Straightforward, but not easy. Thank you Hypnos.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | GURU | Expert tip for learning language in Asia, not Germany (4) |
| learninG (tip for, last letter of) then URdU (language in Asia) missing D (Deutschland, Germany) | ||
| 3 | POST-IT NOTE | Test option for replacing adhesive bit of paper (4-2,4) |
| anagram (for replacing) of TEST OPTION | ||
| 10 | SCUFFLE | Golfer making comeback receives blow in fight (7) |
| ELS (Ernie Els, golfer) reversed (making comeback) contains CUFF (blow) | ||
| 11 | LAWSUIT | Jude, maybe, faces executive action (7) |
| LAW (Jude Law, actor, maybe) with (faces) SUIT (an executive, slang) | ||
| 12 | RIDGE | Bird with part missing – crest? (5) |
| partRIDGE (bird) missing PART | ||
| 13 | FIRST AID | Fair distance not half negotiated for medical treatment (5,3) |
| anagram (negotiated) of FAIR DISTance (not half) | ||
| 16 | IMPISH | This writer’s impatient expression characterised by mischief? (6) |
| I’M (this writer is) then PISH (impatient expression) | ||
| 17 | ATHERTON | Former cricketer? Another plays to cover first of Tests (8) |
| anagram (plays) of ANOTHER contains (to cover) Tests (first letter of) | ||
| 19 | HISTORIC | Varied riots occupying left-wingers in Havana in case of importance (8) |
| anagram (varied) of RIOTS inside first letters (left wingers) of Havana In Case | ||
| 21 | CHERUB | US singer for all to see born as one with angelic features (6) |
| CHER (US singer) U (for all to see, cinema rating) B (born) | ||
| 24 | BOOKCASE | Fantastic cook kept in headquarters – place to show titles? (8) |
| anagram (fantastic) of COOK inside BASE (headquarters) | ||
| 25 | NICHE | Specialised prison almost put by empty house (5) |
| NICk (prison, almost) with HousE (empty) | ||
| 27 | IMPASTO | Spot aim that’s developed in painting technique (7) |
| anagram (that’s developed) of SPOT AIM | ||
| 29 | RUN RIOT | Series on musical group first to last getting to act unrestrainedly (3,4) |
| RUN (series) with TRIO (musical group) with first letter moved to last | ||
| 30 | WATERTIGHT | What could be drunk twice? That’s irrefutable (10) |
| WATER (what could be drunk) and TIGHT (what could be drunk) | ||
| 31 | VERA | Detective on TV somewhat above radio (4) |
| found inside (somewhat) aboVE RAdio | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | GO STRAIGHT | Give up crime resolving this aggro with thieves’ leader (2,8) |
| anagram (resolving) THIS AGGRO with Thieves (leading letter from) | ||
| 2 | ROUND-UP | Standing after stage of competition in summary (5-2) |
| UP (standing) follows ROUND (stage in competition) | ||
| 4 | ONE-OFF | Genuine card found by individual on holiday (3-3) |
| ONE (individual) and OFF (on holiday) – a card is a comical or eccentric person | ||
| 5 | TOLERATE | Greek character concerned with group turning up in stand (8) |
| ETA (Greek character) RE (concerned with) LOT (group) all reversed (turning up) | ||
| 6 | TOW | Pull part of a shoe, we’re told (3) |
| sounds like (we are told) “toe” (part of a shoe) | ||
| 7 | OCULIST | Clout is misplaced in viewing authority? (7) |
| anagram (misplaced) of CLOUT IS | ||
| 8 | EATS | Pedant is regularly spotted getting food (4) |
| every other letter (regularly spotted) of pEdAnT iS | ||
| 9 | AFTERSHOCK | Seismic incident analysed for a sketch (10) |
| anagram (analysed ?) of FOR A SKETCH – I think analysed is used to mean “resolved into its component parts” | ||
| 14 | THE SHINING | Object concealing trap first off in horror film (3,7) |
| THING (object) contains (conceals) mESH (trap) missing first letter and IN | ||
| 15 | IN ABSENTIA | Rogue a bit insane not attending court? (2,8) |
| anagram (rogue) of A BIT INSANE | ||
| 18 | RIGATONI | European capital with endless drink and pasta (8) |
| RIGA (European capital) with TONIc (drink, endless) | ||
| 20 | SHOT PUT | Filmed place for athletics event (4,3) |
| SHOT (filmed) PUT (place) | ||
| 22 | RECLINE | Stretch out in park on course (7) |
| REC (recreation ground, park) on LINE (course) | ||
| 23 | SEARCH | Look for academic work about to be banned (6) |
| reSEARCH (work) missing (to be banned) RE (regarding, about) | ||
| 26 | VIEW | Struggle supported by Western opinion (4) |
| VIE (struggle) on top of (supported by) W (western) | ||
| 28 | SIR | Type that’s dubbed revolutionary in later issues (3) |
| found reversed (revolutionary) in lateR ISsues | ||
PeeDee, the golfer in 10a is Ernie not Bernie.
Quite right Hovis. Thank you.
Very enjoyable. Ideal for breakfast in bed on Sunday. Thanks Hypnos and PeeDee.
A very welcome return of this setter. Particularly liked 11a & 4d plus the mention of my favourite detective who, perhaps coincidentally, returns to our screens tonight in a new series.
Many thanks to Hypnos and to PeeDee for the review.
Accidentally got ‘RIDGE’ by parsing porRIDGE (= bird or time in prison) less ‘por’ !
Great fun from start to finish.
Many thanks to Hypnos and to PeeDee.
We didn’t find this too difficult, although our first few entries – IMPISH, HISTORIC and NICHE were tentative until confirmed by crossing letters. Favourite was WATERTIGHT.
Thanks, Hypnos and PeeDee.