No 13262, Tuesday 01 Jun 2021, Hypatia

Lockdown Day 34 of 40 Stay Safe at home

Solution to 24D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

ACROSS

1   One who doesn’t believe cashiers at bank robbery (5) HEIST atHEIST

4   Bored from touring Basel (5) BLASE*

11 Friend hugs hot sweetheart in movie show (7) MATINEE {MAT{IN}{swEet}E}

12 Half of standard French milk that’s recalled (7) PARTIAL {PAR}{LAIT<=}

13 Nod off ignoring naughty innuendo in boredom (5) ENNUI INNUEndo*

14 Alienated participants in protest rang editor (9) ESTRANGED [T]

15 Spooner’s question on offspring — something dirty (10) DITCHWATER (~which daughter to ditchwater)

17 Joint auditor’s born in France (4) KNEE (~nee)

19 A wide track is crooked (4) AWRY {A}{W}{RY}

21 What do screenwriters do — Fuss around? (4,1,5) MAKE A SCENE [DD]

25 Pilot’s rifle? (4-5) HIGH-FLIER{RIFLE}* [RA]

27 Criticise cook (5) ROAST [DD]

28 Greed — A weakness that engulfed a king (7) AVARICE {A}{V{A}{R}ICE}

29 Pick up huge contract (7) TIGHTEN (~titan)

30 Drive cattle (5) STEER [DD]

31 Nibble starter of naan put in fire (5) SNACK {S{Naan}ACK}

DOWN

2   Dated old flame before time in court (7) EXTINCT {EX}{T}{IN}{CT}

3   Minor, around one might wake you up (8) SUNLIGHT {S{UN}LIGHT}

5   Rope holds up dog biting artist (6) LARIAT {TAI{RA}L}<=

6   A small amount, say 1,000 — signed off (7) SMIDGEN {S{M}IDGEN*} (Correction - {M+SIGNED}* - See comments)

7   Approach Independent parliamentarian at border (6) IMPEND {I}{MP}{END}

8   Made rare synthetic sugar (8) DEMERARA*

9   Fight and knock son over (4) SPAT {TAP}{S}<=

10 Insult taking President for second oath (6) PLEDGE (-s+p)PLEDGE

16 Damn old box carrying drug (8) EXECRATE {EX}{E}{CRATE}

18 Sort gene to produce hormone (8) ESTROGEN*

19 Like hot butter in retreat? (6) ASHRAM {AS}{H}{RAM}

20 Expecting to relinquish power for ruling (7) REGNANT pREGNANT

22 The Spanish wine is cold and pliant (7) ELASTIC {EL}{ASTI}{C}

23 Having treat in Gujarati’s house (6) EATING [T]

24 Support function (6) ?F?I?E (Addendum - OFFICE [DD] - See comments)

26 Assistant cycling in thought (4) IDEA (-a)IDE(+a)A

Reference List

Hot = IN, Milk in French = LAIT, Wide = W, Track = RY(Railway), King = R, Time = T, Court = CT, One = UN, Artist = RA, 1000 = M, Independent = I, Son = S, President = P, Second = S, Drug = E, Hot = H, Power = P,  The in Spanish = EL Cold = C