Cracking challenge
Across
3 Promising mischief beside Luxembourg border IMPLEDGING (promising)
IMP (mischief) L (Luxembourg) EDGING (border)
9 Head away from frightening light AIRY (light) [h]AIRY (frightening)
10 Subdued question stimulated, though ignored at first QUELLED (subdued)
QU (question) [y]ELLED (stimulated)
12 Parts of house, mostly pale, with new and old servants LIVING ROOMS
LIVI[d] (pale mostly) N (new) GROOMS (old servants)
14/16 Granted insight after suffering historic punishment RIDING THE STANG
(GRANTED INSIGHT)*
15 Crack runs in tree ACER (tree) ACE (crack) R (runs)
18 Best at screwing up nuclear treaty TEST BAN (treaty) (BEST AT)* N (nuclear)
22 Expert historian possibly accepting crude nonsense DABSTER (expert)
BS bull—- (US slang for nonsense) in DATER (historian)
23 Old-fashioned to contend with wife? In Paris I start to understand
VIEUX JEU (old-fashioned) VIE (contend) UX (wife) JE (French I) U
24 Furnace plate, cut-down sort receiving introduction of metal
TYMP (furnace plate) M[etal] in TYP[e] (sort)
27 Friend trapping a lot of vermin in folds PLICAL (in folds)
LIC[e] (vermin) in PAL (friend)
28 Advocating withdrawal from conflict in oceans and isles
SECESSIONAL (advocating withdrawal) (OCEANS ISLES)*
29 Physiological problem to follow with introduction of sedentary activity OBESITY
SIT in OBEY (follow)
30 One avoids the best funeral location CREM CRE[a]M (best)
31 Imagined stains fade after treatment FANTASISED (STAINS FADE)*
Down
1 Sons swallowing a bishop’s stories NARRATIVES (stories)
A RR (Right Reverend) in NATIVES (sons)
2 Ferns I see in lines FILICES (ferns) IC (I see) in FILES (lines)
3 I work up specialist knowledge, dismissing one colourful display
IRIDESCENCE (colourful display) I RIDE (work up) SC[i]ENCE
4 Isn’t black included in spots in this? PAINTBOX AINT B in POX
5Water organism, mostly nasty, taking space in running water
EUGLENA (water organism) UGL[y] (mostly nasty) EN (space) in EA (water)
6 Locally concealed river in Scottish valley DERN (concealed) R in DEN
7 The wicked in the Bible, transfixed bt Lord’s initial triumphs
GLOATS (triumphs) L in GOATS
8 Soldiers upset over Captain? NEMO (fictional captain)
MEN< (soldiers upset) O (over)
11 Reward scheme arranged today clearly lacking ultimate in stylE
LOYALTY CARD (reward scheme) (TODAY CL[e]ARLY)*
13 Appreciated comments seeing city mostly taken up in poor housing
SUGARPLUMS (compliments) PRAGU[e]< (city mostly taken up) in SLUMS
17 Like The Desert Song, initially wonderful? Not initially SABULOUS (sandy)
S[ong] [f]ABULOUS (wonderful)
19 Tunes only encountered in programme breaks ADJUSTS (tunes)
JUST (only) in ADS
20 Does seem upset about a line supporting France FEMALES (does)
F (France) AL (a line) in (SEEM)*
21 Entertainment in France is lamentable no longer FUNEST (obs lamentable)
FUN (entertainment) EST (French for is)
25 Armadillo beginning to bite into vegetable PEBA (armadillo) B[ite] in PEA
26 Area is one rising landmass A IS A<
( )* = anagram < = reverse [ ] = omit
Cracking indeed.
Thanks, Jed. I’ve actually only just tackled 1,176 this morning, and was pleased to finish unaided for a change. I had to come here to reassure myself about a couple though, FUNEST and the historic punishment included.
I thought the definition “Does…” well hidden in 20ac.