All up to its usual high standard, though I do have a query over 13dn
| cd = cryptic definition, dd = double definition, rev. = reversed, homophones are written in quotes “”, anagrams as *(–) |
| ODO = Oxford Dictionaries Online, OED = Oxford Dictionary, etc. |
Across
1. Some backward Neanderthal biker that’s turned to praying (6)
kiblah – hidden, rev. in NeandertHAL BIKer
4. Spartan character, coldness, about old, old Jack: what Daisy would give for a laugh! (3-5)
moo-juice – OOJ in MU (Spartan, ie Greek, character) + ICE (coldness)
10. Prayer books from church in Hampton Court feature briefly round border (9)
machzorim – CH(urch) in MAZ(E) (Hampton Court feature briefly) + O (round) RIM (border)
11. Passable firm’s turned around, becoming first rate (5)
socko – OK (passable) + CO’S (firm’s), all rev.
12. Peanuts from US or China drop in copper plate finally (5,6)
chump change – CHUM (china, = pal) + HANG (drop) in PC (copper, ie policeman) + (plat)E
14. Off and on, yacht is bringing tuna (3)
ahi – yAcHt Is
15. Examine love, performing a bit of Henry VIII (7)
testoon – TEST (examine) + O (love) + ON (performing)
17. Plant’s charm, with tips pruned (6)
alisma – (T)ALISMA(N) (charm)
19. American fly-by-night books in place of Douglas and Henry (2,4)
io moth – OT (books, specifically Old Testament ones) in IOM (Isle of Man, the capital of which is Douglas) + H(enry). Io moths are rather splendid
21. Wind belt up — one metre length — around hollow area (7)
shimaal – SH (belt up) + A(RE)A in IML (one metre length)
23. You might catch spotted fish (3)
ide – sounds like “eyed”
24. A mix of beer and bubbly for brother not up to much? (5-6)
abbey-lubber – *(BEER AND BUBBLY), so not black velvet, then..
26. Christian attending college, having changed order (5)
uniat – at uni, with the order reversed..
27. Archie played retro musical style with no initial clarity (9)
chiarezza – *(ARCHIE) + (J)AZZ rev.
29. Go around stores to pick up safety device (5,3)
shear pin – HEAR (to pick up) in SPIN (go around)
30. Before the first hour, rushed unknown quantity back (6)
zeroth – H(our) + TORE (rushed) + Z (unknown, not x or y), all rev. An uncommon word that always reminds me of Isaac Asimov’s laws of robotics, originally just the three but eventually joined by the zeroth law.. they always sounded rather a “lawyer’s delight” to me
Down
1. Iron a coat found among gear with energy (8)
kamacite – A MAC (coat) in KIT (gear) + E(nergy)
2. Shrub to become perky after removal of root (5)
bucku – BUCK UP, with the P removed.. the bottom letter being the root, presumably
3. American means to cut commercials from radio (3)
adz – US spelling of adze, sounds like “ads”
5. Fern, abnormally large and dull, couple in the end pruned (7)
osmunda – OS (outsize) + MUNDA(NE), dull
6. Good medium’s supernatural power, making second judge check one false statement (5,6)
juste milieu – OK, the supernatural power is a JUJU, the second J of which is changed to STEM (check) + I LIE. Tricky!
7. Camise? 14 for mending: will I bring pins and needles? (9)
ischaemia – *(CAMISE + AHI). Inadequate blood flow to a part of the body
8. What’s to be mostly seen round Rome with no sleeves? (6)
exomis – (R)OM(E), in EXIS(T) (to be, mostly).
9. Kabul resident perhaps has right to replace fine fibre (6)
arghan – AFGHAN (Kabul resident), with the F(ine) replaced by R(ight)
13. First victim from railway engine in section overturned (11)
protomartyr – RY (railway) rev. + MOTOR (engine) rev. in PART (section). A very neat clue, except that the PART is not reversed, so the clue as it stands doesn’t quite seem to parse, unless I’m missing something..
16. Porter, maybe, within seconds to bring up mineral (9)
scolecite – COLE (Porter, maybe) in S(econds) + CITE (bring up)
18. Harp on about husband, awful rascal! (8)
clarsach – *(RASCAL) + C (about) + H(usband)
20. Familiar greeting to composer descending on one’s barbecue (7)
hibachi – HI BACH + I
21. Muslim’s honorary title for one self-made, on the up (6)
sayyid – SAY (for one) + DIY, self-made, rev.
22. Public notice UK spies holding short interrogation (2,4)
si quis – QUI(Z) in SIS (Special Intelligence Services)
25. Sailor reared collection of animals for chops (5)
bazoo – AB (sailor, Able Bodied) rev. + ZOO
28. Delivered, but not initially from the pen of Sir Walter Scott? (3)
ree – (F)REE, a ree being a pen or sty in Scotland
I spent a while rooting around in Chambers to see if I could explain 13dn. TRAP is any ‘dark fine-grained columnar igneous rock’, and a section is ‘an exposure of rock in which the strata are cut across’. I can’t say I’m convinced.