ACROSS
1 Obstacle being chic? (6) HICCUP {CHIC}* [RA]
4 Captive sailors went round in circles (8) ABSORBED {ABS}{ORBED}
9 Complex vitamin bonds in lettuce (6) BLINKS {B}{LINKS}
10 Publicity-seeking noisemaker – one can go on and on (8) PRATTLER
12 Pay attention to opinion and reputation (4,4) TAKE NOTE {TAKE}{NOTE}
13 Software engineer's uncontrollable itch to consume drug (ecstasy) (6) TECHIE {E+ITCH}*{E}
15 Short skirt invites endless disapproval, again! (4) TUTU {TU
16 These can give rise to shocks (10) GOOSEBUMPS [CD]
19 Undoubtedly, Faraday by and large was working out Newton (3,3,4) FAR AND AWAY {FARADAY+WA
20 Taking top off, search a person for hazard (4) RISK
23 Wind not inspiring the States (6) FLATUS {FLAT}{US}
25 Forks out behind old insects (8) ODONATES {O}{DONATES}
27 Where a lion is (lair?) mostly withdrawn, rejective (2,6) IN DENIAL {IN DEN}{LAI
28 Trade in cherry gives me energy for promotion (6) REDEEM {RED}{ME+E<=}
29 Rent lettings for occupation (8) SETTLING*
30 A 30-sec video before release of Joker (6) TEASER [DD]
DOWN
1 Use a tee in home (7) HABITAT {HABIT}{A}{T}
2 An insect showing hesitation – Roach, possibly (9) CRICKETER {CRICKET}{ER}
3 Dunk in sauce that's cold (6) UNKIND*
5 Rub on the back softly (4) BURP
6 Failing man penned sad notebooks (2,3,3) ON THE EBB {HE} in {NOTE}*{BB}
7 Judges change heart, eject violently (5) BELCH BE(-n+l)LCH
8 They can leave you in stitches by running errands (7) DARNERS*
11 Seat of old dynasty in Turkey (7) OTTOMAN [DD]
14 One casts aspersions on Queen departing Great Britain and Ireland? (7) ISLANDS {1}{SLAND
17 Sense of endless mist, possibly? (9) MOISTNESS {SENSE+O+MIS
18 At home, a lungi is worn about the groin (8) INGUINAL {IN}{A+LUNGI}*
19 When baby boomers were born in, i.e., stiff conditions (7) FIFTIES* That clarifies yesterday's statement :-)
21 Right, ask him about a place in North India (7) KASHMIR {R+ASK+HIM}*
22 Cold outcome of partners securing last grade in engineering branch (6) SNEEZE {S}{N}{E}{E{Z}E}
24 Study accounts of auto firm, Tesla (5) AUDIT {AUDI}{T}
26. Gape at flight turning north (4) YAWN {WAY<=}{N}
Reference List
Colour/Font Scheme
Drug = E, Ecstasy = E, Newton = N, Old = O, Energy = E, Tee = T, Book = B, Queen = ER, Of = O, Right = R, Partners = S,N,E, Engineering Branch = EE(Electrical Engineering), Tesla = T, North = N
Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous
GRID
5d rub<=(p) &litt
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI see what both of you mean but sorry I think the clue has no def but only wordplay. I appreciate the Col's question mark against the clue.
DeleteBurp (from chambers.co.UK)
Deleteto rub or pat (a baby) on the back to help get rid of air in its stomach.
I thought it was an &lit too
Delete10a p(rattle)r. Rattle (n) is a device to make noise.
ReplyDeletePR - public relations/publicity
DeleteTough for a change.
ReplyDeleteI see a theme perhaps with hiccup, sneeze, burp, belch, goosebumps
Yawn also to be included
DeleteHow about 23A
DeleteNice Spotting KKR
DeleteWe can further add Blinks, Flatus and Yawn
Delete22d a doubt:last can be Z. Last grade?. Branch is EEE IMU.
ReplyDeleteVery right!
Delete30a DD!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteRA is short for reverse anagram. Hicc anagram(med) gives chic.with UP as anag indicator.
ReplyDeleteThis was tough!Took ages for me to complete.
ReplyDeleteI was left high and dry!
DeleteHic hic hurray for this non- yawn burp after a belch, followed by a sneeze ! Very gaseous !Thanks, Scintillator.
DeleteI did get this without much issues, but is hicc a word in itself?
ReplyDeleteAnagram chic*.Put the anagram indicator-Up.
ReplyDeleteIn Reverse anagrams you have to provide the anagram indicator.
(hicc)* leads to chic, I do get that. But if the anagram constituent is not a word in itself how far is it considered acceptable? I recall a discussion on another puzzle, where BOYSCOUT was clued as Scoby, and there was some debate around that.
ReplyDeleteTrue what you say but in RA, you can make an anagram from a valid word, insert the appropriate anagram indicator even though the fodder may not be a valid word.
ReplyDeleteKKR did well to find the theme. As always blog is informative- esp. in a toughie like this. Thanks to Col. and all other clarifications.
ReplyDeleteFrom Monday 22nd Jul onwards till the 9th of Aug the blog may appear later than 8:30 AM as I am on the West coast of the US where the time difference is 12 1/2 hours which means 8:30 AM will be 8 PM on the previous day here. Will do my best anyway to stick to the schedule but delays may be expected.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy SF, LA, Hollywood..
Delete