| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | TOUCHSTONE | |
| Standard sort of cut shot finishing up with single (10) | Anagram of CUT SHOT + ONE | |
| 6 | BUST | |
| Work of art is broken (4) | Double Definition | |
| 8 | PROVINCE | |
| Area in front of courthouse featured in show (8) | [IN + (C)ourt] inside PROVE | |
| 9 | CARPET | |
| Reprimand coach with blue-eyed boy (6) | CAR + PET | |
| 10 | ASIO | |
| Spy group is recalled following a leader of operations (4) | IS reversed after A + (O)perations | |
| 11 | SPACE CADET | |
| School accepted a distracted person who is out of touch with reality (5,5) | S + anagram of ACCEPTED A | |
| 12 | INNOVATOR | |
| Eggs delivered at the back of inn to right person who makes things happen (9) | (OVA after INN) + TO + R | |
| 14 | DUVET | |
| Cover song performed by two, including verse (5) | DUET outside V | |
| 17 | THREW | |
| Cast right into the water at the front (5) | R inside [THE +(W)ater] | |
| 19 | MAKE HASTE | |
| Friend, carrying keg, nearly has to hurry (4,5) | MATE outside [KE(g) + HAS] | |
| 22 | MASCARPONE | |
| Large serving of mash, fish and one kind of cream cheese (10) | (MAS)h + CARP + ONE | |
| 23 | ARIA | |
| People leaving Armenia performed song (4) | ARMENIA minus MEN | |
| 24 | RESULT | |
| Score drug addict brought back late, oddly (6) | USER reversed + (L)a(T)e | |
| 25 | HAIRLINE | |
| Very thin hydrogen gas pipe (8) | H + AIR + LINE | |
| 26 | LOUT | |
| Yahoo left in an exhausted state (4) | L + OUT | |
| 27 | STRING VEST | |
| Small band against wearing sample underwear (6,4) | S + [( RING + V) inside TEST] | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | TOPIARIST | |
| Fashion-conscious gardener’s hat is covered in art (9) | TOPI + (IS inside ART) | |
| 2 | UTOPIAN | |
| University, to one on board vessel, is ideal (7) | U + TO + (I inside PAN) | |
| 3 | SANDSOAP | |
| Abrasive cleaner, an awful sod, stuck in drain (8) | (AN + anagram of SOD) inside SAP | |
| 4 | ONE WAY OR ANOTHER | |
| Switched on a new rotary hoe somehow (3,3,2,7) | Anagram of ON A NEW ROTARY HOE | |
| 5 | EXCEED | |
| Beat former outspoken top player (6) | EX + sounds like SEED | |
| 6 | BARRACUDA | |
| Fish food that’s regurgitated by a fish (9) | BARRA + CUD + A | |
| 7 | SEE HERE | |
| Hassled sheepshearer not influenced by sharp look (3,4) | Anagram of SHEEPSHEARER minus SHARP | |
| 13 | OPEN COURT | |
| Public tribunal ordered recount following downsizing of operation (4,5) | Anagram of RECOUNT after OP | |
| 15 | THE LATEST | |
| Athletes reserved time for current information? (3,6) | Anagram of ATHLETES + T | |
| 16 | DELETION | |
| Removed passage and note was first written up about one (8) | (NOTE + LED) reversed outside I | |
| 18 | HEAVE TO | |
| Stop sailing ban after heat decreased (5,2) | VETO after HEA(t) | |
| 20 | SURMISE | |
| Suspect male is locked in stable (7) | (M + IS) inside SURE | |
| 21 | GRATIS | |
| Head of giant rodent is on the house (6) | (G)iant + RAT + IS |
So 11 ac was “space cadet”. The only reason we didn’t get it was that we’d never heard that expression. Showing our age?
Looking forward to our regular Saturday fix
Happy new year!
Hi Graham & Wendy,
Yes, “space cadet” it is. When it comes to terms and phrases, I rarely use ones that I don’t know myself. All my references include it. My research shows the term was originally coined in the 1950s as a trainee astronaut, and took on new meanings (including the one used in the clue) in subsequent decades.
No-one is expected to know all the words and terms used in a cryptic crossword, and that’s why solvable wordplay is so important.
Did you have a go at the cryptic AJ last week?
Yes, loved it! You were quite friendly with the clues, as you need to be with that format. Last one in was toodle-oo, lovely word but unexpected as a crossword answer!