A pleasurable solve today despite the limited interconnection between the four corners of the grid. Hard in places and a few uncommon words, for which I have given the Chambers’ definitions below.
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Across
1 ADDUCE AD (modern) DUCE (Italian leader)
4 HARDWARE *(DRAW) in HARE (field-dwelling animal)
9 DIVINE dd
10 FARMYARD ARMY (soldiers) in FARD (makeup) – fard: white paint for the face
12 CARCANET ARCANE (accessible to few) in CT (court) – a collar of jewels
13 ULSTER *(RUSTLE)
15 THEW T (time) HEW (to put an axe to) – muscle or strength
16 BURNISH URN (vessel) in BISH (error) – bish: blunder or mistake
20 BAVARIA V[andals] in *(ARABIA)
21 TUTU dd
25 RENNET TENNER (note) reversed
26 KNEE-JERK KNEE (joint) JERK (strips of beef)
28 ANIMATOR A ROT (rubbish) AMIN (dictator) reversed
29 THRASH dd
30 HEDGEHOG EDGE (to creep) in HH (hotels) GO (turn) reversed
31 ARGENT GEN (dope) in ART (craft)
Down
1 ABDICATE AB (sailor) DI (Inspector) CATE (Blanchett)
2 DIVORCEE OVID (poet) reversed RC (Catholic) EE (Cummings)
3 CANCAN CAN CAN (bogs)
5 AJAR A JAR (a drink)
6 DEMOLISH *(MOLE) in DISH (meal)
7 AVANTI A (one) V (in opposition) ANTI (in opposition)
8 ENDURE END (stop) URE (river)
11 REFUSAL F (loud) US (American) in REAL (very, American)
14 ANCIENT *(TAN NICE)
17 PALEFACE FE (iron) reversed in PALACE (pile)
18 NUMERATE *(TRUE MEAN) – &lit
19 BUCKSHOT BUCKS HOT (rabbit’s in season)
22 BREACH RE (regiment) in BACH (composer)
23 UNKIND UN (a, in French) KIND (child, in German)
24 WETHER WET (ineffectual) HER (woman) – a castrated ram
27 BOHO HOBO (tramp) with the two halves interchanged – a bohemian
Thanks, Gaufrid. As you say, some unusual words [CARCANET, THEW, FARD] but impeccable cluing made them solvable.
I enjoyed this [my favourite clues being, I think, DIVORCEE and HEDGEHOG] but didn’t quite manage to finish, having, inexplicably, put in RENNIN for 25ac.