Financial Times 17,796 by IO

Thanks to IO for the fun this morning.

Once I got started, this flowed in quite steadily. Some exceptional clues, no real obscurities, and lots of satisfaction in solving.

Do comment if you have anything to add – there are a couple of clues where I may well have missed a trick.

As ever, a pleasure to encounter IO here, and many thanks to him for the challenge.

picture of the completed grid

ACROSS

1. Not just a one-off cup game (5)

BOWLS

Cryptic definition

A play on the two meanings of each word: ‘cup’ and ‘bowls’

4. Waterfall in picture cut out for school? (9)

TRAINABLE

RAIN (waterfall) in TABLE (picture)

9. Sound warning Tom, Dick and Harry about marble bust (5-4)

ALARM-BELL

ALL (Tom, Dick and Harry) about MARBLE* (*bust)

10. Line crossed by extra wit (5)

WILDE

L (line) crossed by WIDE (extra)

11. Painter, perhaps, who gives the Christmas address? (9)

DECORATOR

Cryptic definition

DEC (December) + ORATOR

12. Know about drug haul (5)

HEAVE

HAVE (know) about E (drug)

13. Embracing medium, I’ve a pattern represented on street (8,6)

PAVEMENT ARTIST

Embracing M (medium), (I’VE A PATTERN)* (*represented) on ST (street) – &lit

16. Centre of industry annexes marshland branch following Conservative cajolery (5,9)

CHARM OFFENSIVE

(HIVE (centre of industry) annexes ARM OF FENS (marshland branch)) following C (Conservative)

18. Trump’s core support returning chaos to America (5)

SNAFU

([tr]U[mp]’s (core) + FANS (support))< (<returning)

19. Newbie poet takes Underground train westbound (9)

DEBUTANTE

DANTE (poet) takes TUBE< (underground train, <westbound)

20. It’s a pity having completely retired in God’s name (5)

ALLAH

AH (it’s a pity) having ALL< (completely, <retired) in

21. Full scale undressing, one by one, for entertainment (9)

AMUSINGLY

[g]AMU[t] (full scale, undressing) + SINGLY (one by one)

22. It’s over after referee finally ended game in ball park (9)

ESTIMATED

IT’S< (<over) after [refere]E (finally) + MATED (ended game, chess)

23. English ‘co-pilot’ does away with stuff (5)

GORGE

G[e]ORGE (co-pilot); E (English) done away with

For the ‘George’ bit, you can read more on Wikipedia here

DOWN

1. Courvoisier, maybe, or inferior comparison in ads? (6)

BRANDY

Cryptic definition

If BRAND A is the top brand, BRAND Y is far inferior

2. Design a computer everyone will plug into fun gismo (15)

WHATCHAMACALLIT

HATCH (design) + A MAC (a computer) + ALL (everyone) will plug into WIT (fun)

3. Writer cooked meats to fill remarkable wrap: here’s a sample (8,7)

SOMERSET MAUGHAM

MEATS* (*cooked) to fill SOME RUG (remarkable wrap) + HAM (here’s a sample)

‘Sample’ referring back to ‘cooked meat’

4/14. E.g. work by Beckett: about three drafts he shredded (7,2,3,6)

THEATRE OF THE ABSURD

(ABOUT THREE DRAFTS HE)* (*shredded)

5. Bradley is confused by this psychologist (5)

ADLER

Cryptic definition

A reverse anagram: BRADLEY is: *confused (BY + ADLER (this))*

6. In love with May? I’m surprised (3,6,1,5)

NOW THERE’S A THING

In NOTHING (love); W (with) + THERESA (May?)

7. Wood Mike’s given spread with a rake on top dressing (8,7)

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

BALSA (wood) + MIC (Mike) + GIVEN* (*spread) + A + R[ake] (on top)

8. Hotel event Hilton stages in a prime location (8)

ELEVENTH

[hot]EL EVENT H[ilton] (stages)

‘Prime’ here referring to the mathematical meaning: a number only divisible by itself and 1.

15. Some leaves are green, say (8)

ECOSTATE

ECO (green) + STATE (say)

17. Sort that will run bible classes and correct texts? (2-4)

RE-TYPE

Cryptic/double definition

R.E. type – Religious Education

19. GP in the main behind initial plan (5)

DRAFT

DR (GP) + AFT (behind, in the main)

‘The main’ meaning the sea, and indicating a nautical term