No 13467, Monday 31 Jan 2022, Incognito

Solution to 30A 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

7   See 25 

8   Lao museum built building in memory of departed person (9) MAUSOLEUM*

10 Poems on South African port (6) ODESSA {ODES}{SA}

11 Hint: Medicinal alcoholic solution used by doctors long back (8) TINCTURE [DD]

12 Force mother to appear before English trade union before beginning of May (8) MOMENTUM {MOM}{EN}{TU}{May}

14/27  Aerial performers zip cruising wildly around top of church (6,6) FLYING CIRCUS {FLY} and {CRUISING}* over {Ch...h}

16 Cheat the French to let a little flow (7) TRICKLE {TRICK}{LE}

18 Arrange ten logs having maximum length (7) LONGEST*

21 Crazy baldies lost dare initially to descend using a rope (6) ABSEIL  ABLdIES*

23 See 4 Down 

25/7  Buoyant components of the skeleton? (8,4) FLOATING RIBS {FLOATING}{RIBS}

Floating ribs (in blue)

27 See 14 

29 Damaged top hat too may be something likely to be dropped (3,6) HOT POTATO* 

30 Killed a large number (4) S?E? (Addendum - SLEW [DD] - See comments)

DOWN

1   Rob a creature (4,4) WILD BOAR {ROB+A}* [RA]

2   Cleopatra, at first, abandoned clasps, then left out snakes (4) ASPS clASPS

3   Force with which one replaced Commanding Officer from a small car (6) IMPACT (-co+1)IMPACT

4/23  Government servants following traditions looking forward to their bit of duty? (7,8) CUSTOMS OFFICERS {OFFICERS}<=>{CUSTOMS} Semi&lit

5   Fat donor dancing back and forth (2,3,3) TO AND FRO*

6   Latest model salamander (4) NEWT {NEW}{T}

9   Unmoor, take a kind of boat away, and transport idiot (5) MORON uNMOOR

13 Heard Bond’s boss goes ahead of the real chief of MI6 to become Master of Ceremonies (5) EMCEE (~ em{M} before cee{C})

15 At last, lady who sang Hindi lyric is referring to an Indian system for good health (5) YOGIC {ladY}{whO}{sanG}{h..dI}{l..iC} Tail Acrostic

17 See, pill is returned before operation to obtain sweet (8) LOLLIPOP {LO}{PILL<=}{OP}

19 Her odd US design’s hidden (8) SHROUDED*

20 Minimal activity when gal wore make-up (3,4) LOW GEAR*

22 Mix bleach without a burp (5) BELCH BLEaCH*

24 Agent to take into account (6) FACTOR [DD]

26 Does recast cast (4) ACTS*

28 Trustee conceals result of oxidation of metal (4) RUST [T]

Reference List

English = EN, Zip = FLY, The in French = LE, Left = L, Model = T, Bond's boss = M, Chef of MI6 = C

Special, Sunday 30 Jan 2022, Ajji

Three answers per commenter till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

AJJI 6

By Ajji

▸

◂

▾

▴

Squares filled: 0/154

Exolve Print Notes Jotter Webifi Ⓒ Ajji & THCC

Crossword ID: SUNDAYSPECIAL433

Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025 Report-Bug Exolve-on-GitHub Community

Control keys:

• Tab/Shift-Tab: Jump to the next/previous clue.
• Enter, Click/Tap: Toggle current direction.
• Arrow keys: Move to the nearest light square in that direction.
• Ctrl-q: Clear this, Ctrl-Q: Clear All!, Ctrl-B: Print crossword, Ctrl-/: Jump to/back-from notes, Ctrl-*: Mark clue as fave in notes, adding a * prefix.
• Delete: Clear the contents of the current square.
• Spacebar: Place block in the current square if it's diagramless.
• Double-click or Shift+Letter: If the puzzle has rebus cells, this is the way to enter multiple letters into a single cell.

Overwritten letters will briefly be coloured like this (before fading back to this) just to draw your attention so that you can fix any accidental typing errors.

Your entries are auto-saved in the browser's local storage. You can share the state using this link: URL

Print or create a PDF: Grid and clues Only grid Only clues Inksaver

Font size: Normal Large Extra Large Small Other

Page size: Letter: 8.5in x 11in A4: 210mm x 297mm A3: 297mm x 420mm A5: 148mm x 210mm B4: 250mm x 353mm B5: 176mm x 250mm Book: 6in x 9in Legal: 8.5in x 14in Ledger: 11in x 17in

Margin (inches, up to 4 numbers):

Include if visible:

Title	Setter	Preamble
Explanations	Copyright	Questions

Extra header:	Extra footer:
Force grid scale to:

Add QR code for this puzzle's URL

Call to action:
The QR code (rendered to the right) will be printed to the bottom-right of the page bottom-left of the page . QR code size: 96 128 160 .

Convert Explanations URLs to QR codes

Show clue-solving sequence:

Show entered solutions:

Show clue-solving times:

• Ctrl-/ takes you to the current clue's notes (or overall notes) and back (if already there).
• Ctrl-* adds a * prefix to the current clue's notes.
• Hovering over a clue's notes shows the clue as a tooltip.

Across

1.

9.

10.

11.

14.

15.

17.

18.

20.

24.

25.

26.

Down

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

12.

13.

16.

19.

21.

22.

23.

Jotting pad: (click here to shuffle)

---

Down & Up

---

---

Across

1	Cook onion cube and a lemon together, but very rarely. (4,2,1,4,4)
9	Removes the weeds without hesitation and goes to the stars. (6)
10	The left-over from the starry burst. (8)
11	Weightless in overflowing waters for illumination of the area. (11)
14	Attributes as gestures. (7)
15	Authentic engine rebuilt around university. (7)
17	Disinfect slopes in church. (7)
18	The old annoying women here make a bid, die suddenly. (7)
20	Funny merit oracle displays putting out a device to measure quantity of heat. (11)
24	Firm he’s in has nothing for sticking together. (8)
25	The headless tycoon is one related through the male line. (6)
26	Take the entire deck to dominate. (4,3,3,5)

---

Down

2	Unnecessarily annoys Sri Lankan unknown. (10)
3	English firm is reasonable, being concerned with living beings and their relationship with physical surroundings. (10)
4	The young birds are born with less energy, with strings attached, not right but left. (9)
5	Pester about silver and herb. (6)
6	The group from North Indian state leave one depressed. (5)
7	The method is in contemporary style but neither right, nor new. (4)
8	This kitchen device is available in the heart of Slovenia. (4)
12	The messy quarantine with date replacing time, leads to four-year periods. (10)
13	Keen to bury the wild horse. (10)
16	Remove the high priest at the tower of the mosque, not right with a swap at the end, (9)
19	Son begins working online for a verse. (6)
21	A team scores a half century along the central line. (5)
22	The body of still water loses nothing and gains nothing at the end for the game on horseback. (4)
23	Very first, last to sell. (4)

Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword No 3187, Sunday 30 Jan 2022

ACROSS

1   Hope network's designed to be aware of best practice (4,3,5) KNOW THE ROPES*

10 No time for getting tied up in pastime (7) ANGLING tANGLING

11 Some bigwig ran a dancehall in Spanish city (7) GRANADA [T]

12 Rose, shunning society, travelled by canoe (5) OARED sOARED

13 'Differently honestly'? (2,3,3) ON THE SLY* Semi&lit

15 Copy published after T S Eliot initially conceals act of plagiarism (10) TRANSCRIBE {T{RAN}S{CRIB}Eliot} 

16 Farmyard youngster that's just over a foot (4) CALF [DD]

18 Characters in expensive picture, Ben-Hur perhaps (4) EPIC [T]

20 Girl – not a medallist, we're told – to make a sudden rush (5,5) SALLY FORTH {SALLY}{FORTH(~fourth)}

22 Popular actors take these weapons (8) LONGBOWS {LONG BOWS}

24 Schoolchild's twisted effrontery, rebellious (5) PUPIL {LIP}{UP}<=

26 After disruption, setter's most brusque (7) TERSEST*

27 Cassock's slightly altered for cavalryman (7) COSSACK*

28 Entered, dimly tingling with purpose (12) DETERMINEDLY*

DOWN

2   African nation, one with capital in Abuja? (7) NIGERIA {NIGER}{1}{Ab..a} &lit

3   The Observer embracing Right, that is most odd (8) WEIRDEST {WE}{I{R}DEST}

4   Uttered casual greeting, being drunk (4) HIGH (~hi)

5   Newspaper, Independent, covers no-good rubbish boxing movie (6,4) RAGING BULL {RAG}{I}{NG}{BULL}

6   Primarily: poet (... listed alongside Ted Hughes?) (5) PLATH Acrostic &lit

7   Perhaps pens epistle, angry initially in Welsh city (7) SWANSEA {SWANS}{Ep...e}{An..y}

8   Perhaps Rev. Spooner's butterflies, skippers, etc? (3,2,3,5) MAN OF THE CLOTH (~ clan of the moth to man of the cloth) Are moth's butterflies?

9   A key held aloft, cryptic Arthurian figure (4,2,3,4) LADY OF THE LAKE*

14 Time to study Scott, perhaps – lecturer's wanting to hold back (5,5) TREAD WATER {T}{READ}{WAlTER}

17 Slightly smelly Greek characters felt shame finally in unexpected ways (3-5) OFF-PISTE {OFF}{PIS}{felT}{s..mE}

19 Everyman blushes, admitting sanitation ultimately neglected (7) IGNORED {I GO RED} over {s...oN}

21 Artist putting blame on shade of brown, that's not unknown (7) RAPHAEL {RAP}{HAzEL}

23 Chicken serving one rejected in French city (5) BREST BREaST

25 Culinary ingredient regularly extracted from saccharin (4) ACAI sAcChArIn

Reference List

Time = T, Society = S, Foot = F, Right = R, Independent = I, That is = ID EST, No-good = NG, Lecturer = L, Unknown = Z 

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday #70, Sunday 30 Jan 2022, WrdPlougher

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday can be accessed at the link given below. You need to register and sign in using an email ID and password, subscription may or may not be required.

The crossword is not being blogged as the annotations are provided in the interactive version itself which can be seen if you click on 'Show a hint' under the 'reveal' tab on the top.

The same will be posted on every Sunday at 6 AM.

Link to the Crossword

Enjoy.

No 13466, Saturday 29 Jan 2022, Incognito

ACROSS

1 Initially, minister of state at capital city gets an aircraft (8) MOSQUITO {Minister}{Of}{State}{QUITO}
5 Sister, I entered company for papal legate (6) NUNCIO {NUN}{C{I}O}
10 Army captured a Zulu in city square (5) PLAZA {PL{A}{Z}A}
11 Policeman swindles Board (9) CONSTABLE {CONS}{TABLE}
12 Dig out from the founder of the Indian National Congress (6) EXHUME {EX}{HUME}
13 Important point // for a churchman (8) CARDINAL (DD)
15 Abandon trench (5) DITCH (DD)
17 English city would sound the same even without ice (9) LEICESTER {~LESTER}
19 Day auditors observe a meat dish (9) FRICASSEE {FRI}{CAS}{SEE}
20 Rips beverage money (5) TEARS {TEA}{RS}
21 Richtofen and Bernard flying around circle (3,5) RED BARON {BERNARD*} around {O}

23 You would be upset if you had a buzzer in this // part of the car (6) BONNET (DD)
27 Hirer soon modified old railway engine (4,5) IRON HORSE {HIRER+SOON*}
28 Submarine snake in Utah (1-4) U-BOAT {U{BOA}T}
29 Witch slipped back around the Spanish to get a shoe (6) GALOSH {HAG<=} around {LOS}
30 Two hours before noon, the communist returned for servant (8) ATTENDER {AT}{TEN}{RED<=}

DOWN

1 Draw the French source of sugar (5) MAPLE {MAP}{LE}
2 After bath, throwing egg out of the ghetto, setter gets pasta (9) SPAGHETTI {SPA}{GHETTo}{I}
3 Remove mail, perhaps (5) UNARM (CD)
4 Thanks Commanding Officer, for Mexican food (4) TACO {TA}{CO}
6 Dirtiest tie nudist tore up (9) UNTIDIEST {TIE+NUDIST*}
7 Voyage accommodation // that Uncle Tom had? (5) CABIN (DD)
8 Bosses on cricket grounds (9) OVERLORDS {OVER}{LORDS}
9 Lived in church dress with little Edward (9) INHABITED {IN}{HABIT}{ED}
14 Pants, (solution of crazy maths: + 4444444444444) (4,5) PLUS FOURS (D&CD)
15 Submitting humbly // for postponement (9) DEFERRING (DD)
16 Chief pines for troubles (9) HEADACHES {HEAD}{ACHES}
18 Doctor and tailor railway capacity (9) TRAINLOAD {AND+TAILOR*}
22 Medico with spectacles begins to learn to salivate (5) DROOL {DR}{OO}{Learn}
24 Overrule without mistake and get an egg (5) OVULE {OVerrULE}
25 Tutankhamen, in short, or a teacher (5) TUTOR {TUT}{OR}
26 Gave money // for a month of fasting (4) LENT (DD)

Reference List

Company=Co, Army=PLA, Zulu=Z, From=Ex, Auditors=CAs, Money=Rs, Circle=O, Utah=UT, The Spanish=Los, The communist=Red

The French=Le, Egg=O, Setter=I, Thanks=Ta, Commanding Officer=CO, Medico=Dr, Spectacles=OO

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

No 13465, Friday 28 Jan 2022, Vidwan

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

1   Wavy ‘New Jazz’ gig lacks original jauntiness (6) ZIGZAG {jAZZ+GIG}*

4   Topic for an egotist? (5) THEME {THE ME}

9   Country song about soldiers (7) ARMENIA {AR{MEN}IA}

10 Where vagrants hang out and derelict kids fight (4,3) SKID ROW {KIDS*}{ROW}

12 Oddly costliest brand of a machine (4) OTIS {cOsTlIeSt}

13 Rock star big as lead in U2, supports harmony (4,6) BASS GUITAR {STAR+BIG+AS+U2}* 

15 She waxed eloquently, impressed many VIPs (7) TUSSAUD [CD]

17 Install software on it freely (7) APPOINT {APP}{ON+IT}*

19 Master returns, has bread and some steamy stuff (7) EROTICA {ACE<=} over {ROTI}

21 It flows with energy regularly, in tizzes (7) YANGTZE {YANG}{TiZzEs}

23 Song about old flame in country town (10) ALEXANDRIA {A{L{EX}AND}RIA}

26 Immense desire — not new, not right (4) HUGE HUnGEr

28 One trapped in a blood curdling game (7) DIABOLO {1} in {A+BLOOD}*

29 It is about better management of the races (7) EUGENIC [CD]

30 It is a nightmare! Of course! (5) BOGEY [C&DD]

31 Dull, sickly dog confined in a filthy place (6) STODGY {ST{DOG*}Y}

DOWN

1   Lifeless ones seen on Zoom, expressing nothing! Pricks wasting time! (7) ZOMBIES {ZOoM}{BItES}

2   Nucleotide regularly found in Green Tea (4) GENE {GrEeN+tEa}

3   Posture like a half-Cobra (5) ASANA {AS}{A}{NAja}

5   Japanese work with very few words (5) HAIKU [CD]

6   Myself and Rajinikanth are basically this (almost) (7) MARATHI {My...f}{And}{Ra...h}{Are}{THIs} Semi&lit Presuming Vidwan is a Marathi?

7   How Nadal felt about due process? (3,2,3,4) LAW OF THE LAND*

8   Very boring, say it’s sort of geological equilibrium (8) ISOSTASY  {SO} in {SAY+ITS}*

11 Upwardly mobile, fresh B.Tech men working hard to stay on the sidelines (4,3,5) WARM THE BENCH {RAW<=}{BTECH+MEN}*{H}

14 Racist person? A Zionist? To some extent (4) NAZI [T]

16 Unreasonable time spent for total messaging system in underground (8) DEADDROP {DE(-t+add)DDROP}

18 Unopened bottle and a delinquent (4) PUNK sPUNK

20 Mint gold and silver in one round (7) OREGANO {OR} and {ON{AG}E}<=

22 Collection of sports ties (7) TOURNEY [CD]

24 Promotion and honour for a reader (5) ADOBE {AD}{OBE}

25 Write about boring sex cowboy! (5) INEPT {PEN<=} in {IT}

27 Grey, broken wall’s gone (4) AGED damAGED

Reference List

Old flame = EX, New = N, Right = R, Time = T, Hard = H, Promotion = AD, Sex = IT

No 13464, Thursday 27 Jan 2022, Incognito

Solution to 10A 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

8   Refuse processing by computer, in short, and dance with nothing on? (4) GIGO {GIG}{0} 

9   Instrument turns tuneful, after peacekeepers left (5) FLUTE TunEFUL*

10 The King of Spades went back south to get slippery creatures (4) E?L? (Addendum - EELS {LEE<=}{S} - See comments)

11 Setter got into automobile with a photographic contraption (6) CAMERA {CA{ME}R}{A}

12 Pods bearing edible seeds for insane people (8) NUTCASES [DD]

13 Escort Argentinian president after tea (8) CHAPERON {CHA}{PERON}

15 Setter using oxygen performed experiment at first, producing salt (6) IODIDE {I}{O}{DID}{Ex...t}

17 Scud toy may become subject matter of divorce case, perhaps (7) CUSTODY*

19 Strained relations between USA and USSR when century old secret service returned (4,3) COLD WAR {C}{OLD}{RAW<=}

22 Good man with a lot of paper makes a flower (6) STREAM {ST}{REAM}

24 Parvenus reconstituted start-ups (8) UPSTARTS*

26 Hat Raman threw at plant (8) AMARANTH*

28 Kodava canine which ate nothing (6) COORGI {CO{O}RGI}

30 See 4 Down

31 Quick communication from Eastern Mali was garbled (5) EMAIL {E}{MALI*}

32 Attract backward (4) DRAW<=

DOWN

1   Visitor permit is included in Virginia (4) VISA {V{IS}A}

2   Designed toy phone device used by spymasters to lure (8) HONEYPOT*

3   Romantic entanglement from Anglo French exhibition (6) AFFAIR {A}{F}{FAIR}

4/30  Spooner’s punning clan’s devious scheme (7,4) CUNNING PLAN (~ punning clan to cunning plan)

5   I turn one berserk and get a particle (8) NEUTRINO*

6/16  This is used to send money and order conscription. Would you call this a DD? (6,5) DEMAND DRAFT {DEMAND}{DRAFT} 

7   This, for example, was a clew in days of yore (4) CLUE Definition by example

14 Search around a frequented place (5) HAUNT {H{A}UNT}

16 See 6

18 Spotted tiles used as examples of collapse (8) DOMINOES [CD]

20 Princess gets nuts after removing last bit of shell and stones, perhaps (8) DIAMONDS {DI}{AlMONDS}

21 Aborigine, found by male, hiding behind shrub (7) BUSHMAN {MAN}<=>{BUSH}

23 Making a mistake by beheading a fish (6) ERRING hERRING

25 Agricultural implement obtained by dropping hammer from communist symbol (6) SICKLE {hammer and SICKLE}

27 “Shopping complex,” heard a gangster’s arm candy (4) MOLL (~mall)

29 Great! Butter results in little weight! (4) GRAM {G}{RAM}

Reference List

Peacekeepers = UN, South = S, Century = C, Good man = ST, Eastern = E, Virginia = VA, Anglo French = AF, Princess = DI, Great = G

No 13463, Wednesday 26 Jan 2022, Incognito

REPUBLIC DAY GREETINGS

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 17A 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

8   Eric cooked food (4) RICE*

9   Perhaps, Sam’s pawnbroker (5) UNCLE [DD]

10 Violent anger, without a hint of nastiness, is still anger (4) RAGE AnGER*

11 That man, Arthur, gets head of state’s suit (6) HEARTS {HE}{ART}{St...s}

12 Transplant pea early for 12 months (including an extra day) (4,4) LEAP YEAR*

13 Awful! China jails people’s representative hugging love supporter (8) CHAMPION {CHINA}* over {MP} and {0}

15 Rant wildly about South Africa’s feral child brought up by apes (6) TARZAN {TAR{ZA}N*}

17 Forger’s workshop’s located next to the track (7) ?O?N?R? (Addendum - FOUNDRY {FOUND}{RY} - See comments)

19 Manhunt procedure could be result of misconstrued danger coupled with some timidity (7) DRAGNET {DANGER}*{Ti...y}

22 Italian family gangs found involved in Bahama fiasco (6) MAFIAS [T]

24 Playground equipment includes a short distance for natation (8) SWIMMING {SW{1 MM}ING}

26 Mulish Bob turns somersaults (8) STUBBORN*

28 Second-in-command’s responsibility to hold the record (6) DEPUTY {D{EP}UTY}

30 Ms Austen’s first part of Emma’s written after a month (4) JANE {Emma}<=>{JAN}

31 In short, he takes down a dictator’s notes — perhaps notes wrongly (5) STENO*

32 Imitates animal producing extraordinary sounds for starters (4) APES Acrostic

DOWN

1   Engineer collects one thousand for two wheeler (4) BIKE {B{1 K}E}

2   Iron rail's initially carried by railway employee to river transport operator (8) FERRYMAN {FE}{Rail}{RY}{MAN}

3   Setter goes after wandering mules to get breakfast food (6) MUESLI {I}<=>MULES}*

4   Daniel gets cold when travelling around country (7) ICELAND {I{C}ELAND*}

5   Wild tamer having flatulence becomes celebrity performer (8) MEGASTAR {ME{GAS}TAR*}

6   Disbursing cashier accepts right appeal (6) PRAYER {{P{R}AYER}

7   Turkish leader residing in Accra, Ghana (4) AGHA [T]

14 Shout endlessly with a laughing sound resulting in noisy fuss (3-2) HOO-HA {HOOt}{HA}

16 Worried aunties dropped us and dined at home (3,2) ATE IN AuNTIEs*

18 Scrambled egg consumed by Spenser begets reaction (8) RESPONSE {RESP{O}NSE*}

20 E.g., napalm deployment strategy worked out in advance (4,4) GAME PLAN*

21 Apart, like beneath (7) ASUNDER {AS}{UNDER}

23 Hide uniform in bed after I’m drenched (6) IMBUED {I'M}{B{U}ED}

25 Indian gold, including ring, within building (6) INDOOR {IND}{OR} over (O)

27 Sailor carries boy in ski lift (1-3) T-BAR {T{B}AR}

29 Lower tips arising from commencement of taxation on exotic starters (4) TOES Acrostic

Reference List

South Africa = ZA, Record = EP(Extended Play), Engineer = BE, Thousand = K, Railway = RY, Cold = C, Right = R, Uniform = U, Gold = OR, Sailor = TAR, Boy = B

No 13462, Tuesday 25 Jan 2022, Hypatia

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   Persian story entertains crowds initially getting success (5) ?C?A? (Addendum - ECLAT {TALE<=} over {Cr...s} - See comments)

4   Obese gangster’s deadly (5) FATAL {FAT}{AL}

11 No car in Alaska contains music player (7) OCARINA [T]

12 Prisoner unexpectedly shot before time (7) HOSTAGE {SHOT*}{AGE}

13 Grand reflection of light surrounding this time (5) NIGHT {G} in {THIN<=}

14 American company — it even shreds carrot (9) INCENTIVE {INC}{IT+EVEN}*

15 Spooner says, scoring terribly is absolutely crazy (7,3) BARKING MAD (~marking bad to barking mad)

17 Basically doesn’t even need you to refuse (4) DENY Acrostic

19 Ultimately worship, offer puja daily! (4) PRAY Acrostic Semi&lit

21 Alcohol given without charge for beatnik (4,6) FREE SPIRIT [DD]

25 Indifferent scoundrel introduced to home loans (9) INCURIOUS {IN}{CUR}{IOUS}

27 Go beyond 40, say (5) EXCEL (~ xl)

28 Incompetent VIP (7) NOTABLE {NOT ABLE}

29 Conceal Alumni’s help (7) OBSCURE {OB'S}{CURE}

30 Graduation coat (5) SCALE [DD] 

31 Recoiling from white vicious animal (5) CIVET [T]

DOWN

2   Juice supplier? (7) CHARGER [CD]

3   Pilot flying air taxi over top of Vizag (8) AVIATRIX {AIR+TAXI}* over {Vi..g} 

5   Missing article about society’s bias (6) ABSENT {A}{B{S}ENT}

6   Essentially dark, a sin embodying greed (7) AVARICE {dARk} in {A}{VICE}

7   Around noon, tramp takes bachelor to socialise (6) HOBNOB {HOB{N}O}{B}

8   Skip work after nail’s infected with germ (8) MALINGER {NAIL+GERM}*

9   Trendy greeting through two centuries (4) CHIC {C}{HI}{C}

10 Reform author stuck in revolutionary ideology, finally (6) REMEDY {RE{ME}D}{i...gY}

16 Dislike associate’s interpretation (8) AVERSION {A}{VERSION}

18 Park is free to entertain Spanish party (5-3) APRES-SKI {PARK+IS}* over {ES}

19 Apple Ipad? Not occasionally flexible (6) PLIANT {aPpLe+IpAd+NoT}

20 Like putting up quote about monk (7) ASCETIC {AS} and {CITE}{C}<=

22 Solitary engineer deciphering clues (7) RECLUSE {RE}{CLUES*}

23 Again, permit lifting bags left for cashier (6) TELLER {RE LET}<= over {L}

24 Relating to people born in distress (6) TRIBAL {TRI{B}AL}

26 Soap being regularly kept uncovered (4) OPEN {sOaP+bEiNg}

Reference List

Gangster = AL, Grand = G, American company = INC, Alumni = OB(Old Boy), Noon = N, Bachelor = B, Century = C, Associate = A, Spanish = ES, About = C, Engineer = RE(Royal Engineers), Left = L, Born = B

No 13461, Monday 24 Jan 2022, Hypatia

Solution to 6D 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

7   Worker cutting pure fruit (8) PLANTAIN {PL{ANT}AIN}

9   Between two, neither partner’s backing conservative — that’s funny (6) IRONIC {I{NOR<=}I}{C}

10 Can extroverts keep succeeding? (4) NEXT [T]

11 Shook the tree and bullied (10) THREATENED*

12 Sensitive nurse (6) TENDER [DD]

14 Pennies saved by new account holder (8) OCCUPANT {OCCU{P}ANT}*

15 She manages artist cast in small commercial upfront (13) ADMINISTRATOR {MIN{ARTIST*}OR}<=>{AD}

18 Desire just carelessly (8) WANTONLY {WANT}{ONLY}

20 Doctor Hardy touring India’s capital (6) RIYADH {R{I}YADH*}

21 Concerning papers of Claude Monet leaving Europe by mistake (10) DOCUMENTAL {CLAUDe+MONET}*

22 Press conference, initially in Pakistan (4) PACK {PA{Co...e}K}

23 Good French kiss in bed exuding first sign (6) BECKON {B{pECK}ON}

24 Playing polo — day before yesterday's final game (8) MONOPOLY {POLO}*<=>{MON} and {y...aY}

DOWN

1   Love exercising in section put up in plant (4,4) ALOE VERA {A{LOVE*}ERA<=}

2   Insect bite changing wife to model (4) GNAT GNA(-w+t)T

3   Father sadly parts without love (6) PASTOR {PAST{O}R*}

4   One engaged to check notes, basically with registered lender (8) FINANCER {FI{N}ANCE}{R}

5   House husband, in Delhi say embracing old method of treatment (10) HOMEOPATHY {HOME}{(~pati)PATHY} over {O}

6   Bird drone carries little weight (6) ?I?E?N (Addendum - PIGEON {P{1G}EON} - See comments)

8   Neural networks in my sets? (7,6) NERVOUS SYSTEM {MY+SETS}* [RA]

13 As per Spooner, old president avoids vehicles (4,6) DUMPTRUCKS (~ trump ducks to dumptrucks)

16 Eager to wear grandmother’s yellow clothes (8) NANKEENS {NAN{KEEN}S}

17 Free — one cryptic clue for fun (8) RIDICULE {RID}{1}{CLUE*}

19 Maybe Old Welsh regularly left homes (6) ABODES {mAyBe+OlD+wElSh}

20 What banks have done again for yield (6) RELENT {RE-LENT}

22 Flower distributor? (4) PIPE [CD]

Reference List

Pennies = P, Commercial = AD, Europe = E, Wife = W, Model = T, Registered = R, Old = O

Special, Sunday 23 Jan 2022, Veeyares

Three answers per commenter till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword No 3186, Sunday 23 Jan 2022

ACROSS

1   Not just any flyer for a movie? (3,7) THE AVIATOR {THE}{AVIATOR}

6   Russian ruler 'beats a retreat' ... bottles it (4) TSAR [T]

9   Employee appraisal at the House of Lords? (4,6) PEER REVIEW {PEER}{REVIEW} [CD]

10 Repelled a raven, largely predatory beast (4) ORCA {A}{CROw}<=

12 Deaf-ish nans treated, being well looked after (2,4,5) IN SAFE HANDS*

15 More sickly, kind of green, perhaps slalomer's heading off (7) PEAKIER {PEA}{sKIER}

16 Morally improved duke earlier, becoming exalted (7) DEIFIED {(+d)DE(-d)IFIED}

17 Artist's empty landscapes' sad lines (1,1,5) L S LOWRY {La...eS}{LOW}{RY}

19 Hates seeing sights with son not about (7) DETESTS DETE(-c+s)STS

20 A sad, a bleak king ordered pudding (5,6) BAKED ALASKA {A+SAD+A+BLEAK+K}*

23 In France, one is where courses take a long time to get through (4) UNIS {UN}{IS}

24 Hoping for an 'h' sound (10) ASPIRATION [DD]

25 Made pencil portrait of Andy (4) DREW [DD]

26 Brand new day, etc, for coward (7-3) SCAREDY-CAT {SCAR}{DAY+ETC}*

DOWN

1   Gratuities regularly shunned; at a push, Everyman will chip in (4) TIPS {aT+a+PuSh} over {I}

2   Days before, golfer becomes upset (4) EVES <= 

3   State broadcast assessed value of Wimbledon champ (8,4) VIRGINIA WADE {VIRGINIA}{WADE}(~weighed)

4   Guide daughter to wear a sun-blocker (7) ADVISOR {A}{D}{VISOR}

5   Lover Federer admits was excessively giving? (7) OVERFED [T]

7   Spirited grittiness, tough in the extreme (10) STRINGIEST*

8   To talk with enthusiasm in talk about hard earth is exhausting at first (10) RHAPSODISE {R{H}AP}{SOD}{IS}{Ex...g}

11 This acid rain alarmed campaigners (9,3) CHRISTIAN AID*

13 Mesmerized by Alexander Graham's weight, according to Spooner (10) SPELLBOUND (~bells pound)

14 Arrangement of elements: potassium, nickel, iron and silver, in part (5,5) TABLE KNIFE {TABLE}{K}{NI}{FE}

18 Membrane unusually scaly? OK ... (4-3) YOLK-SAC*

19 File 'requiring less effort', fancifully? (7) DOSSIER (dossing more = dossier)

21 Realize, after losing six balls: it's a record (4) DISC DISCover

22 Commonly, Norseman underestimating tides, primarily? (4) CNUT Acrostic Semi&lit

Reference List

Duke = D, Lines = RY(Railway), Son = S, About = C, King = K, One in French = UN, Daughter = D, Hard = H

No 13460, Saturday 22 Jan 2022, KrisKross

ACROSS

1   Small boat at sea, mostly old wreck (8) SABOTAGE {S}{BOAT*}{AGEd}

5   Nothing about religion is magic (6) OCCULT {0}{C}{CULT}

9   Vehicles starting to transport fresh carrots (8) TRACTORS {Tr...t}{CARROTS*}

10 Opening to earn cash while talking (6) WINDOW (~ win dough)

12 Letter-opener? (9) ADDRESSEE [CD]

13 Some players dribbling around — they move fast (5) BIRDS [T<=]

14 Face setback? (4) DIAL<=

16 Fictional heroine spilt a beer after drinking a small quantity (7) REBECCA {A+BEER}* over {CC}

19 Setter’s in confused state occasionally (2,5) AT TIMES {I'M} in {STATE}*

21 Compete with feeling (4) VIEW {VIE}{W}

24 See 22 Down

25 Visitors, somewhat exhausted, meet park officers (9) STRANGERS {So...aT}{RANGERS}

27 Obliged smart young woman model (2,4) IN DEBT {IN}{DEB}{T}

28 Trivia contestant at first mistaken about old queen (8) VICTORIA {TRIVIA+Co...t}* over {O}

29 Butcher again beat counter (6) MURDER {RE}{DRUM}<=

30 Aim to win job, and lose it (2,6) GO POSTAL {GO{POST}AL}

DOWN

1   Tie worn by a government official (6) SATRAP {S{A}TRAP}

2   Letters from “Comic Rob” — a film star (6) BRANDO {B R and O}

3   The identity that legatees earn, primarily (5) TITLE Acrostic &lit

4   Gloria’s new gemstone (7) GIRASOL*

6   Not difficult to ascend with rope around arm, perhaps (9) CLIMBABLE {C{LIMB}ABLE}

7   Extremely upset dancer struggling to perform weakly (8) UNDERACT {UpseT+DANCER}*

8   Central Hotel has chief kick out KrisKross — a resident of Chennai, say (8) TOWNSMAN {hoTel}{OWNS}{MAiN}

11 Raise back (4) REAR [DD]

15 Fixed email message’s header, but wrongly (9) IMMUTABLE {EMAIL+Me...e+BUT}*

17 Truck — one covered by dirt — going north, carrying a rare element (8) VANADIUM {VAN}{MU{1}D<=} over {A}

18 Auditor embarrassed after all deductions made are reversed (8) ATTENDER {RED}{NETT}{A}<=

20 Many abandoning hit band (4) SASH SmASH

21 After extremely short tango, I leave — it makes my head reel (7) VERTIGO {VERy}{T}{I}{GO}

22/24 Say, Bond in centre stage, dancing (6,5) SECRET AGENT*

23 Is old king rebelling for a country? (6) ISRAEL {IS}{LEAR<=}

26 Molten iron, over time, becomes explosive (5) NITRO {NI{T}RO*}

Reference List

Small = S, About = C, With = W, Smart = IN, Yong woman = DEB, Model = T, Old = O, Again = RE, 

Are = A, Many = M, Tango = T,  Time = T

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