I got about half done in those two hours with a break to wander the car lot to see what's for sale. Missing four answers at the end. I'm still completely lost on how we solve 21D and would appreciate any information there. Here's the pic:
1A - Clever little insect eater digs first (6)
"Clever" is the definition and a "little insect eater" = SHREW and "Digs first" = D for SHREWD. I don't think most people would think "Oh yes a small bug eater must be a shrew," we need cross letters to get this, right? I'm always amazed how particular some clues are. There are many "small insect eaters" and narrowing down to the one required is a slog.
4A - Shell services vehicle swiftly (8)
"Shell" is our definition and "vehicle"= CAR, and "swiftly" = APACE for CARAPACE.
10A - Egg on bed cover grew buds (9)
"Grew buds" is our definition and to "egg on" = URGE ON then "BED" is to "cover" those letters like this: B(URGEON)ED. This word cover gets bandied about a lot.
11A - Float off into the air (5)
"Float off" is fodder and anagrind to give us ALOFT to mean "into the air." Does this count as an &lit?
12A - Article first mentioned by those people (4)
"Those people" is the definition and an "article" = THE (or a/an but here it's the) and "first Mentioned" = M as the first letter of "mentioned" to give us THEM.
13A - Discovered a new way into the base (10)
"Base" is our definition and "Discovered A" = FOUND A and "new way into," is partial fodder and anagrind to give us FOUND+A(TION)
15A - Relevant to English spoken in another EU country (7)
I'm not sure exactly how we get this. "Relevant to" is the definition and "English" = E and "spoken in another EU country" = GERMAN but we put the E to the end to make GERMANE. My way the clue lacks instruction to put the E to the end and I don't see an anagrind telling me to mix the letters. Have I missed a homophone with "spoken?"
16A - No time for tent rage, on the whole (6)
"Whole" is the definition and I think "no time for tent" means to remove a T from "tent" leaving ENT and "rage" = IRE for ENTIRE.
19A - Say why networks blanch (6)
"Blanch" is our definition and "say why" is a homophone hint to have our answer start with the sound "why" and "networks" refers to Australian TV, maybe? WHITEN is the answer so WHY/WHI and TEN as in network Ten.
21A - Sweet taste unfortunately unavailable after beau left (7)
"Sweet taste is our definition and "unfortunately unavailable after beau left " is saying that "unavailable" is our fodder but we must remove the letters BEAU first then mix them up to get VANILLA. I was stuck on this being Ophelia who was "unfortunately unavailable after beau left" in Hamlet because she was dead, but of course nothing was sweet tasting about that.
23A - Making an educated guess that site sets up sexual contacts (10)
"Making an educated guess" is our definition and "site sets" is part fodder and anagrind and "sexual contacts" = MATING I guess for (ESTI)MATING. I'd put in Estimation which made this more confusing.
25A - Not even Archie'd take LSD (4)
Odd/Even clue where "LSD" is our definition and "even ArChIeD" = ACID.
27A - In China, Uruguay and a Micronesian republic (5)
Hidden word clue where "Micronesian republic," is our definition and "chiNA URUguay" hides NAURU.
28A - At all events, it's in a container, whichever one you choose (2,3,4)
I'm not entirely sure how this is parsed. I got the phrase once I'd figured out "Container" = CASE then I got IN ANY CASE as a meaning for "at all events." or is it "whichever you choose?" I'm undecided.
29A - It's no secret, a small kerb makes it possible to pass (8)
"Possible to pass" is the definition and if something isn't a "secret" it's OVERT and A "small kerb" means to remove some letters from "kerb" = KE leaving OVERT+A+KE.
30A - Talking a lot of small potatoes? (6)
I was chuffed I got this! I'd remembered that baby potatoes were called CHATs and "talking a lot" would be CHATTY.
1D - Wise person hides a boat without a suggestion of underhand interference (8)
"Underhand interference" is our definition and "Wise person" = SAGE and they "hides A BOAT without A" So it tells us to use the A and then tells us to take the other A in "boat" back out to get S(ABOT)AGE.
2D - Describing elements which are rather dispersed (4-5)
"Describing elements" is the definition, I guess. "are rather dispersed" is fodder and anagrind to give us RARE EARTH. Seems an odd phrase to me.
3,9D - Winner homesick? Do what the locals do! (4,2,4)
Anagram and it's a unique one as the anagrind is "sick" which is part of the fodder word like this "winner homesick" I've not had an anagrind/fodder word before. Mix the fodder to get WHEN IN ROME for "do as the locals do".
5D - Play slowly, evenly and as well as before! (7)
I missed this and it's not unknown that I'm dreadful at music notation. I had looked at Piano and Adagio but neither fit right for the definition "Play slowly." Then "evenly" looked like an odds/evens signpost but I couldn't make anything fit that either. Answer is ANDANTE. It looks like we take the "AND" from the clue and "as well as before" = ANTE the Latin prefix. Full definition then is "Play slowly, evenly"
6D - Impenetrable post-punk performer in ecstasy (10)
"Impenetrable" is our definition and the "post-punk performer" = ADAM ANT , "in ecstasy" = IN E for ADAMANTINE which is a real thing and not just Wolverine's skeletal make-up. Always learning.
7D - Even basil or half a lime goes with garlic sauce (5)
"Garlic sauce" is our definition and "even bAsIl Or" = AIO, "half a LIme" = LI for AIOLI.
8D - Widen context, endeavour to lift restrictions (6)
Hidden word for "Widen" and look at "contEXT ENDevour" to see EXTEND.
14D - Equivalent to a brown toad leading a horse (10)
"Equivalent to," is the definition and ""Brown" = TAN, "Toad leading" = T and "A horse" = A MOUNT for TAN+T+A MOUNT.
17D - Disinclined to let cat run wild (9)
Anagram clue: "Disinclined" is the definition and "let cat run wild" is fodder and anagrind to get RELUCTANT.
18D - Unhappy orderly, foolishly or not, gets riding equipment (8)
"Riding equipment" is the definition and I think we solve this by "unhappy" = SAD and "orderly foolishly" is fodder and anagrind but "or not" means to remove -OR leaving DERLY to be mixed giving us SAD(DLERY)
20D - Find fault and make a lousy choice? (7)
Double definition: NIT PICK.
21D - While those at the front dallied, stragglers disposed of the despoiler (6)
I figured "Despoiler" was the definition but I couldn't make anything fit. I'd had the wrong ending for 23A which made it more difficult. but honestly I'm completely lost here. answer is VANDAL. I can figure the "front Dallied" = D and that's about it.
Edit* - Help from @Patrickavenell "Van is at the front/front of dallied is Dal. I couldn't get 6D." I'd been thinking of Van as a vehicle not as the forward line. This leaves "front DALlied" = DAL.
Edit** - "@rhapsody_bri Re: 21D, do you think it's VANguard (those at the front) DALlied with the 'stragglers' removed?"" That would make use of the rest of the clue since no words should be overlooked. I'm beginning to think this clue is over wordy for the sake of it's surface.
22D - Lion ate an insect in a room at the side? (4,2)
"A room at the side" is the definition and "Lion" = LEO who "ate an insect" = ANT being placed inside LEO like this: LE(AN T)O
24D - First chance to be in a genuine ceasefire (5)
"Ceasefire" is the definition and "first Chance" = C to be placed "in" a word for "genuine" = TRUE for TRU(C)E
26D - First person's thought ought to be dismissed as a longstanding misconception (4)
"Longstanding misconception" is our definition and " First person's thought" = MY and "THought ought to be dismissed" means to remove -OUGHT leaving the TH for MYTH.
There we are, Monday done. Well apart from 21D. I have a long drive to Melbourne and back today and I may give the DA a go or I may have fun with the Rufus. Or both, we'll see how canny I am later. Beautiful day out there again, I might just be in nature instead.
Wishing you a splendid Tuesday.
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