Spectator N0 2510

[Matakari]

Good morning,
Help ( Answers/hints ) with the following would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

ACROSS:
1 Precise conjecture about coin-flip, oddly (8) :??????I?
18 Legal excuses persist regularly, certainly on detaining leader (8) : ?S????E?
30 Honk grim old lady – look ahead (8) : ?A??D??R
40 Old vessel, mostly outdated, heading north (5) : ??E?N

DOWN:
1 Initially, Sean Murphy rejected low cabin (9) : T????O??
13 Empty rye drink on set and fill again (8): ????P???
33 Ray is kilometres into gorge (5) : ??A??

[Boethius]

1A - abbreviate speculative and insert odd letters in reverse.
33D - a kind of fish with ‘k’ inserted. Think of ‘gorge’ as fill to excess.
That’s all, I’m afraid

[Boethius]

13D - how about re + a verb ‘to drink’ + ply?? Maybe not.

[novalis]

30 across - honk = bad smell
1 down - S (Initially Sean) + 5 letter word for potato (Murphy) + a cow's low reversed (rejected)
13 down - r(y)e - rye 'emptied' + 3 letter word for drink + 3 let word for set.

[novalis]

Difficult to give just a hint for 18 across but here goes.
Definition is Legal excuses - persist regularly so take the even numbered letters + on + 3 letter word for certainly...but the N of on goes after the first letter of that 3 letter word.
40 across - Definition is Old vessel. You need a five letter word for outdated minus its last letter + the usual abbreviation for north. The more common definition of the five letter word for outdated is water vapour.

[Farrwest]

For 18a I have essoynes which is in Chambers and are legal excuses.
the first three letters are the first three odd letters of persist but have no idea what explains 'oynes' in 'certainly on detaining leader'.!

[Toorak]

Certainly = yes

On detaining leader = on around first letter of yes

O y n es

[Farrwest]

oops - should be first thee even letters as novalis pointed out.

[Farrwest]

Thanks Novalis. I have filled in almost all the grid but having trouble defining 'the three distinct interlocked quartets'. Your guidance would be appreciated.

[Neveracrossword]

Farrwest, there are very heavy hints to the theme on yesterday's threads.

[Matakari]

Many thanks, all, for the great hints!

[Farrwest]

Thanks for your comment neveracrossword. I wish I could go back to yesterday for this and many other reasons!

[Boethius]

Still stumped by the quartets, I’m afraid!

[JULIEWOOLIE]

Me too! 3 17 cotton reel?
32 36 rotten keel?
Doesn't work with the others?

[Llanfair]

It works perfectly with the others! You have the idea, now finish it...or look at the other thread if you really need to.

[JULIEWOOLIE]

Not a true spoonerism surely? Is my answer okay Llanfair?

[Llanfair]

Cotton reel and rotten keel? Yes, Julie. I think these are all fair enough spoonerisms, taking the initial sounds and transposing them.