Independent No. 12,177 by Umpire

No flowery prose from me today: in the middle of a house move, so technically now ex-LeedsClimber!

Thank you, Umpire for the grid

Across

1 Referee’s aid wrong to overturn Honda’s opener for Japan? (7)

VARNISH

Referee’s aid [VAR] wrong [SIN] to overturn [backwards] Honda’s opener [H]

 

5 Frame leader of cabal while relative smuggles heroin (7)

CHASSIS

Leader of cabal [C] while [AS] relative [SIS] smuggles [around] heroin [H]

 

9 Ground nest emu covers in sand – there’s no other choice (5,4)

NEEDS MUST

Anag. [“Ground”] NEST EMU covers in sand [S + D]

 

10 Combustible material around radiator’s beginning to become orangey-pink (5)

CORAL

Combustible material [COAL] around radiator’s beginning [R]

 

11 Rocket scientists run around cape for sport (6)

NASCAR

Rocket scientists [NASA] run [R] around cape [C]

 

12 Violet bruise, extremely kinky? (4,4)

LOVE BITE

Anag [“kinky”] VIOLET + extremeties of BRUISE

 

14 Decreases in wine sales wiping out bodega in the end (10)

REDUCTIONS

Wine [RED] sales [AUCTIONS] wiping out bodega in the end [-A]

 

16 Cloud over coliseum is troubling crowds (4)

MIST

Hidden word [“crowds”] coliseuM IS Troubling

 

18 Crowd pleaser right not to get involved in outrageous comedy (4)

FACE

Right [R] not to get involved in [removed from] outrageous comedy [FARCE]

 

19 Astrologer working with government welcomed by PM (10)

STARMONGER

Working [ON] with government [G] welcomed by [around] PM [STARMER]

 

22 Hot and dry river lacking locks? (8)

INSECURE

Hot [IN] and dry [SEC] river [URE]

 

23 Grounds for educating about politician in Australia (6)

CAMPUS

About [C] politician [MP] in Australia [AUS]

 

26 Term for twenty-five pounds is pony? (5)

EQUID

Term [last letter] for twenty-five [E] pounds [QUID]

 

27 Submissiveness in bed liked regularly when edging (9)

OBEDIENCE

Bed liked regularly [even letters = E I E] when [ONCE] edging [around]

 

28 Censors bloody shows (7)

REDACTS

Bloody [RED] shows [ACTS]

 

29 Wrestling gear itches with skirt the wrong way round (7)

SINGLET

Itches [TINGLES] with skirt [first and last letters] the wrong way round

 

Down

1 Very deep bottles start to tempt one into wine (7)

VINTNER

Very [V] deep [INNER] bottles around] start to tempt [T]

 

2 Rocks fish is found under, right? (5)

REELS

Fish [EELS] is found under, right [R]

 

3 Example of an insect on the rocks (8)

INSTANCE

Anag [“on the rocks”] AN INSECT

 

4 Transport goods in adverse weather, imports primarily going to university (4)

HAUL

Adverse weather [HAIL], imports primarily [I] going to [changing for] university [U]

 

5 Lacking time, reconstruct carelessly? (3,7)

CUT CORNERS

Anag [“reconstruct”] RECONSTRUCT lacking time [without “T”]

 

6 More playful shot (6) 

ARCHER

Double def

 

7 Stone coming down and breaking your back (9)

STRAINING

Stone [ST] coming down [RAINING]

 

8 Directed to take in boxer striking (7)

SALIENT

Directed [SENT] to take in [around] boxer [ALI]

 

13 At the end, on top of hill, boarding fell (10)

VICTORIOUS

Of hill [TOR], boarding [inside] fell [VICIOUS]

 

15 Canine companion to deliberately avoid being cuddled by father (9)

DACHSHUND

Companion [CH] to deliberately avoid [SHUN] being cuddled by [inside] father [DAD]

 

17 System of symbols not helping – translator ultimately let go (8)

NOTATION

Not [NOT] helping [RATION] – translator ultimately [R] let go

 

18 Hairdresser to stand up cutting hair (7)

FRISEUR

To stand up [RISE] cutting [inside] hair [FUR]

 

20 I admire that muscle clenched by others (7)

RESPECT

Muscle [PEC] clenched by [inside] others [REST]

 

21 Bitter ale in cellar initially probed by detectives (6)

ACIDIC

Ale in cellar initially [A I C] probed by [around] detectives [CID]

 

24 Parking on raised road constituting a fine (5)

PENAL

Parking [P] on raised road [LANE backwards]

 

25 Shorter exercise needing no working (4)

LESS

Exercise [LESSON] needing no working [ON removed]