Some unclued entries, and some shading to complete the puzzle. Normal clues so should be straight forward.
Some trickyish clues (to be honest) with obscure defintions but all completely fair. 30ac had me stumped for a bit on the parsing but I hopefully got there in the end.
As to the preamble ‘THE ASIAN ONE is the location of the 19 20, and the birthplace of one who, fifty years ago, together with 22ac, released 7, their 36 for a future of 28 and 33.’
Following completion this reads:
“THE ASIAN ONE is the location of the OLYMPIC GAMES, and the birthplace of one who, fifty years ago, together with LENNON, released IMAGINE, their HOPE for a future of PEACE and LOVE.”
The circled squares read out LADY AND CITY to be highlighted down the leading diagonal TOKYO YOKO ONO
Certainly one of my favourite songs, admirable lyrics and a lovely tune – as to its sentiments I totally agree – from that you may extrapolate my view as to how disappointing the current world is. You may say I’m a dreamer ….
Cheers Chalicea anything that gets Imagine playing in my head has to be a good thing. Pleasant puzzle too.
Key: Rev. Reverse; DD Double definition; * anagram; underline definition
ACROSS
2 Got involved with policies in study of environmental aspects of state problems (11)
(got + policies)* = GEOPOLITICS
10 Recipient of transplanted tissue in the manner of plants (6)
host (Recipient of transplanted tissue) + as (in the manner of) = HOSTAS
12 Old fellows threatening character (4)
O (Old) + men (fellows) = OMEN
13 Mythical creature; sad biblical lady, sick finally for end of banishment (4)
Ruth (biblical lady) swapping k (sick finally) for t (end of banishment) = RUKH
15 Land-tenure in India following civil disturbance, we hear, and conflict (8)
I (India) after Homonym of riot (civil disturbance) + war (conflict) = RYOTWARI
16 One who utters singular expression of agreement followed by one of doubt (5)
s(singular) + ay (expression of agreement) + er (one of doubt) = SAYER
17 At heart impish child’s horse, it’s said, that is young farm animal (6)
imPIsh + gg (child’s horse) + ie (that is) = PIGGIE
18 Anorak going round not completely drunk (4)
Rev. drun = NURD
24 Openings of profit and loss gone awry in poet’s reckless gamble (6)
p + l (Openings of profit and loss) + (gone)* = PLONGE
26 Bard’s young family members misconstrued 9 (5)
(snies)* = SIENS
29 Connect and secure scaffolding crosspiece (7)
put (connect) + lock (secure) = PUTLOCK
30 Official proceedings in Latin of informal agreements lacking power (4)
pacts – p (power) translated to Latin = ACTA
32 Almost without difficulty keeping sun to the east in Skara Brae (6)
easily(without difficulty) – y around s (sun) = EASSIL
34 Greeting in Hawaii; with no restraints call for chat (5)
cALl fOr cHAt = ALOHA
35 Something to stop an evil worker I’d not oddly loathed (8)
ant(worker) + (Id not)* = ANTIDOTE
37 French city basilica enhanced partly (4)
Hidden basiliCA ENhanced = CAEN
38 Surround, taking possession without protests essentially (6)
entering (taking possession) – te (proTEsts essentially = ENRING
39 Former dreadful Conservative politician is excluded from reference work (11)
Ex (former) + dire (dreadful) + c(conservative) + tory (politician) = EX-DRECTORY
DOWN
1 Large crowd runs in skimpy gear (6)
hong(skimpy gear) around r(runs) = THRONG
3 Rake about with spades inside gravelly ridge (5)
(rake + s)* = ESKAR
4 Trim edges of outsize skirts (6)
pare (trim edges) + os (outsize) = PAREOS
5 Sailing boat with sails finally dropped to travel in closed circuits (4)
sloop )(sailing boat) – s (sails finally) = LOOP
6 Eventually small and cosy (6)
DD INTIME
8 Rejected glazed fabric, cold, containing metallic element (5)
Rev. cire (glazed fabric) + c = CERIC
9 St Lawrence’s side channels for water rise in storms, to some extent lifting (5)
Rev. hidden riSE IN Storms = SNIES
11 Ed’s rough and gloomy, occasionally slyer, playlet (6)
SlYeR pLaYlEt = SYRLYE
14 American gangster (Capone) consuming acceptable, habitual drink (5)
us (american) + al (capone) around u (acceptable) = USUAL
21 Spread powder once in Holyrood and hunted rodents snaring most in the end (7)
moused (hunted rodents) around t (most in teh end) = MOUSTED
22 Moggie, embraced by Morag’s love, put in place (6)
loe (love) around cat (Moggie) = LOCATE
23 Work including leaders of new teaching apps is readily available (5, two words)
op (work) around nta (leaders of new teaching apps) = ON TAP
25 Flier from Germany clutching hat (6)
Ger (German) around lid (hat) = GLIDER
26 First pair of skis temporarily provided for slope in Aviemore (6)
sk (first pair of skis) + lent (tmporarily provided) = SKLENT
27 Undermine self-esteem in bard’s superficial medical problem (6)
sap (undermine) + ego (self-esteem) = SAPEGO
29 Obtain a cross for plant of ginseng genus (5)
pan (obtain) + a + x (cross) = PANAX
31 Almost abolish Irish band of singers (5)
chop (abolish) – p + ir (Irish) = CHOIR
A model EV puzzle, with its succinct preamble and an interesting theme, the thematic items revealing themselves at different stages. It was also a refreshing change not having to work with multiple clue manipulations – in fact there were none in this puzzle.
The theme introduced itself as I was approaching the halfway mark, with OLYMPIC GAMES and LENNON. The word LADY had also appeared, The long diagonal was for some reason the first place I looked for the Lady and the City.
Thanks to Chalicea and twencelas.
A relatively gentle puzzle, helped by the theme being well-known. Lots of thematic material packed in to the grid too. Thanks to Chalicea for the entertainment and twencelas for the review.
I have no interest in the Olympics and can’t stand the Beatles, so I shouldn’t have enjoyed this puzzle. But I loved it, thanks to Chalicea’s deft handling of the theme and entertaining clues. Chalicea really is the setter with the Midas touch: she could write a theme based on Health and Safety regulations and make it fun. Terrific.
I’m in agreement with everything that cruciverbophile says in post #3.
Thank you Twencelas for the review and to the four commentators. Cruciverbophile, I share your feeling about the games and am so glad they are over, though I was a great Beatle fan and did love Imagine. It was that diagonal (and being allocated the theme) that led to this one. Indeed, I am always hunting for themes – an entertaining one on Health and Safety regulations? Watch this space!