No 12732, Tuesday 17 Sep 2019, Arden

Enroute to Washington DC, headed back to Bangalore. Next post from Bangalore.

ACROSS
1   Dark periods – start in opposite direction for tourist spots (6) SIGHTS (-n+s)SIGHTS
4   Tape to place in class (8) CASSETTE {CAS{SET}TE}
9   Idle one gets in tow regularly (6) LOUNGE {L(O)U(N)G(E)}
10 Arthur gets an arm around me in exchange (8) ARGUMENT {AR{GU{ME}N}T}
12 Painter has a head start over islander (8) TAHITIAN {T{A}{Head}ITIAN}
13 Movie called 'Country' (6) GREECE (~grease)

15 Record playing, too much delay makes one sad (12) DISCONSOLATE {DISC}{ON}{SO LATE}
18 Correct, let the wobble be seen as being unfair (5,3,4) BELOW THE BELT*
21 Sponge rings break in half, perhaps (6) LOOFAH {L{OO}FAH*}
22 Daughter finds a way to cut onion, as a rule (8) DOMINION {D}{O{M1}NION}
24 Crazy to combine drugs (8) CRACKPOT {CRACK}{POT}
25 Moped, half-heartedly for getting duck (6) SCOTER SCOoTER

26 No direct effect on Philosophy (8) DOCTRINE*
27 Sell by assuming different rate (6) BETRAY {B{RATE*}Y}

DOWN
1   Trouble outside, left inside for privacy (8) SOLITUDE {L} in {OUTSIDE}*
2   Huge cats prowling, not the most elegant (8) GAUCHEST*
3   Drunk guy left in the rear, runs – he must keep his balance (9,6) TIGHTROPE WALKER {TIGHT}{ROPE}{WA{L}KE}{R}
5   Line below central lawn is crooked (4) AWRY {lAWn}{RY}
6   For example 9 elect rich characters to take up an impossible task (6,3,6) SQUARE THE CIRCLE {SQUARE}{ELECT+RICH}*
7   Take a leak after a peg in tent (6) TEEPEE {PEE} after {TEE}

8   Fulfils initial expectation, leads to growing respect (6) ESTEEM {MEETS}{Ex...n}<=
11 Instrument will swell up, as small becomes twice as large (7) BASSOON {B{AS}{S}OON}

14 Time to assume tail wagging means happiness (7) ELATION {E{TAIL*}ON}
16 In other words is termed as a coalescer (8) DEMISTER*
17 Fish will remain outside ring, perhaps (8) STINGRAY {ST{RING*}AY}
19 Quiet rise in medical practice (6) PLACID [T<=]
20 Pattern of a plant disease (6) MOSAIC [DD]
23 Said to be good in France, capital in Germany (4) BONN (~bon)

Reference List
Arm = GUN, Daughter = D, Way = M1, Left = L, Guy = ROPE, Runs = R, Line = Railway = RY, Peg = TEE, Small = S,

GRID

No 12731, Monday 16 Sep 2019, Arden

ACROSS
1   Fixed in pole, shifted to ancient city (14) CONSTANTINOPLE {CONSTANT}{IN}{POLE*} Remids me of the riddle we used to pose in school. "Constantinople is  very big word, if you can't spell it you are a very big fool"
10 Queen almost returned to the country (5) NIGER REGINa<=

11 Claims missile lost direction, but he is loaded (9) ARROGATES {ARROw}{GATES}
12 Root of English drinks originally (7) GINSENG {ENG} after {GINS}

13 Rent by day, admit it's a disappointment (7) LETDOWN {LET}{D}{OWN}
14 A dolt's back, all alone (5) ALOOF {A}{FOOL<=}
16 Return transport, remain making sandwich (9) SUBMARINE {BUS<=}{REMAIN*}

19 Transported door with key (9) ENTRANCED {ENTRANCE}{D}
20 Walk is allowed (5) LEGIT {LEG IT}
22 Come back with final words and broken toes (7) RIPOSTE {RIP}{TOES*}
25 Cutter's home is in semi-circle (7) INCISOR {IN}{CI{SO}Rcle} Is/So ? Seems to be an error in the clue (Addendum - {IN}{C{IS}ORdon} - See comments)
27 Random search goes through, but it's capital (9) BUCHAREST {BU{SEARCH*}T}
28 Correct, head out to slander (5) ALIGN mALIGN
29 Dame Fonteyn free to take to a period of penance (3,2,9) DAY OF ATONEMENT {DAME+FONTEYN}* over {TO} and {A}

DOWN
2   Red fort, taking along a Church gallery (5,4) ORGAN LOFT {FORT+ALONG}*
3   Let girl come in, OK? It will be swell! (5) SURGE {SUR{G}E}
4   A correct signal to take drug, first course will relieve pain (9) ANALGESIC {A}{NALG{E}SI*}{Co...e}
5   It's part of Alpine county, rolling hills (5) TYROL [T] Semi&lit
6   Strange thing, will come down at dusk (9) NIGHTFALL {THING}* [RA] (Addendum - {THING}*{FALL} - See comments)
7   Terrace becomes quiet at ten (5) PATIO {P}{AT}{10}
8   Soul of a city is church (7) ESSENCE {ESSEN}{CE}
9   Imagine one away breaking wartime code (6) ENIGMA iMAGINE* Semi&lit
15 Standard workers for hoisting the tricolour (9) FLAGSTAFF {FLAG}{STAFF}
17 Not good to make money on sport (9) BADMINTON {BAD}{MINT}{ON}
18 Middle finger is not used for eating (9) INGESTION {fINGEr}{{IS+NOT}*
19 Decked out, stole finally (7) ENROBED Anno pending (Addendum - {EN{ROBE}D} - See comments)
21 Train, train one to get capital (6) TIRANA {TRAIN*}{A}
23 Soft, distasteful and fussy (5) PICKY {P}{ICKY}
24 Put up before court (5) ERECT {ERE}{CT}
26 Atlantic has massive ridge in the middle (5) CHASM [T] &lit

Reference List
Day = D, Key = D, Girl = G, Drug = E, Quiet = Soft = P, Church = CE, One = A, Court = CT

GRID