Financial Times N° 14,178 by Peto

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I found this mostly straightforward.

The exceptions were blind spots for 10A, where the answer was obvious, but it took me a while to work out the wordplay; and more particularly 16A, where the answer was not clear to me for far too long.

	Across
1.	This grammatical unit’s length is within reason (6)
	CLAUSE	An envelope (‘within’) of L (‘length’) in CAUSE (‘reason’).
4.	Glass boat (8)
	SCHOONER	Double definition. We had this word in yesterday’s Rufus.
9.	Reach a river bend (6)
	ARRIVE	An anagram (‘bend’) of ‘a river’.
10.	Up to the time of cutting support in prison (8)
	BASTILLE	An envelope (‘cutting’) of TILL (‘up to the time’) in BASE (‘support’).
12.	Conceited artist retracted tirade over work sent back (8)
	ARROGANT	An envelope (‘over’) of OG, a reversal (‘sent back’) of GO (‘work’) in AR, a reversal (‘retracted’) of RA (‘artist’) plus RANT (‘tirade’).
13.	In favour of putting on spelling contest at an earlier time (6)
	BEFORE	An envelope (‘putting on’) of FOR (‘in favour of’) in BEE (‘spelling contest’).
15.	Leisure facility (4)
	EASE	Double definition.
16.	It’s extremely beneficial to cover everything with glass (7)
	BALLOON	An envelope (‘to cover’) of ALL (‘everything’) in BOON (‘it’s extremely beneficial’), for a large wineglass or brandy snifter.
20.	Grazing land beyond a river (7)
	PASTURE	A charade of PAST (‘beyond’) plus URE (‘a river’).
21.	Blue feathers (4)
	DOWN	Double definition.
25.	Right back crosses one to get a goal (6)
	TARGET	An envelope (‘crosses’) of A (‘one’) in TR, a reversal (back’) of RT (‘right’) plus ‘get’.
26.	Set off for an appointment involving school (8)
	DETONATE	An envelope (‘involving’) of ETON (‘school’) in DATE (‘appointment’).
28.	Herb is 12 amazingly (8)
	TARRAGON	An anagram (‘amazingly’) of ARROGANT, the answer to 12A.
29.	A warning for Mark (6)
	NOTICE	Double definition.
30.	Talk with the Head of Charterhouse about poetry (8)
	CONVERSE	A charade of C (‘head of Charterhouse’) plus ON (‘about’) plus VERSE (‘poetry’).
31.	Leave dead trees all over the place (6)
	DESERT	A charade of D (‘dead’) plus ESERT, an anagram (‘allover the place’) of ‘trees’.

	Down
1.	Absurd behaviour before Spurs’ opening game (8)
	CHARADES	A charade (what else?) of CHARADE (‘absurd behaviour’) plus S (‘Spurs opening’).
2.	Improve the image of Belgium after broadcast on race (8)
	AIRBRUSH	A charade of AIR (‘broadcast’) plus B (‘Belgium’, IVR) plus RUSH (‘race’).
3.	Wild goat oddly raised in keep (6)
	SAVAGE	An envelope (‘in’) of AG, a reversal (‘raised’ in a down clue) in SAVE (‘keep’).
5.	Talk about those who volunteer after church (4)
	CHAT	A charade of CH (‘church’) plus AT, a reversal (‘about’) of TA (‘those who volunteer’).
6.	Not surprisingly he gets hit at exactly the arranged time (2,3,3)
	ON THE DOT	A charade of ONT, an anagram (‘surprisingly’) of ‘not’ plus ‘he’ plus DOT (‘hit’).
7.	Sailor discovered in a hold (6)
	NELSON	Double definition.
8.	Staggered by revolutionary capturing general in retreat (6)
	REELED	An envelope (‘capturing’) of EEL, a reversal (‘in retreat’) of LEE (Robert E, ‘general’) in RED (‘revolutionary’).
11.	Dig up body part during organised hunt (7)
	UNEARTH	An envelope (‘during’) of EAR (‘body part’) in UNTH, an anagram (‘organised’) of ‘hunt’.
14.	In a panic when Capone approaches carrying a gun (7)
	ALARMED	A charade of AL (‘Capone’) plus ARMED (‘carrying a gun’).
17.	Cut material at speed (8)
	LACERATE	A charade of LACE (‘material’) plus RATE (‘speed’).
18.	It’s used in calling for the return of Peron caught earlier on the outskirts of Valparaiso (8)
	VOCATIVE	A charade of VO (‘the outskirts of ValparisO‘) plus C (‘caught’) plus ATIVE, a reversal (‘the return of’) of EVITA (‘Peron’).
19.	Benefit from a hobby (8)
	INTEREST	Double definition.
22.	Still with French film star in South Carolina (6)
	STATIC	An envelope (‘in’) of TATI (Jacques, ‘French film star’) in SC (‘South Carolina’).
23.	Finished speaking about lines by king in rehearsal (3,3)
	DRY RUN	An envelope (‘about’) of RY (railway ‘lines’) plus R (‘king’) in DUN, a homophone (‘speaking’) of DONE (‘finished’).
24.	Sullen fictional detective embracing love (6)
	MOROSE	An envelope (’embracing’) of O (‘love’) in MORSE (‘fictional detective’).
27.	Abraham’s nephew initially struck a great deal (4)
	LOTS	A charade of LOT (‘Abraham’s nephew’) plus S (‘initially Struck’).

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