No 10352, Wednesday 04 Jan 12, Arden

ACROSS

1   - The political leader could be cultivated.…. or so the story goes (7) - PARABLE {P}{ARABLE}

5   - Paper bill gets to cover nothing inside (7) - TABLOID {TAB}{L{O}ID}

9   - Many go after a fruit, which could naturally be expensive (5) - PEARL {PEAR}{L}

10 - The Frenchman blew a composition. Can it be recovered? (9) - RENEWABLE {RENE}{BLEW+A}*

11 - Could be a star like Salman with a hat (9) - ASTRAKHAN {A STAR}*}{KHAN}

12 - There is rot, but without using force could become fat (5) - ESTER fESTER

13 - Rolls up the rebuke (4) - SNUB <-

15 - Censured for duping me badly (8) - IMPUGNED*

18 - Despatches take a long time after a fiasco (8) - MESSAGES {MESS}{AGES}

19 - A sad reflection on Henry's style (4) - DASH {DAS<-}{H}

22 - Got a top one to construct the courtyard (5) - PATIO {A+TOP+1}*

24 - Short lived record for a man right in the middle of his dinner, say (9) - EPHEMERAL {EP}{HE}{ME{R}AL}

26 - They do not want to face the reality of east German prosperity (9) - OSTRICHES {OST}{RICHES}

27 - May be now, having risen, one must confess (3,2) - OWN UP {NOW*} {UP}

28 - Rent on idle gossip is enough to disperse the crowds (4,3) - TEAR GAS {TEAR} {GAS}

29 - Changed…. finished after the setter returns (7) - EMENDED {EM<-}{ENDED}

DOWN

1   - Tree is well known but not universal (6) - POPLAR POPuLAR Remember these Poplar tree lined roads  from Old Hindi Movies?

2   - Such electrical phenomena can create confusion (9) - REACTANCE*

3   - Wood is brought over as a plank (5) - BALSA {BALS}{A} <-

4   - Tellurian could be lathering (9) - EARTHLING*

5   - Joint to review some music (5) - TENON <-

6   - With so much gap between stumps, “send in a Yorker”, one urged (9) - BOWLEGGED {BOWL}{EGGED}

7   - Little choice given before you go around (5) - ORBIT {OR}{BIT}

8   - Lug in air? It can be very dull (6) - DREARY {DR{EAR}Y}

14 - Lending when the cream of the society is in debt (9) - BESTOWING {BEST}{OWING}

16 - After work hates moving very quick (4-5) - POST-HASTE {POST}-{HATES*}

17 - Send her in disguise when it is held sacred (9) - ENSHRINED*

20 - Choose not to participate and work with solicitor (3,3) - OPT OUT {OP}{T OUT}

21 - Lech Walesa, say, could be back with the journalist who ran away (6) - ELOPED {ELOP<-}{ED}

23 - Confiscate trawler catching small fish (5) - TETRA [T]

24 - Those could mould the spirit (5) - ETHOS*

25 - Animal makes animal noises, reportedly (5) - MOOSE (~moos)