Solving time – 20-25 minutes
ACROSS
5 A-BR(E)ACT – the “modified” in the clue had me of looking for anagrams of “leaf”, but I got there in the end. Abreaction is a psychiatrist’s method where the patient is forced to relive the event that caused their neurosis in the first place.
11 ALBURNOUS – A (soul)* containing BURN – relating to alburnum (sapwood)
13 E-CON-O(h)MIC – CON is often indicated by “study”, although I don’t recall ever coming across this use in “real life”.
17 QT-I-P – didn’t realise that this was in Chambers, until I looked it up.
19 SIT-HENCE – Shakespearean “since”.
22 S(N)OW – I was convinced that his was SCOW, with “a bit of nutrition” being C (calorie), but once I had 8dn in place, SNOW was the only possible answer. Checked Chambers, and yes, a snow is a vessel like a brig.
23 (p)HOT ON
25 WAGON-LIT – (long wait)*
27 AMYLOIDAL – (Aida Molly)* – I can’t find this in Chambers 2003, but I found it online (www.onelook.com)
29 TOLA (<= a lot) – a tola is a unit of weight in India (about 11.66 grammes).
DOWN
2 ELO(<=ole)CUT-IONA-RY
3 BUR(NU)P
6 BON(I FA)CE – FA = Football Association – St Boniface (675-755) was an English martyr, who is the patron saint of Germany and the Netherlands, and was once the patron saint of England.
8 ABACTINAL – (canal bait)*
9 COSMO-GO-NI-CAL – COSMO refers to Cosmo Lang, who was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1928 and 1942. NI is Northern Ireland and CAL California (both common crossword abbreviations)
10 TEST ON – a Henry VIII shilling
14 OMITTANCE – OM (Order of Merit) + IT + (cant)* + E
15 FENT-A NY L – a FENT is a slit or crack, and FENTANYL is a powerful analgesic.
21 EXOPOD – EX-OP-(<=do) – the outer branch of a crustacean’s limb.
24 (‘S)TELA – tela is a weblike tissue and STELA is an alernative for STELE – an upright stone tablet.
— paul