Guardian Prize

[olegrahl]

Another very unsatisfactory prize. Help welcomed with 14,21d.
"It's important to maintain trust," Eisenhower said on diplomacy. (3, 7)
E--, -O-----. Presumably IKE is in there somewhere as US presidents figure large.
14 d (3) F-L. Flower seen in autumn in US, with leaf's first drop. Ought to be FAL but not in any dictionary I own.
Over to you ScorpioJo and Lie-in King.

[scorpiojo]

Eye contact
River (flower) Fal

[scorpiojo]

..Ike on tact

[EllisB]

I found this quite tricky in parts - however when the penny dropped I thought "eye contact" was a great clue.
My one remaining problem is:
23d. President, one in role of a nation’s leader: he does magic? (3,3)
O?I ?A?
Looks like it should be OBI WAN - but can't see the wordplay. Any help gratefully received.

[scorpiojo]

Obi-man
Obama with an a replaced by in

[olegrahl]

Many thanks. Don't much like Obi-man. Is 19 a widgeon?

[scorpiojo]

Yes,(Cool) idge + won

[EllisB]

Thanks scorpiojo - never heard of "Obi Man" - did wonder if OBAMA figured here, even Googled OBA MAN and found OBA is a word for ruler in a W. African language. But have to admit defeat on this one.

[scorpiojo]

You're welcome...it is in Chambers

Thank you, olegrahl.

[Semwah]

Not sure why you think this was "another very unsatisfactory prize". I thought it pretty good myself and fairly clued but, as they say, each to his/her own.

[HughSW]

I thought it was great with some subtle and witty clueing. Except for 27 across. If it is Nixon it seems to be missing a cryptic element. What am I missing.

[Semwah]

Don't have it in front of me but it's 'Nix' [= nothing] 'on'

[HughSW]

So I was missing "nothing". Ha ha. Thanks.

[olegrahl]

Well, I'll concede it was better than the smutty efforts of the last two weeks but either it should be about US presidents ( and who doesn't recall Hayes) or not, rather than using their names as part of clues (damson, carboy, shrub etc). Obi man was tasteless (blacks, eh, snigger, snigger), resident, flat aft obscure.