My apologies for the late appearance of a blog for this puzzle but this was due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. I will admit to appreciating this puzzle more whilst writing up the analysis than I did at the time of solving. There again the latter was done rather early in the day.
The less-than-friendly, four-quadrant grid was mitigated a little by having the quadrants linked by some of the clues. It also helped to spot that NORTH, SOUTH, EAST and WEST were located in appropriate positions.
Across
1 Associates 3 with 26, and 14 with 21 across (8)
PARTNERS – double def.
5 State four different points about journalist (6)
SWEDEN – SWEN (four different points) around (about) ED (journalist)
9 Stubbornness of stupid boy eating a curd pie (8)
OBDURACY – anagram (stupid) of BOY around (eating) anagram (pie) of A CURD
12 Horse race is a bit of a joke (9)
PUNCHLINE – PUNCH (horse) LINE (race)
13 Directly opposed to being in extremes of 3 or 26 (5)
POLAR – double def.
14, 10 Essential part of rowing team (4,6)
WEST INDIES – the middle (essential part) of ‘roWIng’ is an abbreviation of the answer
16 Element of watery discharge around part of UK (7)
RHENIUM – RHEUM (watery discharge) around NI (part of UK)
19 Write piece about one bird (7)
PENGUIN – PEN (write) GUN (piece) around (about) I (one)
21, 24 Troubled state before start of independence, and largely again later (4,5)
EAST TIMOR – anagram (troubled) of STATE I[ndependence] (start of independence) MOR[e] (largely again) &lit
25 Champions get a new dressing room area (9)
BACKSTAGE – BACKS (champions) anagram (new) of GET A
27 Reveal proposal, as 14 might do to 3 or 26 (6)
OUTBID – OUT (reveal) BID (proposal)
28 Protective clothing uniform given to poor soul addicted to drink (8)
BIBULOUS – BIB (protective clothing) U (uniform) anagram (poor) of SOUL
29 Having been the longest settled, time’s taken before moving (6)
ELDEST – anagram (moving) of SET[t]LED (settled, time’s taken)
30 Intellectuals found in 5, but not 3 or 26 22? (8)
EGGHEADS – def. & cryptic indicator
Down
1 Concert pianist, extremely punctual (6)
PROMPT – PROM (concert) P[ianis]T (pianist, extremely)
3, 22 State of mind when note’s left (5,6)
NORTH DAKOTA – [mi]ND (mind when note’s left) is an abbreviation of the answer
4 Getting night piece rates raised a bit (7)
RECEIPT – hidden reversal in ‘nighT PIECE Rates’
6 Ship docked at new pier sporting drinks machine (9)
WINEPRESS – anagram (sporting) of NEW PIER SS (ship)
7 Boring part of training exercise? (5,3)
DRILL BIT – def. & crypic indicator with ‘part’ doing double duty
8 No, spades trumps not initially played – these could provide the remedy (8)
NOSTRUMS – NO S (spades) TRUM[p]S (trumps not initially played)
11 Hack with base in pub (4)
BEAR – E (base) in BAR (pub) – as in “he couldn’t hack/bear it”
15 Royal attendants in Spain, awfully risque about the Queen (9)
EQUERRIES – E (Spain) anagram (awfully) of RISQUE around (about) ER (the Queen)
17 Bit of writing from winning rower (8)
UPSTROKE – UP (winning) STROKE (rower)
18 Joiner drinks setter’s tea, stirred full of spirit (8)
ANIMATED – AND (joiner) around (drinks) I’M (setter’s) anagram (stirred) of TEA
20 Rich people? No bullshit (4)
NOBS – NO BS (bullshit)
21 Attractive female having left impression (7)
ETCHING – [f]ETCHING (attractive female having left)
23 Period pieces linked to 26 21 across 5 (6)
MENSES – MEN (pieces) S (south) E (east) S (Sweded)
26, 2 Somehow I’d ruin ghost-written story (5,6)
SOUTH RIDING – anagram (somehow) of I’D RUIN GHOST
Thanks gaufrid, menses beat me didn’t know it. Wasn’t as tough as i thought on first pass, west indies nicely hidden i thought.
Yes, Wanderer, thanks. A thoroughly enjoyable puzzle with some delightfully elegant clues (such as 3,22). And thanks too to Gaufrid.
No MENSES for me too but otherwise an excellent crossword by Wanderer, one of the newer FT setters and one whose style I quite like.
I thought this puzzle was every bit as enjoyable as yesterday’s (eXternal)* – which is a great plus as I like the latter’s crosswords very much.