Cryptic Crossword 1-34

Theme: none

Across:

7.   Pay for crystal tea set (9)

   Liquidate, pay (def), liquid (crystal), set (anagram of) tea.

8.   Falls for the beautiful, enthralling lead character in Hamlet (5)

   Chute, falls (def), cute (beautiful), enthralling (container), lead character in (1st letter in) Hamlet

9.   Groups of readers face bad luck during trips (4,5)

   Book Clubs, groups of readers (def), bad (anagram of) luck, during (insertion), boobs (trips as in

   blunders)

10. The bloody lawyer flipped!! What a snake!! (5)

   Adder, red (bloody), DA (lawyer), flipped (reversal), snake (def)

12.  As for the picture book? Return it!! (6)

    Toward, as for (def), draw (picture), OT (book), return (reversal)

13. So pretty and sassy (8)

   Likewise, so (def), like (pretty), wise (sassy)

14. As the flora and fauna flourished the barren land became lotusland, a slice of paradise (7)

   Camelot, slice of (hidden), paradise (def), rest is fodder.

17. Assume fake identity to swindle money without throwing fit (7)

   Catfish, assume fake identity to swindle (def), cash (money), without (container), throwing

   (anagram of) fit.

20. Ability to see 8 across? Alright! (8)

   Eyesight, ability to see (def), eight (8), across (container), yes (alright)

22. Worker hiding in the mess cupboard? (6)

    Pantry, ant (worker), hiding in (insertion), pry (mess), cupboard (def)

24. On a whim Bob bought the Rolls, he was essentially a good looking but vacuous man (5)

    Himbo, essentially (hidden), a good looking but vacuous man (def), rest is fodder.

25. Plate with cooked ready mix of animal stuffing (9)

    Taxidermy, T (plate), cooked (anagram of) ready + mix, animal stuffing (def)

26. Please bring a mini meal sample for the boy (5)

   Gamin, sample (hidden), boy (def), rest is fodder.

27. Be extremely cautious walking on these stiff structures (9)

   Eggshells, Be extremely cautious (def), egg (stiff as in guy), shells (structures)

Down:

1.   Escort the girl before igloo melted (6)

   Gigolo, escort (def), G (girl), before (juxtaposition), melted (anagram of) igloo.

2.   Roomie or bedfellow? (8)

   Bunkmate, roomie (def), bunk (bed), mate (fellow).

3.   A doctor captained at sea? (6)

   Addled, a (a), DD (doctor), led (captained), at sea (def)

4.   Unlimited frolic in hellhole for the bearded? (7)

   Stubbly, unlimited (delete letters at both end from) bubbly (frolic), in (insertion), sty (hellhole),

   bearded (def)

5.   Obscure commercial interrupting the exhibition (6)

   Shadow, obscure (def), ad (commercial), interrupting (insertion), show (exhibition)

6.   Alternative in faith attracting Nick, Bob, and the gentiles (8)

   Atheists, alternative (alternate letters in) faith i.e., at, attracting (juxtaposition), heist (nick), s (Bob),

   gentiles (def)

11. Slowly cook radish and chicken broth to extract this gumbo ingredient (4)

   Okra, extract (hidden), gumbo ingredient (def), rest is fodder.

15. CIA aptly involved in the unusual (8)

   Atypical, involved (anagram of) CIA + aptly, unusual (def)

16. Serve gyro at Bacchanalia (4)

   Orgy, serve (anagram of) gyro, rest is def.

18. Identified to be sacked, concealing limitless anger (8)

   Fingered, identified (def), fired (sacked), concealing (container), limitless (delete both end letters

   in) anger.

19. Bizarre hush on the train (7)

   Strange, bizarre (def), st (hush), on (juxtaposition), range (train)

21. Yield seat accommodating the poor bum (6)

   Submit, yield (def), sit (seat), accommodating (container), poor (anagram of) bum.

22. Prudish queen in bad mood (6)

   Prissy, prudish (def), R (queen), in (insertion), pissy (bad mood).

23. Sally in a hurry heading off to can (6)

   Ramble, sally (def), ram (hurry), heading off to (delete 1st letter in) able (can).