(Apologies if you are of the certain disposition where an off centered photograph drives you crazy. You're probably the same sort who also hates the way I spelled centered, aren't you?)
1A -Echo like the empty refuge by the bay (7)
"Echo" is the definition and "empty refuge" means take the middle out of refuge leaving RE and "by the bay" is SOUND like definition 4 of sound "a relatively narrow passage of water between larger bodies of water or between the mainland and an island: Long Island Sound, Rhode Island Sound."
Which gives us RESOUND as our solution.
5A - Having twice the fur can make it not functional (7)
I'm not quite sure how I got this. I was thinking "twice" could mean DOUBLE, and I had the D and B from cross letters. I guessed DISABLE was a good synonym for "make it not functional"
9A - Puking can spoil this homecoming task (9)
I'm pretty sure we're not to be thinking of Homecoming Queens on parade floats, but our definition is "homecoming task" we want to be alert of the word "spoil" as an anagram signpost and "puking can" has the right amount of letters. Mix them up to give UNPACKING. Although puking can ruin most tasks, unpacking is fun for no one.
10A - He makes a woodworm yawn (5)
It's just a pun, there's not much to do but think it over until you get
11A - Some dinosaur oranges and pretty polar lights (6)
"Some" is a hidden word signpost here and thankfully the phrase "dinosAUR ORAnges" is silly enough to be highly suspicious. "Pretty polar lights" is the definition and AURORA our answer.
12A -Attorney starts ringing the day before a stay of execution (8)
I didn't get this one.I couldn't think of the word that means someone wins an appeal right before their execution date. Breaking this down I think "Attorney" = REP, "starts Ringing" means use the beginning letter R, "the day before" - EVE the answer is REPRIEVE. Looks like we needed the first two letters from RInging.
14A - One less doll prompting outdoor grilling (10)
"One less doll" if we use the doll BARBIE and "one less" means remove the -I for BARBE and "prompting" = CUEING gives us BARBECUING for the outdoor grilling.
16A - Order a variety (4)
Double definition where we need a word meaning both "order" and "variety": SORT.
18A - Build a dyke across the deep end and get a bit wet (4)
This took me a while but I'm sure I have it. "Dyke" = DAM and "deeP end" means take the P from end of deep to give us DAMP for "a bit wet." I'm not sure what "across the" is supposed to hint.
19A - One who advises others to count heads and insult one less worker (10)
"One who advises others" is the definition. "COunt heads" = CO, "Insult one less" means -I leaving NSULT and "worker" = ANT. Put them together for CONSULTANT.
22A - Carrier removes rats from the badger conservatory (8)
Definition is "Carrier" and the clue is a long instruction telling us to take out the letters RATS from "conservatory" which leaves CONEVORY and we need to "badger" or mix up those letters to give CONVEYOR.
23A - Bird is endlessly out of breath (6)
Double definition, we want a "bird" that is also a word for "being out of breath - endlessly" : PUFFIN (-G)
26A - Proportion of rate cuts to current investment (5)
"Proportion" is the definition and "rate cuts" tells us to remove something from "rate" = RAT -E and "current" = I if we think of the symbol for electrical current, but I'm not sure about how we get the last letter in RATIO unless "cuts" being plural means to remove the -T from "to" as well.
27A - Stand back and deliver a challenge to a reckless person (9)
I had an inkling for answer and I could see "reckless person" was the definition. I figured "stand back" was hinting to a reversal somewhere, or to reverse a synonym of "stand" but none made sense. I figured "challenge" = DARE and thought "deliver" was an anagram because I could see DEVIL in there but I don't know how the parsing works to remove the RE. "Deliver" backwards is reviled but that didn't help either. Anyway, the answer is DAREDEVIL.
28A - Harry Elder MD is a busybody (7)
"Harry Elder MD" is anagram signpost (harry) and fodder (elder md) to be remixed to reveal MEDDLER a word for a "busybody"
29A - Had the nerve to ingest krypton and went crimson (4,3)
"Had the nerve" = DARED and "to ingest krypton" where krypton = KR which we put into DAR(KR)ED to give DARK RED for "crimson" our definition.
1D - Its stalks are cooked with sugar or with roux say, then barbecued a little. (7)
I think, if you cook and like desserts, this is an easy one from the start. "Its stalks are cooked with sugar" is the definition. "with roux say" means we want a phonetic of "roux" = RHU and "then barbecued a little" means we want only the first four letters of "barbecue" = BARB for RHUBARB which is delicious stewed in a little sugar.
2D - Therefore poor love less because of lethargy (5)
"Lethargy" is our definition, "therefore" = SO (this is regular in cryptics, I'm discovering) "poor love less" where "love" is used in cryptic clues to mean the letter O so "love less" means to take an O away from "poor" leaving POR giving SOPOR, a word for lethargy. New word for me.
3D - Get the dog off the bed? It's not restrained (8)
I had the cross letters in place and with help of the thesaurus I saw the pun UNCURBED. "dog" = CUR so they're saying UN CUR the BED which is a synonym for "unrestrained" which I know isn't the same word exactly in the clue but it works as something not restrained is unrestrained. See? (Have I made it worse?)
4D -US prosecutor is at the podium (4)
The "US prosecutor" is known as the DA then add the IS for DAIS, a synonym for "podium"
5D - Takes a certain pertinacity to serve sodden eggs (10)
Here's an unusual clue because the definition "pertinacity" is in the middle. "serve" works as anagram signpost and "sodden eggs" has 10 letters to mix up and render DOGGEDNESS.
6D - Below, partially undisturbed, is a whole metropolitan district (6)
We want a synonym for "metropolitan district" and "Below" = SUB and "partially undistURBed" means take out the part of undisturbed that makes up SUBURB.
7D - Rod caught dancing alone in Catalonian capital (9)
I simply googled "Catalonia" and saw the map of Spain and its capital was BARCELONA. "Rod" = BAR "caught" = C and "dancing alone" where dancing is an anagrind, mix up ALONE. Or, it's instructing us to use the "Catalonian capital" in the answer to give us the C. Not exactly sure on which gives the C.
8D - Seriously passionate listener finds a comfy home (7)
I missed this one. I knew "listener" was EAR but I'd had the wrong letter in place from 10A so nothing was working. Definition is "Seriously passionate" "listener" = EAR and "a comfy home" = NEST for EARNEST.
13D - Command exhausted, it's not working! (3,2,5)
Thinking out of the box, punlike, for a phrase that fits both sides of that comma: OUT OF ORDER.
15D - Thought it over, which is strange in a Kennedy (9)
Not sure on this one. Definition is "thought it over" and I think the answer is RUMINATED, where "Kennedy" = TED and we have IN A in the clue but I'm not sure where the RUM comes from. Is RM making a drunken Kennedy joke? Rum in a Ted?
17D - Struggle clumsily with the fish (8)
Double definition; we want a word that means both "Struggle clumsily" and is a "fish" FLOUNDER.
18D - Twenties style spirit and sense of propriety (7)
"Twenties style" was art DECO plus "spirit" = RUM for DECORUM, a "sense of propriety"
20D - Snarled as dynasty took the lead (7)
"Snarled" is the definition and we want a "dynasty" = TANG "took the lead" = LED for TANGLED.
21D - Draw back in disgust as firetails spiral (6)
"Draw back in disgust" is our definition. "firetails" is a one word + instruction word "fire tails" the space makes it easier to see. We want the last two letters, or tails, of "fire" = RE and "spiral" = COIL for RECOIL.
24D - Strong, always hot feeling (5)
I was a bit unsure about this one. "Hot feeling" is our definition and FEVER the answer, but I don't know how "strong, always" fits. I'd not considered fever/strong as synonyms.
25D - It's right, in the case of a pea, to poke (4)
"To poke" is our definition. "in the case of a pea" means the housing of a pea, or a POD and "it's Right in" means use the R from right and put in POD for PROD.
All done! I did Monday's Rufus in the Guardian, as well and will try and get that up late today or early tomorrow. Have a good day.
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