Financial Times 16160 Sleuth

Thanks Sleuth for an enjoyable crossword with clues with nice surfaces. Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

9 Unit hopes to reform amid trouble (2,3,4)

IN THE SOUP : Anagram of(… to reform) UNIT HOPES.

10 First signs of this heart regularly offering better pulse (5)

THROB : 1st letters, respectively of(First signs of) “this heart regularly offering better“.

11 Nationalist after turbulent period reluctantly enlisted (5,2)

ROPED IN : N(abbrev. for “Nationalist”) placed after(after) anagram of(turbulent) PERIOD.

12 Adopt host shortly retaining support (7)

EMBRACE : “emcee”(a host of, typically, a radio programme or television show, from MC, abbrev. for “Master of Ceremonies”) minus its last letter(shortly) containing(retaining) BRA(brassiere, support for the feminine breast).

13 Magnate once guarded a very long time (3)

EON : Hidden in(… guarded) “Magnate once“.

14 Dislike purpose in embroidery (11)

NEEDLEPOINT : NEEDLE(informally, dislike/hostility/antagonism provoked by rivalry, such as between opposing sides) + POINT(purpose, as in “what’s the point of doing that?”).

17 Carry money as a token (5)

TOTEM : TOTE(to carry, usually something heavy) + M(abbrev. for “money”).

Defn: Thing regarded as a representation/symbol of a particular quality or concept.

18 Regularly reclimb tree (3)

ELM : 2nd, 4th and 6th letters of(Regularly) “reclimb“.

19 Brief recall of grandfather, maybe (5)

REMIT : Reversal of(recall of) TIMER(an example of which/maybe, is the grandfather clock).

Defn: The task or activity assigned to an individual or organisation, such as a Commission of Inquiry.

21 Examine in advance park relaid in Troon close to course (11)

RECONNOITRE : REC(short for a recreation ground/park) + anagram of(relaid) IN TROON + last letter of(close to) “course“.

23 Father clipped gentleman (3)

SIR : “sire”(to father, or a father of, an animal) minus its last letter(clipped).

25 Remain for example to absorb tense place (4,3)

STAY PUT : SAY(for example/for instance) containing(to absorb) T(abbrev. for “tense” in linguistics) + PUT(to place/to position)

27 Lead singer, one in distant orbit? (7)

MERCURY : Double defn: 1st: Last name of the … of the group Queen; and 2nd: … around our Sun.

28 Superb trio from the East by college (5)

MAGIC : MAGI(in the Bible, the trio of wise men who travelled from the East to pay homage to the infant Jesus) plus(by) C(abbrev. for “college”).

29 Elevated club, maybe, to seek character (5,4)

COURT CARD : COURT(to seek/to try hard to win the support of or approval from) + CARD(a character/someone regarded as odd, interesting, or amusing).

Defn: One of high/elevated value in a deck of cards, viz. the king, queen or jack of, possibly/maybe, clubs.

Down

1 Intense fellow that is rector with Anglicans (6)

FIERCE : F(abbrev. for “fellow”) + IE(abbrev. for “id est”/that is) + R(abbrev. for “rector”) plus(with) CE(abbrev. for the Church of England, to which Anglicans belong).

2 Notes tip for mobilising – get going! (4,2,2)

STEP ON IT : Anagram of(… for mobilising) NOTES TIP.

3 Stage suppressing a noise by crew for megastar? (7,3)

LEADING MAN : LEG(a stage/a section of, say, a journey or a competition) containing(suppressing) [A + DIN(noise/a racket) ] plus(by) MAN(to crew/to staff).

4 Favour element without Republican (4)

BOON : “boron”(a non-metallic chemical element) minus(without) “r”(abbrev. for a member of the Republican Party).

5 Rule facing drivers left in M1 despite getting diverted (5,5)

SPEED LIMIT : L(abbrev. for “left”) contained in(in) anagram of(… getting diverted) [ M + I(Roman numeral for 1) + DESPITE].

6 Go crazy after revolution (4)

STAB : Reversal of(… after revolution) BATS(crazy/nuts).

Defn: …/an attempt at.

7 A queen entertaining minute for fashion designer (6)

ARMANI : A + RANI(a Hindu queen) containing(entertaining) M(abbrev. for “minute”, the time period).

Answer: Giorgio, Italian fashion designer.

8 Nancy’s parting shot? (1,7)

A BIENTOT : A farewell/parting shot/remark in the language of Nancy, the French city, translated as “See you soon!”.

15 First person, we hear, against diplomatic work has direct observation? (3,7)

EYE CONTACT : Homophone of(…, we hear) “I”(the first person pronoun) + CON(against/antonym of “pro”/in favour of) + TACT(what diplomats practise/work with).

16 Commit businessman over fee in kennels? (10)

PERPETRATE : Reversal of(… over, in a down clue) REP(short for “representative”, possibly an agent in commerce/a businessman) + [ PET RATE ](term one might use to describe the charge/fee for keeping dogs in commercial kennels].

Defn: …, usually a criminal act such as burglary.

17 Annoying failure first covered up in magazine (8)

TIRESOME : Reversal of(… up, in a down clue) [“loser”(a failure/one who doesn’t succeed) minus its 1st letter(first covered) ]contained in(in)TIME(the American news magazine).

20 Strong Greek character on cliff round middle of July (8)

MUSCULAR : MU(letter/character in the Greek alphabet) placed above(on, in a down clue) SCAR(a steep high cliff) containing(round) middle 2 letters of(middle of) “July“.

22 Impose fee on one in custody (6)

CHARGE : Double defn: 2nd: …/one under the care, control or protection of somebody or something)

24 Hot period I relish initially after turn in ME capital (6)

RIYADH : Reversal of(… after turn, in a down clue) [ H(abbrev. for “hot”) + DAY(a period of 24 hours) + 1st letters, respectively, of(… initially) “I relish“].

Defn: … of Saudi Arabia.

26 Select film that’s mentioned (4)

PICK : Homophone of(… that’s mentioned) “pic”(short for “picture”/a film/a movie).

27 Handle roughly scholar and university lecturer (4)

MAUL : MA(abbrev. for “Master of Arts”/a scholar) + U(abbrev. for “university”) + L(abbrev. for “lecturer”).