No 2570, Sunday 30 Jan 10

I am off to HOSUR for a college Alumni meet, so will not be back till evening, have a field day with your comments.
ACROSS
1 - Dizzy blonde? (5-6) - LIGHT-HEADED [DD]
9 - Film, hidden from view on occasion (5,4) - {BLIND} {DATE}
10 - Caricature of girl in opera, lead in Carmen (5) - {MIMI}{C}
11 - Essayist is overwhelmed by extra charge (7) - ADD{IS}ON
12 - Abstemious - tea user, possibly (7) - AUSTERE*
13 - Gloomy day - sail out across mouth of Mersey (6) - {D}{IS{M}AL}
14,17 - Pretty girls using extortion in plant (4-4-8) - {LOVE-LIES} {BLEEDING} Guessed from crossings and this was the last one I got.

18 - A dry heat out East, all things considered (2,4) - {A}{T T}{H(-e)AT}
21 - Master in pain through most of term (7) - TE{ACHE}R(-m)
23 - Firm not persuaded (7) - UNMOVED [DD]
24 - After hours, a lecturer was wearing (3,2) - {H}{A}{D ON}
25 - He, say, must stand in front of church to make an announcement (9) - PRONOUN{CE}
26 - Argue in protest about WW1 battle charge after commencement of truce (11) – {RE}{MONS}{T}{RATE}
DOWN
1 - Servant, 13, with day off (5,4) - L{ADY*}S MAID*
2 - Old woman, awfully angry, penning note (6) - GRA{N}NY*
3 - Lawrence of Arabia’s birthplace - Democrat misdirected (8) - TERMADOC* Had to google this
4 - Girl’s TV awards (5) - EMMY'S [DD]

5 - Golden Globe winning actress may make heaviest demand (4,5,5) - DAME EDITH EVANS*
6 - The Lord of the Flies novelist? (7) - D?C?E?S Lord of the flies novelist is Golding, but that does not fit here!
7 - A plank on a ship, perhaps (6) - {A}{BOARD}
8 - Uncommonly splendid manure required? Don’t despair (3,11) - NIL DESPERANDUM*
15 - Ad lib from retired English politician in shot (9) - {EX}{T{E}{MP}ORE}
16 - Warehouse, one pretty nearly bust (8) - ENTREPOT(-y)*
17 - Killer, hideous brute grabbing child (7) - BUT{CH}ER*
19 - Row about Diane being neater (6) - TI{DI}ER
20 - Copper getting a cut climbing dome (6) - {CU}{POL<-}{A} )
22 - Tennis champion served up nine after holding initially (5) – {H}{ENIN} Hard luck to her, she lost to Serena in the Australian open finals yesterday.





GRID

No 9753, 30 Jan 10, Gridman

16A has me stumped, WATERMUSIC, TAPEDMUSIC fits, but I could find no such words
ACROSS
 1  - Praise and support retreating friends (8) - {BACK}{SLAP<-} )  
6  - A key mistake? (4) - TYPO [E]
9  - Indian village: very nearly it’s orderly and free (6) - {GRA(-m}{TIS*}
10 - Go green — good enough to cause to swell (7) - ENGORGE*
13 - Covers covering mole’s last covers (9) - ENVELOP{E}S
14 - He has a diseased animal with its head blown off (5) - OWNER Anno pending
15 - Only second gets an exclamation of support (4) - {S}{OLE}
16 - It may be played in the fountain to give you sound experience (10) - ?A?E?M?S?C
19 - A well-mannered person follows this when online (10) - NETIQUETTE [CD]
21 - Scandal over Scot’s retraction (4) - SCAM<- )
24 - Flora’s partner (5) - FAUNA [CD]
25 - No panther straying into Greek temple (9) - PARTHENON*

26 - Ooh… Gent is lively and very active (2,3,2) - ON THE GO*
27 - Thorough, with no batsman remaining (3-3) - ALL-OUT [DD]
28 - Mistakes sounded Irish (4) - ERRS(~erse)
29 - Child reportedly removes moisture from odds and ends (8) - (~son){SUN}{DRIES}
DOWN
 2  - Appearance of a rook with competitor (7) - {A}{R}{RIVAL}
 3  - Proverbially, it’s accused by the pot (6) - KETTLE [CD]
 4  - Tells a cap wallowing in the lowest standing (4-5) - LAST-PLACE*
 5  - Stamp the newspapers (5) - PRESS [DD]
 7  - Father in stony-broke situation gets briefs (1-6) - Y-{FR}ONTS*
 8  - Locomotive operator’s obsession? (3-5,4) - ONE-TRACK MIND [CD]
11 - Sad appearance within the limits of Guindy (6) - G{LOOM}Y
12 - Celebrity — not necessarily a musician (6,2,4) - PERSON OF NOTE [CD]
17 - Host to go into coach without right (9) - {ENTER}{T(-r)AIN}
18 - Fair in the city centre (6) - SQUARE [DD]
20 - He jeers at dancing aunt and half-sister (7) - {TAUN*}{(-sis)TER}
22 - Condemn our losing head in perfume (7) - CENS{(-o)UR)E
23 - Melvillean character more healthy after the beginning of Winter (6) - {W}{HALER}
25 - Having second thoughts about great deal of schemes (5) - P{LOT}S Nice clue



GRID

No 9752, Friday 29 Jan 10, Gridman

ACROSS
 1  - Zigzags like the road up the Nilgiris, say (11) - SWITCHBACKS [E] More popularly known as Hairpinbends in India. You can see switchbacks on the Railway line to Darjeeling also.

 9  - The commercial side of Bollywood, perhaps (4,3) - SHOW BIZ [CD]
10 - By which you fold a paper (7) - ORIGAMI [CD]
11 - Leaders of cultural entourage going out of significance in German city (5) - ESSEN(-c-e)
12 - Things going thus are not under control (3,2,4) - OUT OF HAND [CD]
13 - One good small room in northern dwelling (5) - {I}{G}{LOO}

15 - One to hold the standard high (9) - FLAGSTAFF [E]
18 - Rob messes horribly with design carvers (9) - EMBOSSERS*
21 - Think and work in the middle of bed (5) - {OP}{IN}{E}
22 - With phone out of order, mean to work wonders (9) - {PHENO*}{MENA*}
24 - Grate ace built around right kutir to begin with (5) - C{R}EA*{K}
26 - Open out by turns? (7) - UNTWIST [CD]
27 - Severe purgative given by medical officer to a staff unendingly (7) - {DR}{A}{STIC(-k)}
28 - Vessel taken around old throng dispersed in fortresses (11) - S{TRONGHOLD*}S
DOWN
 1  - Yet misses exercises in regiment (9) - SYSTEMISE*
 2  - They are admired in Hindi constituencies (5) - ICONS [T]
 3  - They serve aboard (5,4) - CABIN BOYS [CD]
 4  - Go away like a flying bee? (4,3) - BUZZ OFF [CD]
 5  - Cairo at odds with this country (7) - CROATIA*
 6  - Almost cut fellows in scorn (5) - {SNI(-p)}{FF}
 7  - I shove a large sum of money back for Italian dish (8) - {CAL}{A}{MAR}{I}<- )
 8  - Tie up container to donkey’s head (4) - {BIN}{D}
14 - Book for an opera? (8) - LIBRETTO [DD]
16 - Gents in a school that’s reconstructed for one who lags behind (9) - SLO{WC}OACH* Gents & WC? What is the connection there?
17 - Excitement for which you don’t pay? Not exactly! (4,5) - FREE KICKS [CD]
19 - Role tec devised for voter (7) - ELECTOR*
20 - Sit out? On the contrary, deputise (5,2) - STAND IN [CD]
22 - Serve a beverage to party leader for three-quarters of sixty minutes (4) - {P}{(-h)OUR}
23 - Fails to use most scatterings around India’s capital (5) - OM{I}TS*
25 - Praise text oldster brought out (5) - EXTOL [T]

GRID

No 9751, Thursday 28 Jan 10, Gridman

What a relief after NJ

ACROSS
1 - Head of clan too old for insurance (8) - {C}{OVERAGE}
5 - Sufficient for one to turn. “Disgusting!” (6) - {ENO<-}{UGH}
9 - They may be gathered in one’s mind (8) - THOUGHTS [CD]
10 - Say no to litter! (6) - REFUSE [DD] Nice one
12 - U.S. magazine’s back issue (4) - EMIT <- )
13 - Has on hand the cash-box without moving (5-5) - {STOCK S}{TILL}
15 - Cold, did you say? It’s hot on the tongue! (6) - CHILLI(~chilly)

17 - Spells out in balance sheet (5) - B{OUT}S
20 - Photo developer’s solution (5) - FIXER [E]
21 - Pages, not masters, in season to have late meal (6) - SU(-mm+pp)PPER
24 - Higher insurance for a cricket fielder (5,5) - {EXTRA} {COVER}
27 - Retrieved a Roman robe (4) - TOG<-{A} How does GOT get reversed ? (Addendum - See Sandhya's comments below for the answer to my query)

29 - Adult lays out krona for a cold-weather jacket (6) - {A}NORAK*

30 - Not surprising, a number is heard and noticed (8) - (~four){FORE}{SEEN}
31 - Acted like a couch potato (6) - LOLLED [E]
32 - An unhappy person may let it fall (4,4) - TEAR DROP [CD]
DOWN
1 - Tailor a ship (6) - CUTTER [DD]

2 - Fiddle in an orchestra (6) - VIOLIN [CD]
3 - Partial irrigation for city on the Baltic Sea (4) - RIGA [T]
4 - Bird is beyond the empty grange. Understand? (3,2) - {G}{E}T IT
6 - Works said to have necessaries (5) - NEEDS(~kneads)
7 - Demanding exceptional interest? (8) - USURIOUS [CD]
8 - Kind of shoes Hess and Elle wear out (8) - HEELLESS*
11 - Be frugal with curls, end coming up first (6) - (+s)SCRIMP(-s)
14 - Blender noise — no end to spin (4) - WHIR(-l)
16 - One letting out property carelessly loses the first of receipts (6) - LESSO*{R}
17 - Sounded pronouncedly sad (4) - BLEW(~blue)
18 - Finally falter badly in a line (5,3) - AFTER {A}{L}L*
19 - Expo: it’ll set out a psephologist’s exercise (4,4) - EXIT POLL*
22 - Pure representation covers large attitudinizer (6) - P{OS}EUR*
23 - Patna’s perturbed at leader of clans having forty winks (6) - {C}ATNAP*
25 - Mindful of fighting within the limits of Alipore (5) - A{WAR}E
26 - Tamil Nadu town’s about-turn on poem (5) - {ER<-}{ODE}
28 - Listen, doubly it’s a sign of approval (4) - HEAR [CD]

GRID

N 9750, Wednesday 27 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

Bye-bye NJ

ACROSS
1 - Attack when as old king is a bit terrified (7) - {AS}{SAUL}{T}
5 - Shocked leader on the street (6) - {AGHA}{ST}
10 - Faith in a syndicate is when engineers take the place of Alan (8) - (-al+re){RELIANCE}
11 - Access a website (6) - PORTAL [DD]
13 - Particle is mostly hidden in the potato (4) - {I(-s)}{OTA}
14 - Realtors go to the wrong figure-caster (10) - ASTROLOGER*
16 - First to monitor now, the bovine kind of disease (3,3) - {M}{AD} {COW}
18 - Yen is acceptable, oh! for the regular oatmeal in the city (8) - {Y}{OK}{OH}{A}{M}{A}
21 - Have a value placed on the tip off a container by an expert (8) - {RATE(-d)}{ABLE} Anno doubtful
22 - Angry athlete will not note the effect of the plant (6) - ALTHEA(-e)* (Correction ALTHEA(-te+a) Don't know how A and EFFECT are related)

25 - More colourful vessel then transported in Uttar Pradesh (8,2) - {BRIG}{HTEN*} {UP}
27 - Barbie may be an example of this! (4) - DOLL [CD]

30 - Handles the party celebrations (6) - TREATS [DD]
31 - Earmark everything around for the bird lover in the East (8) - {ALL}{O}{CAT}{E}
32 - Accept the TV with the regular style of an Asian (6) - {SET}{T}{L}{E}
33 - Take-over in their position (7) - INHERIT*
DOWN
2 - Decisions that may be made with the blink of an eye (5) - SPLIT [CD]
3 - Boy is accepted by the French name (4) - {A}{LA}{N} NJ's french is improving
4 - See the cuts formed in the wood (6) - {LO}{CUST*}

6 - Animal sound at midnight is maybe lower lacking energy (5) - {G}{ROWL(-e)*}
7 - One may run around a star for this! (9) - AUTOGRAPH [CD]
8 - Unfinished story has a song about the winged sandals (7) - {TAL(-e)}{ARIA} Had to google search this
9 - Heartlessly set out to resubmit another element (6) - ERBIUM(-st)*
12 - Fix the marriage partner (5) - GROOM [DD]
15 - Artist is ready in the borders of erstwhile Yugoslavia (4) - {GO}{Y}{A}
17 - Somehow terminated out a harmful thing (9) - DETRIMENT(-a)*
19 - Look at the beast when left in the right place (4) - OG(-r+l)LE
20 - Light-footed task force (5) - FLEET [DD]
21 - Allowances for an engineer and a graduate is put up (7) - {RE}{BA}{TES<-} )
23 - Combined everything with one editor (6) - {ALL}{I}{ED}
24 - Completely involved in the foul play covering the line in Norway (4,2) - {FU{L}L O*}{N}
26 - Guesthouse is up-to-date by the sound of the French girl (5) - {HOT}{EL}(~elle)
28 - A large mammal of the giraffe family (5) - OKAPI [E]

29 - Roof is the same on both sides of the mosque (4) - {DO}{M}{E}

GRID

A tete-a-tete with Shuchismita Upadhyay (Shuchi)

Shuchismita Upadhyay in her blog, Crossword Unclued, has interviewed a few solvers. Now the tables are turned (she is not the one to duck!) and she cheerfully fields a few questions from two or three of us sent to her by email.

Q1: Tell us something about yourself and your background.

Shuchi: This happens often with me: I say one thing about myself, and someone else who knows me well says the opposite. I’m probably different in different contexts.

I take interest in many things, which are sometimes thought of as mutually exclusive – programming, cooking, poetry, celeb fashion, to name a few. I also write another blog that my crossword friends might not know about – it’s about theatre, called DramaDose.

I live in Bangalore, and like every second Bangalorean, work in the IT industry.

Q2: How did you get into this pastime?

Shuchi

: I've solved word puzzles since as long as I can remember. An early memory is of my Uncle (who would’ve made a fine crossword setter, if he had pursued his talent) creating for my cousins and me word games to work on. These were similar to the clue types of cryptic crosswords, like anagrams and hidden words. (Hindonyms were his idea, too.)

Later in high school, my dad encouraged me to read the financial papers. We used to get the Economic Times at home, and the crossword in this paper quickly caught my fancy. To my dad’s great happiness, I was always to be found poring over ET when he returned from work. That my financial acumen remained woefully inadequate is another story.

Q3: Solving Crosswords stems from an interest in the English Language. How did you acquire that?

Shuchi: I think it stems from more than an interest in the English language, such as an interest in logical reasoning. Frankly, I have no idea how I acquired the interest. Some things are wired into us, maybe?

Q4: Any person or book who influenced you into taking more interests in Crosswords?

Shuchi

: If not a person or book, many external factors did shape my approach towards crosswords.

The mess in my college hostel had a role to play, in expanding the range of crosswords I solved. They had a supply of several newspapers. There I got into solving The Hindu and Indian Express, in addition to ET.

By the time I completed college, I was a pretty confident solver.

When I started work, I was doing 14-hour workdays and crosswords took a backseat, but I did one whenever I could squeeze in the time.

An incident in 2002 had a strong impact on me. I was living in Ashford (UK) at that time, and was staying with a friend over the weekend. She was reading a paper on which the crossword was printed, and I mentioned casually that I solve those. She replied wide-eyed, impossible you can’t, they’re too tough. I jumped at the bait and repeated, yes I can, try me. Finally I took the paper, picked up a pen, poised to fill in the squares starting at clue 1.

To my utter consternation, I discovered that I couldn’t solve it. After 30 minutes of struggle, I had not even half-finished.

I realized crosswords could be far more challenging than what I was used to.

The internet revolutionized my crosswording experience. There is now easy access to the best sort of puzzles. A wealth of information is available, and the opportunity to discuss crosswords with others who share our hobby.

All of this has influenced my interest in crosswords.

Q5: The acumen for dissecting clues comes from experience on the subject or from books. Which route did you take to get there?

Shuchi

: I think it is the degree of our involvement which makes the most difference to how well we learn/appreciate something. That’s true of crosswords, too.

Participating in crossword communities helps to keep one thinking. Colonel’s blog and the THC forum on Orkut provide that valuable platform to THC solvers.

I want to read more books about cryptic crosswords, but I have hardly read any so far.

Q6: Did you graduate from straightforward to cryptic or did you get directly into the latter? Which was the first crossword you solved?

Shuchi: Cryptics directly. I started solving with the Economic Times.

Q7: Do you solve on paper, machine or both and which do you find more comfortable?

Shuchi: I prefer solving on paper, but sometimes don’t have that option when I am solving from home (I don’t own a printer).

Q8: What is your technique for solving?

Shuchi

: I skim through to find what I can answer without crossings – these are usually anagrams, hidden words, the very long or very short ones. I keep an eye on the crossed clues and see if I can answer them, sometimes guessing the word from its crossings and then verifying it against the clue. It’s pretty random.

I generally solve on the bus ride back home from work, with pauses for conversation or for looking out of the window. After I reach home, I visit the blog for the crossword to read its analysis.

Q9: Your view on electronic aids for solving?

Shuchi: Not evil, but not fun. I wrote about this here - Crossword Solving Aids.

Q10: Any favourite setters and why? Name one favourite Indian and one foreign setter.

Shuchi: It is extremely difficult to pick favourites; there are different qualities I like in different setters. I like Don Manley for the beauty of his clue surfaces, Brendan for his creative themed puzzles, Alberich for his always elegant clues, Anax for the sheer genius with which he creates misdirection.

If I am asked at gunpoint to name only one favourite Indian and one foreign setter, I’ll probably say Vinod Raman (who can whip up anagrams like magic) and Paul Halpern (whose clues I find very witty).

I also wonder why we must categorize setters as ‘Indian’ and ‘foreign’. A cryptic crossword setter is a cryptic crossword setter, regardless of his/her place of origin/residence. When we say that a setter is masterly or pedestrian, we base our opinion on parameters that are not country-dependent. Then why must we stress so much on classifying them by country?

Q11: A good solver turns into a good compiler. Have you considered that next stage?

Shuchi: "A good solver turns into a good compiler" - not necessarily. I find that solving and setting are different skills, and the best solvers may not be the best compilers (and vice-versa).

I do try my hand at clue-writing occasionally. I’ve posted clues on my blog and sometimes participate in Anax’s CWC. Setting is much harder than solving!

Q12: Which Crosswords do you solve nowadays? I believe you blog on one of the UK Crosswords; tell us something about how you got into that.

Shuchi

: I like to have variety. In a week I solve about 3 each of Guardian, FT, Times and the occasional Independent crossword.

I blog about the Financial Times crossword, on a group blog called Fifteensquared. They had a blogging slot free and I was interested to join them - that’s how I got into it.

Q13: How do Indian Crosswords compare with others in entertainment value? Do British Crosswords make you smile more often than Indian ones?

Shuchi: I’m assuming “Indian Crosswords” means The Hindu Crossword. Otherwise, I’ll be repeating most of what I said for Q10 :-).

Not all British crosswords are equal. The crossword in the free paper on London train stations is not of the same quality as the Times. Even on the same paper, the entertainment value of the puzzle can have wide variation by setter.

If I narrow the question to compare the best of The Hindu Crossword with the best of crosswords in British dailies, then in my view, THC currently falls short of the sophistication and creativity we see in British crosswords. I think THC is in grave need of a crossword editor.

Q14: What is the view of your family members regarding your Crossword solving?

Shuchi: My family and friends know vaguely that I solve crosswords and write a blog about it, but they don’t take much notice. I seldom discuss crosswords in my ‘non-cyber avatar’.

Q15: Any tips for budding setters?

Shuchi: As someone who makes raw attempts at setting, these tips are as applicable for me as for anyone else –
· Solve good crosswords; you’ll learn what you practice.
· Participate in clue-writing contests. There are some very good ones where published setters too take part and qualified judges evaluate the entries.
· Let others solve your clues/grids. Listen to feedback without taking a defensive stance.

Q16: What was the inspiration for starting your blog ‘Crossword Unclued’? How do you come up with post-ideas?

Shuchi

: My friend Ankur who writes a widely-read blog about software automation testing, encouraged me to start blogging, and set up Crossword Unclued for me so that I could put my “crossword energy to constructive use”, as he says.

I took to blogging very soon and was brimming with ideas of what to write about. It felt like an outlet for conversations that I earlier had inside my head.

Many post ideas get triggered while solving the day’s crosswords. Sometimes one idea leads to another, and a chain of blog posts takes shape.

Other items follow a long-term plan, like those about clue types or grids. I write those bit by bit on weekends and when ready, schedule the posts for publication over the next few days. Some items take a while to complete - the one about Ninas was in my Drafts folder for many months waiting for an appropriate example before I hit Publish. I also take permission from the setters/editors if I’m putting a large part of their work on the blog.

A challenge I face is of creating something of interest for a wide audience - solvers both new and experienced, from different geographies who solve puzzles from different papers. I try to balance the content so that everyone finds something to enjoy or learn.

Q17: What's the best compliment you've received in your crosswording/ crossword-blogging experience?

Shuchi: Whenever people write to say that my blog has helped to build their interest in crosswords, or improved their solving, it’s very rewarding.

Tailpiece

I hope you all enjoyed the interview as much as I enjoyed formulating it and putting it up on my blog.
Tomorrows post will be up at 9 PM only to enable everyone to read this post.

No 9749, Tuesday 26 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

REPUBLIC DAY greetings to all. I will be publishing an interview with Shuchismita Upadhyay (Shuchi) the brain behind CROSSWORD UNCLUED later today, thought I would do it tomorrow as it may be a holiday for papers, which is not so.
13A has me stumped
ACROSS
 1  - Extremists regularly fear the new acts developed ingeniously in the beginning (8) - {F}{A}{N}{AT{I}CS}
 5  - Encourage the sailor to eat out in the afternoon (4) - {AB}{E(-a)T}
 9  - Small articles on sovereignty initially in the eastern vicinity of the capital city (8) - {S}{A}{RAJ}{E}{V}{O}
10 - Duration of a programme (6) - COURSE [DD]
12 - University that may offer independent education through correspondence (4) - OPEN [CD]
13 - Sound of which vehicle? (10) - ?R?T?S?I?M (Addendum - BROOMSTICK - See comments)
15 - Train Peter in to change the way the past is perceived (14) - INTERPRETATION*
17 - Take care to cut short an answer of one with limitless calibre (14) - (RESPONS(-e)}{I}{(-a)BILITY}
21 - Supplementary notice of the detailed validation does not have a sign (10) - {AD}DITIONAL(-a-v)*
22 - Sudama’s humble offering to the Lord! (4) - POHA [E] Poha is beaten rice in India
25 - Write-up again to see (6) - REVIEW [DD]
26 - Initially have a look right in the borders of Chile for the gas (8) - C{H}{LO}{R}{IN}E
27 - Said to look at the location (4) - SITE(~sight)
28 - Muslim leader is right in front of a gangster going back to the capital city (8) - {AGA}{RT}{LA<-} )
DOWN
 1  - Politician is out of the commotion in the merger (6) - (-con)FUSION
 2  - Look after the money when small change gets replaced by a note (5) - (-p+n)NURSE
 3  - The Spanish name for the Tagus river (4) - TAJO [E]
 4  - Hide the man finally in the car in Uttar Pradesh (5,2) - COVE{R} {UP} ?
 6  - They may be put up at fairs organised for publishers (10) - BOOKSTALLS [CD]
 7  - Special kind of person will start talking to the minister anyhow (9) - {T}ERMINIST*
 8  - Joint in the side of the wood (5) - ABEAM [DD] (Correction - STEAK - See comments)
11 - Animal spot (4) - STYE Is the only word that fits here Anno unknown (Correction MOLE [DD] - See comments)
14 - Behaviour is right for the workers in the warehouse (10) - DEPO{RT}{MEN}T
16 - Proceeded gingerly with ease after four plunges (9) - {NOSED}{IV}{ES}
18 - Black dust left out of the machines taken up (4) - S(-l)OOT <- )
19 - Friendly gesture in a dominant position (4,3) - BEAR HUG [DD]
20 - Hidden device from the public eye for security reasons (6) - CAMERA [CD]
21 - Kitchen garment is out in Paris stitched with the number upside down (5) - {APR(-is)*}{ON<-} )
23 - Language is the first option for the girl (5) - {O}{RIYA}
24 - Two pairs are on time (4) - FOUR [DD]

GRID

No 9748, Monday 25 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

Finally NJ has now gone over my head, not making any comments today, except one as I am fed up.

ACROSS
 8  - Representatives surround the news agency regularly in trance reviewing the messages (14) - COMM{UNI}{C}{A}{T}{I}ONS  

9  - Scram for the Michael Jackson song (4,2) - BEAT IT [DD]

10 - Tea maker finally has to regularly cook with mostly all the fuel (8) - {CHA}{R}{C}{O}{AL(-l)}
11 - Device in a shrine briefly is in there (8) - {A}{TOM(-b)}{IS}{ER}
13 - It is blown out before you eat the cake! (6) - CANDLE [E]
14 - Refined background is not for us (6) - DECENT Anno pending
16 - Take position on a ship initially used by the soldiers endlessly (6) - {A}{SS}{U}{ME(-n)}
19 - Gone back over at midnight to take the last peg of drink (6) - E{G}{G}NOG<- )
21 - Appraisal conducted by a police team out in the morning on the street (4,4) - {A}{CID} {TE(-am)}{ST}
23 - Rare ape is ready to over exercise to come into sight again (8) - REAP{P}EAR*
24 - Oddly, German mummy wins an award (6) - {G}{R}{A}{M}{M}{Y}
26 - Break-up of trading ties is accepted to be a part of the instructions given (14) - DISINTEGRAT*{ION}
DOWN
 1  - Agreed upon a carbon copy of the first early prints taken by an editor (8) - {A}{CC}{E}{P}{T}{ED}
 2  - Discharge half of them in one final judgment (4) - {EM}{I}{T}
 3  - They may be the exact words of another person! (4) - QUOTES [CD]
 4  - Pick out a record from the internet (7) - {DISC}{ERN}
 5  - Equalizes the scales (8) - BALANCES [DD]
 6  - Bad behaviour of the girl is cut short by the politician from the French court on both sides (10) - {MIS(-s)}{CON}{DU}{C}{T}
 7  - Measure the Thai outhouse left on the landed estate (6) - {EN}{T(-h)AI}{L}
12 - Man has no spices sprinkled over around the herb (10) - {M}{ECON{O}PSIS*} This is a flower or a plant how is it a herb?

15 - Forgets about the gentle swallows initially caught (8) - NEGLE{C}TS*
17 - Right-of-way in the written agreements without an agent in hand (8) - EASEMENT Anno pending
18 - Firing on the river dam (7) - BARRAGE [DD]
20 - Language in charge is following a girl in England (6) - {GA{E}L}{IC}
22 - Working well, I leave Nigeria in chaos (2,4) - IN GEAR(-i)*
25 - Keen to miss out an examination (4) - AVID Anno pending

GRID

No 2569, Sunday 24 Jan 10

The ususl gaffe in numbering, todays should have been 2568!! Quite a straightforward one today for a Sunday CW.
ACROSS
1 - Lighten a wicked vile tale (9) – {A}LLEVIATE*
6 - Put a price on a rib (5) – {COST}{A}
9 - To walk or run away is acceptable (3,2) – {LEG} {IT}
10 - Braggart in flash trap (9) – {LOUD}{MOUTH}
11 - Friend goes with many a sailor (7) – {MATE}{LOT}
12 - A command to break old man's kneecap (7) – P{A}{TELL}A
13,15 - Undertake a task till . . .? (3,4,4,2,3,6) – PUT ONES HAND TO THE PLOUGH
19 - Went by, pleased for a change (7) – ELAPSED*
21 - Errand boy collecting wicked loot (7) – P{ILL}AGE
22 - Gad about with suitor round centre of St Ives? (9) – GALL{IV}ANT
23 - Toddler, alone, hasn't one that's full (5) – {TOT}{AL(-one)}
24 - Girl from Brentford or Isleworth (5) – DORIS [T]
25 - Look at key in surprise (3-6) – {EYE} {OPENER}
DOWN
1 - Ardent Liberal fuelling a reputation (6) – {A}{F{L}AME}
2 - Start smoking in open view at college (5,2) – {LIGHT} {UP}
3 - Quantitative data Miss World will have supplied? (5,10) – VITAL STATISTICS [CD]
4 - Suddenly everyone's in agreement, including Conservative's leader (3,2,4) – ALL AT ON{C}E
5 - Provide witty remark after end of joke (5) – {E}{QUIP}
6 - A period required after to reach end (4,2,1,4,4) – {COME TO} {A} {FULL STOP}
7 - Filthy group of soldiers briefly given cover (7) – {SQUA(-d)}{LID}
8 - Religious retreat in wood run by a spymaster (6) – {ASH}{R}{A}{M}
14 - Sailor about to collect special gunpowder ingredient (9) – {SALT}{PET}{RE}
15 - Creeping plant in home on wheels (7) – TRAILER [DD]
16 - A number, following try, cheer (7) – {HEAR}{TEN}
17 - Bishop, encouraged, asked for money (6) – {B}{EGGED}
18 - One who instructs cashier (6) – TELLER [DD]
20 - Elizabethan sailor died a dissolute man (5) – {D}{RAKE}



GRID

No 9747, Saturday 23 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

Sorry for the delayed post as the site was down and I could log in only at 8:35 AM. Not adding many links and pictures to save time. 25A has me stumped.
ACROSS
7 - Pull the cart into position (8) – TRACTION*
9 - Loose jacket for an athlete (6) – JUMPER [DD]
11 - Blackmail the former supporter endlessly into confusion (9) – {EX}{TOR(-y)}{TION*}
12 - Place made famous by Gandhi’s Salt March (5) – DANDI [E]
13 - Alien is not a client I see at the health centre (6) – {CLI(-et-n)}{IC} ? (Correction - {CLIN(-et)*}{IC} - Thanks to Richard)
14 - Upright in posture (8) – VERTICAL [E]
17 - Reputation of an individual (9) – CHARACTER [E]
22 - Old leader in the morning goes to sleep in the dark anyhow removing the duvet on top (8) – {AM}{BED}{KAR(-d)*}
23 - It is the stroke at midnight! (6) – TWELVE [CD]
25 - Black tea grown in China (5) – C?N?O (Addendum - CONGO - See discussion in comments)
27 - Apt vendor fixes the writing desk (9) – DAVENPORT*
28 - Printing style allowed by Lawrence in the capital of Russia (6) – {LET}{TE}{R}
29 - Accountant is in to vote following an advertisement by a lawyer (8) – {AD}{VO{CA}TE}DOWN
1 - Exercise over a period of time (7) – STRETCH [DD]
2 - Up in command to hold a training academy at first in Norway (7) – {CAP}{TA}{I}{N}
3 - Hard layers at last of oil are dissolved in Germany (5) – {S}{OLI*}{D}
4 - An embankment (4) – BUND [E]
5 - Hungry chaps consumed the hot vegetable (7) - SP{IN}ACH*
6 - Supporter is sick to finally use this form of writing (7) – {BRA}{ILL}{E}
8 - Formed a bad opinion of a sailor up in the building (9) – {TAR}{NI<-}{SHED}
10 - Cause to disbelieve one cheat in trouble (7) – {UN}{TEACH*}
15 - Weak to do the new kind of martial art (9) – TAEKWO{N}DO*
16 - Disney city (7) – ORLANDO [E]
18 - Structure of the foundation stone contains copper and a bit of lead (7) – BAS{CU}{L}E
19 - Hard rubber at the tip of an elastic piece is over on the string (7) – {E}BONITE Anno pending
20 - Losing competitor in the borders of Russia is in loans perhaps (4,3) – ALSO {RA}N*
21 - Pays for the seats (7) – SETTLES [DD]
24 - Escape with the girl with determination in daytime (5) – {EVA}DE Anno for DE not clear
26 - Reported not to have been paid by us for the poems (4) – OWED(~ode)

No 9746, Friday, 22 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

Stumped by 4A being a CD and my bugbear!!

ACROSS
1 - Timid man in Spain somehow is not one to be finally angry (5) - {PANS(-i)*}{Y}
4 - God’s instrument! (7) - CAUSERS ? Just a wild guess (Addendum - BANSURI - Thanks to Suresh, see comments and also the link provided with the answer)
10 - Six vehicles for the priests (6) - {VI}{CARS}
11 - Wakefulness at home for mostly all not in Somalia around noon (8) - {IN}{SOM(-al){N}IA*}
13 - Regularity in the Roman settlement is at the corner of an empty city (8) - {NORMA*}{A}{L}{C(-it)Y}
14 - Influence a very strong leaderless clan (6) - {A}{FF}{(-s)ECT}
16 - Harmful to be back (4) - EVIL <- )
17 - Lift the silent attendant (10) - {DUMB}{WAITER}
20 - Draped the mini cloth over the hole in the stone block (10) - MON{O}LITHIC*
21 - Not enough of the French articles (4) - {LE}{AN}
24 - Paper required for the first edition (6) - {T}{ISSUE}
26 - Hands over the money in a diverse way (8) - DE{L}IVERS*
28 - It may be one’s monthly expenses! (8) - OUTGOING [E]
29 - Teachers at last are relaxed admitting two hundred in an institution (6) - {S}{C{H}OOL}
30 - A senior keen to mend the shoe (7) - SNEAKER*

31 - Announce the succession of a planet (5) - CERES (~series)
DOWN
2 - Current officer is a royal Indian not playing the instrument (9) - {AC}{CO}{R}DION Anno pending

3 - Commander hidden in Amritsar dargah (6) - SARDAR [T]
5 - Regular value — not of a relative (4) - {A}{U}{N}{T}
6 - Fine trickster (8) - SCOFFLAW [E] New word for me, had to google search it as it was a CD
7 - Wash the bit of rice in the south-east (5) - {R(-ice)}{IN}{SE}
8 - Show even one caught carelessly (6) - EV{I}N{C}E*
9 - One can make him take down an order (6) - WAITER [CD]
12 - Motivate a curator initially for all to see in the gallery (7) - {A}{C}{T{U}ATE}
15 - Helps firstly leaving in guards extremely safe pursuing an old boy (7) - {OB}{L}{I}{G}{ES} How did SE get reversed?
18 - Accordingly free others confused without us (9) - THEREFORE(-s)*
19 - Dimming away the world of camouflaged characters missing to be fed (8) - GLAUCOMA(-fed)*
20 - Woman in charge of mother in a market place (6) - {MA}TRON Anno pending
22 - Cuddle up even under an empty seat for the French (6) - {NE}{{S(-ea)T}{LE}
23 - Group of people are in shape (6) - CIRCLE [DD]
25 - Goat’s head sign may belong to the sinister one (5) - SATAN [CD]
27 - Worker is eager at first to bet (4) - {ANT}{E}

GRID

No 9745, Thursday 21 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

In a hurry have to take my wife to hospital so leaving 9A and some annos.

ACROSS
1 - Charm listener after finish (6) - {END}{EAR}
5 - Plays around Madras (6) - DRAMAS*
8 - Birds in Florida and China are very large (9) - {FLA}{MING}{OS}

9 - Taste is a bit unusual for the woman without the vitamin at lunchtime (5) - {U}??M? (Addendum - {U}{MA(-a}M}{I} - New word for me. See comments)
10 - These maybe the gatherings to mark an event! (7) - SOCIALS [CD]
12 - Empty out the griddle in the city (6) - {O(-u)T){TAWA} TAWA or TAVA is a griddle in India
14 - Poet is against even to be under protection (5) - AE{G}{I}{S} Anno pending (Addendum -{AE}{G}{I}{S} )
16 - Band is in silence when inside (4) - S{AS}H How did IS become AS (Correction AS is from WHEN)
19 - Want the boy to eat the vitamin (4) - NE{E}D
20 - Method of cutting the hard ring out of the overhanging pieces (9) - ENGRAVING(-h-o)*
21 - Animal driving the market upwards (4) - BULL [E]
22 - Anyhow save the birds (4) - AVES*
25 - I initially run after the man turning back at a low point (5) - {NAD<-}{I}{R}

27 - Mostly the boy is in a grand large gathering (6) - {TH(-e)}{RON}{G}

29 - Many distraught by a rebellious animal in the country (7) - {MYAN*}{MAR-} )
32 - Mistake the burial chamber to have a note in place of a sign (5) - (-v+f)FAULT
33 - Improving the limitless kind of rejoicing after a regular change in the wrong direction (9) - ENHANCING Anno pending (Addendum - {E}{N}{H}<-{(-d)ANCING} )
34 - Strong guide sold herb to be distributed (3-10) - BIG-SHOULDERED*
DOWN
2 - Subtleties unidentified before hundreds guarding the front entrance (7) - NUANCES Anno pending
3 - Noise in each city (5) - E{DIN}A
4 - Rough-textured grouse is disturbed (6) - RUGOSE*
5 - Particles from the French street (4) - {DU}{ST} Today THE in Frenchis DU for NJ
6 - Age category in a disco initially for you has been left out at last (5) - {A}{D}{U}{L}{T}
7 - Were homes designed at an unknown location? (9) - SOMEWHERE*
8 - They may get clenched in anger (5) - FISTS [E]
11 - Wooden frame on an insulating material (7) - LAGGING [DD]
12 - Guard nothing on the way mostly in the fringes of a rally (7) - {O}{ST}{I(-n)}{A}{RY}
13 - Weight of the strings of a horse-drawn carriage (5) - {TON}{G}{A}

15 - Ambitious girl regularly has a name in an advertisement (5) - {G}{R}{A{N}D}
17 - Prison largely in Bahrain removes the new hidden device (3,6) - A{BUG} GHRAIB(-n)* (Correction - A{BU G}HRAIB(-n)*)
18 - Greeting that is heard on the other end of the line! (5) - HELLO [CD]
23 - Left out the primeval kind of dangerous creature (7) - VAMPIRE(-l)*

24 - Skinny type of neck (5) - SCRAG [DD]
26 - I am somehow happy not to heartlessly pay for the pupil in the city (6) - {IM}{PHA(-p-y)*}{L}
28 - Politicians trap us (5) - {NET}{AS} How did US become AS?? NETA is a politician in India
30 - Initially a new number is enlisted for the girl (5) - {A}{N}{N}{I}{E}
31 - Public protest for the trial software (4) - DEMO [DD]

GRID

No 9744, Wednesday 20 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

Stumped again with 7D, 9 & 16A and other guesses
ACROSS
1 - Somewhat ill, sailor accommodates the mischievous four tots (3,2,5) - O{UT OF SORT*}S
9 - Escape in a boat, after the gas effect of a fire (6) -( Addendum - ABLAZE ?)
10 - One in the family who may not be well-liked! (5,5) - BLACK SHEEP [CD]
11 - Immigrants arriving in the Foreign Office covering the left wing in front (6) - {IN}{FLOW}
12 - Throws out the reptiles when Henry comes in for tea (7) - (-t+h)HURTLES
16 - Half-dry out the photograph of a model (5) - (Addendum - POS(-t)ER - Thanks to Sembhayya)
17 - Policemen are firm on second thoughts (4) - {CO}{PS}
18 - Dog mostly every second need not to be loud (5) - {MUT(-t)}{E}{D}
19 - Simple and trusting new associate I have (5) - {N}{A}{IVE}
20 - To shiver in the woven rug with a bit of embroidery (4) - {URG*}{E} (Correction - {GRU*}{E} - Thanks to Svemuri)
21 - Damaged old car without date is found in the sea (5) - CORAL(-d)*

22 - Boil the nut out of the cooked substances (7) - ABSCESS ? (Addendum - ABSCESS(-nut)* - Thanks to Sandhya) Nice clue after all
27 - Recollection of storage areas in the computer (6) - MEMORY [DD]
29 - King will have an alternative therapy as a way of solving the problem (4,2,4) - KIND OF CURE Anno pending or KILL OR CURE in view of 26D
30 - Anonymous (2,4) - NO NAME [CD]
31 - Spotted those rays covering the primarily orthodox visionary (10) - SO{O}THSAYER*
DOWN
2 - You and the heartless gal are young but not beautiful (4) - {U}{G(-a)L}{Y}
3 - Unknown black arts (6) - OCCULT [CD]
4 - She fails to hand in an identical plant (6) - {S(-h)E}{SAME}
5 - Holders of a dance show initially (5) - REEL{S}
6 - Desserts at last in Andhra Pradesh have the same strong taste (5) - {S}{AP}{ID}
7 - Accidentally blast one tile with an explosive (10) - (Addendum - BALL{I}STITE* )
8 - Draws ember out of the braziers (3,7) - BED WARMERS*
12 - It may be a reunion for ex-students! (10) - HOMECOMING [CD] Terrible definition
13 - Soldiers are almost sick with the workers at the time of departure (10) - {RE}{TIRE(-d)}{MEN}{T}
14 - Leaders of sports competitions are in dismay (5) - {S}{C}{ARE}
15 - Pauses in breathing regularly in the Alps is not good (5) - {A}{P}NEA Anno for NEA pending
23 - Smart choirboy drops one bit of the yellow accessory (6) - BROOCH(-i-y)*
24 - New coach designs the structure (6) - CO{N}CHA* ?
25 - Walls in Denmark cover the yard with ease (5) - {D{Y}K}{ES}
26 - Overheard to dispose off the hollow instrument (5) - BANJO Anno pending (Correction - (~sell){CELL}{O} - Thanks to Richard)

28 - Woody plant found in the street (4) - TREE [T]


GRID

No 9743, Tuesday 19 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

No idea about 17A

ACROSS
4 - An angel protects an adult during a crisis (8) - GUARDI{A}N*
8 - Sit lazily in the living room (6) - LOUNGE [DD]
9 - Care to eat the part of a meal on a running track (10) - {RACE*}{COURSE}
10 - She is trim to be fit without an initial increase in weight (4) - {(-s)HE}{F(-i)T)
11 - Note the time on the message (4) - {ME}{MO}
13 - Recruit an English army leader in the borders of Greece (6) - {ENG}{A}{GE}
15 - Cut short the hard head gear (7) - {HAR(-d)}{NESS}
17 - Empty out the half dry articles in the river (4) - ?T?A
18 - Armoured vehicle in the pond (4) - TANK [DD]
19 - Did apes spoil the rice fields? (7) - PADDIES*
21 - Show off an apartment around United Nations (6) - FLA{UN}T
22 - Free the Democratic leader held by an international organisation (4) - UN{D}O
25 - Tick the new item (4) - MITE*

26 - Go against the princess in an agreement (10) - CONTRA{DI}CT
27 - Chaperone has a tussle at last with the foreigner over a bit of racism (6) - {E}{SCO{R}T}
28 - Expansion of one screen is largely around the centre of the theatre (8) - {I}NCRE{A}SE*
DOWN
1 - Testing stage is in an alphabetical order (5) - ALPHA [T]
2 - Noisy fight in an event gets the unionist in place of an associate (6) - R(-a+u}UFFLE
3 - Fixed time of prayer is decided in Crete (5) - TERCE*
4 - Good introduction of the new Coke mascot in an ad campaign (5) - {G}ECKO*
5 - They aim to capture her in the bright lights (7) - ARC{HER}S
6 - Debtor you heartlessly gag sits pleading for the health professionals (9) - {DR}{U}{G(-a)G}{ISTS*}
7 - Giving a task specifically is up to the soldier covering the Northern borders of Nuremberg (9) - {AS}{SI<-}{G{N}I}{NG}

12 - Enthusiasm of a worker in lowa (5) - {MAN}{IA}

14 - Baby may not see the light of the day (9) - STILLBORN [E]

15 - Soldier will target hub in danger (9) - HAGBUTTER*
16 - Horse is left out at last in a new country (5) - SUD{A}{N} Anno pending
19 - Seat of Punjabi University (7) - PATIALA [E]
20 - Developing agent maid manufactured gets oily every second (6) - AMID*{O}{L}
22 - Join fifteen regularly following the peacekeepers (5) - {UN}{I}{T}{E}
23 - Showers affection on the same Asian bridge players (5) - {DO}T{ES} Where is T from ?
24 - Cash? Maybe kept for small expenses (5) - PETTY [CD]

GRID