Financial Times 14,193 by Sleuth

Clever stuff

 

 

 

Across

9 SCROUNGER sponge SC scilicet – namely [l]OUNGER couch minus L left

10 UNTIL before UNLIT dark L and T swapped

11 AMIABLE friendly AM assembly member Wales (ELBA I)< islands recalled

12 PUDDING fool (eg gooseberry) PUD hand DING[o] tailless dog

13 TAB dd

14 JUGULAR VEIN in neck – conducting blood from head  (capital)

17 BUXOM jolly BUX[ton] OM honour

18 ERA period ER queen before A

19 FIBRE roughage FIB pork pie RE about

21 MAISONNETTE small dwelling IS ON NET in MATE partner

23 RUB polish RUB[y]

25 TAPIOCA dessert International Olympic Committee in TAPA snack

27 ROTUNDA building T[his] in ROUND approx A area

28 ENROL record hidden in [unbrok]EN ROL[e]

29 ESPIONAGE dd (witty)

Down

1 ASLANT oblique [cabi]N in A SLAT strip of wood

2 BRAINBOX clever figure BRA 2 cups IN BOX at theatre

3 MUMBO-JUMBO gobbledegook MUM silent OB< JUMBO colossal

4 OGRE beast hidden in [bl]OG RE[pelling]

5 PROPELLANT rocket fuel PROP support ALL< everybody lifted in ENT

6 QUID chewing tobacco (greens – pounds money)|

7 STRIFE conflict STRIPE band P swapped for F fellow

8 ELEGANCE refinement LEG part of garment in SÉANCE minus S son

15 GREEN PAPER discussion paper GREEN PAUPER minus U refined

16 REFECTION thought R[ouse] F[ighter] in ELECTION political contest

17 BUM STEER false info (MES[s] BRUTE)*

20 BARONIAL &lit (LAIR A NOB)*

22 IMPORT drift IMP young offender [s]ORT type

24 BLAZER jacket B bachelor LASER light – sounds like

26 ORLY airport O old R[a]L[l]Y

27 RIPE mature GRIPE beef minus G[ristle]

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