A fun puzzle, this, from Dogberry, though an easy, breezy solve. A lot of original word selections, which I approve of (perhaps Dogberry was seeking to balance the novelty of, say, 12dn by including such a dreadful old chestnut at 11ac); a respectably modest haul of anagrams, too. Thank-you, Dogberry.
ACROSS
1. DROOPY Reversal of poo [infantile word for excrement] within dry [unsentimental]
4. ANTIGUAN Ant [insect] + iguan(a) [lizard]
9. SHEKEL S [small] + h [hot] + anagram of leek
10. STRAYING Ray [fish] within Sting [singer]
11. REFUSE Double definition
12. MEDITATE T [time] within mediate [be diplomatic]
13, 16. DOG-END Doge [former magistrate] + n(ake)d
14. BELLOC Bell [call] + OC [officer] to give the poet Hilaire
17. WASHING Shin [bone] within wag [jester]
21. DAMAGE Dam [mother] + age [time]
25. See 15dn.
26. TURANDOT Rand [money] within reversal of tout [ticket-seller]
27. SACHET Ache [yearning] within st [street, way]
28. FANDANGO And [also] within fang [tooth]
29. BELONG Be long [take time]
30. EXECRATE Exec [executive, functionary] + rate [fees]
31. SERMON R [king] within reversal of (g)nomes
DOWN
1. DESCRIBE Crib [bed] within anagram of seed
2. OVERFILL Anagram of fiver within O [old] + initial letters of Lord Lucan
3. PEEPSHOW Anagram of sheep within POW [Prisoner of War]
5. NUTMEG Reversal of tun [barrel] + Meg [girl’s name]
6. ITALIC It + Alic(e) [girl’s name]
7. URINAL In [trendy] within Ural [river]
8. NUGGET Reversal of gun [arm] + get [obtain]
12. MOSHPIT Anagram of this Pom
15, 25ac. CATNIP Anagram of nit within cap [headgear]
16. See 13ac.
18. GADARENE A dare [a challenge] within reversal of Eng [England], alluding to the possessed swine in the Biblical book of Matthew
19. BATHROOM Anagram of hat within broom [cleaner]
20. PENTAGON Pen tag on [append graffiti artist’s signature]
22. STIFLE Reversal of elf [naughty fairy] + its
23. FRINGE Ring [band] within Fe [chemical symbol of iron]
24. UNFAIR (F)unfair [place of entertainment]
25. NOUGAT Nought [nothing] with a replacing h [hot]
I agree this was fun.
My favourites were GADARENE, PEEPSHOW and DROOPY.
I don’t mind seeing an old chestnut!
Thanks Ringo and Dogberry.
Thanks R and D. Not too difficult, I agree, although I spent ages fiddling with 31a (it seemed as though some version of “wee men” might be involved!). Glad the penny dropped eventually 😉