Sydney Morning Herald 2025-07-28

Not too tricky, but a little clumsy. I suppose there wasn't anything particularly egregious worth noting.

Across

1
Muted reception for vessel expected on first day (7)
SUBDUED — SUB (vessel) DUE (expected) D (first letter of day)
5
Wealthy, healthy and out of sorts (4-3)
WELL-OFF — WELL (healthy) OFF (out of sorts)
9
In the interim, it sounds like a nasty trick (9)
MEANWHILE — homophone of MEAN WILE (trick)
10
Total nutters know no limits (5)
UTTER — nUTTERs without outside letters
11
Suspended railway guards are underfed (6)
HUNGRY — HUNG (suspended) RY (railway)
12
Sadly, he'll go up where the water goes down (8)
PLUGHOLE — anagram (sadly) of HE'LL GO UP
14
Devotee has a terrible row with transporter (10)
WORSHIPPER — anagram (terrible) of ROW, SHIPPER (transporter)
16
A seasoned sailor? (4)
SALT — cryptic def., &lit
18
Passes first decree in line with treaty (4)
PACT — P (first letter of passes) ACT (decree)
19
Got less dull in one shed (10)
DIMINISHED — DIM (dull) IN I (one) SHED
22
Some flops I'd edited were unbalanced (8)
LOPSIDED — hidden in fLOPS I'D EDited
23
Bad prolapse? So don't abseil! (6)
RAPPEL — anagram (bad) of PRoLAPsE without so
26
Don't roar about astroturf forming clumps (5)
TUFTS — anagram (forming) of aSTroTUrF without roar
27
'Didn't leave before jockey', you stated (9)
OUTSTAYED — anagram (jockey) of YOU STATED
28
Nearly onsold some assets towards the beginning (5,2)
EARLY ON — hidden in nEARLY ONsold
29
Foreshadow Harbour City terminal (7)
PORTEND — PORT (harbour city) END (terminal)

Down

1
Love to get me into the show one way or another (7)
SOMEHOW — O (love) ME inside SHOW
2
Barn dance includes whiskey and potted meat (5)
BRAWN — BARN containing W (whiskey)
3
Why run to work when not good enough? (8)
UNWORTHY — anagram (work) of WHY RUN TO
4
Shed drops on day one, rest in peace! (4)
DRIP — D (first letter of day) RIP (rest in peace)
5
Elmer Fudd's really been to get the rubbish cart (7,3)
WHEELIE BIN — homophone (Elmer Fudd's) REALLY BEEN
6
Louder orange walls suit the sitting room (6)
LOUNGE — LOUder oraNGE without middle letters
7
He delivers complementary medicine order to teashop (9)
OSTEOPATH — anagram (order) of TO TEASHOP
8
Infer mentor's interns will turn to alcohol (7)
FERMENT — hidden in inFER MENTor
13
Pup lost top and lateral fur going head over heels (6-4)
UPSIDE-DOWN — pUP (without first letter) SIDE (lateral) DOWN (fur)
15
(& 17-down) Foolishly fires depreciators - bad plan! (6,3,8)
RECIPE FOR DISASTER — anagram (foolishly) of FIRES DEPRECIATORS
18
Colour range is light in tone even for statues (7)
PALETTE — PALE (light in tone) TTE (even letters of statues)
20
Delta managed to avoid being misled (7)
DELUDED — D (delta) ELUDED (managed to avoid)
21
Pity about heart surgeon's messy room (6)
PIGSTY — PITY around G (middle letter of surgeon) S
24
Personal Assistant gets the evil eye from one who got paid (5)
PAYEE — PA (personal assistant) anagram (evil) of EYE
25
On the head of a tosspot (4)
ATOP — A reversal (toss) of POT