Clue
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Answer
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Explanation
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990
Country losing territory on North Island to old Britons (5)
ICENI
Definition: old Britons ICELAND (country) less LAND (territory) + N I
One attempting to lose runs level (4)
TIER
Definition: level TRIER less (one) R
Strangely tasty cep seen as belonging to the same sort (8)
TYPECAST
Definition: seen as belonging to the same sort (TASTY CEP)
Set of clubs given to girl (5)
CLASS
Definition: Set C + LASS
Game played by poets nursing sick setter (9)
BILLIARDS
Definition: Game ILL + I (setter) in BARDS
Bird that can cough things up? (4)
HAWK
Definition: Bird Double definition
Vagrant stealing first part of investigator's brief (7)
DOSSIER
Definition: brief I[nvestigator] in DOSSER
Sticky stuff coating large end of rectangular dressing (7)
PLASTER
Definition: dressing L in PASTE (sticky stuff) + [rectangula]R
Animal turned up with mother (4)
PUMA
Definition: Animal Reverse of UP + MA
One who oversees meeting with Chinese pilot (8)
CHAIRMAN
Definition: One who oversees meeting CH + AIRMAN
Spool for thread endlessly going up and down (6)
BOBBIN
Definition: Spool for thread BOBBIN[g]
In a rush to charge queen (6)
CAREER
Definition: In a rush CARE (charge, as a noun – "he is in my care/charge") + ER
End of scarf covered by moist part of cloth (4)
WEFT
Definition: part of cloth [scar]F in WET
Fish go into chippy (9)
CARPENTER
Definition: chippy CARP + ENTER
Type of race put down again (5)
RELAY
Definition: Type of race RE-LAY
Aides trained to make plans (5)
IDEAS
Definition: plans AIDES
Independent publications losing Azerbaijani leaders' pictures (8)
IMAGINES
Definition: pictures I + MAGAZINES less AZ[erbaijani]
Experiment involving long container (3,5)
TEA CHEST
Definition: container ACHE (long) in TEST
Space given to lean recruit (6)
ENLIST
Definition: recruit EN (space, in printing) + LIST (to lean over)
Social 20 across accepting large, grand residence (6)
CASTLE
Definition: grand residence L in CASTE (social class)
Hit boy below the belt (4)
BLOW
Definition: Hit B[oy] + LOW (below the belt)
Bird heard when crossing river (4)
WREN
Definition: Bird R in WEN (homophone of "when")
Bruiser with power breaking additional window (8)
POP-UNDER
Definition: additional window P[ower] in POUNDER
Seed covering ball is there? He belts it possibly (4)
ARIL
Definition: Seed covering Composite anagram: (BALL IS THERE)* = HE BELTS ARIL
Delayed receiving a present sent back – unusually smooth (9)
LAEVIGATE
Definition: unusually smooth A + reverse of GIVE in LATE – "unusually" because Chambers describes it as a "non-standard spelling" of "levigate"
Positive German football team making money (4)
PELF
Definition: money P + ELF (German "eleven", i.e. a football team)
Starts going at this speed one's gift for traffic police (5)
GATSO
Definition: gift for traffic police First letters of Going At This Speed One's
Party at the opera house? It benefits investors (7)
SCALADO
Definition: It benefits investors it's a DO at [la] SCALA, or a SCALA DO
Wolf maybe died having escaped from fair (5)
CANID
Definition: Wolf maybe CANDID less the first D
Get even with church introducing Latin bit of old sophistry (6)
ELENCH
Definition: bit of old sophistry L in E'EN CH
King, black chess piece (6)
KNIGHT
Definition: chess piece K[ing] + NIGHT
Holiday abroad, shortest one if there's no Brie (5)
FESTA
Definition: Holiday abroad BRIEFEST A less BRIE
One involved in nocturnal flirting, being of similar character etc (10)
CONNATURAL
Definition: being of similar character etc A in NOCTURNAL
It's a tight fit in the dressing room – stars almost late (7)
LEOTARD
Definition: It's a tight fit in the dressing room LEO (constellation, stars) + TARD[y]
Republicans having a bit of a knees-up in lively dance (5)
GOPAK
Definition: lively dance GOP (Grand Old Party, nickname of the US Republican party)+ A K[nees-up]
Places to stay favoured partners at table? (4)
INNS
Definition: Places to stay IN (favoured) + NS (bridge partners)
Help for travellers I upset with dog running wild (9)
GUIDE-POST
Definition: Help for travellers (I UPSET DOG)
Sex symbol that is given leading part in India (4)
YONI
Definition: Sex symbol YON (that) + I[ndia]
Certainly wood growth having nitrogen applied quite recently (8)
YESTREEN
Definition: quite recently YES (certainly) + TREE + N[itrogen]
Part of mum's hose giving dad a whack? (7)
POPSOCK
Definition: Part of mum's hose POP (dad) + SOCK (punch, whack)
King Cole in a bad way? Soon one's out at the elbows (9)
OLECRANON
Definition: one's out at the elbows Anagram of COLE R (king) + ANON (soon)
Indian tree, one replacing millions of others? (5)
PALAS
Definition: Indian tree PALMS (other trees than the one in the answer) with the M replaced by A
It helps steersman, one in bed, laid up (6)
NAVAID
Definition: It helps steersman A in reverse of DIVAN
Labiate late, tended poorly (10)
DEAD-NETTLE
Definition: Labiate (LATE TENDED)
Channel for water to flow in runnel (6)
RIGOLL
Definition: runnel GO in RILL
Cook's jelly I see extracted from fungus (4)
AGAR
Definition: Cook's jelly AGARIC less I C
Food cooked in roast (7)
RATIONS
Definition: Food (IN ROAST)
Sun rising round East? Many of us enjoy summer birthdays (4)
LEOS
Definition: Many of us enjoy summer birthdays E in reverse of SOL. The astrological sign Leo covers July 23 – August 22, so perhaps "many of us" could be regarded as redundant
Vintners to get an early feeling for blend of rouges (10)
BODEGUEROS
Definition: Vintners BODE (to have a presentiment of, get an early feeling for) + ROGUES* – from the perhaps more familiar "bodega", a Spanish shop or warehouse for wine
Photo on lake that is showing Walter's bird (9)
PICTARNIE
Definition: Walter's bird PIC + TARN + I.E. – a name for the tern used by Sir Walter Scott
Writer I put up in disorderly inn, one of several in alley? (7)
NINE-PIN
Definition: one of several in alley Reverse of (PEN I) in INN
Favouring active involvement (7)
HANDS-ON
Definition: Favouring active involvement The competition word
Not strictly a Mohican cut for harvest celebration (6)
HAWKEY
Definition: harvest celebration In James Fenimore Cooper's novel *The Last of the Mohicans* (and the many film versions of it), the character Hawk-eye (real name Nathaniel Bumppo) was raised by Native Americans, so is "not strictly a Mohican". Truncating his nickname we get a kind of harvest celebration
Fug, with being kept in by cold weather (6)
FROWST
Fug, with being kept in by cold weather (6) W[ith] in FROST
Region of SW France suggested by the French? (5)
LANDE
Definition: Region of SW France French "the" is LE, or L AND E
Such a face suggests one foolish cracksman, first to last (4)
EGGY
Definition: Such a face suggests one foolish YEGG (safe cracker) with the first letter moved to the end. A foolish person may be said to have egg on their face
In hollow, a dip through which river runs (4)
WADI
Definition: through which river runs Hidden in holloW A DIp
Old lecturer enters competition with authority (6)
ORACLE
Definition: authority O + L in RACE
Joker breaks into school for change (6)
SWITCH
Definition: change WIT in SCH
Egypt is regularly overturning complaint (4)
STYE
Definition: complaint Alternate letters in reverse of EgYpT iS
A fake prophecy: 'Earth's lost metal' — it's doubtful (10)
APOCRYPHAL
Definition: doubtful A + PROPHECY* less E + AL (Aluminium)
Text about new hit fashions (6)
SMITHS
Definition: fashions HIT* in SMS (text message)
English bowler moves around leg — wicket falls! (8)
ANDERSON
Definition: English bowler WANDERS (moves around) + ON (leg side in cricket) less W. I have no interest in cricket and hadn't heard of James ANDERSON, but apparently he's quite successful…
Is footballer blocking Everton's last delivery? (9)
INSWINGER
Definition: delivery [everto]N in IS WINGER – more cricket: an inswinger is a kind of bowling delivery
Drunk hides whiskey in study (4)
SWOT
Definition: study W in SOT
Following kick-off, running back for corner (4)
NOOK
Definition: corner Reverse of KO + ON (running)
Work in bed? Initially, employer to play along (9)
COOPERATE
Definition: play along OPERA (a work) in COT + E[mployer]
Animated figure's bearing American god (8)
MORPHEUS
Definition: god MORPH (animated clay figure of children's TV) + E (compass bearing) + US
In speech ex-PM beguiles table (6)
MATRIX
Definition: table Homophone of [Theresa] "May tricks"
Perhaps email in the latest style? (4-6)
POST-MODERN
Definition: in the latest style Email is a kind of POST that is MODERN
Type of film only showing in visible and ultraviolet light? (4)
NOIR
Definition: Type of film If you only have visible and UV light, then you have NO I[nfra]R[ed]
Fancy pheromone contains secret message (6)
CYPHER
Definition: secret message Hidden in fanCY PHERomone
Timid setter's crossing river (6)
MOUSEY
Definition: Timid OUSE (river) in MY (setter's)
Turkish delight at last — after starter of olives, am not upset! (7)
OTTOMAN
Definition: Turkish O + [deligh]T + (AM NOT)
Spy gets kind of crimson once cover's blown (5)
AGENT
Definition: Spy [m]AGENT[a]
Singer Moyet left first to hide one love affair (7)
LIAISON
Definition: love affair ALISON (Moyet) with the L moved to the front and then an I (one) inserted
Line in what you're reading to classes (6)
WORLDS
Definition: classes L in WORDS. Chambers gives "a class or division" as one of its definitions of "world", as in "the animal world"
Lift prize cup of the highest quality (3-6)
TOP-DRAWER
Definition: of the highest quality Reverse of REWARD POT
Listen to the end of our bust-up in anger (4,3)
HEAR OUT
Definition: Listen to the end of OUR* in HEAT (anger)
Second chicken drinks beer on top of barn for encouragement … (6-7)
MORALE‑BOOSTER
Definition: encouragement ALE B[arn] in MO (moment, second) ROOSTER
… as Goldberg and sheep celebrate raucously (5,2,2)
WHOOP IT UP
Definition: celebrate raucously WHOOPI (Goldberg. Actor) + TUP (another name for a ram)
Ozone damaged, I see, by this age (7)
NEOZOIC
Definition: age OZONE* + IC
Pepper pot shaken over fried carbon-free mince (7)
PIMENTO
Definition: Pepper Anagram of MIN[c]E in POT
Cambridge college's uprising — can I go outside? (7)
TRINITY
Definition: Cambridge college Reverse of TIN (can) I in TRY (go)
Unscramble what Enigma produced? (6)
DECODE
Definition: Unscramble Not sure about this: I'm guessing the idea is that Enigma was a CODE used by DE (Germany)
Cheers when husband quits and fails badly (5)
TANKS
Definition: fails badly THANKS less H
Plant donor leg set by doctor, initially (9)
GOLDENROD
Definition: Plant (DONOR LEG)* + D[octor]
Heard 'Clear off!' in a broad brogue, say (4)
SHOE
Definition: a broad brogue, say Homophone of "shoo" (clear off!), and playing on the two meanings of "brogue" as a type of speech as well a shoe
Bounder showing angora creat­ion — knockout all round (8)
KANGAROO
Definition: Bounder ANGORA* in K.O.
Attraction of climber getting into lap dancing (6)
APPEAL
Definition: Attraction PEA (climbing plant) in LAP
Accordingly, returned flag as an object of worship (6)
OSIRIS
Definition: an object of worship Reverse of SO (accordingly) + IRIS (flag)
Long streamer displayed by group, role-playing (8)
BANDEROL
Definition: Long streamer BAND (group) + ROLE
Figures holding back in game (6)
TENNIS
Definition: game Reverse of IN in TENS
Out of control city mess affecting an entire body (8)
SYSTEMIC
Definition: affecting an entire body (CITY MESS)
Prone to an outburst against rough calico around neck opening (8)
VOLCANIC
Definition: Prone to an outburst V (versus, against) + N in CALICO
Turnover, spectacular at first, is contained by Pacific island (6)
SAMOSA
Definition: Turnover S[pectacular] in SAMOA; "islands" would be more accurate
MacLean's editorial houses purged (8)
CLEANSED
Definition: purged Hidden ("housed") in maCLEAN'S Editorial
Husband has love competition, a poet (6)
HORACE
Definition: a poet H + O + RACE
Old-time Royal Variety performer? (6)
JESTER
Definition: Old-time Royal Variety performer Cryptic definition
Guardian follows one into unlit derelict submarine (8)
NAUTILUS
Definition: submarine A in UNLIT* + US (The Guardian) – the submarine in Jules Verne's *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea*, as well as some real-life vessels