No 14362, Thursday 06 Nov 2025, Karaoke

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.

Open for anyone to solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Child in the making more by mutation (6) EMBRYO* 

4   Trusted friend at club receives criticism (8) BRICKBAT {BRICK}{BAT}

9   Hire ruthless gang to invade vacant estate (6) ENGAGE {Est{GANG*}atE}

10 Battered a follower with clue finally, worried over play on words (6,2) BEATEN UP {aBc}{cluE}{ATE}{PUN<=}

12 Division protecting tower closely (3,2,3) ARM IN ARM {AR{MINAR}M}

13 Kick bonnet, kick bottoms and cry (3-3) BOO-HOO {BOOt}{HOOd}

15 Share equally? Not very well (4) HALE HALvE

17 Mischievous sprite vandalising Nehru Place (10) LEPRECHAUN*

19 Official in a hurry to smoke no-name cigarette (6,4) COFFIN NAIL {OFFICIAL}* over {N}{N}

20 Type of workers' protest essentially in European city (4) OSLO gO SLOw

23 Pay tribute to sailor rescuing belugas heartily, mid-sea (6) SALUTE {SAL{belUgas}T}{sEa}

24 Termagant, most tough about lowest point (8) HARRIDAN {HARd}{NADIR<=}

27 Turns a blind eye to criminal with blades, I hear (8) CONNIVES {CON}{(~knives)NIVES}

28 We join college old boys' network (6) COBWEB {WE} in {C}{O}{B}{B}

29 Rubbish can be reportedly in a stew sadly (5,3) WASTE BIN {(~be)B} in {A+STEW}*

30 They are brutal and live like tough stuff (6) ?E?STS ()

DOWN

1   See-saw playing with husband? Nonsense (7) EYEWASH {SEE+SAW}*{H}

2   Lady of high rank, say, hugged by beggar (5) BEGUM {B{EG}UM}

3   Niyogi cycling with woman proficient in physical exercises (6) YOGINI (+ni}NIYOGI(-ni)

5   Deplores deceptive plan, they say (4) RUES (~ruse)

6   Hint about tonic preparation, it hardly has any effect (3,2,3) CUT NO ICE {CU{TONIC*}E}

7   Spooner announces "Polish floors, idiots" (9) BONEHEADS (hone beds to boneheads)

8   Fever running but no infectious disease primarily? - It may frequently happen in India (7) TYPHOON {TYPHOid}{ON}

11 French city using old arsenal to destroy Russia at last (7) ORLEANS {O+aRSENAL}*

14 Maybe second or third alternative number in phone (7) ORDINAL {OR}{DI{N}AL}

16 They rescue by pumping current and oxygen finally to the almost dead (9) LIFELINES {LIFEL{I}{o...eN}ESs}

18 Financial assistance rejected to ethnic group for attack (8) DIATRIBE {AID<=}{TRIBE}

19 Fight and triumph, reject left and right, it continuously generates funds (4,3) CASH COW {ClASH}{CrOW}

21 Substitute in second round compilation (7) OMNIBUS {SUB}{IN}{MO}<=

22 Model's journey without essential authority in Tube (6) TRIODE {T}{RI{a..hOr..y}DE}

25 Drinks in daybreaks, not active for office primarily (5) DOWNS D(-a+o)OWNS

26 Shop selling prepared foods in capital, neither new nor hot! (4) DELI {new DELhI}

Reference List

Very = V, No = N, Name = N, Old = O, Boy = B, Husband = H, Number = N, Current = I, Left = L, Right = R, Second = MO, Model = T, Active = A, Hot = H