First thing I always check is whether there’s an NB. Then whether solving about fifteen clues is contingent upon solving one. Neither today, so plain sailing.
I hadn’t heard of 13a either, but Wikipedia informs me it’s one of very many. I thought the definition in 17a was a bit loose — you can be one without being the other, surely? I’ve never heard of 6d/28a. The closest I ever got (long ago) was spare tyres. 😦
10A had me stumped for a while – ended up being my last in (just a few minutes ago!). Too early for giving much away, but you will need to think laterally.
13A was most interesting for the manner in which the Director made his cameo appearance (his picture appeared in a newspaper being read by one of the stars while adrift in the title).
Hi Melanie. Definition is first word. Word play a bit convoluted (imo). About = 1-5. Green light = 9-10. Bathing is a containing indicator. Faces = first letters of previous words (6-8)
a little bit light on in comments today! I couldn’t explain the wordplay for 8d and 24d. Also didn’t quite get 25a (is it along the lines ‘more … than in’?)
25a, the wordplay works similarly to the way “outperforms” works. In 8d “matches” gives a six-letter word that loses its first letter. “Feasts” gives 5-8.
Interestingly, there are two that fit the second part of the wordplay for 27A – one from WA and one from Victoria (I thought of the WA one first, then the penny dropped.)
A reasonably smooth journey with this one. A minor quibble is the grammar in 7D. The subject of the sentence is ‘selection’, therefore the verb should be ‘soothes’.
In this day and age, I guess noticing this, let alone commenting on it, may well be deemed pedantic!
DA Trippers 
all done. A couple of tricky word play constructions.
FOI – 1d, LOI - 16d
I liked 10a, 11a.
Good starters are 1d, 13a, 15a, 7d
I’m a bit hmm about 8d.
Got it out in a good time for me.
8d seems OK to me, Margaret – but it’s too soon to be explicit.
I might be picky but I would’ve liked a possessive.
First pass 9a,15a,27a,1d,2d,4d,5d,20d. Last ones 16d,6d/28a.
13a was unfamiliar to me. 8d looks OK
First thing I always check is whether there’s an NB. Then whether solving about fifteen clues is contingent upon solving one. Neither today, so plain sailing.
I hadn’t heard of 13a either, but Wikipedia informs me it’s one of very many. I thought the definition in 17a was a bit loose — you can be one without being the other, surely? I’ve never heard of 6d/28a. The closest I ever got (long ago) was spare tyres. 😦
All out bar 10A. FOI 4D, 5D, 11A, 2D, 9A, 23D.
10A had me stumped for a while – ended up being my last in (just a few minutes ago!). Too early for giving much away, but you will need to think laterally.
Victoria is a person.
13A was most interesting for the manner in which the Director made his cameo appearance (his picture appeared in a newspaper being read by one of the stars while adrift in the title).
27a hard for non victorians
any hints for 12d please?
Hi Melanie. Definition is first word. Word play a bit convoluted (imo). About = 1-5. Green light = 9-10. Bathing is a containing indicator. Faces = first letters of previous words (6-8)
a little bit light on in comments today! I couldn’t explain the wordplay for 8d and 24d. Also didn’t quite get 25a (is it along the lines ‘more … than in’?)
25a, the wordplay works similarly to the way “outperforms” works. In 8d “matches” gives a six-letter word that loses its first letter. “Feasts” gives 5-8.
No, 5-9.
24d …
4-letter metal “discovered” gives 1-3.
Melanie, I think he was pretty well-known north of the border.
For 12d …
About 1-5
Green light 9,10
Enigma is the definition .
But iffy about 13A. They weren’t ALL classics…
I haven’t finished yet but I needed to check in whether the paper version had a mistake in 8D.
Surely the definition needs a ‘y’?
I also thought so, but then realized that the definition is the first TWO words
Thanks, Jack!
At an earlier ‘go’ I registered that the second word’s function needed to be determined and used, but forgot about it upon return. D’oh!
thank you Bernard and Graham
I’m afraid I thought of Bolte, he’s the only one that registered
Interestingly, there are two that fit the second part of the wordplay for 27A – one from WA and one from Victoria (I thought of the WA one first, then the penny dropped.)
A reasonably smooth journey with this one. A minor quibble is the grammar in 7D. The subject of the sentence is ‘selection’, therefore the verb should be ‘soothes’.
In this day and age, I guess noticing this, let alone commenting on it, may well be deemed pedantic!
Indeed Bonnie Dude, but to do DA requires a level of pedanticism 🙂