I found the definitions more straightforward than the wordplay in this puzzle, which is the opposite of my usual experience with the Mephisto where I work on the wordplay first and then confirm the definition.
All definitions (which are underlined) can be confirmed in Chambers, so this write-up will focus on the wordplay.
Away we go…
| Across | |
| 1 | Rattle off, reportedly on location getting place elsewhere (6) |
| RESITE – sounds like RECITE(rattle off) | |
| 7 | Old South American concerned with extremes in Colombia (4) |
| INCA – IN(concerned with) then the outer letters in ColombiA | |
| 10 | Grace, Elizabeth and Harry meeting Italian (9) |
| BETHANKIT – BET(Elizabeth), HANK(Harry), IT(Italian) | |
| 11 | After changing limits, made application for subscription (4) |
| DUES – swap around the outer letters in SUED(made application for) | |
| 13 | Swallow nesting afresh, bottom of garden abandoned (6) |
| INGEST – anagram of NESTING missing the last letter in gardeN | |
| 14 | Libya’s high-ranking officer gets increase (6) |
| LARGEN – LAR(IVR code for Libya), GEN(General, high-ranking officer) | |
| 16 | Amphibians once again focus on crossings (4) |
| EFTS – tricky wordplay, but they are right next to each other in Chambers. EFT also means again (obsolete) and the focus (central letter) of CROSSINGS is S | |
| 18 | Serve behind edges of line (6) |
| BUTTLE – BUTT(behind), then the outer letters in LinE | |
| 20 | Rank bad meal starter, final directions ignored (9) |
| MASTERATE – anagram of MEAL and STARTER both missing their final letters | |
| 21 | Disheartened guide tense over getting back (9) |
| STERNWARD – STEER(guide) missing the central letter, then DRAWN(tense) reversed | |
| 24 | Medic sharing military awards in form of crosses (6) |
| DSOMOS – MO(medical officer) inside DSOS (Distinguished Service Orders) | |
| 25 | Don’t change from road with central area blocked off (4) |
| STET – STREET(road) missing the central two letters | |
| 28 | Historically fine man a great success (6) |
| HERIOT – HE(man), RIOT(great success) | |
| 30 | Freak least attached to ecstasy tablets (6) |
| STELAE – anagram of LEAST, then E(ecstasy) | |
| 31 | Canadian channel is close by the sound of it (4) |
| SNYE – ‘S, then sounds like NIGH | |
| 32 | Macedonian affected by liturgy (9) |
| STAGYRITE – STAGY(affected), RITY(liturgy) | |
| 33 | Northern tourist destination in conservation area (4) |
| IONA – hidden inside conservatION Area | |
| 34 | Opened church in the country (6) |
| LANCED – CE(church) n LAND(country) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Rescued judge in long grass (8) |
| REDEEMED – DEEM(judge) inside REED(long grass) | |
| 2 | A month in Tel Aviv? End of June quiet mostly (4) |
| ELUL – last letter in junE, then LULL(quiet) missing the last letter | |
| 3 | Factory whose past is shocking (9) |
| SWEATSHOP – anagram of WHOSE PAST – you could also consider the entire clue the defintion | |
| 4 | Bond has time for new driver Pat (6) |
| TEAGUE – LEAGUE(bond) with T(time) replacing L(new driver). Pat is an Irishman here | |
| 5 | Dog starts to sniff heels nastily biting one? Sue! (10) |
| SHINBARKER – first letters of Sniff Heels Nastily with I(one) inside, then the tennis player-cum-TV presenter Sue BARKER. I think I only know Sue Barker from jokes at her expense on Absolutely Fabulous | |
| 6 | Result from past Highland cattle (6, two words) |
| PAN OUT – PA(past) NOUT(cattle) | |
| 7 | Reveal Scotch and unopened brandy (4) |
| INGO – remove the first letter from BINGO(brandy) | |
| 8 | Chasing minister in Corsica about island railway (8) |
| CISELURE – CURE(French minister) surrounding IS(island), EL(elevated railway) | |
| 9 | Lawyer in short is clever, escaping term in prison (4) |
| ATTY – abbreviation for ATTORNEY – NATTY(clever) missing the last letter in prisoN | |
| 12 | Money for the bar concerning new students (10) |
| REFRESHERS – RE(concerning), FRESHERS(first-year students). Referring to an attorney’s fee | |
| 15 | Con artist nervous about the army (9) |
| STRATONIC – anagram of CON,ARTIST | |
| 17 | Fixed in fine voice, abnormally high one (8) |
| FALSETTO – SET(fixed) inside F(fine), ALTO(voice) | |
| 19 | Needn’t do running as a continuous sequence (8) |
| END-TO-END – anagram of NEEDN’T,DO | |
| 22 | Head of tasting approves sweet wines (6) |
| TOKAYS – first letter in Tasting, then OKAYS(approves) | |
| 23 | Flag up in new area gastropods with round shells (6) |
| NERITA – TIRE(flag) reversed inside N(new), A(area) | |
| 26 | East German or Italian? No answer (4) |
| OSSI – OSSIA means OR in Italian. Remove A(answer) | |
| 27 | Lady not entirely shining in retreat (4) |
| OLGA – AGLOW(shining) reversed missing the last letter | |
| 29 | Port item subject to inflation (4) |
| TYRE – double defintion | |
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