Annotated solutions for Prize 28,757
* characters in The Magic Roundabout (1965-77)
Across
1 looped LO + OP-ED [US newspaper article]
4 kibitzer (spea)K/1/BIT/ZER(o)
9* Dougal DO/U(p)/GAL
10 tappable T<APP>ABLE
11 straight as a die STRAIGHT/A/SAD/I(t)E(m)
13 deadly sins DEAD + LYSINS
14 Hera H(ard)/ERA
16 cusp CU<S(aliva)>P
18* Ermintrude E(ve)R/MINT/RUDE
21* Brobdingnagian BRIAN (the snail) keeps DOING (anag) around B(lack)/NAG
23 ion beams ON in I-BEAMS
24 candle double def [game not worth the candle/candle power]
25* Florence F<LOR!>ENCE
26 jasper JA<S(mall)>PER
Down
1* lady DYLA(n) (anag)
2 opuntia 0/PUN + AIT (rev)
3 erasable (g)E(t) R(e)A(l) + SABLE
5 inattention inner tension (hom)
6 impost I’M + POST
7* Zebedee double def [father of James and John]
8 re-elevate LEAVE TREE (anag)
12 gastronomic G(ut)/ASTRONOMIC
13 dock brief DOCK + BRIEF
15 stigmata STIG/MAT/A [Stig of the Dump]
17 sworn to S<WORN>T(reet) + O(ld)
19 up-and-up U (hom) + PAN + D(emocratic)U(nionist)P(arty)
20 adhere AD (goes) HERE
22 heirair (hom)