Early Winter this year!!
8 - Perceive the replacement of potassium by sulphur in this cold powder (4) - (-k+s)SNOW
ACROSS
1 - If icy, fence requires mending with skill (10) - EFFICIENCY*
6 - Auditor's former partner's prayers cut short by Noel (4) - (~ex){X}{MASs}
10 - When mute, one is helpless (9) - SPECTATOR [CD]
11 - Bag grocer provided on informal provocation (5) - AGGRO [T]
12 - Customary for the doctor to stun Ali in it (13) - INSTITUTIONAL*
14 - Doctor's time in retreat with a wood nymph (5) - {DR}{YAD<-}
15 - Unpleasant covering on the face of the hunter's aide in the helicopter (9) - {EGG}{BEATER}
17 - Cricket teams gathering around the quarter for some refreshments (9) - {ELEVEN{SE}S}
21 - Slugs causing abandonment of the new playground fixtures (5) - SnAILS (Addendum - SWInGS - See comments)
22 - Proofs of payment for snail mail charges (7,6) - POSTAGE STAMPS [CD]
24 - Open up to the sailor (a Greek character) returning to the river (5) - {UN<-}{BA<-}{R}
25 - Bewildered canon I hid in the Asian peninsula (9) - INDOCHINA*
26 - It is moderate when off (4) - EASE [CD]
27 - Bold savage (10) - AGGRESSIVE [DD]
DOWN
1 - Seaside tin mined in the Malay archipelago (4,6) - EAST INDIES*
2 - Open approach needed in the swimming race (9) - FREESTYLE [DD]
3 - Scoundrel packaging bone model sent by the Thrush family member (7) - {CA{T}{BIR<-}D} What is the reversal indicator?
4 - Engineer, dexterous in removing the oversize mould (7) - EXTRUDEos*
5 - Student admitted to making better the game on ice (7) - {CUR{L}ING}
13 - Asks Sanger excitedly about the non-venomous reptile (5,5) - GRASS SNAKE*
16 - Members of an administrative trio (9) - TRIUMVIRI [E]
18 - Guard caught close to the beach (6) - ENSURE ? Anno pending (~inshore - See comments)
19 - Betting on the king trading places with Tesla in the rink activity (7) - S(-k+t)TA(-t+k)KING
20 - Graceful and caring model forced out by Sri Lankan leaders (7) - (-t+sl)SLENDER
21 - Thick cocktails placed aboard ship for the comical routines (7) - {S{HTICK*}S}
22 - Armadillos oddly missed in speedboats (5) - sPeEdBoAtS
23 - Balu gears up to smuggle the racing sled (4) - LUGE [T]
21 - Slugs causing abandonment of the new playground fixtures (5) - SnAILS
ReplyDeleteSWI(-n)GS
Slug(v) = Swig or hit hard
18 - Guard caught close to the beach (6) - ENSURE ? Anno pending
ENSURE (~in shore)
Well done on SARNIE, Deepak. Went over my head.
ReplyDeleteI had 21A as SWI(-N)GS
I think 26A would be EASE like Ease off.
I went the Bhavan way on the swigs. Is there a sub theme of the Far East:
ReplyDeleteEggbeater reminded me of Leadbeater, whose name I happened to use recently.
Scoundrel packaging bone model sent by the Thrush family member (7) - {CA{T}{BIR<-}D} What is the reversal indicator?
ReplyDelete---
(As this is a Down clue) Probably there should have been the word 'up' between 'sent' and 'by'.
Can't say how the mistake originated.
No epaper! And my college hostel doesn't supply the paper yet.
ReplyDeletePs. Hi :)
The travails of the virtual world !
ReplyDeletePS:Welcome, sukiyaki :)