DT Cryptic 25843

[nanaglugglug]

26 a High flyer flanked by former deputy A?T?R????

[BigDave44]

Alternate (deputy) � tern (high flier) inside (flanked by) a late (former)

[nanaglugglug]

Thank you Big Dave!! YOu're on t he ball today!!

[BigDave44]

I'd not long submitted it to a blog (not mine!!)

http://crosswordendsinviolence.wordpress.com/

But have you got:
1a A singular lot of mint sauce? (4,3)

I have the answer, but the full wordplay eludes me

[sedge47]

Hi BigDave - ditto on one across. My answer fits the first five words but I can't see the relevance of sauce!

[novalis]

Mint sauce can be slang for money ( Chambers ).

[sedge47]

Thanks Novalis - I didn't look further than taking mint to mean money.

[Aquagility]

It can also be an indicator for an anagram

[nanaglugglug]

I think its LUMP SUM ????

Is 25 across ORION?

[sedge47]

25a is o(pi)nion

[novalis]

25a = onion ( slanmg for head )
Opinion minus pi ( = good )

[Rollo]

I can't fully get the word play for 7d.

[sedge47]

7d. Me neither - the "a" appears to be used twice !!

[pbeach]

Re. 7d one would assume its apart + plate (anag), but like the resto you - it seems there is an additional a thats not required.
I have to confess that I thought this DT Cryptic was very sloppy in places.

[BigDave44]

1a Thanks for that - mint sauce as money was a new one on me as well.

7d Dessert put separately around odd plate (5,4)
I can't account for the extra "a" - although I didn't notice it at the time

I might apply for the vacant job as Crossword Editor, I could hardly make things worse.

[BigDave44]

By the way, thankyou nanaglugglug for giving us the opportinity to prattle on about this!!

[nanaglugglug]

You're most welcome!! TBig Dave, this is a whole new world to me!!

[pegcart]

part+ plate

[sedge47]

Thanks, pegcart, for clearing that up. I can't understand why so many of us, including me, couldn't see it!!