation for right.
13a Say, Sherlock’s wordplay is plain stuff (8)
HOMESPUN: A homophone (say) of Holmes (Sherlock) followed by a three-letter word for wordplay.
15a Alter a mark of fate (5)
KARMA: An anagram (alter) of A MARK. Try to avoid wordplay of definition as the clue structure.
18a Ray located back in fire sale (5)
LASER: The answer is hidden and reversed (located back) in the final two word of the clue.
20a Cure for foolish adoration? (8)
ANTIDOTE: Something that might stop doting.
23a Deluded thinking is wonderful (7)
MAGICAL: Double definition. I don’t think that the first part of the definition really works.
25a Captivate Parisian in love (7)
ENAMOUR: How the French (Parisian) might say in love.
26a It’s chaotic everywhere (3,4,3,5)
ALL OVER THE PLACE: Double definition.
27a No leader for Troubles – find alternatives (6)
OTHERS: A seven-letter word for troubles without the initial letter (no leader for).
28a Verona‘s hard drug (8)
IRONWEED: A four-letter word meaning hard followed by a four-letter word for cannabis (drug).
Down
1d US dad and little Arthur make bold movement (3,3)
POP ART: A three-letter American word for dad followed by the diminutive form (little) of Arthur.
2d Spilled nut oils with blood on top get a clean-up (9)
ABLUTIONS: An anagram (spilled) of NUT OILS after a blood group. Whilst I am tolerant of surface readings, there are limits. This is pretty bizarre. More importantly, AB is a blood type, not blood itself.  Perhaps getting a clean would be a better structure otherwise the clue resolves to wordplay get solution.
3d Where to find those lacking convictions? (7)
OUTSIDE: Where someone not in prison (lacking convictions) would be.
4d Brainwave by student is best, in theory (5)
IDEAL: A four-letter word for a brainwave followed by the abbreviation for learner (student).
6d Controversial US group to select a sharp tool (3,4)
ICE PICK: A three-letter abbreviation for the currently controversial American Immigration and Customs Enforcement follow by a four-letter word meaning select.
7d Dance with nothing on for publicity (5)
PROMO: A four-letter word for an end of school year dance followed by the letter representing nothing. In a down clue, A with B on implies B is before (not after) A. Also there is a repetition of nothing for O – see 12a.
8d Confused hero, stuck on a bit of data, gets dimmer (8)
RHEOSTAT: An anagram (confused) of HERO followed by (stuck on) a four-letter word for a bit of data.
9d Not quite set point, get a move on (4,2,2)
STEP ON IT: A minor rearrangement (not quite) of a SET POINT.
14d Oyster hunters taking tumbles, apparently (8)
PEARLERS: A homophone (apparently) of purlers (taking tumbles).
16d Reasons to restrict the availability of beer (9)
RATIONALE: Split 6, 3 this would indicate restricting the availability of ale.
17d Climber, last of group with acute back pain (8)
PLUMBAGO: The last letter (last) of group followed by a seven-letter word for back pain.
19d Paint again, get better (7)
RECOVER: Double definition.
21d Numb before scan, keeping a straight face (7)
DEADPAN: A four-letter word meaning numb followed by a three-letter word meaning scan.
22d China has Fred in confusion? (6)
FRIEND: An anagram (confusion) of FRED IN. Having confused for an anagram indicator in 8d, an alternative to confusion in this clue would be better.
24d Gorge rising, pull on chain (5)
GULCH: A reversal (rising) of a three-letter word meaning pull followed by the abbreviation for chain.
25d Mythical stuff found in Soviet heresy (5)
ETHER: The answer is hidden (found in) in the last two words of the clue. There is a minor repetition of in as a hidden word indicator (found in and located back in – see 18a).
An enjoyable solve that was all going together smoothly for us until we came to 28a. We got the answer from the wordplay and checkers but could not find a connection between Verona and the somewhat similar name of a plant genus. Perhaps we are missing something.
Our favourite is 13a.
Thanks Faz.
Thanks Faz for another enjoyable challenge to round out my weekend of cruciverbalism.
Smiles for 5a, 20a, 16d, and 22d.
I will beat RD to it – the dance in 7d is an Americanism.
Perhaps I have got it wrong but I have a problem with 28a which I solved correctly using synonyms of hard and drug. However, the alternative name for the resulting plant is not Verona.
Thanks again and thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Collins, but not the BRB, has ‘any of various plants of the genus Verona’ for the 28a answer.
Hello again, Faz. Although I enjoyed the solve for the most part, I can’t really say I noticed any improvement over your previous submission with a number of “nearly but not quite” clues and some clunky surfaces.
Apart from 28a mentioned by the two previous commenters, I can’t parse 23a unless it’s a double definition but, if that’s the case, how does “deluded thinking” lead to the answer? I’m not sure if “blood” is OK to clue AB in 2d.
13a was my favourite.
Thanks Faz.
Re 28a I think the plant should be Veronia not Verona.
A pleasant puzzle – thanks to Faz.
I don’t understand 23a.
I liked 20a, 8d and 16d.
Thank you, Faz, an enjoyable puzzle. We did find Verona as a plant on Google, which definitely helped with the answer. We couldn’t understand the first definition for the answer to 23a. Smiles for 5a and 14d. We look forward to your next one. Thanks in advance to Prolixic.
Many thanks indeed to you all for your thoughts and feedback. Apologies for 23a and 28a – with the latter, as Gazza notes, I used Collins to get the connection to Verona, the plant. With 23a I was trying for a double definition, with ‘magical thinking’ being a kind of delusional belief system, also defined in Collins.
Prolixic’s detailed analysis is much appreciated, thank you! Such a helpful service.