Financial Times 14,926 by Mudd

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of May 9, 2015

Another fine Mudd this time, one that proved just a little more challenging than average for me with a couple of terms I did not know. My clue of the week is 23a (CRACKLING) and I also especially like 15d (QUICKSAND) and 24d (AMASS). I think I am missing something in 29a.

ACROSS
1 Getting to be suitable (8)
BECOMING – double definition
5 Like a spring leaf only opening east of Paris, perhaps? (6)
SPIRAL – anagram of PARIS + L[eaf]
9 Golden infant originally seen in sweetly fragrant youth (8)
MINORITY – OR (golden) + I[nfant] together in MINTY (sweetly fragrant)
10 Summon a drink, poking dessert on the counter (4,2)
DRUM UP – RUM (a drink) in PUD (dessert) backwards (on the counter)
12 Black ice ultimately thin (5)
EBONY – [ic]E + BONY (thin)
13 Gripping item initially, precariously balanced device for securing locks (5,4)
ALICE BAND – I[tem] in anagram of BALANCED. This was hard for me as I did not catch the cryptic part of the definition and was unfamiliar with the term alice band.
14 Tablet for dental problem (6)
PLAQUE – double definition
16 Second kipper is a fish (7)
SNAPPER – S (second) + NAPPER (kipper, in the sense of sleeper)
19 Worryingly, gun about to commit murder, bringing ruin (7)
UNDOING – DO IN (to commit murder) in anagram of GUN
21 Relative arranged to come back to see French city (6)
NANTES – NAN (relative) + SET (arranged) backwards
23 Crispy skin left, wonderful eating it! (9)
CRACKLING – L (left) in CRACKING (wonderful)
25 Capital’s sound of Motown? (5)
SEOUL – homophone (“soul”)
26 Book is perfect, what a relief! (6)
ISAIAH – IS (is) + AI (perfect) + AH (what a relief)
27 Sword put down, first of many to pierce heart (8)
CLAYMORE – LAY (put down) + M[any] together in CORE (heart)
28 Prolific creator returning for the end of the game (2-4)
NO-SIDE – EDISON (prolific creator). This is another term I did not know.
29 Anonymous as 28 across? (8)
FACELESS – double definition. I originally posted NAMELESS as the answer even though I could not relate it well to 28 across. Thanks to Pandean for setting me straight.

DOWN
1 Giant part of a Mini? (6)
BUMPER – double definition
2 Inhaling dope, libertine cuddled and kissed (9)
CANOODLED – NOODLE (dope) in CAD (libertine)
3 Second fish is an eel (5)
MORAY – MO (second) + RAY (fish)
4 Helmet, you might say, for a maniac (7)
NUTCASE – NUT CASE (helmet, you might say)
6 China, or Chinese borders surrounded by flat land (9)
PORCELAIN – OR (or) + C[hines]E together in PLAIN (flat land)
7 “Polish” describing mazurka, primarily, a dance (5)
RUMBA – M[azurka] in RUB (polish) + A (a)
8 One working on gemstones rapidly, a drunk (8)
LAPIDARY – anagram of RAPIDLY A
11 This sound coming from mouth is sibilant? (4)
HISS – hidden word
15 Sucker living with French novelist (9)
QUICKSAND – QUICK (living) + SAND (French novelist) with a nice cryptic definition
17 Call to incarcerate a greater number lifted, response triggered on one’s release (9)
PHEROMONE – MORE (a greater number) backwards (lifted) in PHONE (call)
18 Sliminess under leader of journalists’ union (8)
JUNCTION – J[ournalists] + UNCTION (sliminess)
20 Courage that’s on the way in winter? (4)
GRIT – double/cryptic definition
21 Herb claimin’ to be upset (7)
NIGELLA – ALLEGIN’ (claimin’) backwards
22 Little green men a fabrication with naturally square heads (6)
ALIENS – A (a) + LIE (fabrication) + N[aturally] S[quare]
24 Collect last of tea service (5)
AMASS – [te]A + MASS (service)
25 Communications facility somewhat risky, perhaps (5)
SKYPE – hidden word. I wonder if Mudd intended the whole clue as definition. It could work in the sense that relying on Skype is risky since it is blocked in some countries, Cape Verde for one.