Mephisto 2929 – Tim Moorey

I found this one on the gentler end of the Mephisto spectrum – in most cases the first piece of wordplay that sprung to mind ended up being the correct approach to the answer – always good in a week where one had to admit to not being able to solve the Listener.

A pleasing grid I thought this week, with generous interlocking between the quadrants. Just off the center it looks like there is a capital PSI made of bars.

Away we go…

Across
1	SAGGARDS: SAGS (sag bags) containing G, and (h)ARD
6	BURB: BUB(boy) containing R
10	MONTEREY: MONEY containing TER(m)
11	CIMETIDINE: ENID, ITEM, I, C all reversed
12	ESTREPES: anagram of R,PEST inside SEE reversed – to destroy a place after renting it (don’t ask any of my old landlords)
14	ACIDY: D in A CITY missing the T
16	ROGATION: anagram of (f)OR and (b)OATING
17	OPTS: OP and T(unnel)S
18	UPGO: UP(completely) and GO(ne)
19	ON THE JOB: anagram of JOHN,TO,BE
24	FLORA: A, ROLF all reversed
25	LORRAINE: LORE surrounding RAIN
26	PANDOWDIES: PAN(cake), DOWDIES(unfashionable ladies)
27	GAS MAINS: tricky wordplay – A SMALL(little), missing ALL inside(drilling) GAINS(benefits)
28	ENSA: entertainment for troops – anagram(jams) of MEANS missing M
29	SEEPAGES: SEE, then PLAGES missing (oi)L
Down
1	SICCAR: sounds like SICKER
2	GUM-DIGGER: I think that GUM comes from nerve as in insolence (you’ve got some nerve). DIGGER is an Aussie serviceman
3	GLENDA: LEND(advance), A(accepted) after G(eneral). Actress and politician who I only know for being referenced in a few Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketches
4	ROISTING: ROI, then STING(deception)
5	STIRK: SIR and K containing T
6	BENET: (on)E inside BENT grass
7	REPERTORIES: REPEL with L changing to R, TORIES
8	BYSSUS: SUSS, YB all reversed
9	DISCOPHORAN: anagram(nervous) of CHAP,INDOORS
13	POPJOYING: POP(old man),JOY(dear) then an anagram of GIN
15	ROTENONE: ROTTEN ONE missing the middle of (fac)T(ory)
18	ULLAGE: FULL(drunk) and PAGE each missing the first letter
20	ELODEA: hidden in tupELO DEAdheaded
21	BALSAS: BALAS ruby containing S
22	GRAMA: G for D(Deutschland) in DRAMA
23	TANAS: A,N inside TAS(k). For those of you newer to Mephisto – one=a is permitted here, while it is not in the daily puzzle