Guardian 26,071 / Bonxie

A fun puzzle from Bonxie – probably on the easy side for a prize puzzle, but very enjoyable to work through.

Thanks to NeilW for pointing out something I missed: there are lots of languages hidden in the answers, which I’ve added after the answers.

Across

1. Setter’s eating large stew (7)
GELATIN (Latin)
(EATING L)*
Definition: “Setter”

5. After climb, turn up at party (7)
SHINDIG (Hindi)
SHIN = “climb” (as in “to shin up a lamp-post”) + DIG = “turn up” (I’m not sure about this – to “dig for” for something might be to “turn up” something, perhaps, but not just “dig”?)
Definition: “party”

11. Oxford cleaner hopes to dance around hotel chamber (4,6)
SHOE POLISH (Polish)
(HOPES)* followed by SILO = “chamber” + H = “hotel” reversed
Definition: “Oxford cleaner”

12. Groove discovered in mainly hairless animal (6)
BRUTAL
RUT = “Groove” in BAL[d] = “mainly hairless”
Definition: “animal”

13. Cockney objects about fish having emotional responses (8)
FEELINGS
FINGS = “Cockney objects” around EEL = “fish”
Definition: “emotional responses”

14. Respected opponent in dead heat before heading off for the country (6,3)
DANGER MAN (German)
D = “dead” + ANGER = “heat” + [o]MAN = “heading off for the country”
Definition: “Respected opponent”

16. Little Tom and Jack (5)
KITTY
Double definition: “Little Tom [cat]” and “Jack” (from which we get “jackpot”) Correction: I think I misread the dictionary here – BigglesA points out below that KITTY is another word for the jack in bowls

17. It detects things from any direction (5)
RADAR (Not sure if this counts: Ada is a programming language)
Palindrome
Definition: “It detects things”

19. There’s little space in refugee centre to smell this plant (9)
FENUGREEK (Greek)
EN = “little space” in [re]FUG[ee] followed by REEK = “smell”
Definition: “this plant”

23. Staff pluck endless fruit (8)
MANDARIN (Mandarin)
MAN = “Staff” + DARIN[g] = “pluck endless”
Definition: “fruit”

24. International organisation questions sailor returning a jacket (6)
BASQUE (Basque)
Reversal of EU = “International organisation” + QS = “question” + AB = “sailor”
Definition: “jacket” – Chambers says “a short-skirted jacket, or a continuation of a bodice extending shortly below the waist”

26. Merciless villain bound in carpet in American port (10)
WILMINGTON
MING = “Merciless villain” in WILTON = “carpet” (Chambers says for “Wilton”: “(in full Wilton carpet) a carpet with a velvety cut-loop pile and a woven pattern, typically of a simple, three-colour kind, long made at Wilton, in Wiltshire”)
Definition: “American port”

27. Tories cried out for service (4)
RITE
Sounds like “right” = “Tories”
Definition: “service”

28. Forceful adult admitted being fat (7)
PAUNCHY
PUNCHY = “Forceful” with A = “adult” inserted
Definition: “fat”

29. Libel law’s oddly lacking — peers to reform (7)
ASPERSE (Erse)
[l]A[w]’S = “law’s oddly lacking” + (PEERS)*
Definition: “Libel” (as a verb – we more commonly hear “asperse” used in “aspersions”

Down

2. Country raised flag on 1st of April (7)
ERITREA
TIRE = “flag” reversed + RE = “on” = A[pril] = “1st of April”
Definition: “Country”

3. Something useful for dog scratching head (5)
ASSET
[b]ASSET = “dog scratching head”
Definition: “Something useful”

4. Original urinals, narrowly constricted (7)
INSULAR (Sula)
(URINALS)* with “original” as the anagram indicator
Definition: “narrowly constricted”

6. A one-legged painter? (6)
HOPPER
A joke on the name of Edward Hopper.
Definition: “painter?”

7. He rescinds in full, occasionally; prisoner gains independence (9)
NULLIFIER
[i]N [f]U[l]L = “in full occasionally” + LIFER = “prisoner” around I = “independent”
Definition: “He rescinds”

8. The opposite of hidden awareness? (7)
INSIGHT
Double definition “the opposite of hidden” and “awareness?”

9. Factory intern organised the brotherhood (13)
CONFRATERNITY
(FACTORY INTERN)*
Definition: “the brotherhood”

15. Soldiers rioting, armed with guns (9)
GUARDSMEN
(ARMED GUNS)*
Definition: “Soldiers”

18. A veto overturned on cultural body providing coffee (7)
ARABICA (Arabic)
A followed by BAR = “veto” reversed + ICA = “cultural body”
Definition: “coffee”

20. Removes ties when sister orders head to be demoted (7)
UNBINDS
NUN BIDS = “sister orders”, with the first letter moved down = “head to be demoted”
Definition: “Removes ties”

21. Agrees with point as being decided, on reflection (7)
EQUATES
E = “point” + QUA = “as” followed by SET = “decided” reversed
Definition: “Agrees”

22,10. Intimacy that set tongues wagging (6,4)
FRENCH KISS (French)
Cryptic definition
Definition: the whole clue

25. Rocks vet cutting tail (5)
SCREE (Cree – thanks to Nigel for pointing this one out)
SCREE[n] = “vet cutting tail”
Definition: “Rocks”