Across
1 Magnificent balloon (5) SWELL (DD)
4 He needs this drink in hot weather! (5) WATER {HE} in {WATER*} = {WEATHER} &lit
11
Cover with seat
belts (7)
SWADDLE {S{W}ADDLE}
12 Solitary soldier’s cryptic clues (7) RECLUSE {RE}{CLUSE*}
13 Basically evaluates drafts: improves them substantively! (5) EDITS (Acrostic) &lit
14 Nervous date at bar with bruised criminal (9) DISTURBED {D}{T+BRUISED*}
15 Emergency situation in Paris — milk and butter held back with the French women! (7,3) MARTIAL LAW {{LAIT}{RAM}<=}{LA}{W}
17 House fly (4) RACE (DD)
19 Pieces regularly skipped, rewinding SPB song (4) GOBS {SpB sOnG<=}
21 Act one is fast moving? (4-6) HIGH-OCTANE {ACE+ONE*} Reverse Anagram
25
Judge music festival in front of radical muse (9)
MODERATOR {MOD}{ERATO}{R}
27 Cover song by two, about victory (5) DUVET {DU{V}ET}
28 Obstetrician / doctor likes needle (7) OBELISK {OB}{LIKES*}
29 Retired agents win over a player twice in bridge (7) SPANNER {REPS<=} over {A}{N}{N}
30 Toss recipe in casserole (5) STREW {ST{R}EW}
31 Forest officer, scratching head in nettle (5) ANGER {rANGER}
Down
2 More tired, I swear I err somewhat (7) WEARIER (T)
3 Sadly lost fashionable title (8) LADYSHIP {SADLY*}{HIP}
5 Clubs pursuing a team announced result (6) ACCRUE {A}{C}{~CREW}
6 Localities in the outskirts of old ancient city near Bhilai, oddly (7) EXURBIA {EX}{UR}{BhIlAi}
7 Admire sweetheart’s small face... taken up (6) ESTEEM {swEet}{S}{MEET<=}
8 Capital, when idle, is distributed (3,5) NEW DELHI {WHEN+IDLE*}
9 Members most often follow upcoming artist (4) ARMS {RA<=}{MoSt}
10 Miss the French nag (6) NEEDLE {NEED}{LE}
16 Saw cenotaph... Or is memorial covered? (8) APHORISM (T)
18 From both sides, island air can be circulating toxic emissions (4,4) ACID RAIN {IslanD+AIR+CAN*}
19 Frisk doctor in jail (6) GAMBOL {GA{MB}OL}
20 As per Spooner, father’s wager is a write-off (3,4) BAD DEBT Spoonerism of {DAD}{BET}
22 Promote commercial vehicle these days (7) ADVANCE {AD}{VAN}{CE}
23 Whole book about Ireland? On the contrary! (6) ENTIRE {E{NT}IRE}
24 Woman heading out with setter’s fur coat (6) ERMINE {hER}{MINE}
26 Choose time needed by cook for boy (4) TAKE {(-b+T)AKE}
Reference List
With=W, Soldier=RE, Bar=T, In Paris milk=Lait, Butter=Ram, The French=La, Women=W, Radical=R, Muse=Erato, Victory=V, Obstetrician=OB, Agents=Reps, Player=N, Recipe=R
Clubs=C, Old=Ex, Ancient city=Ur, Small=S, Artist=RA. The French=Le, Doctor=Le, Commercial=Ad, These days=CE, Books=NT, Ireland=Eire. Woman=Her, Setter's=Mine, Time=T, Boy=B
Colour/Font Scheme
Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word, Reference list word, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Opposite indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous
