Beelzebub 1164

Satisfyingly difficult

 

 

 

Across

1 Solo musical performance secured, involving what? SINGLEHANDED (solo)

EH (what) in SING (musical performance) LANDED (secured)

10 Cheerfully melodious’ though not initially involving grand composer UNGRAVELY (cheerfully) G RAVEL (grand composer) in [t]UNY (melodious)

12 Catch old Queen during visit SERE (old word for catch) R[egina] in SEE (visit)

13 Atmospheric region that’s always about the air E-LAYER (Kennelly-Heaviside Layer) LAY (air) in EER (always)

14 Greatly confused melody and first of reggae tunes TREMENDOUSLY

(MELODY R[eggae] TUNES)*

16 Lots of blood vessels, note, absent from light-sensitive area RETIA (RETE pl)

N (note) from RETINA (eye area)

17 Showing extremes of unclothed state’s about this NUDATION (baring)

U[nclothe]D in NATION (state)

20 Used piano, now reinvigorated with oboe, say, around PREOWNED (used)

P (piano) (NOW)* in REED (oboe say)

22 Exalted clergyman, not priest ELATE (exalted) [pr]ELATE

25 Silly Manx euphoria that’s affected – these? AILUROPHILES (cat lovers)

Manx = tailless (SILL[y] EUPHORIA)*

26 Images recalled one old Roman general SCIPIO (Roman general)

PICS< I O (one old)

27 Restaurant feature I disregard TRAT (restaurant) I from TRAIT (feature)

28 Learning about good clear glasses LORGNETTE (glasses)

G (good) NETT (clear) in LORE (learning)

29 Court appearance, part involving beginning and end PLEADING DIET (court appearance) LEADING (beginning) DIE (end) all in PT (part)

Down

2 Type of sugar, not very unreactive to chemicals INERT (unreactive)

V from INVERT (sugar type)

3 Resident jinx not at work around one afternoon GREMIAL (resident)

I A (one afternoon) in GREML[in] (jinx)

4 Active depletion rate reduced? Time to respond LATENT PERIOD

(DEPLETION RAT[e])*

5 Siberian people still with family name forgotten EVENKI (people)

EVEN (still) KI[N] (family minus N)

6 Warning cry restraining chap no longer careful HEEDY (careful)

ED (chap) in HEY (warning cry)

7 Abandoned start of operation in Icelandic parliament, offering two options

ALL-OR-NOTHING LORN (abandoned) O[peration] in ALTHING (a spelling of Iceland’s parliament

8 Like some walls idle type put round messy sty DRYSTONE

(STY)* in DRONE (idler)

9 Finish up smothering the old luminance with lampshade? EYELID (shade)

YE (the old) L (luminance) all in DIE<  (finish up)

11 Complex study’s hard? Not hard, but very dull DRYASDUST (dull)

(STUDYS [h]ARD)*

12 Military command: ‘Remain in possession of rebellious Andes’ STAND EASY

(ANDES)* in STAY (remain)

15 Consider perfect fish, a whopper, that son’s brought in IDEALISE

IDE (fish) S (son) in A LIE (a whopper)

18 Intimidated about article? It’s no longer watched for AWAITED (watched for)

A (article) IT all in AWED (intimidated)

19 Place I designate almost entirely covered in folds PLICAL (with folds)

PL (place) I CAL[l]

21 Retired boxer’s name in storm EXPUGN (storm) EX (retired) PUG (boxer) N

23 Australian erected one castle KOORI (Aborigine) (I ROOK)<

24 Middle of stream disturbed by English water plant REATE (plant)

[s](TREA)*[m] E (English)

( )* = anagram    [ ] = omit    > = reverse