Quartet by MynoT

Puzzle explanation

The perimeter quotation was “The four [seasons] run their course and all things are produced”, from the Analects of Confucius, as translated in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. The seasons appeared in the diagonals, contributing to the quotation in the same way as other entries.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Answer Explanation
Set 1
CEILI I after CEIL
FANFARE FAN + FARE
GASPED GED about ASP
GNEISS SINGER’S – R) *
NENES SEEN < about N
PER PRO PER [a] + PRO
RÉSEAUS RES + ESAU *
SALPAE SALE about PA
SEA-FIRE SEA FIR + E
SEIRS RISES *
Set 2
EASTER Two definitions
ENTIRE I in ENTRÉ(e)
KAUFMAN KA + U + F + MAN
KNURS K + RUNS *
MAHOE A HOME *
MITUMBA MBA about MUTI <
NGOMA NG + O’ + MA; dictionaries give various definitions, though the basic meaning is a drum
RUB OUT RU + BOUT
SNARERS ARE in S(e)N(o)R(a)S
TANGUN TAN [trigonometry] + GUN
Set 3
ADDISON IS in ADD ON
ASCUS S/C in AUS(tralia)
BIRKEN RIB < + KEN
DISTORT DI’S + TORT
DUETTI DUE + TT + I’
HODMEN H + OD(d) + MEN [chess]
SOUSED SO + USED
STEEM Two definitions (both are archaic)
STOMPER STOPPER, M(usic) for P
UTTER NUTTER – N
Set 4
BESHREW HEBREW’S *
ENGORE ENGORGE – G
KEELERS LEEK < + ERS
RAFTER RAF + RET <; reference Pat Rafter
RETESTS RE + TESTS; although this appears to be intranstive, for which there is no usage, it is consistent with the phrase “set X an examination”
REUTER Homophone (ROY) + TER(m)
SASSE ASS in (S + (hous)E)
STOLE Two definitions
USENET USE + NET
WEENS WEE + NS [bridge]
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