No 9731 Monday 04 Jan 10, M Manna

ACROSS
1 - Word play (7) - CHARADE [E]
5 - Stance taken by CIA when returning like a fabled Greek (7) - A{ESOP<-}IC <- )
9 - Approaches in a short time (5) - NEARS [CD]
10 - Brachycephalic puritan? (9) - ROUNDHEAD [CD]
11 - Lascar turns out to be a rogue (6) - RASCAL*
12 - Lazy person exhausted, from the sound of it (8) - {DEAD}{BEAT}
14 - Ron gets DA to look into an element with radioactive gas (5) - RADON*
15 - Anna names persons to act as chroniclers (9) - {ANNA}{LISTS}
18 - Based on hearsay which can lead to trouble (9) - ANECDOTAL*
20 - Ran it around the track perhaps (5) - TRAIN*
22 - Thought like an individual in debt (8) - RE{AS}{ONE}D
24 - Lieutenant sure to unearth the confusion of small sounds (6) - RUS{TL}E*
26 - Shoot the underworld boss over an attack (9) - {DIS}{CHARGE}
27 - Nice to relate with an easterner (5) - NIEC*{E} Where is the definition?
28 - Told of Parisian appearing in gold and crimson (7) - {OR}{DE}{RED}
29 - Aspires proper expressions of approval (7) - PRAISES*
DOWN
1 - What could be nicer song about a brightly coloured flower? (9) - {CINER*}{ARIA}

2 - Made to fool assembly that was gathered in great numbers (7) - AM{ASS}ED*
3 - Refused to indulge a bent said to be crazy (9) - ABSTAINED*
4 - Mainly forward title (4) - EARL(-y)
5 - A charming invader is never on the square! (5,5) - {A}{CUTE} ANGLE Anno for angle pending
6 - Allied oneself with a particular party (5) - SIDED [E]
7 - Likes better promotion to higher rank (7) - PREFERS [DD]
8 - Tom goes round employment department for trainee (5) - CA{DE<-}T
13 - On the way to barbecue the steaks? (6,4) - {CATTLE} {GRID} ? How can 'On the way'e the definition

16 - You, say, and I halt in a new European country (9) - LITH{U}(~you)ANIA*
17 - Wildly foolish being without taste perhaps (9) - {SENSE}{LESS}
19 - Went by Oriental circuits, getting one in press (7) - {E}{LAPS}{ED}
21 - The man’s composed some music (7) - ANTHEMS*
22 - It’s operated by radiant energy (5) - RADIO [CD] I thought it was operated by electricity!!23 - Hero though on time was excluded by someone else (5) - O{T}HER*
25 - The French dad returned to act precipitately (4) - {LE}{AP<-} )

GRID