Financial Times 14812 Gurney

(Work in progress – 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.)  Pretty straightforward.  Thanks to Gurney.  Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

1    Effect of sun – brief delight and confusion? (6)

TANGLE : TAN(effect of sunbathing) + “glee”(delight) minus its last letter(brief …).

4    Boldly challenged bill (having amount to pay calculated) (8)

ACCOSTED : AC(abbrev. for “account”;a bill of what’s due and what’s paid) + COSTED(having calculated the amount to pay).

9    Starts to chill out, relaxing freely, unwinding – here? (5)

CORFU : The 1st letters, respectively, of(Starts to) “chill out, relaxing freely, unwinding “.

Defn: A place to unwind, one of the Greek islands.

10    Friendly pair of criminals shelter a dozen (in separate groups) (9)

CONVIVIAL : [CON, AL](short for “convict”, and Capone, American gangster, viz. a pair of criminals) containing(shelter) VI,VI(Roman numerals for 6 and 6, which added together give a dozen in 2 separate groups).

11    One attempting to secure horse – old cowboy’s one? (7)

TRIGGER : TRIER(one who attempts) containing(to secure) GG(from the slang or children’s word, gee-gee, for a horse).

Defn: The old cowboy, Roy Rogers’ horse.

12    Some samurai men traded old-fashioned clothing (7)

RAIMENT : Hidden in(Some) “samurai men traded “.

13    Stratagem used in Home Counties game first (4)

RUSE : SE(abbrev. for the south-east of England, where the Home Counties are) placed after(… first) RU(abbrev. for the game of rugby union).

14    Indication of descent ruffles eg English pride? (8)

PEDIGREE : Anagram of(ruffles) [EG + E(abbrev. for “English”) + PRIDE].

17    With irritation I spy plan (devious) (8)

SNAPPILY : Anagram of(… devious) I SPY PLAN.

Defn: …, in one’s speech.

19    In imitation repeat nymph’s name (4)

ECHO : Double defn: 2nd: The nymph in Greek mythology, who, spurned by Narcissus, pined away until only her voice remained.

22    Lots here but not necessarily many? (7)

AUCTION : Cryptic defn: Reference to the lots put up for sale – each being an individual item or a collection of items sold as a unit.

24    Insignificant place currently – girl’s first to exit (7)

NOWHERE : NOW(currently;at present) + HER(pronoun for a girl) plus(…’s) the 1st letter of(first to) “exit “.

25    Not being told what to pay? Ridiculous (9)

PRICELESS : Cryptic defn: Literally, without the price being given. Extremely absurd.

26    Tense over new jeering remark (5)

TAUNT : TAUT(tense;tight) containing(over) N(abbrev. for “new”).

27    Moving fast, artist with sympathy defending papers (8)

RAPIDITY : RA(post-nomial letters for an artist who is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts) plus(with) PITY(sympathy) containing(defending) ID(abbrev. for identity papers, collectively).

28    Perhaps a Yankee fish shop (6)

BETRAY : BET(an example of which;perhaps is the Yankee, a combination bet in the UK) + RAY(a fish, distinguished by its flattened body).

Defn: …;to inform on, especially to the police.

Down

1    Using discretion one brought in vessel not saying much (8)

TACITURN : TACT(discretion) containing(… brought in) I(Roman numeral for “one”) + URN(a vessel, eg. to contain tea or ashes).

2    Person who’s self-deprecating? Quite the opposite on reflection (9)

NARCISSUS : Cryptic defn: Reference to the young man in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own reflection, and pined away, becoming a narcissus flower.

3    One in France in theatre box to take it easy (6)

LOUNGE : UN(“one” in French) contained in(in) LOGE(a small enclosure or box in a theatre).

5    Bird – one’s on lake and heading for south in archipelago (6,7)

CANARY ISLANDS :  CANARY(a bird) + I’S(in Roman numeral, “one’s”) + L(abbrev. for “lake”) + AND +the 1st letter of(heading for) “south“.

6    Love lively virile actor (7)

OLIVIER : O(letter for zero, “love” in tennis scores) + anagram of(lively) VIRILE.

Answer: Laurence, English actor.

7    Time to make fun of ultimately fake group (5)

TRIBE : T(abbrev. for “time”) + RIB(to make fun of;to tease) + the last letter of(ultimately) “fake “.

8    Reduce effect of old instrument detective’s brought over (6)

DILUTE : LUTE(an old string instrument) placed below(…’s brought over, in a down clue) DI(abbrev. for “detective inspector”).

10    Similar rents drop once renegotiated (13)

CORRESPONDENT : Anagram of(… renegotiated) RENTS DROP ONCE.

15    Former partner. Her cue – question initially about source of finance? (9)

EXCHEQUER : EX(a former spouse or partner) + anagram of(… about) [HER CUE + the 1st letter of(… initially) “question ” ].

Defn: …, specifically the treasury of a state or nation.

16    Wood science concerned with breaking frosty ground (8)

FORESTRY : RE(with reference to;concerned with) contained in(breaking) anagram of(… ground) FROSTY.

18    A stronger competitor from Belfast? Something that could add flavour (7)

ANISEED : A + N.I. SEED(a Northern Ireland player who is seeded in a knockout competition, coming from Belfast, maybe;?).

20    Hinder movement of food container (6)

HAMPER : Double defn.

21    Wrap couple of articles following tips on show (6)

SWATHE : [A,THE](a couple of articles in grammar) placed below(following, in a down clue) the 1st and last letters of(tips on) “show “.

23    African native has letter from Greek parliamentarian (5)

CHIMP : CHI(a letter in the Greek alphabet) + MP(abbrev. for a Member of Parliament).

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