Solving time: 23’
Not very hard – but I was making tea and answering email while solving the puzzle. Got my first copy of Chambers yesterday – which really does make a difference. I found everything questionable there – so except for one obvious typo, a clean day. No unusual words but a couple of forced puns.
Across
| 3 | BARBERSHOP – double meaning: barbershop quartets sing a cappella harmonies. And you can find them on your local high street. |
| 13 | CLOSE+TED – “end” + Edward for something concealed. |
| 22 | TERMINAL – double meaning: I fly a lot through Heathrow – I always thought I was safe once I got to the terminal.. |
| 24 | (l)ESSEN – Subtraction clues are hard but ESSEN is a crossword regular for German city given its v. common letters. |
| 28 | TABLE (SAL)T – “The Tablet” is a UK Catholic weekly: more here. |
| 30 | A+NON – The typo is “Elyseée” which should be “Élysée”. The clue fragment: “…Elyseée shortly” is understandably a little confusing as a result. |
Down
| 5 | BELLOWS – double meaning: didn’t know this but also a camera attachment for a telescopic lens (probably looks like the blacksmith’s bellows). |
| 6 | (b)RIDGE – Another subtraction clue but again bridge is a crossword regular for card game. |
| 14 | WELLINGTON – Kind of a reverse subtraction clue: Duke of Wellington and Duke Ellington. |
| 16 | MOUSEPADS – Double meaning: groan… this is where your computer mouse lives and also where your mice live when they aren’t scurrying about in your attic. |
| 26 | BEE+B – Busy as a bee + b for book and the BBC is affectionately known as Auntie. All this in Chambers as well! |
10a Flexible body armour with circular letters = CHAIN MAIL
11a Devil of a score at Wimbledon = DEUCE (DD)
12a Move forcefully on board = BARGE (strictly a narrow boat when seen on canal)
15a Grass found in Bible Book = TIMOTHY (X-word botany)
17a Guess model after drink = SUP POSE
19a Change (Renault)* gear, perhaps = NEUTRAL
21a Fraction (claimed)* to be wrong = DECIMAL (are fraction and decimal equivalent??)
27a Dash to back of beyond for an antelope = ELAN D (a large graceful beast revered by the San)
29a Mean to include one unfinished drawing for hopeless type = BASKET CASE ( a sketc(h) inside Base)
1d Small piece in support for malicious talk = BACKBITING (bit inside backing)
2d Broadcasting from Ohio – wet weather coming up = ON AIR (except that Ohio = OH not just O and rain coming up = niar not nair – see comments above)
4d Superior involved in some chaos = ANARCHY (arch inside any)
7d Space in (our home so)* muddled = HOUSEROOM
8d Look in hold on the way up = PEEK (keep backwards)
18d (Tick peer)* off, he’s stopping work = PICKETER
20d Type of fringe for the nut = LUNATIC (DD)
21d French composer liberal in early letters = DELIBES ( lib inside dees)
23d A fly seen in huMID GEorgia = MIDGE
25d Country health resort fashionable = SPA IN