The Sunday Crossword No 3020, Sunday 04 Nov 2018

ACROSS
1   Cat turned against me in confused situation (4-2) MESS-UP {ME}{PUSS<=}
5   Our lot, retreating, long offering no resistance (6) SUPINE {US<=}{PINE}
9   A vital test's been arranged for racing driver (9,6) SEBASTIAN VETTEL*

10 Is power held by quiet, retiring editor given to wrong person? (9) MISPLACED {M{IS}{P}LAC<=}{ED}
11 Crown obtained by one occupying seat of ancient kings (5) TIARA {T{1}ARA}
12 Large old university, not English? True (5) LOYAL {L}{O}{YALe}
14 Left fine miscellany in collection of representative works (9) PORTFOLIO {PORT}{F}{OLIO}

16 What raises blood pressure? Democrat in realm reversing nothing (9) ADRENALIN {A{D}RENA}{NIL<=}
18 Failure in variety of roles (5) LOSER*
20 Comfort leader in last stand (5) EASEL {EASE}{Last}
21 Male swan, bereft of company, wandering bird (9) BRAMBLING {coB}{RAMBLING}

23 Imprisoned in dark den, lucky one getting free (5,4,3,3) UNDER LOCK AND KEY*
24 Class? There's not so much about (6) LESSON {LESS ON}
25 Leave area without vegetation (6) DESERT [DD]

DOWN
2   Graduate in chaotic system lacking time for mission (7) EMBASSY {BA} in {SYStEM}*
3   Part of process is altering fibre (5) SISAL [T]
4   Most important pair, batting around middle of innings, supported by friend (9) PRINCIPAL {PR}{IN}{C}{innIngs}{PAL}
5   Sign of agreement after second year in council (5) SYNOD {S}{Y}{NOD}
6   Abundant input fell disastrously (9) PLENTIFUL*
7   Sport to be announced in ring, first off (7) NETBALL {kNE{T.B.A}LL}
8   Event, initially unprofitable ball, involving outfit with unknown song (7,5) ELEANOR RIGBY {Ev..t}{LEAN}{OR{RIG}B{Y}

9   Working on usual items at the same time (12) SIMULTANEOUS*
13 Innkeepers in line as well as noblemen (9) LANDLORDS {L}{AND}{LORDS}
15 Tormented about area, north and south, being plundered (9) RANSACKED {R{A}{N}{S}ACKED}
17 Live screening beginning to upset balance (7) RESIDUE {RESID{Up..t}E}
19 Adhesive label with small heart (7) STICKER {S}{TICKER}
21 Toast knight after summit (5) BROWN {BROW}{N}
22 Extra payment in end for job with responsibility (5) BONUS {joB}{ONUS}

GRID

No 12463, Saturday 03 Nov 2018, Afterdark

Across

9. Makeup incomplete, hair has no look, lady is gutted more or less (7) ROUGHLY {ROUGe}{Hair}{LadY}
10. Character in true story covering time with former lover... (7) TEXTURE {TRUE*} AROUND {EX}{T}
11. ... is maybe complex to choose artist (7) ELECTRA {ELECT}{RA}
12. It’s obvious that specialist has incomplete picture (7) EVIDENT {E{VIDEo}NT}
13. Senior put off with violent outbursts (9) ERUPTIONS {SENIOR+PUT*}
15. Remove contents of camera secretly (5) ERASE (T)
16. Against accounts receivables and debts shown as miscellaneous (7) VARIOUS {V}{AR}{IOUS}
19. Improves presentations by editing out a dubious source (7) DRESSES {adDRESSES}
20. Somehow promote or let go to gain time (5) TEMPO {ProMOTE*}
21. Followed press release on function, edited by top columnist (9) PRACTICED {PR}{ACT}{I}{Columnist}{ED} Function=ACT 1?
25. Shortly, many aged rabbis will meet President (7) MANAGER {MANy}{AGEd}{R}
26. More or less article's inquiring essentially, no good on implication (7) MEANING {MorE}{AN}{inquIring}{NG}
28. Say, medical equipment for treating nose-bleed out of order, bad to begin with (7) NEEDLES {NoSEbLEED}
29. What is hidden in subtext, remembered utmost (7) EXTREME (T)

Down

1. Country has oil, according to report (6) GREECE {~GREASE}
2. Service of backrub ending in massage; frauds essentially (6) BUREAU {RUB<=}{massagE}{frAUds}
3. Badminton player is halfway there, it’s close (4) SHUT {SHUTtler}
4. Many dancing in party with an energetic person (6) DYNAMO {D{MANY*}O}
5. Highlighted a stone instrument carried by guards (8) STRESSED {ST}{RE{SS}ED}
6. Without people around to raise, troop leader gets restlessness (10) EXCITEMENT {EX}{CITE}{MEN}{T}
7. Figures it’s time to take drug; mostly labs are deserted (8) NUMERALS Anno not clear (Addendum - {NUMb}{ERA}{LabS} - See comments
8. Female having lunch at hotel and her son joins (8) FEATHERS {F}{EAT}{H}{ER}{S}
14. Fully hot liquid? More or less (10) THOROUGHLY {HOT*}{ROUGHLY}
16. Indisposed saint overcomes onset of malaria after taking six nutrients (8) VITAMINS {VI}{SAINT*} around {Malaria}
17. Nudged about never-ending instalment and closure of loan, daughter traded last two items (8) REMINDED {neveR}{EMI}{loaN}{tradED}
18. Censor on state media after carrying headline on scandal (8) SUPPRESS {Scandal}{UP}{PRESS}
22. Fighting forces get a sign by detaining military leader (6) ARMIES {AR{Military}IES}
23. Wound up with company at New Delhi, outside of home (6) COILED {CO}{DELhI}
24. Order Conservative to stay away for good measure (6) DEGREE {DE(-c+G)REE}
27. Essentially feasting on wine (4) ASTI (T)

Reference List

Time=T, Era, Artist=RA, Against=V, Account Receivables=AR, Debts=IOUs, Press Release=PR, Rabbis=R, No=N, Good=G
Party=Do, Guards=SS, Female=F, Hotel=H, Son=S, Six=VI, About=Re, Instalment=EMI, Daughter=D, State=UP, Conservative=C, Good=G

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

DIWALI

The TEMPO and the EXCITEMENT is building up!

DRESSES of varied TEXTURES and hues are being bought by ARMIES of men, women and children!!

COILED crackers in NUMERALS of 1000, 5000 etc. are a craze!!!

However people are STRESSED since the courts have regulated the bursting of crackers. An EXTREME step necessary to save the environment.

May we enjoy the season THOROUGHLY sans noise!