After the first four across entries fell straight in, I thought this might be an easy one. Not so, but I got there. In two clues the wordplay escapes me, however, and I’ve reproduced the clues for those in case passers-by fancy a look.
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | TRACTABLE – CART< + TABLE. |
| 11 | GUSH – [helpin]G US H[andle]. |
| 12 | HOBNAIL – HOB + N + AIL. |
| 13 | INTERPRETIVE – (PRETTIER VEIN)*. |
| 14 | PARAPH – RAP in HAP<. |
| 15 | SERAC – R in (SEA + C). |
| 16 | EUCARYOT – (YOU REACT)*. |
| 18 | NONETTI – NETT in NO 1. |
| 22 | SCALENI – SCALE + IN<. |
| 23 | OVERSHOT – OVERS + HOT. |
| 25 | FANES – FAN + [p]E[w]S. |
| 27 | FEAGUE – Fe + AGUE. |
| 28 | LITTERATEURS – (RUL[e] TIERS ETAT)*. |
| 29 | ENLISTS – [m]EN + LISTS. I’m not sure how to make LISTS from “battleground”. The clue was Engages leaderless soldiers in battleground. |
| 30 | CIEL – CIE + L. Again, not sure here. I guess there’s a French company named CIE. The name even rings a bell, but Google isn’t forthcoming. Line? French firm’s line. |
| 31 | NOSE CANDY – (C AS DONE)* in NY &lit. Here, “C” refers to cocaine. |
| Down | |
| 2 | RUN AMOK – (AN< in RUM) + OK. |
| 3 | ASTRINGENTLY – (RANTING STYLE)*. |
| 4 | CHEAP – C + HEAP. |
| 5 | TURPETHS – THE* in TURPS. |
| 6 | BORACIC – B + OR + A CIC. |
| 7 | ENTERA – [c]ENTER + A. |
| 8 | FAIRY PENGUIN – FAIR + (PEN in GUY*) + I + N. |
| 9 | DIVA – DIVA[gate]. |
| 10 | ELECTRIZE – (LECT + RI) in EZE[k]. |
| 14 | PANTOFLES – PANTO + FLES[h]. |
| 17 | APATETIC – APAT[h]ETIC. |
| 19 | T-SHIRTS – SHIR in TT’S. |
| 20 | INJURED – J in INURED. |
| 21 | CRETIN – CRETI[c] + N. |
| 24 | CAECA – [sor]E in (CA + CA). |
| 26 | AINÉ – A IN E. |
Lists are the arenas in which jousting tournaments are held.
A passer-by
Cie is French for a company. ‘Et Cie’ means ‘& Co’.
Good puzzle.