There are many, many decisions a setter has to make as they develop their own style. I think most start out being a combination of their favourite setters’ styles, and gradually change as nuances are introduced and their knowledge of setting grows. I’ve cut out a number of elements from my setting over the years, and changed the way I employ certain devices. One of those is the common hidden clue, where the answer is embedded in the wordplay. I couldn’t understand why it’s acceptable for this type of clue to be different from other types, in that it doesn’t always have two separate parts that can independently lead the solver to the answer. Consequently, my hidden clues are written a particular way which is generally different from most setters. 19-across in this crossword is a classic example of my hidden style.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | LASER | |
| Camouflaged arsenal may not be fitted with an intense light generator (5) | Anagram of ARSENAL minus AN | |
| 4 | MUSHROOMS | |
| Thick, soft mass next to offices builds up alarmingly (9) | MUSH + ROOMS | |
| 9 | CHASSIS | |
| Chain is connected at the back of a vessel’s structural framework (7) | CH + IS after A + SS | |
| 10 | RETIREE | |
| Someone no longer working on exhaust pipe at the rear (7) | RE + TIRE + E | |
| 11 | CONGRATULATES | |
| Excited scout rang about recent compliments (13) | Anagram of SCOUT RANG outside LATE | |
| 14 | REAM | |
| Special province lacking large paper (4) | REALM minus L | |
| 15 | ARMENIANS | |
| Give weapons to insane, misguided people of Asia (9) | ARM + anagram of INSANE | |
| 18 | ARBORETUM | |
| Weary trade union placed in branch area with great growth (9) | BORE + TU inside ARM | |
| 19 | METE | |
| Boundary set by members of home team (4) | hoME TEam | |
| 21 | WORK THE ORACLE | |
| Late rocker who organised to raise money (4,3,6) | Anagram of LATE ROCKER WHO | |
| 24 | TYPICAL | |
| Standard parking in a city sorted out by learner (7) | P inside anagram of A CITY + L | |
| 26 | SWEARER | |
| We are captivated by senior person with a foul mouth (7) | WE ARE inside SR | |
| 27 | REGULATOR | |
| Governor returned a gun to dealer finally (9) | A LUGER reversed + TO + R | |
| 28 | MUTED | |
| Vehicle owned by business leader is low-key (5) | MD outside UTE | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | LACK | |
| Need trousers trimmed on both sides (4) | s)LACK(s | |
| 2 | STAR CHAMBER | |
| Arbitrary tribunal’s pompous formality and colour (4,7) | STARCH + AMBER | |
| 3 | RISING | |
| Rebellion is spotted in self-seeking group (6) | IS inside RING | |
| 4 | MISCREANT | |
| Criminal intended keeping one’s credit (9) | MEANT outside (IS + CR) | |
| 5 | STRUT | |
| Support parade (5) | Double Definition | |
| 6 | RATTLING | |
| Smart head of Treasury left in position (8) | (T + L) inside RATING | |
| 7 | OAR | |
| Fellow rowing boat in the middle, right? (3) | OA + R | |
| 8 | STEPSISTER | |
| Time taken by priestess upset relative in law (10) | T inside anagram of PRIESTESS | |
| 12 | TRADE SECRET | |
| Driver at the front in street race exploited a competitive advantage (5,6) | D inside anagram of STREET RACE | |
| 13 | BREAKWATER | |
| A unit of power claimed by rebater troubled mole (10) | Anagram of REBATER containing (A + KW) | |
| 16 | MEMORISER | |
| Skinflint, hoarding European capital, raised retainer (9) | MISER outside ROME flipped | |
| 17 | CRITICAL | |
| Carbon used by integrated circuit in new trial is essential (8) | C + IC inside anagram of TRIAL | |
| 20 | SCREAM | |
| Assault victim’s reaction, possibly, is reduced by one form of medication (6) | IS minus I + CREAM | |
| 22 | ECLAT | |
| Clubs implicated in story about social distinction (5) | C inside TALE reversed | |
| 23 | CRUD | |
| There’s no end to unprocessed, worthless stuff (4) | CRUD(e | |
| 25 | PIG | |
| Doctor turned around one person who eats too much (3) | GP reversed outside I |
