Financial Times 13731 Courtier

Since this setter was new to me, I searched and found that he/she makes just a single appearance in the FT every 2nd half of June, since 2008.  This coincides with another annual event, which event explains the pseudonym itself.  I imagine this is one of the regular setters, dusting off this particular pseudonym once a year, round about this time.  Edit.note:  L’Envoi:  I (and readers as well, I’m sure) am honoured that Courtier has revealed his identity below (thanks niloci for facilitating) – he’s this veteran gentleman here.

Nice puzzle, though I thought there were bits where clueing was a bit loose.  The Wimbledon theme was enjoyable.  Thanks Court-ier, and enjoy watching the rest of the tournament!  (As usual, definitions are underlined in the clues.)

Across

1 “Former champion has confused an artist with a river, Virginia”. (9)

SHARAPOVA :  Anagram(confused) of HAS + RA(practising artist who is a member of the Royal Academy, ie. a Royal Academician) + PO(river in northern Italy running from the Alps to the Adriatic) + VA(code for the state of Virginia, USA). 

Defn:  Maria, Russian tennis player, 2004 Wimbledon singles champion, seeded 5th in this year’s Wimbledon women’s singles, through to the quarter-finals.

   

6 It passes through a prism, a shaft of light overhead (5)

SMASH :  Hidden(passes through) in priSM, A SHaft. 

Defn:  An overhead hit of the ball, as would be used by 1A and 23A.  (“Overhead” as a noun to equate to “smash”? )

9 Block obtained after I took direction (5)

INGOT :  GOT(obtained) after {I +(took) N(north, direction of)}.

10 He’s coming in to sign a dictionary (9)

THESAURUS :  HE’S into(in to) TAURUS(zodiac sign of the bull).

11 Peers mostly right about the quality of viewing (8)

EYESIGHT :  EYES(peers) + IGHT(right mostly,without first letter). 

Defn:  Quality,characteristic,property associated with viewing.

12 Showing self-confidence that is largely lightweight (6)

BOUNCE :  Much(largely) of the answer is OUNCE(lightweight,1/16 of a pound weight).  (I can’t otherwise explain the B, and if I’m not wrong, it’s a bit of loose clueing.)  The word JOUNCE means the same. 

Defn:  One with,showing self-confidence will show bounce in his/her steps.  (A bit uncomfortable with a noun or verb as an answer to an adjectivial definition.)  Also what 1A and 23A do to the ball before serving.

13 A note to the police about an imperfection (4)

FLAW :  F(a note, the fourth tone, Fa, in the C major musical scale) +(to) LAW(the police).

14 Short teasers designed to make a point at court (4,5)

DROP SHOTS :  Cryptic defn:  As used by 1A and 23A.

18 Exaggerate deliveries to the country (9)

OVERSTATE :  OVER(deliveries of balls to the batsman in cricket) +(to) STATE(country).

19 Donations for weapons by the sound of it (4)

ALMS :  Homophone(by the sound of it) of ARMS(weapons).

21 Loyalty may be late in following year (6)

FEALTY :  Anagram(may be) of LATE in FY(following year, I think that’s what the setter intended, though I’m not familiar with it.  I know of fiscal, financial and even full year; and don’t ask about FY in texting or Internet chat). 

Defn:  Fidelity,loyalty a vassal swears to a lord.

23 “One of the favourites started in formal attire alright but has nothing on, Victoria!” (8)

DJOKOVIC :  DJ(dinner jacket, what one wears,attire to a formal function) + OK(alright,okay) + O(nothing,zero) +(on) VIC(abbreviation for Victoria). 

  

Defn:  Novak, Serbian tennis player, seeded 3rd in this year’s Wimbledon men’s singles, through to the quarter-finals.

26 A wonderful way with deep water (9)

UNDERFLOW :  Anagram(way?) of WONDERFUL. 

Defn:  A stream,current in deep water.

27 The first cord, figuratively speaking (5)

TROPE :  T(first letter of the) + ROPE(cord).   “Cord” is something 1A and 23A want to hit over.

Defn:  Any literary form, eg. a metaphor, using words not in their literal, but in their figurative, sense.          

28 Military uniform is cut in a different way (5)

TUNIC :  Anagram(in a different way) of CUT IN. 

Defn:  The coat, usually tight-fitting, that is part of military uniform.  The word also means any of types of garment of various lengths, from those in Grecian times to the modern day tunic.

     

29 A crazy start by England has the heartless rushed (4,5)

MADE HASTE :  MAD(crazy) + E(England) + HAS + TE(the without its middle letter,heartless).

Down

1 Spin a share (5)

SLICE :  Double defn:  1st:  To impart a (sideways) spin to a ball so as make it follow a curved trajectory, a slice.  What 1A and 23A would do.  2nd:  A share, say, of a pizza or pie.

2 Get garage to put together total (9)

AGGREGATE :  Anagram(to put together) of GET GARAGE.

3 Achieve something at tennis, first with one in Scotland (6)

ATTAIN :  AT + T(first letter of tennis) +(with) AIN(word for one in the Scottish tongue).

4 Charade to produce things with many faces (9)

OCTAHEDRA :  Anagram(produce) of CHARADE TO. 

Defn:  Solids,things with eight faces.

5 Declare it’s pretty ordinary with age (4)

AVER :  AVER +(with) age gives “average”(pretty ordinary, nothing to talk about).

6 As to aces, they may become marginal (3,5)

SEA COAST :  Anagram(they may become) of AS TO ACES. 

Defn:  That line,margin between sea and land.  (Another noun answer for an adjectivial definition.)

7 Put on to protect the stage perhaps (5)

APRON :  Double defn:  1st:  What cooks wear,put on to protect their clothing while cooking.  2nd:  Part of the stage floor in front of the curtain line.

8 Changing shoes sets them up as entertainers (9)

HOSTESSES :  Anagram(changing) of SHOE SETS. 

Defn:  Women who throw parties and entertain guests.  Other (professional) hostesses also do entertain – eg. presenters of talk and game shows, and taxi dancers.

13 Penalty for overstepping the mark (9)

FOOTFAULT :  Cryptic defn:  Point given to your opponent,penalty when you overstep the baseline,mark when serving at tennis.  What 1A and 23A try not to do.

15 Agape, like Belloc’s Ponto was (4-5)

OPEN-JAWED :  Like Ponto the lion in Jim, a verse by Hilaire Belloc, in which Ponto bites off Jim’s head after he runs away from his nurse.  Terrifyingly gruesome stuff to read to a small child, but then it’s supposed to be a cautionary verse, viz. don’t let go of your nurse’s hand.

16 Unaware of what’s clear about one pound (9)

OBLIVIOUS :  OBVIOUS(clear) around(about) LI(one pound,£1)

17 Mysterious about rice following return to the south-east (8)

ESOTERIC :  Reversal(about) of RICE after(following) reversal(return) of TO SE(south-east).

20 Short account of first sailing vessel (6)

SKETCH :  S(first letter of sailing) + KETCH(sailing vessel).

22 An extra returns with a show of assent the first two days (3,2)

ADD ON :  Reversal(returns) of {NOD(show of assent) + DA(first two letters of days)}

24 Civil engineer holds one material and creates another (5)

CREPE :  CE(civil engineer) around(holds) REP(cloth material). 

Defn:  Lightweight fabric.

 

25 Criticise a version of 19 (4)

SLAM :  Anagram(a version) of 19across,ALMS.