Vulcan steps predictably into his fortnightly Monday slot.
We have the usual Monday medley of charades, anagrams and double and cryptic definitions. I quite liked 8ac GUARD, 16ac DIALECT, 19ac DESCANT, 6dn TRIVIA and 21dn ESTONIA.
Thanks to Vulcan for the puzzle.
Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
7 Popular schoolgirl royally entertained at the Albert Hall? (4,5)
PROM QUEEN
Double / cryptic definition, referring to the Queen attending a promenade concert, perhaps
8 Keep one article away from us (5)
GUARD
GUARD[ian] (‘us’) minus i an (one article)
9 Sack employees in insufficient numbers, getting attacked? (5,4)
UNDER FIRE
To underfire could mean to sack employees in insufficient numbers but it’s a bit of a stretch
10 A bishop finished, almost — in heaven? (5)
ABOVE
A B (a bishop) + OVE[r] (finished, almost)
12 Mechanism to eliminate sex crime? (6)
DEVICE
DE-VICE (eliminate sex crime)
13 Crop tail, suffering in such heat (8)
TROPICAL
An anagram (suffering) of CROP TAIL
16 Local speech day: smart chap opens it (7)
DIALECT
D (day) + ALEC (smart chap) in IT
19 Top tune, two consecutive notes short (7)
DESCANT
D E (two consecutive notes) + SCANT (short)
22 Appointments — mine gets rearranged (8)
MEETINGS
An anagram (rearranged) of MINE GETS
25 Group of artists urgently enthusiastic? (6)
RARING
A group of artists could be thought of as a RA RING – ‘urgently enthusiastic’ as in ‘raring to go’
27 Glasses of wine knocked back in bad temper (5)
STROP
A reversal (knocked back) of PORTS (glasses of wine)
28 Speech to which no one replies (9)
SOLILOQUY
Cryptic definition – it was a toss-up between that and ‘monologue’ but the simple 25dn soon made it clear
29 Householder making very slow progress (5)
SNAIL
Cryptic definition
30 Getting into Emirates improperly, very short cut (4-5)
TIME-SAVER
V (very) in an anagram (improperly) of EMIRATES
Down
1 One for placing behind the silver? (6)
BRONZE
Cryptic definition
2 In August, a stag with lots of points and a beard (8)
IMPERIAL
Double definition: a stag with antlers having fourteen points – see here and a type of beard, see here
3 Trump extremely liable to be disturbing (6)
RUFFLE
RUFF (trump) + L[iabl]E
4 Hide in a corner of Greek island (7)
SECRETE
SE (South East) CRETE (a corner of Greek island)
5 Old lady on airline to India — where exactly? (6)
MUMBAI
MUM (old lady) + BA (British Airways, airline) + I (India, NATO phonetic alphabet)
6 In short test, four or six quiz questions perhaps (6)
TRIVIA
Take your pick: either IV (four) or VI (six) in TRIA[l] (short test)
11 Drink too much to exercise (4)
TOPE
TO + PE (exercise)
14, 15 Converse about the French holiday home (6)
CHALET
CHAT (converse) round LE (the French)
16, 17 Woman entitled to conceal a grand loss (6)
DAMAGE
DAME (woman entitled) round A G (a grand)
18 Inclination to talk hypocritically (4)
CANT
Double definition
20 One bearing stripes from such punishment? (8)
CORPORAL
Double / cryptic definition
21 Area of Europe crumbling into sea (7)
ESTONIA
An anagram (crumbling) of INTO SEA
23 Stretch old canvas (6)
EXTENT
EX (old) + TENT (canvas)
24 Also related being deceived (4,2)
TOOK IN
TOO (also) + KIN (related)
25 To be given a lift not initially approved of (6)
RAISED
[p]RAISED (approved of)
26 Sexless: imagine uterus partially removed (6)
NEUTER
Hidden in imagiNE UTERus
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