No 13403, Tuesday 16 Nov 2021, Afterdark

Solution to 1A 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   Bad temper? Take book, holy book (5) B?B?E (Addendum - BIBLE {BI{B}LE} - See comments)

4   We, people primarily, are immersed in feelings and doubts (9) SUSPENSES {S{US}{Pe...e}ENSES}

9   Superstar is old; conceals (3) SOL [T]

10 Wife and husband going where before? (3) ERE whERE

11 Hitchcock film about buccaneer, peacekeepers evicted... (7) REBECCA BuCCAnEER*

12 ... film’s climax edited by Bay (4) COVE COVEr

13 A soft fruit can be crushed for juice at the end on show (10) APPEARANCE {A}{P}{PEAR}{CAN*}{juicE}

15 A lawyer in posh car with navigation device (5) RADAR {R{A}{DA}R}

16 Study of people, advanced engineering at college can lead to technology (9) ETHNOLOGY {ETHNOLOGY+C=TECHNOLOGY}

17 Supports son’s efforts to earn name (9) SANCTIONS {S}{A{N}CTIONS}

21 Prompt umpire to substitute Jack with Napoleon (5) NUDGE (-j+n)NUDGE

23 Engaging in controversy at bar on missing son who has left (10) POLEMISING {POLE}{MISsING}

24 Divisions of a railway service (4) ARMS {A}{RMS} 

27 Stranger, a month before, turned his back to a musical group (7) OCTETTE {ET}<=>{OCT} and {ET<=} Not sure of Anno

28 Nothing’s new, one’s essentially old (3) NIL {N}{1}{oLd}

29 Anger is ruinous, eradicate first (3) IRE Acrostic

30 Cosmetic farce came undone (4,5) FACE CREAM*

31 A degree in display picture? High ego likely at the source (5) DPHIL {D}{P}{H}{I}{Li...y} Enumeration Should be (1'4). As per clue wording the solution will be DPHEL (Addendum - {DP}{H}{I}{Li...y} - See comments)

DOWN

1   It’s primitive when in pen (5) BASIC {B{AS}IC}

2   Passion in bed with sweetheart... (7) BELOVED {BE{LOVE}D}

3   ... always the first lady, ruminating in head (4) EVER {EVE}{Ru...g}

4   The French behind high tower (7) STEEPLE {LE}<=>{STEEP}

5   Squeal of child after cover is clipped (7) SCREECH {CH}<=>{SCREEn}

6   Driving after amber is lit? Will lead to sanctioning (10) EMBARGOING {GOING}<=>{AMBER}*

7   Part of duet following orchestra’s lead (7) SECONDO {SECOND}{Or...a}

8   Ray Peters designed stepney (5,4) SPARE TYRE*

14 Hari lost his head with them being stupid and having nervous reaction for Maths (10) ARITHMETIC {hARI}{THEM*}{TIC}

15 Four ports redecorated with a type of paint (4-5) RUST PROOF*

18 Many in independent India found in North primarily claim to be related to an Egyptian valley (7) NILOTIC {I{LOT}{I} after {N}then {Claim}

19 Shocking incident after mobs shelled (7) OBSCENE {SCENE}<=>{mOBs}

20 Say, meaning to thwack my heartless nasty son (7) SYNONYM {MY+NastY+SON}*

22 A mendicant like Maninder, Vishwanath internally (7) DERVISH [T]

25 Pinch small drink (liquor basically) (5) STEAL {S}{TEA}{Li...r}

26 Female in the front escaped (4) FLED {F}{LED}

Reference List

Book = B, Wife = W, Husband = H, Peacekeepers = UN, Soft = P, Lawyer = DA, Posh car = RR(Rolls Royce), College = C, Son = S, Name = N, New = N, Pen = BIC, The in French = LE, Child = CH, Independent = I, India = I, North = N, Small = S, Female = F

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

The OCTETTE played on when the SECONDO piatto was being served at the grand dinner hosted by Maxim de Winters at his OBSCENEly rich mansion, Manderly. The new Mrs. De Winters spun around with the zest of a DERVISH, welcoming the guests, making sure that the champagne was flowing and checking on the dishes. Maxim watched the goings-on with detachment. He wanted to STEAL away from the scene as he still longed to hold his BELOVED first wife, REBECCA, in his ARMS. No woman could EVER take the place of his Rebecca. Of all memories, the longest lasting and the most emotional they say are olfactory. Is that Rebecca’s FACE CREAM that his nose senses now?

The new Mrs.de Winters, in passing, NUDGEd Maxim, BASICally telling him to come out of his shell and put on the APPEARANCE of a gracious host. His mind went back to the day, when he swore on the BIBLE and said his marriage vows to Rebecca. Who would have imagined that “till death do us part” would come so cruelly ERE long? Of course, he had a D.PHIL in ETHNOLOGY from Oxford, knew so well about people’s behaviour, but nothing prepared him for the IRE he had to face from Rebecca’s family, who all thought he had murdered Rebecca. They were not willing to buy Maxim’s claim that she had accidentally fallen off the STEEPLE; the tabloid press had indeed been POLEMISING on whether that she was pushed down to her death by Maxim’s faithful housekeeper, Mrs.Danvers. She had fallen on to the road winding around the COVE on the back of the seaside mansion and it did not help matters that near her body were found the marks of the SPARE TYRE on the front wheel of Maxim’s Rolls Royce and a trace of the RUST PROOF paint from the front fender was seen on her dress. His claim that his car had SCREECHed to a halt on seeing the lifeless body and that he had FLED from the scene in fear, had NIL support. The Scotland Yard had still not taken Maxim off from their RADAR. The mystery will probably live on as long as SOL shines on earth.

Disclaimer: I have not taken the SANCTION from Alfred Hitchcock, whose name is a SYNONYM for SUSPENSE, to tamper with the story of Rebecca.