Tough and satisfying
Across
1 Use of imitation promises hokum, possibly SKEUOMORPHISM
(PROMISES HOKUM)*
11 Fellows I’d recalled accepting bit of henna, displaying this? MEHNDI &lit
H[enna] in MEN (fellows) I’D<
12 One is taken back by open flower FREESIA FREE (open) A IS<
13 Unhappily-directed blow potentially leading to darker tidings
REDDING-STRAIK (DARKER TIDINGS)*
16 Thick jumper of shiny fabric enswathes me LAMMIE
MI (me – music) in LAME (shiny fabric)
17 High note is interrupting curious action for others ALTRUISM
ALT (high note) IS in RUM (curious)
18 River in the Bronx EBOR – hidden in [th]E BRO[nx]
19 Jokes about start of game recalled marker for players SEGNO
G[ame] in ONES< (jokes back)
23 Discuss cancelling accepted allowance TRET
TREAT (discuss) minus A (accepted)
25 Restaurant chain that is not one opening in Exeter CREPERIE
CREEPER (chain) minus E[xeter] IE (that is)
27 Work to be done within Latin study, ultimately IN-TRAY
INTRA (within in Latin) [stud]Y
28 Friday: near rocks, around right slope – a curious light FRIAR’S LANTERN
FRI (Friday) R (right) SLANT (slope) in (NEAR)*
29 Anger about tons distributed for shoppers? IN-STORE
(TONS)* in IRE (anger)
30 Screen chemical appliance not very robust, initially DE-ICER
DEVICE (appliance) minus V (very) R[obust]
31 Laundress washed, losing article of significance possessed by fighter
CLEAR-STARCHER
CLEAN (washed) minus AN (article) STAR (of significance) in ARCHER (fighter)
Down
2 Spain and Holland engaged in translation eagerly KEENLY
E (Spain) NL (Holland) in KEY (translation)
3 Deeper layers variously return data about sulphur UNDERSTRATA
(RETURN DATA S)*
4 Commander leaving large, unpleasant … ODIOUS [com]ODIOUS (large)
5 … a girl that is behind motorway bar MINNIE
M (motorway) INN (bar) IE (that is)
6 Fluorine in cereal upset regulator OFGAS F (fluorine) in SAGO< (cereal up)
7 Animal lobby group left part of flower PETAL PETA (animal group) L (left)
8 Interpreting blockage of nonconformist by fellows and university
HERMENEUTIC MEN (fellows) U (university) in HERETIC (nonconformist)
9 Name of engineer, one unhappy about measure of pressure?
ISAMBARD Kingdom Brunel
M(milli) BAR (measure of pressure) in I (one) SAD (unhappy)
10 Suffer no more, intervening in active person’s transformation MAKEOVER
AKE (suffer – old) in MOVER (active person)
14 Liberal legislation provided one college with milk? LACTIFIC
L (Liberal) ACT (legislation) IF (provided) I (one) C (college)
15 Reject articles on strangeness in match ATHETISE
A THE (articles) S (strangeness) in TIE (match)
20 Wartime nurses involved in most of adjacent state NEVADA
VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in NEA[r] (adjacent, mostly)
21 Training exercises adopter by expert cricketer OPENER
PE (training exercises) in ONER (expert)
22 English mistake is raised by man emphatically SIRREE
E (English) ERR (mistake) IS<
24 What’s elevated memory of repression, primarily? MAROR &lit
bitter dish symbolizing Egyptian oppression
26 Bank employee losing one pound turns up, getting hired again RELET
TELLER< minus L (one pound)
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit < = reverse definitions in bold italics