Even though I was on holiday, I still only managed to complete one crossword. Holidaying with two small children turns out to be fairly similar in that respect to staying at home with two small children. Away from dictionaries, hence rather more speculative clue parses than usual.

  • 1ac: GUIMBARD: Twangy instrument I am, bass, kept in box? (8): IM (I am) + B(ass) in GUARD (box)
  • 7ac: REAM: Widen barrel in making Scotch overflow (4)
  • 10ac: MORTADELLA: Spiced sausage: a little bit’s wrapped in mushroom, look (10): TAD (a little bit) in MOREL (mushroom) + LA (look)
  • 11ac: GIBE: Scoff to present to Scots will include wee bit o’ bannock (4): GIE (scot. “present”) around B(annock)
  • 12ac: EMBAY: Millions involved in online sales forum, no longer steep (5): M(illions) in EBAY (online sales forum; ref. eBay
  • 14ac: EQUINIA: ‘Spangle’ not first? Reverse of ideal – bad news for stables (7): (s)EQUIN (spangle) + AI (ideal) reversed
  • 17ac: BOX GIRDER: Lass almost dead bitten by dog? Strong support needed (9, 2 words): GIR(l) (lass) + D(ead) in BOXER (dog)
  • 18ac: CADENT: Falling for the Bard, study cast in production of act (6): DEN (study) in *(ACT)
  • 20ac: ENSURE: Guarantee supplied by nurse, second joining old practice (5): N(urse) + S(econd) in EURE (obs. practice?)
  • 21ac: TRIXIE: Girl familiarly trapping former farceur in marriage (6): RIX (former farceur, ref. Brian Rix
  • 23ac: SCENDS: Cloudy and close on board, pitches into trough sometimes (6): C(loudy) + END (close) in SS (on board)
  • 24ac: OIL TANKER: Sheik’s ultimate relation is rolling? Herein lies his wealth maybe (9, 2 words): *((shei)K + RELATION) &lit.
  • 27ac: GEMMING: Once budding twins I’ll have left for good, pocketing millions (7): GEMINI (twins) - I + G(ood) outside M(illions)
  • 29ac: INSET: We’ll get this for delightful gusset? (5)
  • 30ac: BRIO: Life? Account of one involving queen (4): BIO (account of one) around R(egina)
  • 31ac: SPEAR GRASS: What’s the point in rolling gasper’s sharp herbage? (10, 2 words)
  • 32ac: HURT: Front of railcar goes into e.g. caboose, causing damage (4): R(ailcar) in HUT (e.g. caboose)
  • 33ac: VESTMENT: State robe – in this is something you hope’ll appreciate (8): IN + VESTMENT = “something you hope’ll appreciate”
  • 1dn: GAGE: Stake old fruit tree (4): Double Definitiona
  • 2dn: UBIQUARIAN: As in Rome ruins of Urban II are seen around all over the place (10): QUA (lat. “as”) in *(URBAN II)
  • 3dn: IMBUE: Contents of a cloud landing on earth, wet (5): (n)IMBU(s) (cloud) + E(ARTH)
  • 4dn: BRUNONIAN: Typical of Edinburgh doctor to keep talking, one breaking tabu (9): RUN ON (keep talking) + I (one) in BAN (tabu)
  • 5dn: ATWIXT: A fool’s wrong thus? (6): A TWIT atwixt (thus) X (wrong) &lit.
  • 6dn: RAVAGE: Plunder silver, crazy about it (6) AG (silver) in RAVE (crazy)
  • 7dn: REMORSE: Some err if misled – this may result (7): *(SOME ERR) &lit.
  • 8dn: ELBE: River bass swallows wriggling eel? The opposite (4): *(EEL) around B(ass)
  • 9dn: MAYORESS: Magistrate’s woman long ago in US state (briefly) (8): YORE (long ago) in MASS (US state briefly)
  • 13dn: ABERDONIAN: English denied a drink on fellow, a Scot maybe, miserly (10) A BEER (drink) - E(nglish) + DON (fellow) + IAN (a Scot maybe)
  • 15dn: MINCEMEAT: Pie filling? Do this for team, say (9): TEAM = *(MEAT)
  • 16dn: ACTORISH: Hit ‘gobsmacked’ with Oscar, luvvie-style (8): *(HIT + OSCAR)
  • 19dn: EXTREAT: Making copy of old transactions leave rings (7)
  • 22dn: ENGAGE: English part of history book (6): EN(glish) + GAGE (obs. “part”)
  • 23dn: SKEERS: Scats smell awful when hauled up on board (6): REEK (smell awful) reversed in SS (on board)
  • 25dn: BIRSE: Early part of Jock’s beard beginning to rustle in the wind (5): R(ustle) in BISE (wind)
  • 26dn: USER: Legal right, established over time, because realistic in part (4): becaUSE Realistic
  • 28dn: GOAT: Butter to attack vigorously (4): GO AT (attack vigorously)