Stiff Listener-like Special by Radix

Puzzle explanation

The quotation was “the three fundamental Rules of Robotics” from “Runaround by I. Asimov” (given by grid misprints). Clues’ treated letters gave the quotation with ARITHMETIC for ROBOTICS (indicated by the puzzle’s title as ROB+OTIC+S). Inserting, deleting and duplicating letters in clues corresponded more or less to addition, subtraction and multiplication, respectively. Each double clue used two of the operations and applying the other to its answers gave the grid entry. Eg, 1ac had T added and H subtracted, so corresponding letters of FRUITION and GREEN BAN were multiplied (F×G = 6×7 = 42 = P, etc).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Modified word [type] Answer [grid misprint] Explanation
Across
1 [+] bus-T FRUITION (IF I RUN TO) *
[−] ec(H)o GREEN BAN GREEN + B + A + N
6   SOFA [R] S + OF + A
10   SOPPIEST [U] POPSIES * + ’T
11 [−] t(E)am AMTRAK TAM * + RAKI − I’
[×] taTTers TAOIST STATIO(n) *
12   PAILS [N] PILS around A
13 [−] c(H)ant HAYLOFT HAY + LOFT
[×] baRRed SUFFECT SUFFE(r) + CT
15   PISÉ [A] PIE around S(onny)
16   SECTION [R] NOTICES *
17 [+] E-yes VISUAL 2 meanings
[×] trEEs DHOTIS DH + O + TIS
22   HEREIN [O] (w)HERE I N(eed)
23 [−] (F)lower GLUMMER G + LUMME + R
[+] ag-U-ed FASCIAS F + CASSIA *
24 [×] caNNed WYTE (TWENTY − NT) *
[+] type-D DEEK KE(y)ED <
27   THOLING [U] T + HOLING
29 [+] A-ye LASSI L + ASS + I
[−] (M)aids HELPS 2 meanings
30   HEALEY [N] ALE in HEY
31 [×] rEE ENDORSES (S(alford) + DON REE) * + S
[+] tow-N WICKEDLY WICK + ELY around D
32 [×] paTTer’s JAWS JAW’S
[−] s(A)ic THUS SHUT *
33   SERENATE [D] GENERATES * − G
Down
1 [×] fiLLe DRIB BIRD <
[−] wa(R)n LILY LI(ke)LY
2   ARIES [B] IS/ARE *
3   TOTTERS [Y] TROTTERS − R; ref. Only Fools and Horses
4   OPENED [I] PEN in OED
5   NIPS [A] NIPPERS − PER
6 [−] b(U)y ZOONOMY ON in ZOOM + Y
[×] fiLLing SPLEENS (P in (S + L)) + SNEE <
7 [+] b-E-ar HANJAR HAN + JAR
[×] amiSS SHERRY ERR in SHY
8   ABSONANT [S] ABS + ON + ANT
9   ENVIABLE [I] EN + VIABLE
14 [×] lOOse EFFETELY (FEY FLEET) *
[−] (F)undies HINDUISE (H + I + UNDIES) *
15 [−] e(A)rring BRAVURAS AV in BURSAR *
[+] c-R-ooked UNEVENER UNE + NEVER *
18   ADMIRAL [M] MIR after AD + A + L
19 [+] I-ce OFFCUTS OFF + CUT + S
[×] fluTTer HARN-PAN (APHRA + (A)NN) *
20   RITTER [O] RIT + TER-
21 [−] (H)airline PANAMA PAN AM + A
[+] tre-M-bling REGIME ÉMIGRÉ *
25 [×] commandEEr PRESS 2 meanings
[+] weigh-T VISOR VIS + OR
26 [+] sol-I-d CONE C + ONE
[−] (C)harmed KADI (A KID) *
28   GYTE [V] 2 meanings; (din)GY TE(nement)
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