Excellent cerebral workout
Across
1 Sheridan hero set to embrace extreme characters? TEAZLE (Sir Peter)
AZ (extreme characters) in TELE (set)
5 Department probing PSVs about legal requirement? TAX DISC
D (department) in TAXIS (PSVs) C (about)
10 Action of dry heat? Reverse that HYDRATE (reverse of dry heating)
(DRY HEAT)*
12 Follow man with weight round HEW TO
HE (man) WT (weight) O (round)
14 Member to agree stomach’s filled with foul air: medical stuff needed ARMAMENTARIUM
ARM (member) AMEN (agree) (AIR)* in TUM (stomach)
16 Problem restraining one water-plant SIUM (water parsnip)
I (one) in SUM (problem)
17 Badgers to import a new fuel component CETANE
A N (new) in CETE (collective noun for badgers)
18 Exhausted, retreating over exercise system TAE-BO
BEAT< (exhausted retreating) O (over)
19 Question bridge team not following agreed line? ASKEW
ASK (question) EW (bridge team)
22 Times article finally void ERASE ERAS (times) [articl]E
24 Poet’s to scare off one involved in working in poetry, say AROINT
I (one) in ON (working) all in ART (poetry say)
25 Guy in front of old, old magistrate CATO (Roman censor)
CAT (guy) O (old)
27 I note common position about relation left unable to live with another
INCOMPOSSIBLE
I N (note) COM (common) SIB (relation) L (left) in POSE (position)
28 The elderly walked animals round rear of street STEPT
PETS< (animals round) [stree]T
29 Recalled “Greek god” determined as password TESSERA
SET< ARES< (determined & Greek god recalled)
30 Fashion farm building and reserve MODESTY MODE (fashion) STY (farm building)
31 Superfluous alien in plunge DE TROP ET (alien) in DROP (plunge)
Down
1 Chrematist working to adopt hard political ideology THATCHERISM
H (hard) in (CHREMATIST)*
2 A hand held in waltz? It’s no longer acceptable ADMITTANCE
A MITT (hand) in DANCE (waltz)
3 Blade brute raised LAMINA ANIMAL<
4 Imposing figure no longer involved in elite tennis ETEN
hidden in [elit]E TEN[nis]
5 Unsettled events, though not very stressful TENSE (EVENTS)* minus V (very)
6 A catlike creature with tail raised is alert ACTIVE A CIVET (last letter raised)
7 Dicky is most red, nursing a skin disease DERMATOSIS (IS MOST RED A)*
8 Is bathing causing pain to toe? STUBBING S (is) TUBBING (bathing)
9 Manure source unexpectedly matches poop COMPOST HEAP
(MATCHES POOP)*
11 Artist reads uneasily about policeman, one giving away location RADARSCOPE RA (artist) COP (policeman) in (READS)*
13 Drunk, not out to block fabrication, heading off liar WINE-BIBBER
IN (not out) in WEB (fabrication) [f]IBBER (liar)
15 Attack on it falters after flaw TEAR INTO TEAR (flaw) (ON IT)*
20 Leading trial curtailed, upsetting copper SET POT (fixed boiler)
TOP TES[t]< (leading trial curtailed – upset)
21 Contents of Elbe run higher for fish WRASSE
WASSER German for water with R (run) moved up
23 Guy holding to upturned seat BOOTY (bottom) TO< in BOY (guy)
26 Declined to dismiss official as old USED
REFUSED (declined) minus REF (official)
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit < = reverse definitions in bold italics
Curious. I worked through this fairly steadily on Sunday evening and my only problem was 12ac. HEW TO seemed to fit the word play, but I didn’t know the meaning “to follow” and I couldn’t see it in Chambers, and I checked at least twice. Now I look and it’s there (to conform), and I can’t see why I didn’t see it before.