Times Cryptic – 26000 – Times for The Times

This was a very lively puzzle as befits one that marks the turn of a millennium, and the wordplay is often quite involved. I knew I was in for a tough time as soon as I saw the length of the clues. I’m sure there’s a feast here for those who relish surface readings but in keeping with my usual policy I haven’t studied them in any detail as there was quite enough to fill my time unravelling the solutions. I completed the grid apart from two letters at 2dn in 50 minutes but after another 10 minutes I gave in and looked the answer up.

On edit @ 7:45 GMT: As others have subsequently pointed out there is a Nina lurking within the grid only it’d be fair to say that those not of a particular frame of mind (such as myself) may never work out exactly what’s going on without a little help. Having got there eventually I think perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to mention that one of the answers if spotted might nudge one in the right direction.

I don’t know what the etiquette on spoilers is for Ninas but assuming we’d like to comment on it at some point in the discussion I’d suggest nobody reveals it before 14:00 GMT and after that it’s fair game.

On edit @ 14:00 GMT: please now feel free to discuss details of the Nina if you wish.

{deletions} [anagram indicators]

Across
1	BINARY – BAR (but) outside IN (at home), Y (unknown)
4	DRAGSTER – DRAG (bore), S (singular), TER{m} (name)
10	FUNBOARDS – Anagram [wave] of BANDSFOUR. My first unknown of the day.
11	GEN UP – PUN (something of verbal dexterity) + EG (say) all reversed
12	CONGREGATED – NG (no good) inside CORE (centre), GATED (with barriers)
14	PAU – PA (a year – per annum), U (university). Another unknown.
15	LATVIAN – LAN (network) encloses TV (tube) + AI (first class – reversed)
17	OWNING – {br}OWNING (poet)
19	SITTER – Double definition. A dolly is an easy ball in various games, as is a sitter.
21	THEORBO – Reversed alternate letters inside rObBeR sOmEwHaT. It’s a large sort of lute. I’m quite good on ancient instruments, so no problem for me here.
23	OHM – O (appeal), HM (head of state – Her Majesty)
24	RADNORSHIRE – Anagram [poor] of {bowle}R IS HARDER ON. “Old county” because it’s now part of Powys. I’m bad on Welsh counties but I knew this one.
26	OSIER – {r}OSIER (more optimistic). This material used in basket-weaving etc came up only a few days ago and was new to some solvers. That may have been in a Quickie, though.
27	CLOUD BASE – Anagram [artificial] of AS COULD BE
29	THIRTEEN – I (one) + RTE (Irish broadcaster) inside THEN (at that time). We had cardinal defining a number a few days ago too, but again that may have been in a Quickie.
30	BABOON – BA (graduate), BOON (blessing)

Down
1	BIFOCALS – Anagram [drunk] of OF BASIC L{ager}
2	NINON – NO ‘N’ IN reversed – what Sue Pat and Bob don’t have but Ann does. I never heard of this material and I needed aids to come up with it as I found the wordplay of no help.
3	ROO – Sounds like “rue” (lament). Short for ‘kangaroo’ (jumper)
5	RISOTTO – OT (books – Old Testament) + TO + SIR (teacher) all reversed
6	GO-GO DANCERS – GOG (giant) + anagram [conversion] of SCORE AND
7	TIN OPENER – TIER (row) encloses NO PEN (lack of markers)
8	RIP OUT – ROUT (hammer) encloses {h}IP (joint)
9	ORIGIN – ORIG{am}I (folding), N (note)
13	REINTERPRET – I (one) inside RENTER (tenant), PR, ET (film)
16	TRIUMVIRI – Originally three public officers back in Roman times. I think “crowd” is a reference to the saying “two’s company, three’s a crowd”
18	FORESEEN – FORES{t} (trees), E’EN (end of the day – poetic usage)
20	RADICLE – Hidden and reversed inside {fe}EL CID AR{rest}
21	TOOK ON – Triple definition, the first being “got upset” as in the expression “don’t take on so”.
22	TO BOOT – Double definition, the first cryptic perhaps with reference to stowing luggage in the boot of a car.
25	IDAHO – Sounds like “I’d a hoe”
28	DNA – AND (with) reversed. I wondered about the enumeration (3) but can’t remember if there’s a convention that applies when the letters of an abbreviated term are pronounced individually as here.