Solution to 20A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.
ACROSS
7 I pass on rent in return for some food (6) PIROGI {I}{GO}{RIP}<=
9 Grey area, say about diamonds (4) AGED {A}{EG<=}{D}
10 Bitterness at university staff reported in public opinion survey (6,4) GALLUP POLL {GALL}{UP}{(~pole)POLL}
11 Cape with castle, perhaps one in a key position (5,3) POINT MAN {POINT}{MAN}
12 Provide fellow in America with choice of bank in Finland? (6) AFFORD {A}{F}{Fin{OR}lanD} (Correction - {A}{F}{F or D} - See comments)
14 Main line is shut (4) SEAL {SEA}{L}
15 Wife gets to fix the entire thing (5) WHOLE {W}{HOLE}
16 French priest caught naked (4) ABBE nABBEd
18 Cold war essentially over parts of the moon disregarding rule in space (6) LACUNA {C}{wAr}<= in {LUNAr}
20 Decline in hospital doubling sick beds (8) D?W?H?L? (Addendum - DOWNHILL {H} in {DOWN}{ILL} - See comments)
22 Santa's reindeer heading for ice floe dancing to show spirit (4,2,4) COME TO LIFE {COMET}{Ice+FLOE}*
24 Washed out article shrinking (4) ASHY {A}{SHY}
25 All that is uniform and is never varying (8) UNIVERSE {U}{IS+NEVER}*
26 Minister ending in lock-up burning with malice (6) PARSON {l...uP}{ARSON}
DOWN
1 Show cause notice written up allowing one with government to pry (8) DIAGNOSE {A{1}D<=}{G}{NOSE}
3 Police malign a religious symbol (6) LINGAM*
5 Fine cut exhibiting the very opposite of a smash hit (4) FLOP {F}{LOP}
6 Flatter relation being taken in by extremes of sugar (6) STALER {Sug{TALE}aR}
8 Ailing model to pose eventually (3,2,4,4) ALL IN GOOD TIME*
13 Swank of cat chasing female badger (5,5) FLASH HARRY {LASH}<=>{F} {HARRY}
15 New operator rises spreading tired arms (8) WEAPONRY {N}{OP}<= in {WEARY}
17 Device to cut the Reverend's rising volume (8) BILLHOOK (~ hill book to billhook)
19 Compelled to follow a swarm (6) ABOUND {BOUND}<=>{A}
21 Impolite term for youth with AIDS (6) WHELPS {W}{HELPS}
23 Deadly sin of diplomat expressing nothing (4) ENVY ENVoY
Reference List
Answer A, Area = A, Diamonds = D, University = UP, Fellow = F, America = A, Line = L, Wife = W, Cold = C, Hospital = H, Rule = R, Uniform = U, Notice = aD Government = G, Knight = N, The in French = LA, Fine = F, Cat = LASH, Female = F, New = N, Operator = OP, With = W
10A- How is University Up?
ReplyDeleteIs it probable that P is from Public and def.is only 'Opinion pole'?
Nope.
DeleteUP (at university) is British usage. Ages ago the direction of (probably the only) university was north/up of residential city.
12a its not or in F...D
ReplyDeleteBut F or D (choice of bank)
I think that is what Col. has shown - F or D- with F & D coming from banks of Finland.
ReplyDeleteNo Prasad is right
Delete20a decline - downhill (h-hospital, sick-ill, bed- down
ReplyDeleteNot quite. What's doubling doing in the clue?
DeleteTulsiram, as per your annotation given above the answer is {H}{ILL}{DOWN}
DeleteGood solve 👍
ReplyDeleteCould only solve a third of the puzzle. Still, nice to get a tough (but fair) one after a long time.
ReplyDeleteIf no novice/non-regular provides the annotation for 20A by 4 PM the clue will be open for all after 4 PM
ReplyDelete20a DOWNHILL = Decline
ReplyDeleteDoubling sick, to mean sick twice, answers being down and ill
H for hospital contained in down and ill, beds being containment
indicator
Down+h+ill
Super. Liked the clue and the solution.
DeleteAnd of course, the annotation.
Delete20A H (Hospital) having double ills ( Down & Ill) on either side.
ReplyDeleteDown H Ill
Any "novice setter" to identify the containment indicator in 18a.
ReplyDeleteWho is novice SETTER
DeleteReally tough going today.. could crack only half.. rest got them here..
ReplyDeleteIt must be 'Over'. Anything different?
ReplyDeleteI have another doubt in this clue. As per wording of the clue it is CA- Cold,War essentially- but the order is reversed in the solution to AC. L (AC) UNA. How to explain?
w.r.to Prasad's comment.
DeleteOver is REVERSAL indicator for {c}{a}
Delete18a IMHO
ReplyDeleteC A reversal denoted by Over.
Of the moon, Lunar (-) r = Luna.
AC parts or divides Luna, thus Lacuna
1a pierogi is plural! Though the wp is crisp, the def of food for a pie is inadequate, imho.
ReplyDelete11a point man clued as point man ia not elegant, imo.
13 d does cat mean lash? in primary sense! Shouldnt there be an indication.
21d Aid is uncountable noun. Does it have plural!
Few typos Col
25a is part of def.
2d is &litt! Cordon bleu is also worn by cooks.
8d fodder colour
Also i would be glad if someone can give ref to rising as hill.
Chambers dictionary gives rising=a hill
DeleteThanks. Couldnt find online or my copy.
DeleteLash [verb] also means CAT as per Chambers Thesaurus
DeleteOh right. Catting the anchor to secure-fasten-lash.
DeleteBut its not the primary meaning of cat. Infact dont think there ia actually cat in that scemario. You got cathead, cat tail, cat beam etc etc but not cat actually.
Good old setting would have demanded an indication. But this gen, its in the dictionary. So have to accept.