Solving time 15:16, so back to average again, although this was fairly high on the General Knowledge index. 1A, 1D, 4A, 15D, 23A and possibly 22D and 25A might all have been tricky in that respect.

Across
1	CERES - "series". The largest asteroid, although it's now been redesignated as a dwarf planet.
4	SAPSUCKER - SAP + SUCKER. One of these.
9	BANNISTER - 1,ST inside BANNER.
10	SPLIT - double def. Croatian city, probably better known to crossword solvers than most.
11	ENSIGN - hidden in "ChildrEN'S IGNorance".
12	SET PIECE - PIECE (rook) next to SET (all the other men). A corner in football is an example of a SET PIECE.
14	BE DONE WITH IT - or BED ONE WITH-IT. A bit risqué for the Times. Nudge nudge, wink wink.
17	STRAIGHT FACE - (craftiest hag)*
20	UNIVERSE - UNI VERSE.
21	ACTIVE - (Cymbelin)E after ACT IV. Presumably it's a 5-act play - I didn't bother to check.
23	SUPPE - SUPP(l)E. Franz von Suppé, composer born in 10A.
24	IN-PATIENT - (pain it)* + ENT.
25	HERODOTUS - HERO + DOT (hit) + US. The Greek historian known as the "Father of History".
26	DINGY - DING(h)Y

Down
1	COBWEBBY - B + WEBB inside COY. Captain Matthew Webb was the first man to swim the English Channel, in 1875.
2	RINGSIDE - RING + SIDE
3	SWINGING THE LEAD - SWINGING (lively) + THE LEAD (a position of advantage).
4	SITE - S(p)ITE
5	PERCENTAGE - (PC teenager)*
6	UNSOPHISTICATED - (decision thus apt)*
7	KILLER - K + ILL + ER
8	RATHER - RAT + HER
13	SWEATSHIRT - (T wears this)*, the T from (contestan)T.
15	GALILEAN - double definition. Of Galileo, or someone from Galilee. Galileo was put under house arrest by the Church for saying that the earth revolved around the sun.
16	RECENTLY - CENT in RELY
18	PUTSCH - PUTS + CH.
19	KIPPER - (s)KIPPER.
22	EPOS - first letters of E(pic) P(oetry) O(ften) S(ung). I don't think I knew that word, so I'm glad the wordplay made it so obvious.

Time taken to solve: 30 minutes for all but the 14s and 27across. These added another 15 minutes to my time. The RH I found more straightforward than the LH and in particular the SW corner put up some resistance. In general I found it a very enjoyable puzzle with little or no specialist knowledge required.

Across
1	DELIBERATE - "Reverse effects of emancipation" = De-liberate
6	(w)ALTO(n) - The composer is Sir William Walton (1902-1983)
10	SE(X)E,D-UP - The ending is PUD (rev) and "roly-poly" is the reversal indicator.
11	A,M(O.R.)IST - "Men in uniform" = O.R. (Other Ranks)
12	SENSITIVE - Anagram of "in St Ives", then the last letter of Tate
13	RUD(G)E - With reference to Dickens' Barnaby Rudge
14	CUT,I.E.
15	TEN,NES,SEE - SEN(ator), NET (all reversed) then "visit" = SEE
20	F(AM)ED - "Fed" meaning FBI agent is something I learned here recently
21	EIDER - Sounds like "Ida" as in "Mount Ida". I knew it appeared in Greek mythology but until I just checked I didn’t know there were two of them, one in Crete and the other in Turkey. The duck is famous for its down.
23	VAC(ILL)ATE
26	IN,VOICE
27	T,O,RY - My last in and I spent 7 minute on this one alone! To clarify: T= time, O = circle, RY = line, as in railway line. A Tory is traditionally on the right wing in UK politics.
28	IT,I,N(E.R.)ANCY - The city of Nancy should be familiar to all Times crossword puzzlers as an indicator of things French, but here is appears in its own right
Down
1	D(o)O(r) S(e)E(m)S - "Draught" in its medicinal sense as in "sleeping draught"
2	(f)LEXING,TO,N - There seem to be about 20 places called Lexington in the US. I don’t know if they all qualify as cities, but the most widely known ones are in Kentucky, the largest, and in Massachusetts, the oldest and site of a battle in the War of Independence, so I guess this is the one we are expected to think of.
3	BEDTIME STORIES - B, then anagram of "editor it seems"
4	RE,POINT - I discovered an error here whilst blogging as I originally had REPAINT which I think may almost be valid as an alternative. One can "dot with paint" for example, and Collins mentions "a dot of paint". However I'm sure REPOINT is the answer intended here and on further reflection, perhaps repainting is not really a repair.
5	TRADE-IN - The idea is that it sounds like "Trait din". The problem with this is that many people don’t pronounce "trait" as "tray", they say "trate" and this is given as a valid alternative in the dictionaries. It seems odd that the setter didn't start this clue with "Some" as it is needed here, whereas he did so at 21 where I think it is redundant because as far as I am aware "Ida" and "eider" actually do always sound the same. Shame Jimbo isn't around.
7	LAI(R)D - LAID = "set out" around the final letter of motor
8	O,(a)N THE M,END
9	F(OUR)-LEA,F.C.,LOVER - Traditionally a bringer of good luck
14	COMP(l)ETE,N.T. - Another very late one in for me as I don’t associate "expert" with "competent", I think it usually suggests something more. However, although none of the dictionaries shows a direct link, Collins Thesaurus does, and I believe there's also a meaning in law by which a "competent" witness means an expert.
16	SUMMAT,1,ON - Hm. "Summat" is UK dialect for "something" but it's not confined to the north and not everyone in the north says it that way.
22	DOPER - Hidden word. Collins doesn't list it. COED does but with no definition. Chambers has the criminal meaning required here.
24	EL(E.G.)Y

dd = double definition

cd = cryptic definition

rev = reversed or reversal

ins = insertion

cha = charade

ha = hidden answer

*(fodder) = anagram

 

A nice puzzle about the same degree of difficulty as a normal daily Times puzzle. However, my solving time is way way above the kind of average registered by past winners; so I won't be entering the Championship any time soon. The "trouble" with me is that after solving a clue, I tend to sit back, pause to fully understand, savour and relish the clever wordplay. Besides, I lack the kind of quick intellect possessed by brainy people such as Peter Biddlecombe

 

ACROSS

1 POLITICAL ASYLUM *(capitalism you'll)

9 LANDMARKS Cha of LAND (a state or province in Germany and Austria functioning as a unit of local government) MARKS (money gone being obsolete German money now replaced by Euros)  

10 ARGON ARGO (remember Jason's vessel?) N (nitrogen)

11 VANISH VAN (vehicle) IS H (hard)

12 SEAFARER Ins of AFAR (at a distance) in SEER (prophet)

13 RITUAL Ins of U (sounds like you) in *(trial)

15 BARSTOOL Cha of BARS (doesn't allow) TOOL (person to be exploited). What a lovely definition ; sure to raise a chuckle or two

18 ANSWERED Ins of NSWE (all the directions) in A RED (a socialist)

19 TACTIC Ins of ACT (perform) in TIC (movement out of control)

21 TRAPPIST Beautiful crytptic def, one of the last clues to be solved

23 WEAVER We aver (we claim)

26 ELITE ha

27 TAUTOLOGY *(lot to a guy)

28 SPIRAL STAIRCASE Another lovely cd

 

DOWN

1 PALAVER Cha of PAL (mate or rhyming slang for China plate) AVER (state)

2 LINEN Third and just-as-good cd

3 TIMESHARE Cha of TIMES (daily or this paper) HARE (rush)

4 CORN Ins of OR (either) in CN (first and last letters of composition)

5 LAS VEGAS Ins of VEGA (star) in LASS (girl)

6 STAFF dd

7 LAGER LOUT Ins of ER (Elizabeth Regina or monarch) & L (left)  in LAG (prison inmate) & OUT (rejected)

8 MINERAL *(marine) + L (lake)

14 TOSCANINI TOSCA (Italian opera) NINI (rev of IN IN, popularity rising repeatedly)

16 STAGEDOOR dd

17 WEBSITES WEB (Sounds like WEBB Sidney James (1859 – 1947), early member of the Fabian Society) SITES (sounds like cites, quotes) Another lovely def

18 ARTLESS Please replay My Fair Lady and you will understand the word-play

20 CARLYLE C (Conservative) + *(really)

22 PIETA  PI (equivalent of P) ETA (equivalent of E) PIETA is the representation of the Virgin Mary  with the dead Jesus Christ across her knees, [Michelangelo's sculpture in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is the most famous] therefore 'work religiously done'

24 VIOLA dd - a stringed instrument and a character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, who disguises herself as a man to enter the service of Orsino, Duke of Illyria.

25 CUBA CUB (very small bear indicated by URSA v) + A

Enjoyable puzzle, solving time, 80 mins







* = anagram < = reversed
ACROSS
1 DEMON (expert) ST (R) ATION r = Queen Victoria Station
8 SWEATSHOP (what poses)* & lit Liked this
13 ABYSS Hidden, with an excellent surface
14 ILL (queer) AT EASE (military command)
15 OVER MAN(e)
16 SHORT-(S)TAFFED s = spades in (he’d start off)*
17 GET-UP-AND-GO
18 OMERT A ((tremor) less r (last letter))<
19 QU (ANT) IT Y (variable) definition: amount good seamless join at variable/amount
21 STOL(L)EN i.e. stollen with only one l
24 KEEPING (charge) FIT Liked this
26 CAMP FOLLOWER (P = power of Cromwell)*
29 DROP Tough – a double definition ((1) finish with (2) a sweet e.g. acid drop
30 ITEM IS ED Collins confirms ‘item’ is a old meaning of ‘likewise, also’
31 FRONT (appearance) – END (design). Like a website i.e.where users can interact directly
34 CHOR (AL l) ES
35 MET (A LL) I C item< c = constant
36 STYE Alternate letters
39 WRITER’S BLOCK Double definition
40 AS T (RING) ENT Tough, definition, bitter fight here = ring
43 T REVOR rover<
44 DISRAELI (i Lear’s id)<
45 V I SH NU(n) Hindu God
49 DOW (N A T HE) EL
51 PRIM (ROSE PAT) H
53 A MERICA I moving West in Mercia
54 AFRIKANER (freak rain)* ref to Great Trek (19th century)
55 O TAG O
56 HELL (EB) O RE be<
57 HONEYDEW MELON (One we’d holy men)*

DOWN
1 DEAD STOCK
2 MAY POLE pun on ‘staff’
3 NOSE TO TAIL (Alto notes I)*
4 THIRTY thirsty less s
5 ALL OF A QUIVER
6 IN THE BAG Double definition
7 NEAT ditto
8 STEREO TYPE Liked this
9 EXODUS (Used ox)*
10 THE WASTE LAND TS Eliot poem (Talents we had)*
11 (c) HUM I’D
12 PONTOON BRIDGE Both words are names of card games
20 TRA (DE GA) P aged<
22 LA (W C) ENTRE (eternal)*
23 U (G LINES) S Collins confirms lines = general appearance
25 EC (City of London) O (NOMIS) E Simon<
27 ON (cricket side) RECORD (single)
28 SI (LamE) NCE R after = since
29 DICE WITH DEATH (Heath did twice)*
32 TAKE FOR A RIDE Definition = do mahout = elephant keeper
33 PLASTIC M(ON)EY on = about in (type’s claim)*
37 (M)ILL ITERATE
38 E N(G)INE ROOM
41 TOUCH DOWN Liked this
42 BEAR SKIN
46 HE (A L-Ad)LL
47 C (HEAP) O Liked this
48 COURSE of course = as expected
50 W HEEL
52 (se)ARCH

Solving time : I worked on this during breaks in a rehearsal so didn't really get a chance to note down a time, but I found it a pretty steady solve with a few falling each time I grabbed it for a look. The main sticking point was around 20 across - twigging that helped get the bottom half, leading to 25 down being the lucky last here. Some interesting definitions...

Across
1	THREW: sounds like THROUGH, and even does when I say it
4	SEPARATED: (APART)* in SEED(=beginning)
10	DRACO: O,CARD reversed. Lawgiver from the Greek
11	TOMB,O,Y: Nice to see the version I'm used to after several helpings of LADETTE
12	LUNCHEON: cryptic definition as being the long form of LUNCH in "there is no such thing as a free lunch"
16	FLEW: L in FEW - found this tricker than it should be and needed both the checking letters
20	MAN,OEUVRES: applause for the surface
22	MORALIST: ORAL in MIST - the long definition of mist works well with the surface
26	DIARY: at least I think so, but Evelyn Waugh didn't write "The Diary of a Nobody" Edit: Now I find that John Evelyn wrote a diary
28	MAN(isle),FRIDAY(war/rebellion): along with a cryptic definition Pointed out in comments, I made a mess of the wordplay here, it's I'D in FRAY
Down
1	TAHITIANS: HA in TITIANS - Gaugan painted a lot of them
2	REARM: EAR in RM (Royal Marines)
3	WALKOVER: double definition, really liked the first one
5	PERCUSSION: (NICER SOUPS)* - the kitchen is an orchestral/symphonic term for the percussion section
6	RED,ACT: when you line out things you don't want the general public to read
7	TRAVELLER: RAVE,L in T(hat) L(oudly) E(xpresses) R(age) Edit: following comments, I have made the first letters clear
13	BROADS WORD
17	WE,STERNER: those bridge partners again
18	SUBTRACT: CART,BUS reversed on T, clever wordplay
22	MA,DAM: union of two words for mother
25	BEV(v)Y: do people still use this? Or would you get the same queer look if you asked for a "Brewski" in the U.S.?

Solving time: 17:19, around par for me.

By now, Peter's probably down Tom Brown's cafe in Magaluf for the all-day breakfast, lining his stomach ahead of a night on the town (15 pints of Watney's Red Barrel, karaoke and a fish supper - can't be beaten).

I feared he'd leave me a monster while he was off for two weeks with the Tea Break Quickie, but this wasn't so tough, most of the difficulty coming from unusual vocabulary, especially down south (them and their la-di-da ways). I really enjoyed some of the little by-ways down which these sent me.
 
Oh, happy Canada Day.

Across
1  S,PAT
4  CHANCE,LLOR - (roll)reversed. Some hope, darling
11 C(AL)ASH - one of these
12 L,AID,BARE - .. sounds like 'bear'
14 VERA - easy hidden word, but it's my cat's name and I promised her a mention
15 TOOTHBRUSH - boom, boom!
17 DIS(A,P)PROVE
20 POOP - double def. Unusual to see the verb anywhere but in the participial adj.  ("I'm pooped")
21 ST,ROLLER - def. is "Pushchair in US"
24 TUB,E
25 SUI GENERIS - (genius)* + (sire)reversed
27 SING(ular)

DOWN
2  P(H)I,LATE,LIST - ah, philately'll get you nowhere
3  TOP BANANA - wonderful expression coined (supposedly) by Russian born Yiddish Vaudevillian Harry Steppe, creator of one of the great slapstick routines. If you have five minutes to spare, try not laughing
4  CAT,CH IT
5  A CHILD OF OUR TIME - Michael Tippett's oratorio ends with the spiritual 'Deep River'
6  C(ADD,IS)H - 'companion' is C.H., Companion of Honour, a crossword standard
7  LOO(F),A
13 REST,ORATION - the "to make" feels like the cart pulling the horse, but no big deal
16 RAP,ID(le)NESS
18 P(E)LISSE - plissé being "a textile finish characterized by a puckered or blistered effect"  
19 EARNEST - double def., an earnest being a pledge or promissory token
21 S(I)TAR
22 RABAT - turn up a short tabard

Solving time : 25 minutes

I have a lot to do today (off on holiday tomorrow) so got up early only to find the Times website couldn't be accessed. Rushed off to local newsagent to be told "Times is late today, mate". Ended up in Bournemouth station to get the paper. Truly sods law in action.

An entertaining puzzle with some interesting clues and well hidden definitions that rewards logical application. I'm off now to get the house-sitters.

Across
1	WIDOW - W-I-DO-W; W=wide (cricket); "one left" is definition;
4	IPSO,FACTO - IP-SOFA-CT-O; IP=one penny=cheapest possible; CT=court; O=nothing;
9	DER-RING-ER; DER=German for "the"; reference the Ring Cycle;
10	STRAW; two meanings 1=reference to "draw the short straw" 2=used for sucking;
11	ELYSEE - ELY-SEE; ELY is well known cathedral;
14	DEALT,WITH - DEAL-TWIT-H; DEAL=hands; TWIT=fool; H=hearts; "sorted" is definition;
16	GRIST - GRI(S)T; S=spades;
19	BLASPHEME - BLAS-(hemp)*-E;
21	CHEERIOS - CHEE(RIO)S;
22	PER,PRO - (tam)PERPRO(of);
25	INERT - (L)INER-T; L=libra=pound; "still" is the definition;
26	HORSETAIL - H-(C)ORSET-AIL; stays=corset; a somewhat obscure reedy fern like plant;
28	STONY - ST(ON)Y; reference "stony broke"
Down
1	WEDNESDAYS,CHILD - WED-(say ends)*-CHILD; reference old poem "Wednesday's child is full of woe";
2	DARCY - DA(RC)Y; reference Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice;
3	WHITEST - W(HIT)EST; WEST is a position at the bridge table;
4	IAGO - I(M)AGO; an imago is the adult stage of a beetle's life;
5	SCRATCH,PAD - PAD=bottom of paw; "here note" is definition;
7	CARMELITE - CAR-M-ELITE; M=motorway;
8	ON,WITH,THE,MOTLEY - (they wont let him + o=start to organise)*; to prepare for a performance by dressing like a clown;
13	BIG,BROTHER - reference 1984 by George Orwell, Winston Smith becomes Jack Cade;
15	AWARENESS - A-WAR-(sense)*;
18	STRETCH - two meanings 1=a period of imprisonment (period inside) 2=reference phrase "to stretch a point";
20	PEERESS - PEER(L)ESS; L=liberal; a lady peer who sits in the House of Lords;
23	PLATO - PLAT(E)-O;
24	BRAE- BRA(C)E; a Scots hillside

Solved on the train in about half an hour, which makes it just below average difficulty. As my time is somewhat limited this weekend, I'm reverting to the previous method of just writing about the trickier or more interesting clues, rather than doing the whole lot. As usual, if anyone has any queries about ones I miss out, just leave a comment and it will be answered.

Across
1	ADAMS - 2nd or 6th president of the USA.
4	WEB BROWSER - B (key) + ROWS (files) inside WEBER (composer). I'm surprised the setter didn't link this with 36A somehow.
19	NEANDERTHAL MAN - (handle a remnant)*. Good anagram, although it just jumped out at me straight away.
36	INTERNET - (w)INTER (o)N (j)ET.
37	THERE - i.e. "There there, mummy'll kiss it better."
41	REMODELLED - (more)* + LED backwards then forwards. Last one I got, if I remember correctly.
45	FILLING STATION - FILLING (what's in sandwich) + STATION (Paddington, say). Americans would call this a gas station. In the UK it's a petrol station - I don't know who calls them filling stations!
49	SANDPAPER - SAND (French novelist) + PAPER.
51	EL GRECO - (Coleridge)*.
53	ANIMADVERSION - (armed invasion)*
54	EVERY WHIT - VERY WHITE with the last letter move to the front. Not many phrases that would work with, so a great spot by the setter.
57	DERBY - A Classic horse race, ref. Darby and Joan, the archetypal old married couple. Americans might be confused by the broken homophone, but we Brits pronounce "Derby" as "Darby".

Down
2	ADVANCED LEVEL - simple charade, ADVANCED (lent) + LEVEL (uniform). It used to mean some degree of academic achievement, but last year somebody passed the English exam by writing F**K OFF across the paper. Apparently the examiner felt that they should be awarded for spelling it correctly. I might have read that in the Daily Mail though, so take it with a pinch of salt...
5	BIRD-WATCHING - "word-botching". Brilliant, a self-referential Spoonerism clue. First time I've seen it, but I'd be amazed if that was its first outing.
6	RIPARIAN - RIP + ARIAN (a heretic who followed Arius. The banks in question are riverbanks.
13	CATCH TWENTY-TWO - the twenty-two yard line in rugby is...I can't be bothered to explain, but it's important. I think the saying came from the book by Joseph Heller, but if so, where did he get it from?
28	TREATMENT - (mate)* inside TRENT. The Trent is a river in English Midlands.
32	THE ALTOGETHER - T + HEAL + TO GET + HER. Slang for "naked". I don't know if that's familiar to overseas solvers. If you don't know the phrase, it's pretty tough.
34	UNDERGARMENT - Bra, vest, boxers and slip are all examples of one. I guess "taking one repeatedly" refers to "Bravest", which gives two of them.
38	STAFF NURSE - STAFF (rod) + NURSE (shark).
46	TEE-HEED - TEE + HEED. Looks weird on paper, but what else could it be?
47	SOFTLY - OFT inside SLY. Christopher Sly is one of the characters in The Taming of the Shrew. Are we really supposed to know that?
50	PRIOR - ref. Matthew Prior, 1664-1721, English poet. Maybe he was famous in his day...

Solving time: 19 minutes

Music: Smetana, Ma Vlast, Kubelik/VPO






Another not terribly challenging Monday puzzle. Kororareka is getting all the difficult ones for now, but that is likely to change at any time. I felt a little chagrined at my time, considering how easy some of the clues I puzzled over were.

Across
5	HOMESPUN, HOM[L}ES' PUN. The answer suggests that Sherlock Holmes' surname can be pronounced with a silent 'L', like Ralph in the UK, but here in the US I have never heard it treated thus.
9	CRACKPOT, CRACK + POT. If you wasted five minutes working on an anagram of 'SHOT LEADS', as I did, you have blotted your copybook.
12	PASSPORT, PASS + PORT. I put this in quickly based on the literal, but now that I look at it, I cannot think of an example where 'pass' = 'express'. I am sure there must be one, however.
14	CONTROL TOWER, where keep is a castle keep. The clever concealment of the cryptic is rendered useless by the obvious literal answer.
17	SODA FOUNTAIN, anagram of 'DATA, INFO ON US;. Since soda fountain is just about the first 4,7 drinks dispenser one would think of, not very deceptive..
20	BRASS HAT, where brass is money and a hat represents a role. Presumably, the generals would do better to put on their fighting hat and let the administration worry about the budget.
25	CHARADES, anagram of 'HEARS A CD'. If asked to name an example of a party game, what is likely to be the first thing that comes to mind?
27	KAKAPO, initial letters of 'KEEN ABOUT KEEPING ATTRACTIVE PIGEON OR'. A bird I never heard of, but the cryptic hands it to you on a platter.
Down
2	HERMIT, HERM + IT. I did not know of a Channel Island named Herm, but put this in with confidence anyway. I just looked for it on Google, and there it is.
4	ESPERANTO, anagram of 'PARENT SO' following 'E'. We had Ido last week in the hard puzzle, so it is only fitting we should have Esperanto in an easy one.
5	HOTSPUR, anagram of PROUST + H. The solution to this anagram eluded me for a while, as I was expecting a more general word, but 'a Hotspur' is indeed the word for a fiery type.
6	MOSES, MOSS with an E in it. Rather obvious unless you skipped Sunday School that week.
7	SEA, middle letters of 'passing, yet has'. A 'lift and separate', clue, where you have to separate 'one passing'. Not hard once you see that.
13	PHOENIX PARK. PHOENIX + P + ARK. While driving to Connecticut on Thursday, I amused myself by attempting to clue this Dublin landmark, so of course I recognized it instantly. My reverie was set off by a mention in a Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill CD I was playing.
15	LOAN SHARK, cryptic definition, and a good one, since most people would think of a junk bond or something like that.
18	NOTICED, NOTICE + D. A very weak clue indeed, althoug NOT ICED would also have been a bit of a chestnut.
21	HENNA, ANNE + H(AIR) up. A staple of US puzzles, so not obscure to me.

I thought this was going to be on the easy side for a Mephisto with almost two-thirds of the grid going in before having to open a dictionary. But then came a few really tricky words near the end and I ended up having to do a bunch of hunt-and-pecking to get the last couple of entries. There is some wordplay that I'm not sure of (which may mean that I'm incorrect, there's a 98th time for everything). I suspect 35 across made its debut in Chambers this time around.

Across
1	CATNAP: PANT,AC all reversed, AC is "ante cibum"
7	C,REE,P: Had to look up REE in Chambers, but it's a female ruff
13	W,EASE,L: at least I think, but I can't confirm the definition (Boggle) in Chambers?
14	UPPERS: SUPPER with S moved to the end
16	FOOD MILES: (LIFE'S MOOD)* - there's a restaurant in my town that mentions the food miles on the menu, noting the dishes prepared with only ingredients from less than 100 miles away
17	EXECUTED: CUTE(=clever) in EX,ED - I liked this wordplay
18	WAGS??? I can't see the wordplay here
20	COSTA,R
21	SIS,KIN(d): got this from wordplay, it's a type of finch
25	THAI(m): not the four-letter massage that came to mind originally
27	HAWTHORN: I think the "metathetically" is saying to mess around with THAW HORN
30	GODMOTHER: anagram of GROOM,THE,D
32	EROTIC: I,TORE reversed, then C(=College)
33	BAR,ONE,T,S: Chambers suggests BAR for yarn came from tossing the cabar?
35	BLU-RAY: U,L rev in BRAY - here in the US they're plugged to death, I don't have a player
Down
2	A,D,E,UX: Hadn't seen UX as wife (abbrev from Latin uxor)
4	ATE OUT: A TOUT about E(picureanism)
5	PELOTON: the body of riders in a cycling race. Wordplay is LOT in PEON
6	P,RUDE: Jamaican indicating RUDE BOY
8	ROPIEST: PI in ROEST
10	EUREKA: AKE,RUE reversed, and a word that was on my mind for some reason
11	PASSE,RIND: According to Chambers Passeres is an order of birds that covers more than a third of birds?
19	SKI M,ASK: liked this
20	COWHERB: Tricky wordplay - W, REH(efflourescence of sodium salts - a term I've actually used before, it occurs when there's trapped sodium leading to a bluish tint) reversed in COB
22	IRONER: I,TONER with the T changed to R
23	SADDLE: L in SADDE
26	HOOTER: OTE in H,OR? I have a sneaking suspicion this is not correct
29	RAI(l),TA: yum - finally a tasty food in a Mephisto! Always reminds me of this Rowan Atkinson monologue.