Financial Times 14573 Armonie

(Please click here for this same blog but with a picture quiz added. Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.)   Thank you Armonie for a straightforward and enjoyable puzzle, as one would expect of a Tuesday.  Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across 

1 Hilda cultivated a flower (6)

DAHLIA : Anagram of(cultivated) HILDA + A.

4 Rubbish put out? It rusted! (8)

DETRITUS : Anagram of(put out) IT RUSTED.

9 Small group surrounds pupil enlightened by star (6)

SUNLIT : S(abbrev. for “small”) + UNIT(a group, eg. of soldiers) containing(surrounds) L(letter exhibited by a learner driver;a pupil).

Defn: … in our solar system.

10 Perfectionist gives son a problem (8)

STICKLER : S(abbrev. for “son”) placed before(gives … a …, in an across clue) TICKLER(a difficult or delicate problem).

12 Sally runs to help (4)

RAID : R(abbrev. for “runs” in cricket) plus(to) AID(help).

Defn: A sudden assault by a military force, especially by one defending a besieged position.

13 To some extent admire Arsenal’s backs (5)

REARS : Hidden in(To some extent) “admire Arsenal “.

14 Piercing cry (4)

KEEN : Double defn: 1st: Intense and penetrating, as in “a keen wind”; and 2nd: To weep for the dead.

17 Attend American soldier’s party and make a run for it (4,1,7)

BEAT A RETREAT : [BE AT](to attend) + A(abbrev. for “American”) + RE(abbrev. for a soldier in the Royal Engineers in the British army) + TREAT(a party;a specially pleasant occasion).

20 Honest artisan – fantastic singer (5,7)

FRANK SINATRA : FRANK(honest;open) + anagram of(fantastic) ARTISAN.

Defn: He was a fantastic as a singer too.

23 Penny has fish? I ask you! (4)

PRAY : P(abbrev. for “penny”, a unit of the British currency) + RAY(any of various fishes with flattened bodies and whiplike tails).

Answer: I ask you please, as in “pray, leave us alone”.

24 Smell trouble (5)

STINK : Double defn: 1st: To smell bad; and 2nd: A spot of trouble, as in “to create stink about his opponent’s ways”.

25 Smirk as Romeo is caught in trap (4)

GRIN : R(letter represented by “Romeo” in the phonetic alphabet) contained in(caught in) GIN(a trap for catching small animals).

Defn: A smile showing scorn or smugness, which could also be described as a grin, which is a turning up of the corners of the mouth to express an emotion.

28 Former pupils smoked? That’s hard to see! (8)

OBSCURED : OBS(plural of OB;an abbrev. for an old boy of a particular school) + CURED(of meat that is preserved by, say, being exposed to smoke).

29 Clergyman keeps setter humble (6)

DEMEAN : DEAN(the head in a group of clergymen) containing(keeps) ME(self-referential pronoun used by the setter of this puzzle).

Defn: As a verb.

30 A vessel does when about to tilt (8)

DECANTER : DEER(does;the female deer – nicely misdirecting) containing(when about) CANT(to tilt;to set at an oblique angle).

31 Gratitude for hydrant filling containers (6)

THANKS : H(abbrev. for “hydrant”, as in FH, a fire hydrant) contained in(filling) TANKS(large containers).

Down

1 Report finding small bed in river (8)

DESCRIBE : [ S(abbrev. for “small”) + CRIB(a small bed;a cot) ] contained in(in) DEE(any of a number of rivers in Britain).

2 Give one international a disadvantage (8)

HANDICAP : HAND(to give to by hand) + I(Roman numeral for “one”) + CAP(a sportsman/woman who represents his/her country in international sporting events).

3 Lily is the first person teacher upset (4)

IRIS : I(in grammar, the first person pronoun) + reversal of(upset) SIR(a form of address for a teacher, especially by his/her pupils).

5 Record the start of peasants’ revolt? That’s bold! (12)

ENTERPRISING : ENTER(to record into a, say, register) + the 1st letter of(the start of) “peasants ” + RISING(a revolt;a rebellion).

Answer: Willing to embark on new ventures with boldness and initiative.

6 Motorists need energy for career (4)

RACE : RAC(abbrev. for the Royal Automobile Club of the UK;an association of motorists) plus(need) E(abbrev. for “energy” in physics).

Defn: To rush at speed.

7 Ploughman makes lines in a row (6)

TILLER : 2 x L(abbrev. for “line”) contained in(in) TIER(one of a series of rows, placed one behind or above another).

8 Garment is to hang loosely round boy (6)

SARONG : SAG(to hang loosely;to droop) containing(round) RON(a boy’s name).

Defn:  … varied in form and uses.

 

11 Present adherent perhaps in various places (4,3,5)

HERE AND THERE : HERE(indicating one’s presence, eg. in a roll call) + anagram of(perhaps) ADHERENT.

15 Commander takes in the atmosphere in Egypt (5)

CAIRO : CO(abbrev. for “commanding officer”) containing(takes in) AIR(the atmosphere around us).

Defn: Capital city.

16 Page is not commonly in colour (5)

PAINT : P(abbrev. for “page”) + AIN’T(slang;commonly for “is not”).

18 Theatre worker eats tons of fish (8)

STURGEON : SURGEON(a worker in an operating theatre – though he/she might not like being called such) containing(eats) T(abbrev. for “tons” in weights and measures).

19 Grannie’s uncertain income (8)

EARNINGS : Anagram of(uncertain) GRANNIE’S.

21 Champion is riding clutch (6)

UPHOLD : UP(on horseback;is riding) + HOLD(a clutch;a grasp).

Defn: To support, eg. a cause.

22 Prevents Bill making wine (6)

BARSAC : BARS(prevents;stops from) + AC(abbrev. for “account”).

Answer: A sweet white wine from Bordeaux.

26 Smart runner (4)

BURN : Double defn: 1st: To feel a stinging sensation as if from heat; and 2nd: In Scottish, a small river, which is, well, something that runs.

27 Become engaged? That’s a trap! (4)

MESH : Double defn: 1st: …, as with mechanical gears; and 2nd: A net used as a trap.

(Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.)