18 down: Leave cold cash for audit in wine region (8)
Bordeaux = wine region, but the closest I could get to the rest of the clue meaning the same is that cash = dough which sounds like deaux.
30 across: Sly one gutlessly rejected 22-down (player) as unknown influence? (1-6)
Unknown influence = x-factor, player = actor, but how sly one gutlessly rejected = xf is beyond me and TH.
21 across: Precious lot in NT kinda marginalised (twice) by outspoken party (6)
Kinda marginalised (twice) = kaka, and from that it’s pretty easy to get precious lot in NT = kakadu, but how does that du come about?
2 down: Virus upset a sleeper’s position (5)
Here, virus = ebola. I have nothing else, however, to offer.
18 down:
You are right about cash=dough (sound-alike for deaux).
“Audit” is the sound-alike indicator.
So I guess the other sound-alike is bor = bore = leave cold.
30 across:
sly one = fox
sly one gutlessly = fx
sly one gutlessly rejected = xf
21 across:
“outspoken” is the sound-alike indicator
du = do =party
2 down also has me flummoxed…
I’m humbled — I should have figured those out!
I’m kinda glad, though, that I’m not the only one scratching his head for 2 down.
I have just figured out 2 down.
A sleeper is a type of earring.
Earrings are worn in a pierced ear lobe.
A LOBE upset (i.e. backwards) = EBOLA
Woo hoo!
With teamwork, I think we have DA 8th August sorted :)
8 down: Active blogger regularly contacts this important committee (8)
An important committee is obviously a KEY BOARD.
But why does DA equate KEYBOARD with “Active blogger regularly contacts”?
Nice one for lobe!
But you’re missing the this when deciphering keyboard. It’s active blogger regularly contacts this = keyboard = important committee.
Aaaaaaaah.