Very straightforward. Thanks, Orense.
| Across | ||
| 1 | MALADY |
Married woman having admitted a complaint (6)
M for married, LADY (woman) with A inserted (having admitted a) |
| 4 | OFTTIMES |
Frequently putting papers on top of order (8)
O (first letter or “top” of order) plus FT plus TIMES |
| 10 | DEPRECATE |
Denounce fitted carpet being dumped in river (9)
The river DEE, with an anagram (fitted) of carpet dumped in it |
| 11 | NODAL |
Knotty question – ultimately spreading load (5)
N, the last letter of question (question ultimately) followed by an anagram (spreading) of load |
| 12 | ITEM |
Particular couple? (4)
Double definition. |
| 13 | SUNGLASSES |
Good girls will chase star in shades (10)
SUN is the star, followed by G for good and LASSES |
| 15 | HYDRATE |
Cover broadcast on charge to supply water (7)
A homophone of hide, cover for a birdwatcher of hunter, followed by RATE as in business rate. |
| 16 | TROLLS |
Last of bait, and some bread for fishes (6)
T (last letter of bait) plus ROLLS |
| 19 | BRIEFS |
Son’s put on short pants (6)
BRIEF (short) plus S for son |
| 21 | FINESSE |
Financial penalties with case of severe and skilful manipulation (7)
FINES (financial penalties) plus SE, the outer letters (case) of severe |
| 23 | PRECARIOUS |
Prior’s van initially replaced by vehicle that’s unstable (10)
Previous (prior) with the V (first letter of van, or van initially) replaced by CAR |
| 25 | ISLE |
Land in water (4)
Cryptic definition |
| 27 | EXACT |
Precise demand (5)
Double dfinition |
| 28 | EPHEMERAL |
Short-lived macho types mainly accepted by pearl divers (9)
All but the last letter of HE MEn inserted into an anagram (divers) of PEARL |
| 29 | PROTRUDE |
Put order in place for project (8)
An anagram (in place) of PUT ORDER |
| 30 | DROWSE |
Feel sleepy from run in search for water (6)
DOWSE with R for run inserted |
| Down | ||
| 1 | MIDNIGHT |
Slow to get up – almost time, but what time? (8)
DIM, slow in the sense of slow-witted (is that PC these days?) plus NIGH (almost) plus T for time |
| 2 | LIP READER |
One who looks for understanding (3,6)
A cryptic definition |
| 3 | DUET |
Couple about to give birth left at last (4)
DUE (about to give birth) plus T, the final letter of left |
| 5 | FREIGHT |
Battle involving soldiers gets consignment (7)
FIGHT (battle) with RE (Royal Engineers) inserted |
| 6 | TANTAMOUNT |
Equivalent shift’s ultimate worker gets a rise (10)
T, the last letter of shift (shift’s ultimate) plus ANT (worker) plus A plus MOUNT (rise) |
| 7 | MODES |
Mostly understated fashions? (5)
MODESt lacking its final letter |
| 8 | SPLASH |
Hack covering Portugal gets spread in paper (6)
SLASH (hack) surrounding P for Portugal |
| 9 | SALUTE |
Source of lipids found in quickly- fried toast (6)
L, the first letter (source) of lipids, inserted into SAUTE (quickly fried) |
| 14 | MALEFACTOR |
Agent in pursuit of man is a criminal (10)
MALE followed by FACTOR |
| 17 | LAST STRAW |
Endures temperature, bitterly cold, but that’s the limit (4,5)
LASTS (endures) plus T for temperature plus RAW (bitterly cold) |
| 18 | REVEILLE |
In France she welcomes one after vicar’s early morning call (8)
REV (vicar) followed by ELLE (French for she) with I, the Roman numeral one, inserted |
| 20 | STIPEND |
Allowance from crown included in dispatch (7)
TIP (crown) inserted into SEND |
| 21 | FOUGHT |
Have an obligation to support France, but struggled! (6)
F for France resting on OUGHT (have an obligation) |
| 22 | UPKEEP |
At university, continue getting maintenance (6)
UP (at university) plus KEEP (continue) |
| 24 | ERATO |
English artists to find inspiration from her? (5)
E for English plus RA (the acronym for the Royal Academy of Arts) plus TO. Erato is one of the Greek Muses. We think it’s an &lit for those who are bothered about such things. |
| 26 | EMIR |
Person ruling eastern border going north? (4)
E plus MIR (rim, or border, reversed (going north)) |
Incorrectly using headhunter as “Agent in pursuit of man” for 14D tends to make three cross-clues rather difficult, that is to say, impossible.
Aid@1 Luckily we had hydrate and precarious by then! But it does go to show what a cleverly-clued crossword it was.
Thanks Orense and D&L
Very straightforward puzzle – a bit of a relief amongst some tough other ones and did notice a plethora of single letters used throughout.
Started in the NE corner and worked around clockwise to the NW one with LIP READER, ITEM and HYDRATE (which took an age to get the homophone bit for some reason) the last few in.
Thanks D & L and Orense.
All very straightforward.
Didn’t we see Dante/Rufus use ‘Land in water’ for ISLE within the last 10 days?