Very enjoyable, I found a few of these clues quite tricky.
The clue writing is watertight. There were several places where I thought that some of the clues were a bit iffy, but each time realized that it was me who wasn’t thinking hard enough. Thank you Aardvark.
Hold the mouse pointer over any clue number to read the clue.
| Across | ||
| 1 | SESTERCE | CREST* in SEE (bishop’s office) |
| 5 | SLEIGH | sounds like “slay” – discussed=verbal |
| 9 | MACAROON | CAR (coach) OO (zeros, tennis scores) in MAN (worker) |
| 10 | IN HAND | HA (joyous expression) in INN (boozer) Drinking (primarily, first letter only) |
| 12 | ASCOT | SeCtOr (regularly) in AT |
| 13 | ESPAGNOLE | LONG (extended) APSE (part of chrch) all reversed kitchenettE (last letter) – a type of sauce used in cooking |
| 14 | ANSWER | THY (your, antique) in ROW (argue) |
| 16 | SHAMPOO | AMP (current unit) in SHOO (go away) – a dressing for the hair |
| 19 | SCHLOSS | Second CHild LOSS (passing, death) – ‘castle’ in German |
| 21 | SIENNA | IS reversed by hENNA (hair dye, unaspirated) |
| 23 | ABSTAINER | anagram of IAN BEATES Rivals (foremost=first letter) |
| 25 | CREPE | Pressure in CREE (language) |
| 26 | OPINED | OP (opus, work) IN (topical) ED (journalist) |
| 27 | STORMONT | TOR (peak) MON (day) in SeaT (vacant=empty) – parliament in Northern Ireland |
| 28 | ERSATZ | TEARS* (shed=anagram) muZak (middle of) |
| 29 | ISOLATED | Illness (onset=first letter) SOL (sun, Spanish) ATE (worried, ate away at) Daughter |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SAMPAN | SA (Salvation Army) MP (member, of parliament) Attack Next (starts of) |
| 2 | SACKCLOTH | Hot following SACK (fire) CLOT (idiot) |
| 3 | EGRET | GREET (hail) with E=east moving place |
| 4 | COOKERY | COY (reticent) holding (purchasing) OK (right) ER (Edward Rex) |
| 6 | LANDGRAVE | GARLAND* on VE (victory in Europe day) – title for a count who’s feudal duty lay direct to the Holy Roman Emporer |
| 7 | IDAHO | FlorIDA HOtel |
| 8 | HEDGEROW | (GO RED)* going into (trespassing) HEW (saw) |
| 11 | OPUS | O (ring) SUP (sample) reversed |
| 15 | TOOK A SEAT | TOO (excessively) (A STEAK)* digesting=anagram |
| 17 | PENTECOST | NT (National Trust, conservationists) ECO (green) wellieS (latterly=last letter) in PET (beloved) |
| 18 | ESCALOPE | ESCAPE contains (bags) Left and Ordinary |
| 20 | SINK | SIN (sloth perhaps) on |
| 21 | STRATUS | Trio (leding letter) in STRAUSs (composer, short) |
| 22 | HEATED | TA (Territorial Army, soldiers) reversed (with revolution) in HEED (mind) |
| 24 | SWISS | Wife IS in SS (in Steam Ship=on borard) |
| 25 | CORAL | Right in COAL – definition is ‘marine resident’, a sea creature |
*anagram
Many thanks, PeeDee. Just how I felt: your introductory comments were spot on.
I’m sure you meant to type CH for child in 19ac, SIENNA in 21ac and HEED for mind in 22dn.
For ‘decline’ in 20dn, I went for SINK.
Also went for SINK at 20d…..
Thanks mike04, fixed now.
I too agree with PeeDee’s introduction. Thanks to him and Aardvark – it turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to sitting in the dentist’s waiting room.