Well, I don’t know what’s happened to today’s scheduled blogger. Had I been scheduled to cover this one (ie had I not been standing in at the last minute with the consequential time constraints) there would have been some comments against many of the clues in this entertaining and enjoyable puzzle. As it is, in order to prevent further delay, I have just included an analysis of the clues. I will leave it to you to comment on individual ones and on what appears to be a bit of a theme in the clues and grid.
Edit: The ‘proper’ blog has now been published. Please leave any further comment on that post.
Across
1 Bury‘s miserable season, not having won (5)
INTER – [w]INTER (miserable season, not having won)
4 “This instrument used to be difficult to get to grips with” – Diddley (9)
WASHBOARD – WAS HARD (used to be difficult) around (to get to grips with) BO (Diddley)
10 A hidden message inviting government disorder (6)
ANGINA – A NINA (a hidden message) around (inviting) G (government)
11 Native American consumes a can of body-builder? (8)
CREATINE – CREE (Native American) around (consumes) A TIN (a can)
12 I started out with furrows (naturally) (8)
STRIATED – an anagram (out) of I STARTED
13 Bring shame on a party (5)
ABASH – A BASH (a party)
14 500-odd left, batting, a bit of an uneven surface (7)
DRUMLIN – D (500) RUM (odd) L (left) IN (batting)
16 Making secure His Majesty, following officer’s revolution (7)
LOCKING – KING (His Majesty) after (following) COL (officer) reversed (‘s revolution)
18 Colorado left security pledge on the side (7)
LATERAL – [co]LATERAL (Colorado left security pledge)
20 Rock band somehow using a minor key (7)
MORAINE – an anagram (somehow using) of A MINOR plus E (key)
23 Mountain feature occasionally visible in fair weather (5)
ARETE – every other letter in (occasionally visible in) ‘fAiR wEaThEr’
24 Decisive moment for Eastwood, dumping model for diva (8)
CLINCHER – CLIN[t] (Eastwood, dumping model) CHER (diva)
26 Almost unspoilt Australian state capital (8)
PRISTINA – PRISTIN[e] (almost unspoilt) A (Australian)
27 Chilly state, sadly, of one’s inner spirit (6)
ALASKA – ALAS (sadly) KA (one’s inner spirit)
28 TUC ardent about having been subjected to cuts (9)
TRUNCATED – an anagram (about) of TUC ARDENT
29 Urges on / football team (5)
SPURS – double def.
Down
2 Frequent complaint heard in rural village group (5)
NONET – NO NET (frequent complaint heard in rural village)
3 English literary doctrine favouring the Establishment? (7)
ELITISM – E (English) LIT (literary) ISM (doctrine)
5 A right bounder, Jerry’s last appearance on the set of The Good Life? (6)
ARCADY – A R (right) CAD (bounder) [jerr]Y (Jerry’s last appearance)
6 Home to a glacial flow of vital fluid (14)
HAEMATOLOGICAL – an anagram (flow) of HOME TO A GLACIAL
7 One-time cash call to Venice patron (7)
OSTMARK – O ST MARK (call to Venice patron)
8 Spread driving the stock market? (5)
RANCH – def. & cryptic indicator
9 He has the power to melt a Martian icecap! (7,7)
CAPTAIN AMERICA – an anagram (to melt) of A MARTIAN ICECAP
15 Turn up ventilation inlet (3)
RIA – AIR (ventilation) reversed (turn up)
17 Older lady / a bit on the side for Indian? (3)
NAN – double def.
19 American poet turned up nose about rock band (7)
EMERSON – NOSE around (about) REM (rock band) reversed (turned up)
21 It lights up some unspectacular clam pasta (3-4)
ARC-LAMP – hidden in (some) ‘unspectaculAR CLAM Pasta’
22 Animated movie franchise / responsible for the end of Jurassic Park? (3,3)
ICE AGE – double def.
23 Queen song first to be requested at the Laundromat? (5)
AIRER – AIR (song) ER (Queen)
25 Cold ridge where I abandoned English winter sport enthusiast (5)
ESKER – E (English) SK[i]ER (I abandoned … winter sport enthusiast)
There seems to be some sort of geography (?) theme going on, with DRUMLIN, MORAINE, ARETE, ESKER, and ICE AGE, PRISTINA and ALASKA.
I liked the original theme, with the two words across the centre of the grid the icing on the cake. Had to guess a few from the wordplay and look up their (usually theme related) meaning later eg 14a, 15d and 25d. I liked the misdirection in 26a, the surface of 17d and the ‘call to Venice patron’ in 7d.
Thanks to Gaufrid for stepping in to the breach and to Knut for an entertaining puzzle.
Really enjoyed this one. Missed a couple in 7d & 20a (shame-faced about the latter with it being an anagram I just didn’t see!). Lots of nice stuff and clever theming with fave clues being 4a, 5d, 17d and 21d so thanks to Knut for a great puzzle and to Gaufrid for bringing us the blog at short notice.