No 10323, Thursday 01 Dec 11, Arden

ACROSS

9   - Summon worker for a tattoo, may be (7) - PAGEANT {PAGE}{ANT}

10 - Make merry with the first person in the list (7) - ROISTER {RO{I}STER}

11 - A boat initially can get some divine guidance (7) - CORACLE {C}{ORACLE}

12 - Quit when rid of cancer, say (4,3) - SIGN OFF {SIGN} {OFF}

13 - Can a Delhi cook prepare this dish? (9) - ENCHILADA*

15 - It brings tears to your eyes when one is hemmed in on both sides (5) - ONION {ON}{I}{ON}

16 - Could start with a drink, before the favourite dish (7) - CRUMPET {C}{RUM}{PET}

19 - Request admittance for an apparent reattempt (7) - ENTREAT [T]

20 - Bet the girl goes for a walk (5) - AMBLE gAMBLE

21 - Knocking the little devil on his role (9) - IMPACTING {IMP}{ACTING}

25 - Rifle fire went on before (7) - RANSACK {RAN}{SACK}

26 - Stand to the left, centre wobbles (7) - LECTERN {L}{CENTRE*}

28 - Dragonfly — find a lot in an accommodation (7) - ANTLION*

29 - It shall become rather exaggerated (7) - TALLISH*

DOWN

1   - Brave old man, returns with longing (6) - APACHE {AP<-}{ACHE}

2   - A strong smelling bulb, not large mushroom (6) - AGARIC {A}{GARlIC*}

3   - Soapstone dug up amid all the clatter (4) - TALC [T<-]

4   - Goddess gives one and then one more (6) - ATHENA {A}{THEN}{A}

5   - A modern scourge gets a whole lot of people under its tentacles (4,4) - ARMS RACE {ARMS} {RACE}

6   - A symptom to provide back up help over something mystical (10) - DIAGNOSTIC {DIA<-}{GNOSTIC}

7   - A protein could be poisonous (8) - ATROPINE*

8   - Initially dropped before the break, ten would retrieve the catch (5,3) - DRIFT NET {D}{RIFT} {NET<-}

14 - The showman will promise air transport (10) - IMPRESARIO* Like Kingfisher!!

16 - Mao, for example, managed to arm China (8) - CHAIRMAN*

17 - Perhaps, the Mumbaikar would join without bar hopping (8) - URBANITE {U{RBA*}NITE}

18 - Things get interesting when the plot clots (8) - THICKENS [CD]

22 - Going over the head about French taste (6) - PALATE {PA{LA}TE}

23 - Where was Spain when parts of Russia lost direction? (6) - IBERIA sIBERIA

24 - Keen to see if the apparition is after the weapon?... no way! (4,2) - GUNG HO {GUN}{G HOst}

27 - … A gun runner? (4) - COLT [DD]

GRID