Financial Times 15640 Sleuth

Thanks to Sleuth. Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

1 Close to perfect, fantastically original element in a man’s suit? (9)

TAILORING : Last letter of(Close to) “perfect” + anagram of(fantastically) ORIGINAL .

6 Bitter councillor cuts support (5)

ACRID : CR(abbrev. for “councillor”) contained in(cuts) AID(support;assistance).

9 Fat school say backed (5)

PODGE : POD(like “school”, a collective noun for a small group of marine animals, especially whales) + reversal of(… backed) EG(abbrev. for “exempli gratia”;for example;say).

10 Study street workers in unchanging situations (9)

CONSTANTS : CON(to study attentively, say, a document) + ST(abbrev. for “street”) + ANTS(social insects, one of whose caste are the workers).

11 Only deacon moves for author (5,5)

CONAN DOYLE : Anagram of(… moves) ONLY DEACON.

Answer: Arthur, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

12 Trainer perhaps was outstanding dispensing note (4)

SHOE : “shone”(was outstanding;stood out above others) minus(dispensing) “n”(abbrev. for “note”).

Defn: An example of which;perhaps is the trainer, footwear suitable for sports or casual wear.

14 Grow to keep leading bird (7)

BUSTARD : BUD(to grow;to form, well, a bud from which a leaf, flower or shoot develops) containing(to keep) STAR(leading;main describing, say, an actor).

15 Stir shortly sign of distress in Greek singer (7)

ROUSSOS : “rouse”(to stir;to awaken) minus its last letter(shortly) + SOS(a sign or signal sent out by someone in distress).

Answer: Artemios “Demis” Ventouris-, late Greek singer.

17 Island in kingdom – it’s not a resort for dreamers! (7)

REALISM : IS(abbrev. for “island”) contained in(in) REALM(a kingdom).

Defn: Not something dreamers would turn to.

19 Sign withdrawn about decline facing area concerned with complex? (7)

OEDIPAL : Reversal of(… withdrawn) LEO(an astrological sign) containing(about) [ DIP(a decline;a fall) plus(facing) A(abbrev. for “area”) ].

Defn: Concerning the psychological complex named after a legendary Greek king.

20 Day with activity for students crossdressing (4)

DRAG : D(abbrev. for “day”) plus(with) RAG(a period, usually a week, in which various events are organised by students to raise money for charity).

22 Leading team with urge to relocate in a spot? (2,1,3,4)

UP A GUM TREE : UP(leading, said of the side that has a higher score during a match) + anagram of(… to relocate) [TEAM plus(with) URGE].

Defn: In an uncomfortable or dangerous situation.

25 Greek character with regret ignoring argument against food’s value (9)

NUTRITION : NU(the 13th letter in the Greek alphabet) plus(with) “contrition”(deep regret;remorse for wrongdoing) minus(ignoring) “con”(an argument against, in contrast to “pro”).

26 Fault admitting nothing in spokesman (5)

VOICE : VICE(a fault;an immoral or evil practice) containing(admitting) O(letter signifying 0;nothing).

27 Remove parking fringed by river and lake (5)

EXPEL : P(abbrev. for “parking”) contained in(fringed by) EXE(river in South England) plus(and) L(abbrev. for “lake”).

28 Fruit stolen – it’s clustered in balls? (9)

GRAPESHOT : GRAPES(fruit) + HOT(descriptive of a thing that’s been stolen).

Defn:  … shot together from a cannon, producing an effect like a giant shotgun.

Down

1 Subject in sunhat before cold (5)

TOPIC : TOPI(a lightweight sunhat made from the pith of the sola plant, in India) + C(abbrev. for “cold”).

2 Single son entering Asian country – and another (9)

INDONESIA : [ ONE(single;sole) + S(abbrev. for “son”) ] contained in(entering) INDIA(a South Asian country).

Defn: … country.

3 One cabin’s rocking around a part of the deep? (5,5)

OCEAN BASIN : Anagram of(… rocking) ONE CABIN’S containing(around) A.

Defn: The depression in the earth’s surface occupied by the ocean;the deep.

4 Fashionable types elected trumpet Democrat (2-5)

IN-CROWD : IN(elected into the position concerned) + CROW(to trumpet;to brag) + D(abbrev. for “Democrat”, in US politics, say).

5 Less provocative information gained with time on the French resistance (7)

GENTLER : GEN(information gained) plus(with) T(abbrev. for “time”) placed above(on, in a down clue) LE(French for “the”) + R(symbol for electrical resistance in physics).

6 English composer shedding coat for singer (4)

ALTO : “Walton”(William, English composer) minus its first and last letters (shedding coat).

7 Part of company losing billion in haunt for cowboys? (5)

RANCH : “branch”(a part of a company, a division operating locally or having a particular function) minus(losing) “b”(abbrev. for “billion”).

8 Spread call about person on board (9)

DISPERSAL : DIAL(to call someone on the phone) containing(about) [ PER(abbrev. for “person”) contained in(on board) SS(abbrev. for “steamship”) ].

13 Dumb video broadcast about unknown film celebrating camaraderie (5,5)

BUDDY MOVIE : Anagram of(… broadcast) DUMB VIDEO containing(about) Y(symbol for an unknown quantity in, say, mathematics).

14 Prohibit canned nuts in traditional social gathering (4,5)

BARN DANCE : BAR(to prohibit from) + anagram of(… nuts) CANNED.

16 Having a load of bread? (9)

SUPERRICH : Cryptic defn: Reference to lots;a load of money, or bread in slang.

18 Mobile accessory favoured in sports car for charting places? (7)

MAPPING : [ APP(a computer application designed for use in a mobile device) + IN(favoured;in fashion) ] contained in(in) MG(an English sports car famously made by the former MG Car Company).

19 Thin material in newspaper supported by South Africa (7)

ORGANZA : ORGAN(a newspaper or periodical) placed above(supported by, in a down clue) ZA(the ISO country code for South Africa).

21 Behave badly in pretence at college (3,2)

ACT UP : ACT(a pretence;a sham) + UP(to be at college, especially in Oxford or Cambridge University).

23 Level temperature for marathon, maybe (5)

EVENT : EVEN(level;having a flat surface) + T(abbrev. for “temperature”, in say, physics).

24 Preference in order about an estate? (4)

WILL : Double defn: 1st: Choice;a deliberate desire or intention, as in “do things against my will”; and 2nd: … of one who is deceased.