No 9677, Monday, 02 Nov 09, Sankalak

ACROSS
 1 - Uncommunicative and curt, ain’t flexible (8) - TACITURN*
 5 - Entertainer’s admission of being a drug-taker (6) - {AM}{USER}
10, 21 Dn. - Complete freedom of action, not only for the French (5,7) - CARTE BLANCHE [CD]
11 - Shop assistant who may sell good sari collection (9) - SALES{G}IRL*
12 - Peasants in the middle-east knock down a bird, pocketing note (9) - {FELL}{A}{H{E}EN}
13 - Code-maker who dropped a note from a feeling of guilt (5) - (-re)MORSE
14 - Security device for people directing movement of planes in the outskirts of Loughborough (5) L{ATC}H
16 - Would a professional decline into a pathological condition? (8) - {PRO}{LAPSE}
18 - As GM, I do act oddly opinionated (8) - DOGMATIC*
20 - Where in Africa can one get an excellent sweet round roll in return (5) - {NUB<-}{IA<-}
24 - Be full of them to be lively (5) - BEANS [CD]
25 - A French duke in the custody of socialist worker? Not needed (9) - {RED}{UND}{ANT} Not sure of anno (Correction to Anno - {RED}{UN}{D}{ANT})
27 - Venus in Athens? (9) - APHRODITE [E]
28 - A look at a part of the ship, originally oval (5) - {DECK}{O}
29 - Label going with package reconstructs 28 ahead of time (6) - DOCKE*{T}
30 - Runners wait for their orders (8) - STARTERS [E]
DOWN
 1 - What a diplomat has to be? (7) - TACTFUL [E]
 2 - Simple band, round thing, beginning to tarnish (7) - CIRCLE{T}
 3 - An enclosing sheath that he cares to conceal (5) - THECA [T]
 4 - Fungus formed round points gives a reddish-brown colour (6) - RUS{S}{E}T
 6 - Smell, fresh lemon or honeydew (4,5) - MUSK {MELON*}
 7 - The rider puts his foot in it (7) - STIRRUP [E]
 8 - Lever that is designed to take the burden off (7) - REL{IE}VE*
 9 - Kind of meeting open to all or only half the people? Never! (7) - (-peo){PLE}{NARY}
15 - One has to be late to get one’s name on it (9) - HEADSTONE [E]
17 - Tumour, bifid or otherwise (7) - FIBROID*
18 - Poor reverted worker was an expert (3,4) - {DAB<-) HAND
19 - Lucid symbolic diagram gets one cent (7) - {GRAPH}{I}{C}
21 - See 10 Ac.
22 - They write to the French over a short spell (7) - {AU}THORS*
23 - First appearance at a commercial opening (6) - {AD}{VENT}
26 - The lowest point in a broken drain (5) - NADIR*

GRID