Quince again – my second dose of something I have never eaten.
Quince certainly makes you think. 28ac was my favourite – very elegant. There are manamany others with lovely surfaces and supporting wordplay. I needed a dictionary to confirm 4dn – appreciate the new knowledge Quince.
Thanks Quince – look forward to round 3
Across
1 Get nurses behind surgery high on gas (6)
buy(get) around bbl (behind surgery – Brazilian butt lift) = BUBBLY
4 Tricky maths that could be a pain to pass (8)
DD CALCULUS
10 Reform voters are for values without moderation (9)
(votersare)* = OVERRATES
11 Ignoring the odds, Arsenal limp to dominion (5)
aRsEnAl LiMp = REALM
12 A few bucks is expensive for auditors (4)
Homophone of dear (expensive) = DEER
13 Officer uncovered Kamala Harris in disguise (3,7)
(amal Harris)* = AIR MARSHAL
15 It’s posh abroad, one argues (7)
(its posh)* = SOPHIST
16 Fraud detective tails out of a restaurant (6)
scam (fraud) + pi (detective) = SCAMPI
19 Rubbish bags tear in sets of two (6)
bs (rubbish) around race (tear) = BRACES
21 Rings from Circle Line stopping District Line ultimately (7)
o(circle) + l (line) in area(district) + e (line ultimately) = AREOLAE
23 They can’t easily move sports event, making politician tense (10)
Paralympics (sports event) swapping t(tense) for mp(politician) = PARALYTICS
25 Eager leader carved out of hunk of marble? (4)
david(hunk of marble) – d = AVID
27 Conservatives exposed Liberal – you can see through it (5)
tories (conservatives) – ts + l (liberal) = ORIEL
28 South American neighbours, one heartless and one short, sent back copy (9)
Rev. Peru Ecuador – u (short) – a (heartless) = REPRODUCE
29 Sack irrational salesperson lying about tattoo artist (8)
bag (sack) + pi (irrational) + rev rep (salesperson) = BAGPIPER
30 Three couples send rude messages on film (6)
sext (send rude messages) + et (film) = SEXTET
Down
1 Trump holds course with extreme latitude (8)
best(trump) around road (course) = BROADEST
2 “Get in goal!” shouted manager of busy team? (9)
homophone of be keeper = BEEKEEPER
3 Spreader of fake news raises Republican money (4)
liar (spreader of fake news) mmoving r (republican) up = LIRA
5 I’m not sure interrupting idiots is prejudicial (7)
um (I’m not sure) in asses (idiots) = ASSUMES
6 One used to pay charge for reassuring driving instructor (4,6)
car dreader(reassuring driving instructor) = CARD READER
7 ‘Unenthusiastic‘ is large word (5)
l(large) + oath (word) = LOATH
8 Taste first drops of Stella Artois, making Peroni look elegant (6)
Stella Artois Making Peroni Look Elegant = SAMPLE
9 No-nonsense detective abandoning precinct (6)
district(precinct) – di (detective) = STRICT
14 Sauce, still primarily considered the greatest, served up poorly (10)
pic (still) + ali (considered the greatest) + Rev. ill (poorly) = PICCALILLI
17 Staff leading Treasury try to pass the bar? (4,5)
pole(staff) + vault(treasury) = POLE VAULT
18 Lazy person‘s pop hit plugged by Adele finally (8)
dad(pop) + beat(hit) around e (Adele finally) = DEADBEAT
20 Wrote a crossword Independent released (3,4)
set (wrote a crossword) + free (independent) = SET FREE
21 Believe part of play about church power (6)
act(part of play) around ce(church) + p (power) = ACCEPT
22 A quiet look by male bachelor shows confidence (6)
a + p (quiet) + lo(look) + m (male) + b (bachelor) = APLOMB
24 Sorry for decision to expel student (5)
ruling(decision) – l (student) = RUING
26 Not a lot covered up by Kate Moss (4)
Rev. hidden katE MOSs = SOME
6d I think the definition must just be “one used to pay” and the “charge” is the nervous learner who needs the reassurance of the reassuring instructor. Possibly
Thoroughly enjoyable with many easy ones but quite a few head-scratchers. Failed at the last hurdle entering BABBLER at 1a (wrong kind of gas) unparsed. Didn’t know BBL. Also couldn’t see how 6d worked but Jayjay’s explanation works for me.
Thanks both. Tough in places, but very worth the endeavour, with CARD READER (now I understand it) REPRODUCE and BAGPIPER all scoring highly for me. I’ll even forgive the return of the ‘it isn’t actually the name of the film’ ET in SEXTET.
28a was just – *chef’s kiss*
With 6d, would a CAR DREADER not be the charge of a reassuring driving instructor, or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Thanks to Jay for explaining CARD READER. I am another who needed help to spell the pickle/sauce, though the wordplay was clear enough. I share the admiration for REPRODUCE and the puzzle as a whole, though I was less keen on PARALYTICS, both because of not really liking the word as a noun and the clue appearing to be a bit same-sidey.
14d the components are “primarily considered” for the second C and “the greatest” for ALI. Otherwise it’s picalilli.
Certainly tough in places and we needed help in the NW corner. But 28ac was absolutely brilliant.
Thanks, Quince and twencelas.
BUBBLY my favourite and last one in after entering Babble (gas) but knowing it didn’t parse. Googled the operation and bingo. Enjoyable puzzle. Thanks both.