Financial Times 18,046 by GURNEY

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I enjoyed today’s challenge from Gurney . . .

. . . nothing that I would consider too controversial, but really not that easy, all things considered.

picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1 NON-COMBATANT
Mike cannot bat on unfortunately — he’s not in action (3-9)
Anagram of (unfortunately) {M (Mike) + CANNOT BAT ON}
10 ALCHEMY
Transformative power of a Lima guerrilla leader that’s surprising (7)
A + L (Lima) + CHE (guerilla leader, i.e., Ernesto Guevara) + MY! (that’s surprising)
11 SCOURGE
Trouble from unexpected source that limits leader of Greens (7)
Anagram of (unexpected) SOURCE around (that limits) first letter of (leader of) G[REENS]
12 GLADE
To some extent hard-working lad engaged in clearing (5)
Hidden in (to some extent) [HARD-WORKIN]G LAD E[NGAGED]
13 FRONTIER
Border row after loud resistance, no turning back (8)
F (loud) + R (resistance) + NO reversed (turning back) + TIER (row)
15 INDULGENCE
Change clue ending as favour (10)
Anagram of (change) CLUE ENDING
16 DRUM
Daughter with unusual instrument (4)
D (daughter) + RUM (unusual)
18 GAPE
Good copy — look in surprise (4)
G (good) + APE (copy)
20 WELLINGTON
Spooner’s recounting was best for war leader (10)
Spoonerism of TELLING (recounting) + WON (was best), referring to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
22 TENACITY
Perseverance of Cardinal associated with an urban area (8)
TEN (cardinal [number]) + A CITY (an urban area), with a capitalization misdirection
24 COAST
Continue without extra effort in seaside (5)
Double definition
26 CLARION
Maybe describing call from family group in port? Quite the opposite (7)
RIO (port) inside (in) CLAN (family group), with “quite the opposite” indicating that the order of the elements of the wordplay is reversed
27 AVIATOR
One piloting aeroplane initially by way of high point (7)
First letter of (initially) A[EROPLANE] + VIA (by way of) + TOR (high point)
28 TERCENTENARY
Event recollecting a recent entry? I don’t think so! (12)
&lit and anagram of (recollecting) A RECENT ENTRY
DOWN
2 ORCHARD
Growth area oddly abandoned? Correct, difficult to follow (7)
Alternate letters of (oddly abandoned) [C]O[R]R[E]C[T] + HARD (difficult)
3 CLEVERLY
In adroit way Conservative honest about Republican Party finally (8)
C (Conservative) + {LEVEL (honest) around (about) R (Republican)} + last letter of (finally) [PART]Y
4 MAYO
County of Prime Minister, old (4)
[Theresa] MAY (Prime Minister) + O (old)
5 ABSTRACTLY
In skilful way introducing second pamphlet with theoretical approach (10)
ABLY (in skilful way) around (introducing) {S (second) + TRACT (pamphlet)}
6 ACORN
Fruit from first-class firm, rather nice to begin with (5)
A (first-class) + CO. (firm) + first letters of (to begin with) R[ATHER] + N[ICE]
7 TERRIER
Animal more cheerful with time for new start (7)
[M]ERRIER (more cheerful) substituting T (time) “for [a] new start”
8 LAUGHING-STOCK
Figure of fun lacking guts, how almost completely awful! (8-5)
Anagram of (awful) {LACKING + GUTS + HO[W] minus last letter (almost completely)}
9 RECRIMINATORY
Referring to crisis not half threatening with nature of a counter-attack (13)
RE (referring to) + CRI[SIS] minus second half (not half) + MINATORY (threatening)
14 REPENTANCE
Regret of one travelling — arrival not right (10)
REP (one travelling, as a salesman) + ENT[R]ANCE (arrival) minus (not) R (right)
17 INACTION
Lethargy at home — a new tonic needed (8)
IN (at home) + A + anagram of (new) TONIC
19 PENDANT
One making undue fuss about Northern necklace? (7)
PEDANT (one making undue fuss) around (about) N (Northern)
21 TOASTER
One raising glass that’s found in the kitchen? (7)
Double definition
23 CRIER
Official, old, coming round is excellent remedy from the outset (5)
First letters of (from the outset) C[OMING] + R[OUND] + I[S] + E[XCELLENT] + R[EMEDY]
25 PART
Separate portion (4)
Double definition, the first, a verb, and the second, a noun

11 comments on “Financial Times 18,046 by GURNEY”

  1. No it wasn’t Monty, it was the occupant (between battles) of No 1 Lindon. But yes, agree, Cineraria, not a write-in. A few easies first across-sweep: scourge, drum, gape, coast and aviator, I think it was, then ditto with the downs, and on from there. Ever since adopting Eileen’s clue-order way, I’ve enjoyed how the lattice weaves: cold-solve first, forgo immediate reward from new crossers, save them til next time around, and so on. Nice puzzle, ta both.

  3. A good mixture of clues overall. My favourite was 1 across for its surface.
    Thanks to Gurney and Cineraria.

  4. Good puzzle. Excellent blog.
    Thanks Gurney and Cineraria.

    WELLINGTON and TERCENTENARY: my faves.

    TERCENTENARY
    WP doesn’t involve the whole clue. Not an &lit, I feel.

  5. KVa@4: I appreciate that there can be a distinction between &lit and semi-&lit, but not always an informative one. The definition part of that clue makes no sense if any words are omitted, so I am not sure where the “wordplay” begins or ends, in that case. I think I have classified some clues in other blog posts as “in the nature of &lit,” which probably says more about me than the clue that I am commenting on.

  6. Cineraria@5
    Noted your views. Thanks.

    WP in my understanding is: recollecting a recent entry.

    You are right that this type of classification isn’t an essential part of parsing a clue. Just an add-on.

  7. A steady solve with no real problems, although we got REPENTANCE and CRIER from crossing letters before seeing the parsing. Favourite was ALCHEMY.
    Thanks, Gurney and Cineraria.

  8. I made steady progress until SW corner slowed me considerably. I seemed to have more “eh?”s than “oh!”s.
    No ticks today.

    Thanks Gurney and Cineraria

  10. Thanks Gurney and Cineraria.

    I found this challenging but I got there in the end. I liked the anagrams.

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