Financial Times 14,109 by Falcon

An enjoyable puzzle

 

 

 

Across

1 POLTERGEIST (supernatural being) (ROGET SPELT I)*

7 HOP (short journey) H (husband) OP (work)

9 SOFIA (capital of Bulgaria) SO (very) F (fine) I (one) A

10 UNTENABLE (indefensible) NET< (clear revolutionary) in UNABLE (powerless)

11 BARTENDER (local worker) BAR (bank in river) TENDER (sympathetic)

12 POINT dd

13 OFFICER (policeman) F I (fellow I) in (FORCE)*

15 MANE (long hair) Edouard MANE[t] (French painter trimmed)

18 BEST (worst as in win) opposite of worst (most bad)

20 MARTINI (Italian drink) MARTIN (swallow) [Chiant]I

23 ODOUR (smell) O (duck) DOUR (grim}

24 ROUNDHEAD (antimonarchist) ROUND (in revolution) HEAD (chief)

26 BROADCAST (programme) (BAD ACTORS)*

27 OUIJA (board) OUI (French yes) JA (German yes)

28 YET (still) hidden in [Sk]YE T[erriers]

29 PONY EXPRESS (Western film) ON in P[aisle]Y EXPRESS (say)

Down

1 PASSBOOK (bank book) PASS (spend) BOOK (order)

2 LIFE RAFT (emergency kit) (FLAT FIRE)*

3 ERASE (delete) A (article) in ERSE

4 GO UNDER (sink) (GROUND [lan]E)*

5 INTERIM (caretaker) IN (popular) I (current) in TERM (word)

6 TIN-OPENER (kitchen item) TIN (bread loaf) OPENER (key)

7 HYBRID (cross) hidden in [patriars]HY BRID[ge]

8 PRETTY dd

14 CLEARED UP (explained) LEAR (king) ED[itor] in CUP (chalice)

16 FIRESIDE (home) F I (female one) RESIDE (live)

17 WINDLASS (winch) WIND (turn) LASS (wench)

19 TERRAIN (ground) P (soft) from TERRAPIN (turtle)

20 MOUNTIE (policeman) MO (modus operandi) UNTIE (free)

21 TOY BOY (young lover) rhyming words

22 COP OUT (avoid commitment) COP (police) OUT (mistaken)

25 DROOP (be despondent) (POOR (inferior) D (diamonds)< (brought over)

( )* = anagram    < = reverse    dd = double definition    [ ] = omit