A thoroughly enjoyable start to the day from Lark.
I’m standing in for the regular blogger this morning, and am glad to have had this fun puzzle. We have the seasons circling the perimeter of the grid which was helpful once I clocked it. Many thanks to Lark.
T[o] U[nveil] L[ord] S[ugar’s] A[pprentice] (frontrunners)
OK = Oklahoma
EVIA[n] (mineral water, endless) to drink F (following) + FLU (illness)
GEN (information) + IT (appeal) before I’VE (writer’s)
‘It’ in the sense of sex appeal: as in an ‘It girl’
In grammar, the genitive case indicates possession
APE (imitate) + RC (church, Roman Catholic) with U (child-friendly)
U = film age rating
NICE (pleasant) + A (area) surrounding A
REINS (rider’s gear) + RT (right) after E[venting] (debut)
IS (lives) + L[if]E (hollow)
[b]OWING (displaying deference, B (baron) avoids)
“BOW” (play violin, “in recording”)
(SHE RA)* (*surprisingly) alongside SS (Nazis)
HAREM (group of lovers) touring L (large)
PLY (work) to maintain ENT (hospital department, Ear, Nose & Throat)
MAN (fellow) having BEGUN* (*unexpectedly) to eat
(HER PLANS)* (*disrupted)
A (amateur) + GREE[n] (lacking experience, falls short)
“STY” (farm building, “reportedly”)
TIME (occasion) in which A + T (model); U (university) + L (student, learner) comes first
XI (team) sports MA, MA (master, doubled)
[h]ERE (present, H (husband) exchanged for M (money))
AC (account) that spreads EFFING (offensive language)
RUBE (American country bumpkin) + N,S (polar opposites, North, South)
IN CAR (where driver might be) + N (new) + ATE (did worry)
I (one) + N (name) + SHALL (will) + A[rrest] (lead to) over H (heroin)
AIDS (helps), R (king) to pre-empt
ENO< (opera venue, <erected) + EBONY* (*sculpture)
ENO = English National Opera
BE (live) + [f]IREBIR[d]< (phoenix, <rising, with wings clipped)
(RAG (disreputable paper) + NAH (that’s wrong))< (<about)
HENAN (Chinese province) welcoming M (male)
Tim Henman, former professional British tennis player
ME (New England’s top state) + LT (officer, lieutenant)
ME = Maine
A (one) + [k]NEW (was aware, K (king) departed)