I choose these puzzles more or less randomly, so when I come to type them up, there is a bit of a voyage of discovery. To me, this one felt a bit run-of-the-mill until partway through the Acrosses, at which point it brightened up a bit. There is one really rather nice clue. There was also a ‘So I have clued that before!’ moment as an unusual word I’d just been struggling with turned out to have presented itself back in 2008. I think the 2015 clue (which is yet to appear as of April 2015) is neater. Better? Ah, that is a harder call.
ACROSS
1 Sailor, dumpy, playing a lute? Get away (12)
10 Secretary working and taking in University in Italian city (6)
11 Crazy types backed about British language (6)
12 Paragraph about a dull fabric (9)
13 Wales importing English fruit (5)
15 Secretary: face bringing in new one (6)
16 Building site feature backing hard graft, as before (6)
18 State again: airmen determined to accept Spain (8)
19 Incriminating stories almost put right for jurors (8)
25 About a pound? That is right for banker (6)
26 Crop circle, centre removed – honest! (6)
27 Head of family company contacting stock market expert (5)
28 Dumped plane’s fuel (missing front of airport), showing anger (9)
29 Bum seen around Northern French city (6)
30 Supermodel initially coming in extra thin (6)
31 Posh student dispersing energies around spring (12, 2 words)
DOWN
1 American working for craftsman apparently torn over decorating (12)
2 Animal sound, loud noise enveloping most of island (6)
3 Question eccentric local about end of lane (6)
4 Articles on those people are execrable stuff (8)
5 Work on lawn in future, trimming edges roughly (6)
6 Computer networks absorbing zero advances (5)
7 Chaos in Italy area? Italian area as was (9)
8 Friend about to pick up student (6)
9 Culmination of exhibition in BM galleries, possibly (12, 2 words)
14 Hesitation in last of troupe following clog dancers (9)
17 Foresee making translation involving a European language (8)
20 A light beer, after a switch, is sour beer (6)
21 Fashion second chance, after losing power once (6)
22 Student in study meeting a second student regarding copy (6)
23 Cake-decorator not one to employ pigment (6)
24 Characters involved in longest ever romance (5)
Solution
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