Weekend Quick Cryptic 148 - Solution

Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce our series of Weekend Quick Cryptic crosswords. We take turns, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's my turn. 

You can find a link to the crossword here and the answers below.  Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on  TfTT .  You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here. 

Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.

Hints and tips...

Here are a few hints and tips.

• There are 12 herbaceous plants among the across answers, including 4 that are mentioned in the song by Simon and Garfunkel "Scarborough Fair" and 8 are the names of characters in the series "The Herbs".
• The friendly lion in 8A is also a herb.
• In 10A the hotel name was the title of the comedy series it was featured in.
• In 16A the chestnut horse is also the name of a herbaceous perennial.
• In 2D "changing hands" refers to swapping left for right.
• The sword in 13D is a Scottish weapon.
• The answer to 15D comes from a slang phrase for playing the piano.

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution and explanation of the answers...

Definitions   underlined in bold italics , ( Abc )* indicating anagram of Abc,{deletions} and [] other indicators.

Across
1 Herb makes daughter unwell (4)
DILL – D (daughter) + ILL. Dill was the dog in The Herbs.
3 Arrogant eccentric cook may use this (8)
TARRAGON – (Arrogant)* [eccentric]. Tarragon was the dragon in The Herbs.
8 Hold discussions about small friendly lion (7)
PARSLEY  - S (small) in PARLEY (hold discussions). A direct reference to  The Herbs where Parsley was the lion. Also a herb featuring in Simon and Garfunkel’s song Scarborough Fair.
10 Bails out inept Torquay hotelier (5)
BASIL (Bails)* [out]. The definition is a reference to Basil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers. Sir Basil was the self-styled “King of the Herbs” in The Herbs.
11 Leaves your old mate gutted (5)
THYME – THY (old form of “your”) + M{at}E without the middle letters, [gutted]. Another herb featuring in Simon and Garfunkel’s song Scarborough Fair.
12 Independent follows a politician for story in court (5)
ALIBI -  A + LIB (Liberal; politician) + I (independent). One of the 2 non-thematic across answers.
14 Green shoots used for seasoning, some of which I've snipped (6)
CHIVES – Hidden in whiCH I’VE Snipped. The Onions' ten children in The Herbs.
16 Almost apologetic with the French over chestnut horse (6)
SORREL –  SORR{y} (apologetic) without the last letter, [almost], + LE (the in French) reversed, [over], -> EL. Sorrel is also the name of a hardy perennial herb and leafy green with a distinct, sharp, and tangy lemon flavour
19 Arrange group of families (5)
ORDER – Double definition. Alas for the theme, herbs are not all members of the same taxonomic order, so this is the second non-thematic across answer.
21 Plant goes brown and eventually mouldy (5)
TANSY – TANS (goes brown) + last letter, [eventually], of mouldY. Tansy is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant. In the 8th century AD it was grown in the herb gardens of Charlemagne and by Benedictine monks of the Swiss monastery of Saint Gall for medicinal purposes.
24 Electrical current penetrating legs - it may bring tears to your eyes (5)
ONION – I (electrical current in physical equations) between, [penetrating], ON and ON (leg in the cricket sense twice; legs). In The Herbs Mr Onion was Father and schoolmaster of the Chives. Mrs Onion, the wife of Mr. Onion and mother of the Chives, was always crying, even when happy.
25 Old wild ass from the East supplies aromatic perennial (7)
OREGANO – O (old) + ONAGER (wild ass) reversed, [from the East]. -> REGANO. Oregano. Oregano is possibly my favourite herb.
26 Plant came up with onset of rain in spring month (8)
ROSEMARY – ROSE (came up) + first letter, [onset], of Rain in MAY (spring month). Lady Rosemary was Sir Basil’s wife in The Herbs. The third herb featuring in Simon and Garfunkel’s song Scarborough Fair.
27 One with wisdom of ages perhaps? (4)
SAGE – (ages)* [perhaps]. The owl in The Herbs and the last of the herbs featuring in Simon and Garfunkel’s song Scarborough Fair.
 
Down
1 Lowers credit for dimwit (8)
DIPSTICK – DIPS (lowers) + TICK (credit).
2 Money changing hands twice for commercial vehicle (5)
LORRY – LOLLY (money) with2 of the L’s {lefts) [changing hands] to R’s (rights) -> LORRY.
4 A US city street that's all the same (6)
ANYWAY – A + NY (New York; US city) + WAY (street).
5 Barbie briefly flustered religious leader (5)
RABBI – (Barbi{e})* [flustered], removing the final letter from Barbie [briefly].
6 At first gale's under storm level getting increasingly windy (7)
GUSTIER – Initial letters, [at first] of Gale Under Storm + TIER (level).
7 Northern University student left having no legal standing (4)
NULL – N (Northern) + U (university)  + L (learner; student)  + L (left).
9 Untruth for example arising from loyal subject (5)
LIEGE – LIE (untruth) + E.G. (for example) [arising] -> GE.
13 Charlie to increase deposit for sword (8)
CLAYMORE – C (Charlie in the phonetic alphabet) + LAY MORE (increase deposit). A Scottish weapon.
15 They may be tickled by Welshman in entertaining stand-up introductions (7)
IVORIES – IVOR (Welshman) + first letters, [introductions], of In Entertaining Stand-up. a reference to the phrase “tickle the ivories”, meaning to play the piano.
17 Unusual route diversion (5)
OUTRÉ – (route)* [diversion].
18 Romeo encased in lover's chainmail, perhaps? (6)
ARMOUR – R (Romeo in the phonetic alphabet) in AMOUR (lover).
20 I'm supporting study of material (5)
DENIM – I’M underneath [supporting] DEN (study).
22 Somewhat horny Alaskan antelope (5)
NYALA – Hidden in, [somewhat], horNY ALAskan. Unlikely to be seen in Alaska as it is native to Southern Africa.
23 Wild animal gave birth, we hear (4)
BOAR – Sounds like BORE (gave birth).