Sydney Morning Herald 2025-07-03

A little bit clumsy. Lots of unindicated anagrams, superfluous clue text, and possible double-up between clue and definition. 24A was interesting with a double wordplay! Not sure about the definition of 14D, I feel like it should be measurers, not to mention it's one of the unindicated anagrams.

Across

1
Most recent info bad. Town so elongated unfortunately (4,4,3,4)
LATE NEWS NOT GOOD — anagram (unfortunately) of TOWN SO ELONGATED
9
Waver starts going like a snake’s tooth (4)
FANG — FAN (waver) G (first letter of going)
10
True, is in a position to be accomplished (10)
REALISABLE — REAL (true) IS, ABLE (in a position)
11
Therefore one right, earlier than expected (6)
SOONER — SO (therefore) ONE R (right)
12
Equal in 1 and is like a big bird’s beak (8)
AQUILINE — anagram (unindicated) of EQUAL IN I (1)
13
Again, shape is the first for one hoping to remove imperfections (9)
REFORMIST — REFORM (again shape) IS T (first letter of the)
15
A widespread shout of a seaman (5)
AVAST — A VAST (widespread)
17
Bob HM mixed highly explosive (1-4)
H-BOMB — anagram (mixed) of BOB HM
19
Land on which planes come down and ventilates the coming excursions (9)
AIRSTRIPS — AIRS (ventilates) TRIPS (the coming excursions)
23
Eel heart very light and tenuous (8)
ETHEREAL — anagram (very light) of EEL HEART
24
Warder returns sunburnt and naked to make another sketch (6)
REDRAW — reversal (returns) of WARDER; RED (sunburnt) RAW (naked)
26
Right sphere left the last structural designs intended to be copied (4,6)
ROLE MODELS — R (right) O (sphere) L (left) E (last letter of the), MODELS (structural designs)
27
Piece of news made a change in time (4)
ITEM — anagram (made a change) of TIME
28
He twirls outpost in the travels of a politician (7-4,4)
WHISTLE-STOP TOUR — anagram (unindicated) of HE TWIRLS OUTPOST

Down

2
Seaman unaccompanied has a mollusc (7)
ABALONE — AB (seaman) ALONE (unaccompanied)
3
Encourage but, for example, not yet departed (3,2)
EGG ON — EG (for example) GONe (most of departed)
4
Middle ear vibrators badly marred us (8)
EARDRUMS — anagram (badly) of MARRED US
5
Science on Arabs and certain beetles (7)
SCARABS — SC (science) ARABS
6
Do back unpaid bills that are disgusting (6)
ODIOUS — reversal (back) of DO, IOUS (unpaid bills)
7
Clothing left always on a part of the vehicle mover (4,5)
GEAR LEVER — GEAR (clothing) L (left) EVER (always)
8
Leading outside broadcast lets out no good sound for flat, four-sided shapes (7)
OBLONGS — first letters of Outside Broadcast Lets Out No Good Sound
14
Home terms of resistance measures (9)
OHMMETERS — anagram (unindicated) of HOME TERMS
16
Press after two directions before starting opening this strong coffee (8)
ESPRESSO — PRESS after ES (two directions), O (first letter of opening)
18
Agree to marry Beth outside? Rubbish! (7)
BETROTH — BETH outside ROT (rubbish)
20
I'll take NE steamship due to poor health (7)
ILLNESS — ILL, NE, SS (steamship)
21
Dish, Australian, from some high-up flat area (7)
PLATEAU — PLATE (dish) AU (Australian)
22
Deceive and be an ass (6)
BEFOOL — BE FOOL (an ass)
25
Five-hundred split and current of water or air (5)
DRIFT — D (five-hundred) RIFT (split)