Mephisto 3092 – Tim Moorey

A puzzle of no more than average difficulty

In the clues, definitions are underlined. Wordplay explanation is followed by very helpful comments.

ACROSS

1 Pretending to carry costly weapon (7)
SIDEARM: SI(DEAR)M; SIM=simulation;
6 Latest Sun delivery at last for Baltimore paperboy (5)
NEWSY: NEW-S-(deliver)Y;
10 Cinema club’s half missing the most exciting part (4)
IMAX: (cl)IMAX; “cl” from cl(ub);
11 Clay court initially coarse, start of play put off (8)
CIMOLITE: C(ourt)-IM(p)OLITE;
12 Wrong thing for arousal — take right off! (9)
NIGHTGOWN: (wrong + thing – r)*; memories….
15 Direct Scottish broadcast beginning on TV (4)
AIRT: AIR-T;
16 Too lax at sea to catch large amphibian (7)
AXOLOTL: (too lax)* surrounds L;
17 Perhaps Henry’s marine fish, not bass (5)
LENNY: (b)LENNY; reference Sir Lenny Henry of Comic Relief fame;
18 Dash to independent college concerned with doctrine of purpose (10)
TELEOLOGIC: (to + i + college)*;
20 Exact opposite’s pointed out in two different articles (10)
ANTIPODEAN: A-(pointed)*-AN;
24 Rob once a governor Head ignored (5)
RIEVE: (g)RIEVE;
25 Carpet fully woven band of fabric (7)
UPBRAID: UP-BRAID;
26 Not all discotheque menfolk repelled fast Aussie bird (4)
EMEU: hidden reversed (klofn)EM-EU(qehtocsid);
29 Cantor lit up singers (9)
CONTRALTI: (cantor lit)*;
30 One who’s present upset about carer finishing early (8)
ATTENDEE: AT(TENDE(r))E
31 Hidden in wilderness? Yes! (4)
DERN: hidden (wil)DERN(ess);
32 Exercises? Yes, reduced weight once (5)
PEYSE: PE-(yes)*;
33 Leading journalist associated with declining circulation (7)
EDDYING: ED-DYING;

DOWN

1 Offence on Henry one concerning Sri Lankan (7)
SINHALA: SIN-H-A-LA;
2 Langer’s article covers golf irons (4)
DAGS: DA(G)S; reference German golfer Bernhard Langer; guns=irons=DAGS;
3 Sound of body after divorcee gets discharge (6)
EXHALE: EX-HALE;
4 Official proceedings given by player on the radio (4)
ACTA: sounds like ”actor”;
5 Just sought ride having day off in resort (9)
RIGHTEOUS: (sought + ride – d)*;
6 Lack of water source apparently in winter season (6)
NOWELL: NO-WELL; alternative version of Noel;
7 Entertaining with bubbly during boring flight (6)
WINING: W(IN)ING;
8 Ventral plate’s interstice cut out (9)
STERNITIC: (interstice – e)*;
9 Certainly leaving inn, Aussie can like something frothy as before (5)
YESTY: YES-T(inn)Y;
13 Axed matinee tails off badly making one depressed (9)
EXANIMATE: (axe + matine)*;
14 Stupid Conservative peer left right apart twice (9)
CLODPATED: C-LO(r)D-PA(R)TED; wonderful word, descriptive of some politicians, perhaps?
19 Apple cooking gently with only one date (7)
CODLING: COD(d)LING;
21 Wary about introduction of electric Mini (6)
TEENTY: TE(E)NTY; E from E(lectric);
22 A single fibula (6)
PERONE: PER-ONE;
23 Back yard below a Catholic area in Greek district (6)
ARCADY: A-RC-A-YD reversed; Arcadia, a region in Ancient Greece; also, traffic modelling software
24 Chart again showing Jack and Queen coming from South (5)
REMAP: PAM-ER reversed; PAM=the Jack of clubs in the game of loo;
27 Sounds like livelihood brought up (4)
BRED: sounds like “bread”;
28 Live bats found in swamp (4)
VLEI: (live)*;