New year wishes in advance to all solvers and setters.
This was an easy ride until I got into the SW corner. In hindsight don’t know why was I held up but it took me a while to see 19ac. Liked the clues for RANGE, ROLLS, TRIPOS, ENDANGER and TORRENTS especially. Thank you ARMONIE.
Definitions in clues marked like this
+ charade, – deletion, * anagram, H hidden, DD double definition
ACROSS
1 Shorten document after study (8) CONTRACT [study=CON + document=TRACT]
5 Swallow mushroom during play (6) ACCEPT [mushroom=CEP inside play=ACT]
9 Soldiers protect Yankee’s convalescence (8) RECOVERY [soldiers=Royal Engineers + protect=COVER + Yankee]
10 Victor to destroy gold merchant (6) VENDOR [Victor + to destroy=END + gold=OR]
12 School head left Cliff’s vehicle (6,3) SPORTS CAR [School + left=PORT + cliff=SCAR]
13 Raving about new collection (5) RANGE [raving=RAGE outside New]
14 Enemy holds sovereign in frozen waste (4) FLOE [enemy=FOE outside sovereign=pound sterling=L]
16 Function where Hazel gets a man (7) TANGENT [hazel=TAN + a man=GENT]
19 Cinders made trouble and is sorry (7) ASHAMED [cinders=ASH + MADE*]
21 Always cut head off (4) EVER [cut=sEVER]
24 Registers // car (5) ROLLS [DD]
25 Bride hung about in Scotland (9) EDINBURGH [BRIDE HUNG]* Not a fan of this sort of definitions
27 Get high before big exams (6) TRIPOS [get high=TRIP + big=outsize=OS]
28 Pasta from foreign capital to Northern Ireland (8) RIGATONI [foreign capital=RIGA + TO + Northern Ireland]
29 Long to keep horse right for Aussie (6) DIGGER [long=DIE? outside horse=GG + Right]
30 Mules can run wild in the United States (5,3) UNCLE SAM [MULES CAN]*
DOWN
1 Bob is brusque and heartlessly cunning (6) CURTSY [brusque=CURT + cunning=SlY]
2 Sancho cooked snacks (6) NACHOS [SANCHO]*
3 Scripture review to hold one’s attention (5) RIVET [scripture=Religious Instruction + review=VET]
4 Caught prophet in boat (7) CORACLE [Caught + prophet=ORACLE]
6 Endorsement of cavalry leader’s weapon holds attention (9) CLEARANCE [Cavalry + weapon=LANCE outside attention=EAR]
7 Put at risk the outcome with ill-temper (8) ENDANGER [outcome=END + ill-temper=ANGER]
8 Mountain split by first of seasonal cascades (8) TORRENTS [mountain=TOR + split=RENT + Seasonal]
11 Born traitor is a rascal (4) BRAT [Born + traitor=RAT]
15 Men lose it after processing mineral (9) LIMESTONE [MEN LOSE IT]*
17 Hurried back, scored and told the tale (8) NARRATED [hurried=RAN<- + scored=RATED]
18 Carol goes round mountain for old Bob (8) SHILLING [carol=SING outside mountain=HILL]
20 Stopped working and fixed when touring Spain (4) DIED [fixed=DID outside Spain=E]
21 Subversion lacks its initial impression (7) EDITION [subversion=sEDITION]
22 Puts up with second-class castles (6) BROOKS [second-class=B + castles=ROOKS]
23 Goethe is modest revealing religious belief (6) THEISM [H]
26 Cry about royal dispute (5) BRAWL [cry=BAWL outside Royal]
Thanks Bhavan and Armonie. I enjoyed this. 12a (SPORTS CAR) was one that particularly took my fancy.
Thanks Armonie and Bhavan
Found this a typically straightforward offering, some 13 months on and simarly to Bhavan finished in the SW corner with TRIPOS (which I’d heard of but had to refresh up on), SHILLING and DIGGER the last few in.
Noted many single letter components, both as part of the charade or letters to be deleted, which is a bit of a trait with this setter.