The last Saturday in August brings a puzzle from Serpent.
And usually a theme, but I don’t see it today. 9ac, 18ac and 5dn are my favourite clues – the usual smooth surfaces prevalent throughout.
Thanks Serpent and assistance with 4dn gratefully received. Though as I’m currently in the North of Scotland may take a little while to update.
Also the hidden theme would be nice to know – I’m sure there is one.
Key * anagram, dd double definition, rev reversed, underline definition.
Across
1 Drug problem starts to attract troublesome element (7)
Habit (drug problem) + at (starts to attract troublesome) = HABITAT
5 Wary of running feud disrupting almost all aid (7)
Help (aid) – p around (feud) = HEEDFUL
9 Rubbish broadcaster on radio set fire to a hidden mike (9)
Homonym of Lit a (set fire too) + bug (hidden mike) = LITTERBUG
10 Cap on splitting money in speculative venture (5)
Re (on) in bet (money in speculative venture) = BERET
11 What stops triumph over order? (6)
Eh(what) in best (triumh) = BEHEST
12 Cost of moving goods vehicle (8)
DD CARRIAGE
14 Arrested man reversed charges and called informally (9)
Nicked (arrested) around Rev. man = NICKNAMED
16 Exclude some testimony that’s been retracted (4)
Rev. hidden tesTIMOny = OMIT
18 Counter had fine cheese (4)
Rev. ate + f (fine) = FETA
20 Collected head of state in navy vessel at sea (9)
(RN+ vessel + s)* = NERVELESS
23 Broadcast again revolved around argument that’s more bigoted (8)
Rev. reran (broadcast again) around row (argument) = NARROWER
24 Group blocking postgraduate qualification for medicine man (6)
Gang (group) in ma (postgraduate qualification) = MGANGA
27 Warning from porter perhaps emptied restaurant (5)
Ale (porter perhaps) + rt (emptied restaurant) = ALERT
28 Made known criminal’s last dealings subject to review (9)
(l + dealings)* = SIGNALLED
29 Have Post Office review following disappearance of article (7)
Po(post office) + assess (review) – a = POSSESS
30 Royal Navy pilot admits being less lenient (7)
Rn (royal navy) in steer (pilot) = STERNER
Down
1 Absolutely determined that Man will be proven innocent ultimately (4-4)
He’ll be (that man will be) + nt (proven innocent ultimately) = HELL-BENT
2 Complain about hospital following drill (5)
Bit (drill) + c(about) + h (hospital) = BITCH
3 Suspect senator’s attempting to overthrow government? (7)
(senator)* = TREASON
4 London Underground entrance about to close early (4)
TUBE
5 Stranded in the Atacama desert? (4,3,3)
Cryptic definition HIGH AND DRY
6 Say nothing about lawyers supporting mass prohibition (7)
Bar (lawyers) after m (mass) in eg (say) + o (nothing) = EMBARGO
7 Make official warning to store belonging to African country (9)
Fore (warning) around Mali’s(belonging to African country) = FORMALISE
8 Character that features in epistolary novel (6)
DD LETTER
13 Person helping to write out names in USA (10)
(names in UAS)* = AMANUENSIS
15 Cold and unappetising article in French toast sandwiches (9)
Cheers (toast) around les (article in French) = CHEERLESS
17 I speak badly of key individual? (8)
I slander (speak badly of) = ISLANDER
19 Missionary position adopted by naked men (7)
Males(men) – ms (naked) around post (position) = APOSTLE
21 Very dangerous nurse leads chase (7)
En (nurse) + grave (very dangerous) = ENGRAVE
22 Part of brazen campaign pitch (6)
Hidden brazEN CAMPaign = ENCAMP
25 Supply only new material (5)
(only)* + n (new) = NYLON
26 Protection provided by English and American soldiers (4)
E (English) + gis(American soldiers) = EGIS
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