18:05, but the state of the leaderboard so far (not a single genuine, all-correct, time under 10 minutes even after Magoo and Jason have done their worst) confirms what I was feeling as I solved, that this was quite a tricky puzzle.

Across
1	APPARATUS - [PARA in PORT] in AUS. As was presumably intended, until I had some checkers, I couldn't stop my brain trying to fit in FREMANTLE or similar.
6	ASSAI - ASSAIL. The musical term appears regularly enough for even a non-musician like me to remember it.
9	TAGLINE - Lamb in TAGINE.
10	BALFOUR - FOUR(gang of Communists) following (LAB)rev. to give the former Prime Minister. These days, I think the old political certainties are gone in crosswords - REDS are still of the left, CHE is still a revolutionary, of course, but if I was a new solver, and hence not aware of the long-standing convention, I'd be saying "Labour equals socialist? Really?" In fairness, I guess the setter can claim not to mean the current Labour party, or indeed the British Labour party.
11	CRASS - CRedit + ASS.
12	EPIDERMIS - English, (I'M)rev. in (SPIDER)*.
13	CHINA - CHIN-CHIN + A.
14	NO TRUMPER - NOT RUM(=quite normal, presumably) + PER(=for a). A well-balanced hand which would suit a bid in No Trumps.
17	SINGLETON - (North IS)rev., Good, LET ON. Having just one card of a particular suit in a bridge hand.
18	CRONE - CaRtOoNyEs.
19	BAGATELLE - GATE in BALLET.
22	NICKS ="NIX".
24	OSMANLI - Ordnance Survey, legioN in MALI. Derived entirely from wordplay, though it always looked right, mostly from knowing Osman as a common Turkish name (and looking it up, I find it is the origin of the word Ottoman, so perhaps this reveals Turkey as one of those areas where my historical knowledge is more than a little patchy).
25	AMERICA - (CRIME)* in A,A.
26	STONY - Second TONY(i.e. the American theatre award).
27	GREEN BELT - Book in GREENE, LefT.
Down
1	ATTIC - LATTICE.
2	PYGMALION - (GYP)rev. + (OILMAN)*. Shaw's non-musical basis for My Fair Lady.
3	REINSTALL - REIN(check) STALL(seat).
4	THERES NO TELLING - I spotted the TELLING/counting element at once, but couldn't call to mind the appropriate phrase, so I started with a tentative and wrong "NOBODY IS TELLING" before working it out. In my defence, I wasn't helped by the presence of an apostrophe, unindicated as ever, which I know many people really don't like.
5	SUBSISTENCE WAGE - (BIGNEWSTUCEASES)*. A long anagram down the middle is always a good way into this grid.
6	ALLEE - medievAL LEEds. I don't think I knew this word, but the derivation is very obvious.
7	STORM - Shipwreck TO R.M. &lit.
8	IN RESERVE - 1New, RESERVE(=book).
13	CASH BOOKS - a Spoonerism by any other name, from BASH(party) COOKS(chefs).
15	UNCONCERN - UN(French "a"), CONCERT, Noon.
16	PROSCRIBE - CRIB(text to help student) in PROSE.
20	GUMBO - GUM(something to chew), (O.B.)rev. Despite regarding myself as fairly well-informed on matters in the kitchen, my first thought was that this should be fish rather than chicken - however, checking wiki, it turns out I don't know the difference between Cajun gumbo (containing chicken or fish, though never both together) and Creole gumbo (which is fish-based).
21	TUNNY - TUN(barrel) + NeatlY.
23	SMART - Sergeant Major, ART(knack). All the Sergeant-Majors I have come across have indeed been phenomenally smartly turned-out.

25 minutes for a gentle offering with one clue that has me flummoxed.




Across

1 PLAYWRIGHT - wary* in PLIGHT to give the luvvies' luvvie.
6 IDEA - the even letters in mIdDlEmAn.
10 UNHINGE - [f]UN + [t]HING + [w]E.
11 SOPHIST - HIS in post* for Greek smart alecks Socrates made mincemeat of.
12 BARRICADE - CAD in BARRIE, and nothing to do with bard...
13 LOYAL - LAY + O + L all reversed.
14 BASIS - B + AS IS; the 'lopped off' version cropped up - again - in Moorey's 12 May 'Meg Ryan' puzzle.
15 DEN+I+GRATE
17 DESCRIBED - nothing to do with scribes; it's S (second) + CRIB (copy) in DEED (what was done).
20 TIPS+Y
21 ID+IOM (the island, that is).
23 UNSECURED - UNCURED (still having complaint) around S[id]E (wings in side). Nice, but the checkers rather gave it.
25 T+RAINED
26 ALLYING - it appears to be TALLYING without the 't', but I don't quite get it. Thanks to mct, who spotted that it's a hidden answer.
27 ROOK - double definition (the rook or castle in chess starts off at the extremity of the board).
28 GRANNY KNOT - never having been a scout or a sailor, my knot-making skill set is likely to remain forever inchoate. Be that as it may, a granny knot, with a delightful whiff of the old sexism about it, refers to 'a reef knot with the ends crossed the wrong way and therefore liable to slip', AKA a 'poor connection'.

Down

1 PLUMB - double definition.
2 APHORISMS - ship+oars* + M.
3 WIND INSTRUMENT - the wordplay is a tad superflous, but for the record it's IN + DIN + STRUM in WENT.
4 I+RELAND - someone, somewhere will have put Iceland...
5 HAS-BEEN - double definition, 'bean' being a small amount of money, unless it's being counted by an accountant, in which case it's a large amount which is made to look like a small amount.
7 DAIL+Y
8 ARTILLERY - ILL in ARTERY.
9 APOLOGETICALLY - another where most will work out the wordplay after completion: A + POLO then (GET CALL around I) + Y .
14 BEDSITTER - D + (IS reversed) in BETTER.
16 ASPERSION - AS + PERS(I)ON.
18 B+L+UNDER
19 DISDAIN - did+as* + IN.
22 I(M)AGO - imago is the real McCoy, lepidopteristically speaking.
24 DIGIT - is the definition of a pedant someone who would insist on saying 'piece of datum'?

Solving time: 27:34

I rattled through this one pretty quickly for me. I don't get under 30 minutes very often.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot, particularly the rather rude 5d, which is probably my clue of the year so far! Anyway, I should have posted this already, so I'd better get on with it.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals like this

Across
1	BAR MEN - dd
5	MUG'S + GAME
9	BA(RENTS)SE + A
10	Street + PRY
11	AS IS - I got this from the definition (unchanged) and checkers. I couldn't work out the wordplay then, and I still can't now. Can someone fill me in, please?
12	HEARTBREAK - HEART = (EARTH)*, although the clue doesn't seem quite sure what it is. There seem to be two anagrinds - 'Moving' and BREAK. I suppose it's true that an anagram of EARTH would also be an anagram of HEART.
13	T + R + IPOD
15	ESPECIAL = (PLAICe + SEEn)*
17	CHICK + PE + Abnormality - A perfectly sound clue, albeit not a very politically correct one!
19	CANNES = SENNA + C all rev - for those not up on the F1 motor racing, Ayrton Senna was the three time champion driver who was killed during the '94 San Marino Grand Prix
21	FAIRY TALES = Fiction Advanced + (REALITY'S)* - &lit
23	S + PIN - I have no idea what the surface is supposed to mean though.
25	USER = (SURE)*
26	ADULT + E + RATE
27	F + LAWLESS
28	NIGHt + ON - Are evening and night synonymous? I suppose under certain circumstances they might be.
Down
2	A + DAMS
3	MEET + SUP - Meet being an old-fashioned word for 'proper'
4	NOTCHED UP = (DUTCH OPEN)*
5	MASSAGE PARLOURS = (ORGASMS ARE A PLUS)* - That's a brilliant anagram, one of the best I've seen. A bit cheeky, but easily my COD.
6	G + RAFT
7	GAS + TRICk - 'corporation' for stomach is an old chestnut that's always worth keeping an eye out for.
8	MARMALADE = (ALARM)* in (MAD + E)* - a well-disguised definition
14	REHEARSAL = REAL about (SHARE)*
16	PACK SIT-IN
18	C(O + RN)ROW - I didn't know the term, but it was easy enough to get from the wordplay
20	NOSE RAG = (ORANGES)*
22	TEASEr
24	INTRO = (TRIO)* about N

Reasonably straighforward Mephisto but with two French and one Latin tag thrown into the mix. Quite why the French put things on the carpet whilst the English put them on the table when they raise them as ideas for discussion I'm not sure - must say something about the respective cultures.

Across
1	RELETS - (STELE-R) all reversed; R from (selle)R; stone tablet=STELE;
6	MERCY - cheerful=merry then second repitition=r so convert that to c=about;
10	EAUX - (chat)EAUX;
11	WEREGILD - WE'RE-GILD; old word for flush=GILD; payment in restitution;
12	PARTI,PRIS - PARIS surrounds (trip)*; a decision already taken from the French prendre and pris; ;
14	UPDREW - (pure w)* surrounds D=diamonds (cards);
16	TEA - T(E)A; Earl=E; TA=Territorial Army;
18	STRAND - STRA(N)D; to me a defunct brand name famous for its self destructive advertising;
19	PENDENTE,LITE - P(END)EN-T-ELITE; female swan=PEN; old word for "to"=T; alpha set=A List=ELITE; Latin tag for pending litigation;
21	FUSIBLE,METAL - (blue flames it)*; metal alloy such as solder;
23	PRATIE - PR-A-TIE; present=PR; an Irish spud;
26	LID - Scots fool=dill then remove "l" and reverse=LID;
28	FLAMEN - FL-AMEN; Liechenstein=FL; Roman priest;
29	DYSTOPIAN - (dainty sop)*; opposite of utopian;
30	MINDLESS - M(INDL)ESS; tree=lind then move top=l to the east=IND-L;
31	ISLE - IS-LE;
32	B-CELL - BC-(f)ELL; Board of Control=BC; white blood cells, part of the immune system;
33	ASSENT - ASS-ENT; ENT=Ear,Nose and Throat;
Down
1	REPULP - (supplier - is)*;
2	LURDANS - LUR(e)-DAN(e)S; incompetent people;
3	EXTRADITED - EX(TRAD)ITED;
4	TWIER - T(W)IER; old nozzle;
5	ARRESTEE - SERRA reversed - TEE; SERRA=(mountain) chain; bust=arrested;
6	MEINT - M(E)INT; Scots for venture=MINT; old word for mixed;
7	RIOT - R(IO)T; cry of joy=IO;
8	CLIENTAGE - C-LIE-NT-AGE; caught=C; press=LIE; not=NT; mature=AGE;
9	YDRAD - lifetime=DAY then reverse around DR=doctor; old word for dread;
13	SUR,LE,TAPIS - (plus satire)*; usually mettre sur le tapis - in English "put on the table" for discussion;
15	PLEURITIC - PL(acebos)-(I cure it)*;
17	UNLEASED - UN-L-EASED;
20	ITEMISE - I-TE-MISE; current=I (physics); note=TE; old expenditure=MISE;
22	LINNET - LIN-NET; beside waterfall=LIN;
23	PLUMB - PLUM-B(ertie); Wodehouse was known to his friends as Plum;
24	IDYLL - hidden reversed (lams)ID-YLL(ufwa);
25	GLOSS - two meanings 1=render plausible (spin) 2=explanation for obscurity (this blog?);
27	DONE - D-ONE; god=deity=D; I=ONE;

Didn't have time to finish this today, so look out for it later tonight. Actually I didn't get back home till nearly midnight, but here it is eventually. Three cryptic definitions in the one puzzle is a bit high for the Times, but they weren't bad ones. Solving time was about 15 minutes I think (forgot to make a note of it).

Across
1	PLAINTIFFS - PLAIN (unaffected) + TIFFS (arguments).
6	AVID - AV (Authorised Version = bible) + ID (papers).
9	IMHOTEP - IMHO (txtish for "in my humble opinion") + PET (favourite) reversed.
10	RESIDED - i.e. RE-SIDED
12	ON CUE - ONE (I) around CU (copper, a great conductor).
13	STIR-CRAZY - cryptic definition.
14	PHOTOJOURNALISM - another cryptic definition.
17	NUMBER-CRUNCHING - (Munich, Nurnberg)* around C(old).
20	GAS-FITTER - GAS (rabbit) + FITTER (more appropriate).
21	ISLET - IS LET (has tenant).
23	ACADEME - ACE (one club perhaps) around (made)*.
24	OSBORNE - O'S (appeal's) + BORNE (supported). Nice to see "appeal" meaning something other than IT or SA.
25	SPEW - S(afe) + PEW (seat).
26	SEA SERPENT - SPENT (all in) around EASE (move gradually) + R(ight).

Down
1	POISON PEN - PO (Post Office) + IS OPEN (has started up) around N(ew).
2	AD HOC - "ADD HOCK"
3	NOT BEFORE TIME - (OBE, merit, often)*
4	IMPASTO - I (one) + MO (doctor) around PAST (by).
5	FERRIER - double definition, the first Kathleen Ferrier (1912-53). Never heard of her!
7	VODKATINI - (it on avid k)*, where avid is the answer to 6ac.
8	DADDY - DAY (Sun, maybe) around DD (daughters).
11	SOCIAL CLIMBER - cryptic definition.
15	ON-MESSAGE - MESS (confusion) inside ON AGE (over date).
16	MIGHTIEST - MIG (jet fighter) + (it's the)*.
18	CAT'S-EYE - YE (you) underneath CASE (box) around T(ime).
19	UPROOTS - hidden reversed in "pesto or puree"
20	GRASS - GRASPS (picks up) without the P for "quietly".
22	LARGE - last letters of "football, idea for completing the".

I didn't solve this in one session, so I can't quote a time, but I thought it was reasonably straightforward.

As ever, * indicates an anagram.

Across
1	COASTER - double definition
5	ASCENDANT - DAN in A SCENT (DAN was one of the tribes of Israel)
10	STUD - T, in SUD (French for south)
14	WHEELER-DEALER - cryptic indication. I'm not too sure about the 'reason' part of the clue
15	CHAROLAIS - I think the secondary indication is meant to indicate that the answer sounds like 'cha au lait', or 'char au lait', with 'tea' indicating the 'cha(r)' part. If that's correct, it's a very loose interpretation of the usual pronunciation. 'Not from this beast' indicates that CHAROLAIS is a breed of cattle used for beef, not milk, production
16	GRAND-UNCLE - GRAND (£1000) + UNCLE. UNCLE is a term for a pawnbroker, and 'pledged' can mean 'pawned'
17	EVANESCENCE - nave (reversed), + ESCENCE (sounds like essence)
18	LINEN - Neil (reversed), around cleaN
19	LIMITATION - L + IMITATION
21	AMOEBA - A MB + A, around OE
23	SWEETCORN - WEE + Tim in SCORN
25	DRACO - RAC, in DO (short for ditto)
26	POINTED - INTEnD after PO
28	FINNEGANS WAKE - FINN + EG, + ANSWEr around A K
31	YORKSHIRE - (hero risky)*
33	LEASTWISE - LEWIS around A ST, + Ecstasy
35	OFF ONE'S ROCKER - double definition
37	SPARTAN - PART in SANatorium
38	TOILS - double definition. TOILS is an old-fashioned term for a snare, often a net or nets
40	AGREEABLE - A GREEk + ABLE
42	GARNET - ARNE (composer) in GreaT
44	HANG-GLIDER - (heralding g)*
46	ORRIS - mORRIS
48	ANTIOXIDANT - ANT + I, + OXIDANT (sounds rather like Occident)
50	CIRCUMFLEX - CIRCLE + X, outside U + Mimic + French
52	MILLENNIA - MILL, + ENNI (sounds like any), + A
53	WATCH THE CLOCK - double definition (sort of)
54	NODE - ODE, after N (last letter of Willesden)
55	CATHEDRAL - (Chard late)*
56	NURSERY - NUR (National Union of Railwaymen) + SE + RailwaY

'

Down
1	COWL - a very nice clue, managing to include two cryptic indications (COW + L; C + OWL) and a definition (it's a habit) in only 8 words
2	ABERRANCE - ABE (Abraham Lincoln) + RAN + CE, around first letter of religious
3	TALK NINETEEN TO THE DOZEN - cryptic indication
4	RORQUAL - hidden in poweR OR QUALity
5	AMERCEMENTS - A MERCEr + MET + S, around N
6	COLLECTED - COLLECT + E + Divine
7	NERVE - double definition
8	ARCHAEOLOGY - cryptic definition
9	TRAVEL - all-nighT + RAVE + L
11	TRAINEE - TEE, around IN after RA (Royal Academician)
12	DISREGARD - DI'S REGARD
13	NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER - cryptic definition
18	LUSTFUL - LT around US, + alternate letters of 'foully'
20	TEA-LEAF - double definition. TEA-LEAF is Cockney rhyming slang for a thief ('Light-fingered Londoner')
22	APPRISER - APPRaISER
24	ORATIONS - A T, in ORION'S
27	THICK - double definition
29	NYALA - A between NY and LA (New York, Los Angeles)
30	ADORING - RING after A DO
32	EARLESS - fEARLESS
34	EXTRAVAGANT - EXTRA (indicated by 'run'; the obligatory cricket reference) + VAGrANT
36	NEANDERTHAL - (heard late nn)*
37	SIGNAL MAN - SIGNAL (of great importance) + MAN
39	SOLICITOR - double definiton
41	BARGEPOLE - BARE POLE, around G
43	RATTLED - double definition
45	ROUGHEN - first letters of 'grand hotel', in ROUEN
47	PICNIC - sounds like 'pick nick' (nick = police station, indicated by 'place for Old Bill')
49	TAWSE - With + SE, after TA (Territorial Army)
51	OKAY - O + KAY

This one took me over the hour for the third consecutive day. I was tired after a long evening at the theatre which didn’t help. Live Journal is playing up again so I'm going to write a bare-bones blog in the hope of being able to post it. If successful I may come back later in the day and add to it. There's still a problem adding and viewing comments so I may be in for a lonely day here.

* = anagram

Across
1	PILGRIM - LIP reversed, GRIM. A reference to Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress'.
5	PASTEUR - PAST,EU,R. The scientist Louis Pasteur.
9	WOW FACTOR - WOW, F,ACTOR
10	ALARM - A,L,ARM
11	ABSOLUTE PITCH - Often known as perfect pitch, it's the ability to recognise or produce a note without reference to another source.
13	VISIGOTH - VISI(GO)T,H
15	NORDIC - NOR,DICe. Didn't know or had forgotten that bones can be dice.
17	RIBALD - Royal Institute of British Architects,L,Drawing
19	CLERICAL - Office work is termed 'clerical' separately from the meanings associated with church.
22	THERMONUCLEAR - (REMOTE LAUNCH)* + waR
25	WEIRD - I inside DREW reversed
26	UNCERTAIN - (TUNA NICER)*
27	ROYALTY - YALTa inside ROY. It was a conference at the end of WWII.
28	PAYSLIP - YAP reversed, SLIP
Down
1	PAWL - PAW,L (as opposed to R for right). Didn’t know this word for a lever.
2	LOW MASS - Cryptic definition.
3	REAMS - Sounds like 'Reims' the famous cathedral.
4	MUTILATE - I,L inside MUTATE
5	PIRATE - I inside PRATE
6	SHAMPOOER - S, then OO (glasses) inside HAMPER
7	EXACTED - ETC, AXE all reversed, Damage
8	RAMSHACKLE - RAM,SHACKLE
12	IVORY TOWER
14	GOLD MEDAL - hoG,OLD, then Died inside MEAL
16	BLACKCAP - A bird and the item that used to be worn by judges as they pronounced the death penalty.
18	BREVITY - BR, lEVITY with reference to the saying that it is "the soul of wit". Said by Polonius in Hamlet, apparently.
20	CURTAIL - L replaces the N of 'curtain'.
21	INJURY - IN,JURY
23	EARLY - EARL-Y
24	SNAP - As in brandy snap, the sickly Christmas 'treat'.