Crossword 5

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*Explanations posted below*


Across

1 Finally, can no tennis score be affectionate? (8)
5 A hundred in a degree for you and I adds up (6)
10 You are sort of nice but you flinch! (5)
11 In the middle, the French are here at the start of the month to eat with the new guy for a period of time (9)
12 'E, the Irish son and I at Edward's wasted party (9)
13 The French one without you back at the start follows her (5)
14 Tall girl and here many partners is this act (6)
15 The South is chilly enough to burn (5)
18 A Thousand liquids do not mix but are slaves (5)
20 Pit help ons to drive around (6)
22 I am in before this for this puzzle (5)
24 not 4 but 3 for him is strange (3,6)
25 Green less 'E is the fruit of the one who clutches (9)
26 Robert has a love for a little tea in a mechanical manner (5)
27 He is the very old (6)
28 My arms are like this with 4 down (2,6)

Down

1 C at the bottom of the piano is subdued (3-3)
2 Five and a fifty is grand, this act is malicious (9)
3 States that they are natives (8,7)
4 Gee, Leonard and thou art long (7)
6 A single man's angle qualifies him (9,6)
7 Preceeding coal followed by the south scorches (5)
8 He's lived here life in a malicious, yet sorted way (3-5)
9 Sad that she came first but confusingly she escapes (6)
16 The ant-lions eggs are just a rough drawing of the insect (9)
17 Sidney is back first on a Greek land with a separate thing (8)
19 The sloy piano is messy (6)
20 Below the furniture's legs, the floor is saved (7)
21 Move suddenly for the speller after a big tea (6)
23 Sounds like you or G pleaded with some of the editor (5)

Solutions

Across

1 LOVE ABLE: Finally, can (ABLE at the end), no tennis score (LOVE)

5 ABACUS: A degree ( A BA), a hundred in ( C) for you and I (US)

10 WINCE: Double you sounds like (W) sort of nice (INCE)

11 NOVICIATE: The month at the start (NOV), French here (ICI), to eat (ATE)

12 EMACIATED : E the Irish son (E-MAC) and I (I) at Edward (AT ED)

13 ENSUE: The French one without you ( UNE less U is NE and back is EN), here (SUE)

14: BIGAMY

15: SCOLD: The South (S) is chilly (COLD). The burn references refers to a scathing criticism or one who was metaphorically burnt by a review etc.

18 MOILS: A thousand (M) , non mixing liquids (OILS)

20 PISTON: Anagram of PIT ONS for the engine

22 CLUED

24 ODD FELLOW: Not 4 but 3 (ODD) for him (FELLOW)

25 EN GRAPPLE : Green less 'E (GREN or ENGR), the fruit (APPLE)

26 ROBOT: Robert (ROB) has a love (O) for a little tea (T)

27 ELDEST

28: AT LENGTH: Arms at length

Down

1 LOW KEY

2 VANDALISM: Five and a fifty (V AND A L) is grand (IS M)

3 NATIVE AMERICANS

4 LENGTHY: Gee, Leonard (LEN G) and Thou (THY)

6 BACHELORS DEGREE: The single man 's (BACHELORS), Angle (DEGREE)

7 CHARS : Precedes Coal (CHAR) Followed by the South (S)

8 SHE DEVIL : He's lived her (SHE) , (DEVIL anagram of LIVED)

9 EVADES

16 DOODLEBUG: These are ant-lions offspring or eggs

17 DISCRETE : Sidney is back (SID) on a Greek land (CRETE)

19 SLOPPY: Sloy with PP

20 PADFEET: Padfeet are used to place on furniture legs to prevent scratches or scuffing of the floor

21 TWITCH : After tea (T) , the speller (WITCH)

23 URGED: You or G ( sounds like URG) with some of the editor (ED)