Solution to 4D 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
9 Nope! I never excel performing a new experiment (5,10) NOVEL EXPERIENCE*
10 What often goes over a judge’s head? (7) PERIWIG [CD]
12 Kind of anxious? (9) CONCERNED [DD]
17 Person charging a small amount gets customer (7) ACCUSER {A}{CC}{USER}
19 Impress, say, outside national party (7) ENGRAVE {E{N}G}{RAVE}
21 Fight without English weapon (5) SPEAR {SP{E}AR}
23 Spooner’s gathering grass, perhaps for Jamaican singer (3,6) BOB MARLEY (~ mob barley to bob marley)
27 Obsolete global body caught probing expert (7) DEFUNCT {DEF{UN}{C}T}
30 Admit defeat through title he won? (5,2,3,5) THROW IN THE TOWEL {TITLE+HE+WON}* [RA]
DOWN
1 Photograph vessels from below (4) SNAP<=
2 Basically assert vocally establishing right, say (4) AVER Acrostic
3 Wild sex ahead? Perfect! (8) FLAWLESS {LAWLESS}<=>{F}
4 Passenger in Airport? (6) ?X?G?N (Addendum - OXYGEN [CD] - See comments))
6 Nobody’s got the code (6) CIPHER [DD]
7 Rolls over in shame (4) SNUB<=
8 Gaze steadily concealing enthusiasm (4) ZEST [T]
12 Tea often picked up from shop in mess (5) CHAOS {CHA}{ShOp<=}
13 Start to huddle in pleasant corner (5) NICHE {NIC{Hang}E}
15 Called about lake swelling (5) GNARL {RANG<=}{L}
16 Ultimately one mournful dirge, sung sadly (5) ELEGY Tail Acrostic &lit
18 Copper, interrupting hot date after massage becomes flushed (8) RUBICUND {I{CU}N}{D}<=>{RUB}
20 Kid cycling very loudly often seen in this picture (8) GRAFFITI {+g)GRA(-g)}{FF}{In+ThIs}
22 Mark name under soldier’s present (6) RENOWN {N}<=>RE}{NOW}
24 Priest crosses heart reflecting on a religious leader (6) BUDDHA {H{DD}UB<=}{A}
25 Vehicle crashing out after acceleration (4) AUTO {OUT}*<=>{A}
26 Active chief of staff meets peer (4) SPRY {St..f}{PRY}
28 Trap to catch weak animal (4) NEWT {NE{W}T}
Reference List
America = A, India = I, Black = B, National = N, Party = RAVE, English = E, Rule = R, Caught = C, New = N, Lake = L, Hot = IN, Date = D, Very loudly = FF, Name = N, Soldier = RE(Royal Engineers), Priest = DD, Acceleration = A, Weak = W
4d. OXYGEN
ReplyDeletePassenger = one that passes
through
Airport = Lungs. In that it holds
the air we breathe
Gteat solve!
DeleteRamachandran, you are hereby promoted from Novice to regular.
DeleteThis solution confirms it.
DeleteThank you Col! The best gift is that bestowed by the king: RAjahasthEna KankaNam, as they say. This distinction coming as it does from the King of Cruciverbalists is a great distinction indeed.
DeleteThanks also to all seniors who have helped.many a time with suggestions, corrections
I took air port as pharynx, and oxygen that passes through it.
DeleteLungs are where oxygen is parked
DeleteCongrats Mr {ram and charan}* !
DeleteThanks a K Mr Ramesh
DeleteHa ha!
DeleteHats off to you dear Mr. Ramachandran for analysing this clue and solving it too!!!
DeleteIn fact, until I accessed this blog, I was at the end of my patience and wits, wondering as to what the answer could be...
All said and done, managed to solve most of other tricky clues.
Excellent clue and solve
DeleteThank you Mr Panje, thank you Mr vasant
DeleteExcellent solve with perfect annotation. Congratulations for your Promotion. Col. has perfectly elevated you as a regular solver.
DeleteThank you Mr Rao. I owe it to encouragement from you all, esp Mr Padmanabhan
DeleteAir port iz innovative,to say the least.
ReplyDeleteGreat clue.
really a nice one sir. choosing the word air port according to the clue matches well.
Delete24d is DD listed synonym of priest! Couldn't find in my dict.
ReplyDeleteA priest not necessarily a Dd
A DD not necessarily a priest, imu
You yourself have given the answer by saying 'not necessarily a priest' which means 'can be'
DeleteCan be is different from being! Or is. There is a definite process before one becomes the other.
DeleteAny citizen can be PM!
But again, if any dictionary lists as such, I have to take it.
do you mean 'perhaps' or 'may be' should be added?
ReplyDelete28D- Would reptile fit better than animal?
ReplyDeleteSpecific always better than generic def, paddy.
Delete28DN - W=weak? I saw in Chambers W=week
ReplyDeleteFrom BRB. W or W. abbrev : weak (phys; in particle physics a W particle or W boson is a hypothetical positively or negatively charged subatomic particle of large mass, responsible in theory for weak interaction between particles)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThanks Dr. Missed it in BRB
DeleteI had the same doubt, but ...
ReplyDelete29d does till have a verb def of "take money"?.
ReplyDeleteTake here means 'A quantity collected at one time, especially the amount of profit or receipts taken on a business venture or from ticket sales at a sporting event.' From Free Dictionary
DeleteTakings are normally kept in the Till
From Chambers
'A drawer or receptacle for money in or behind a counter'
All clues difficult but interesting, ARSENIC was the best!
Delete+1
DeleteHere's a similar one that I came across earlier.
As arcsine may be represented?
(7)
I am using wordweb dic. where 'till' showing as 'money box'. I feel quite tough to get the core def.
DeleteFarming is also tilling (ploughing). So it is a DD.
DeleteNice Grid Hypatia. Could not get OXYGEN. Nice clue.
ReplyDeleteMy fav - ARSENIC, GRAFFITI, REKINDLE.
Thanx