Another tricky Mephisto, particularly near the end. I didn’t do myself any favours by being convinced that SAGEST was the correct answer at 31 across.
With the Mephisto, since the definitions can be verified in Chambers, this write-up will focus on the wordplay. The first definition in each clue is underlined.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | Against army regulation for poisonous stuff (6) |
| ANTIAR – ANTI(against), AR(army regulation) | |
| 5 | Horse down under Midlands city in reserve (6) |
| BRUMBY – BRUM(Midlands city) next to standing BY(in reserve) | |
| 9 | Customs document isn’t rare when travelling (8) |
| TRANSIRE – anagram of ISN’T RARE | |
| 11 | Dope imported by nameless Chinese official, smooth agent (12) |
| AMBASSADRESS – ASS(dope) inside AMBAN(Chinese official) missing the N(name), then DRESS(smoooth) | |
| 13 | Arab cuts dodgy habit concerning Indian republic (7) |
| BHARATI – AR(Arab) inside an anagram of HABIT | |
| 14 | One disallowed tips in Cape ferry-boats? (5) |
| PONTS – remove I(one) fromr POINTS(tips) | |
| 16 | Scotland’s happy, Gove about to embrace independence (5) |
| VOGIE – anagram of GOVE containing I(independence) | |
| 17 | Asian dish good anonymous party made twice (8) |
| GADO-GADO – G(good), A(anonymous), DO(party) repeated. I’m partial to this Indonesian salad | |
| 21 | Wild asters screening tip, mostly in layers (8) |
| STRATOSE – anagram of ASTERS containing TOP(tip) missing the last letter | |
| 23 | Scottish island’s independent butcher (5) |
| ISLAY – I(independent), SLAY(butcher) | |
| 27 | English poet’s nipped north with a great deal on reflection (5) |
| STOL’N – N(north) and LOTS(a great deal) all reversed | |
| 28 | Mushroom bap for tea initially in French farmhouse (7) |
| GIROLLE – ROLL(bap) replacting T(tea) in GITE(French farmhouse) | |
| 29 | Model in Italian car associated with daring design (12) |
| CATILINARIAN – anagram of IN, ITALIAN, CAR | |
| 30 | Russian VIP excited finally with leader sacked on return (8) |
| TSARITSA – ASTIR(excited) and LAST(finally) missing the first letter, all reversed | |
| 31 | Most knowing remains found in Sao Tome (6) |
| SLIEST – LIES(remains) iniside ST(Sao Tome) | |
| 32 | Origin in Latin seems wrong for lepers of yore (6) |
|
MESELS – anagram of L |
|
| Down | |
| 1 | Absolute leader in Turkey, say imprisoning a bishop? (6) |
| ATABEG – an all-in-one clue. A(absolute), then the first letter in Turkey, EG(say) containing A, B(bishop) | |
| 2 | Bill and penniless partners making tunics for ladies (7) |
| TABARDS – TAB(bill) and PARDS(pardners, partners) missing the P(penny) | |
| 3 | Queen shown up on front of metal clasp (5) |
|
INARM – RANI(queen) reversed then M |
|
| 4 | Test is shortened in Australian state (5) |
| ASSAY – ‘S(is) inside A(Australian), SAY(state) | |
| 5 | Head of Balliol departs in lots of wet weather — a loss of talent (10, two words) |
| BRAIN DRAIN – first letter of Balliol then D(departs) inside RAIN RAIN (lots of wet weather) | |
| 6 | Early drive from perch catch on Stour (7) |
| UNROOST – anagram of ON,STOUR | |
| 7 | Most buxom couples in sculpture (8) |
| BUSTIEST – TIES(couples) inside BUST(sculpture) | |
| 8 | Positive responses from the old-fashioned session served up (6) |
| YESSES – YE(the, old-fashioned), then SESS(session) reversed | |
| 10 | Outmoded couple in pieces head for geriatrician (4) |
| MENG – MEN(pieces), then the first letter in Geriatrician | |
| 12 | Consider soldier in two ways for military planner (10) |
| STRATEGIST – RATE(consider) GI(soldier) in ST, ST(two streets) | |
| 15 | As before dump plans hardly to be believed (8) |
| LAYSTALL – LAYS(plans) then TALL(hardly to be believed) | |
| 18 | Work on a course of gems (7) |
| OPALINE – OP(work) on A LINE(course) | |
| 19 | Foot soldier rested in enclosure (7) |
| HOPLITE – LIT(rested) in HOPE(enclosure) | |
| 20 | Consume endless freshwater fish (6) |
| DISCUS – DISCUSS(consume) missing the last letter | |
| 22 | At the very moment when hospital lady turned up (6, two words) |
| EVEN AS – SAN(hospital) and EVE(lady) all reversed | |
| 24 | House can set about conclusion of Brexit (4) |
| LOTO – LOO(can, toilet) surrounding the last letter in brexiT | |
| 25 | Poison not for all to see in trading vessel (5) |
| CRARE – CURARE(poison) missing U(for all to see) | |
| 26 | Foremost of Brexiteers (originally Remainer) is me (5) |
| BORIS – another all-in-one. First letters in Brexiteers Originally Remainer Is Me | |
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