I just finished an Azed.

That never happens. Ever. Generally I don't have the time, but even when I do have the time I don't have the vocabulary. But this time I mostly did. (Too late to send it in, sadly). I've noticed in the past some clue or answer synchronicity, where relatively obscure vocabulary shows up in several weekend crosswords at once; maybe this blog will help me understand whether it's down to coincidence or conspiracy; as well as sharing GALIOT, this and inquisitor 1317 both refer to ETAT meaning rank (in 8dn here).

  • 1ac: GARIBALDI: Blouse revealing girl's front, a loose one: G(irl) + A + RIBALD (= loose) + I
  • 12ac: COUPE: What it contains I disposed of – nothing amiss therein!: tricky, and the last clue I solved (just filling in the P). A coupe is a short-stemmed shallow glass dish, usually containing ice cream. So ICE (= what it contains) - I with O (nothing) + UP (amiss) inside
  • 13ac: AUTOCUE: A worked out before Q? It's a help for public speaker: A + *(OUT) + CUE
  • 14ac: AD MANUM: Chap embraced by Maud, excited and ready: MAN inside *(MAUD)
  • 15ac: ANURA: Amphibians inhabiting Caspian (Uralian): caspiAN URAlian (= order of amphibians including frogs and toads)
  • 17ac: TEAMSTER: The pet husband twice got rid of – he'll move animals along: THE HAMSTER (pet) - HH
  • 18ac: PILOW: Spicy dish, mixed type, of little value: PI (ramdomized printer's type) + LOW; variant of pilaf
  • 19ac: PETAR: Device for making explosive entrance is scrapped in Pirates misguidedly: *(PIRATES) - IS
  • 20ac: OPEN MARRIAGES: Male included, unconventional pairs agree on ... such?: *(PAIRS AGREE ON) outside M(ale); & lit.
  • 22ac: CREEL: Soak to soften line – it's used to catch lobsters: CREE (= soak to soften) + L(ine)
  • 24ac: STADE: Sports venue given support by the sound of it: homonym for “stayed”
  • 26ac: AROMATIC: Do a basmati rice? A bed is so fragrant, curried: *(DO A BASMATI RICE) = *(A BED IS AROMATIC)
  • 29ac: NAVEW: Root vegetable not available, and one not in prospect: N(ot) A(vailable) + VIEW (= prospect) - I; I so wanted this to be “navet” for old-time's sake
  • 30ac: NAUTICS: Anicut's adapted for water sports: *(ANICUTS)
  • 31ac: TREAGUE: Turbulent age contained by genuine cessation of war once: *(AGE) inside TRUE
  • 32ac: ATOKE: Return of ancient character accepting satisfactory part with no sex: OK inside ETA reversed
  • 33ac: INDAGATOR: One of yore searching out form of gradation: *(GRADATION)
  • 2dn: AO DAI: Women's tunic, excellent as wrap for concubine's pad: AI (A1 = excellent) outside ODA (room in harem)
  • 3dn: RUBMBLE: Grass on twig?: Double Definition
  • 4dn: BENT: Grass leaning: Double Definition
  • 5dn: ABUTTAL: An objection over pillar going up, one of two on which arch rests?: A + BUT + LAT (= pillar) reversed
  • 6dn: LAMEBRAINED: The crazed in bedlam are?: *(IN BEDLAM ARE) & lit.
  • 7dn: DUMA: Elected council identically trimmed boring shopping area: DU(ll) (= boring) + MA(ll) (identically trimmed)
  • 8dn: CONSTATE: Study ranks from below (pronounce in imitation of the French): CON + ETATS reversed
  • 9dn: SCUTA: Did they make a tortoise run away in South America: CUT (= run away) in S(outh) A(merica)
  • 10dn: CURER: Physician putting practice as of old in credit: URE (= [obs.] practice) in CR(edit)
  • 11dn: HEARTSEASE: Flower transformed seat in vehicle...: *(SEAT) in HEARSE
  • 12dn: CAMPO SANTO: ... Going to this, morning certain to be enveloped in melody: AM (= morning) + POS (= certain) in CANTO (= melody); it took me for ever to work out that the definition depended on the HEARSE from 11dn to indicate cemetery
  • 16dn: BONEMEAL: Fertilizer that has been mixed with loam: *(BEEN + LOAM)
  • 19dn: PRECAVA: Superior vessel in summary is missing narcotic drink: PREC(is) (summary) + AVA (drink from pepper plants); the answer brings back memories of Fantastic Voyage, which expanded my eight-year-old vocabulary considerably
  • 21dn: GALIOT: Old cargo boat: flap about slick when it's capsized: TAG (= flap) around OIL (= slick) reversed
  • 22dn: CRARE: Trader responsible for oversight, run in: CARE around R(un); another kind of ship
  • 23dn: ROVER: End of career past, he's ready to peg out!: careeR + OVER (= past); ref Croquet
  • 25dn: DECKO: Garland ring, look: DECK (= garland) + O (= ring)
  • 27dn: TOUN: Barrel with nothing in? You'll find Scotch aplenty here!: TUN (= barrel) around O (nothing)
  • 28dn: QUAG: Bog that shifts as ground on all sides falling away: QUA (= as) + GROUND - ROUND

The Fifteensquared analysis is pleasingly similar. I must be on the right track.