No 10556, Friday 31 Aug 12, Arden

A good opener from Arden.

ACROSS

9   - Cereal said to cause dental problem (7) - SORGHUM (~sore gum)

10 - Reversion to the state — evenly Jessica gets warm (7) - ESCHEAT {jEsSiCa}{HEAT}

11 - Right to exist in the globe, it often weighs heavily on one (7) - BARBELL {BA{R}{BE}LL}

THE WAY TO EXERCISE

12 - Dishonourable police officer on count (7) - IGNOBLE {IG}{NOBLE}

13 - Hired to implant eggs, gave new life (9) - RENOVATED {REN{OVA}TED}

15 - Material girl gets diamonds, sweetheart (5) - SUEDE {SUE}{D}{swEet}

16 - American raced around in a vehicle which was not new (4-3) - USED-CAR {US}{ED-CAR<-} (Correction - {US}{ED-CAR*} - See comments)

19 - Shifting target before a race (7) - REGATTA {TARGET*}{A}

20 - Midshipman and others are part of a corolla (5) - PETAL {shiPman}{ET AL}}

21 - Demarcate building which has become weak (9) - MACERATED*

25 - Insisting a lawyer produce the fellow on time (7) - ADAMANT {A}{DA}{MAN}{T}

26 - Exorable to allow nine characters within (7) - LENIENT {LE{NINE*}T}

28 - Ruler measure on Iron (7) - EMPRESS {EM}{PRESS}

29 - A month of work for Paul the predictor (7) - OCTOPUS {OCT}{OPUS}

DOWN

1   - Things are equally intense all along the line (6) - ISOBAR [CD]

2   - Practice air escape (3,3) - DRY RUN {DRY} {RUN}

3   - It is worn to keep people away, reportedly (4) - SHOE (~shoo)

4   - Charm a beast over time (6) - AMULET {A}{MULE}{T}

5   - Shock with an exhortation to let one’s hair down a little more (8) - BEWILDER {BE WILDER}

6   - Such sweetness is fine (5,5) - ICING SUGAR [CD]

7   - Weakest charge, before the cream had left (8) - FEEBLEST {FEE}{B{L}EST}

8   - Caught between aliens over a period of time and so on….. (2,6) - ET CETERA {ET} {C}{ET}{ERA}

14 - Was in two minds and left, feeling sick inside (10) - VACILLATED {VAC{ILL}ATED}

16 - One in France put out of the victory stand (8) - UNPLACED {UN}{PLACED}

17 - They plan manoeuvre to find the total energy of the system (8) - ENTHALPY*

18 - Being farthest it is but a speck among others (8) - REMOTEST {RE{MOTE}ST}

22 - Clubs permit those who are young and inexperienced (6) - CALLOW {C}{ALLOW}

23 - Relationships draw on energy backup system (3-3) -  TIE-UPS {TIE}-{UPS}

24 - It is extremely deplorable to be put on trial, one would hate it (6) - DETEST {DeplorablE}{TEST}

27 - Some eggs are in the carton, it’s to keep them safe (4) - NITS [T]

LINK TO GRID

No.10555, Thursday 30 Aug 12, Scintillator

I wouldn't bet against Scintillator coming up with a boring puzzle even if some of his clues make a few prudes squirm.

ACROSS
1 Man of numbers finds offence over gambling house (6) CASINO (CA + SIN + O)
4 Sported a disguise and assumes one again (8) READOPTS (SPORTED A)*
9 ‘Punter’ in sporting circles (6) BOOKIE (E)
10 State where koala is very fluffy (8) SLOVAKIA (KOALA IS V)*

12 Prodigal son, bereft of energy, consumes a bad Indian spirit (8) RAKSHASA (RAKe + S + HAS + A)

13 Post-retirement role as a governor (6) SATRAP (PART AS)<=
15 Match features Australia’s fourth victory on the trot (4) TWIN (T + WIN)
16 Central building in low French resort (5,5) MONTE,CARLO (CENTRAL* inside MOO)
19 Mistake’s without covering-up at oath ceremony (8-2) SWEARING-IN (SIN outside WEARING)
20 Manual approval (4) CLAP (CD)
23 Ten wickets down  // with maximum effort (3-3) ALL-OUT (DD)
25 American venture capital? (3,5) LAS,VEGAS (CD)
27 United — glorified and exalted (8) UPRAISED (U + PRAISED)
28 Go over twice in a set routine (6) GROOVE (GO OVER)*
29 Reserve top-quality dessert (3,5) ICE,CREAM (ICE + CREAM)
30 Make film cuts using electronic detector, say (6) CENSOR (~SENSOR)

DOWN
1 Show naked parts, dirty woman! (7) CABARET (BARE inside CAT)
2 Standard nuclear reactor acts as a reserve supply (9) STOCKPILE (STOCK + PILE)
3 Hackneyed cries? (6) NEIGHS (CD)
5 Strips top off revealing smooth things (4) EELS (pEELS)
6 Gambling vice-dean shows irregularity (8) DEVIANCE (VICE-DEAN)*
7 It’s acceptable to participate in a game (5) POKER (OK inside PER=a)
8 We may blame this for a bad hair day (7) SHAMPOO (CD)

Hello Medusa

11 What’s tucked in dupattas, to understandably take your breath away (7) ASTOUND (T)
14 I teach differentiating Left and Right (7) ETHICAL ({I TEACH}* + L)
17 Placing faith in the heart of unfeeling girl’s fake promises (9) RELIGIOUS ({E + GIRL}* + IOUS)
18 I procure rummy cards (8) CROUPIER (I PROCURE)* &lit

Safe bet

19 Epical character has poor upbringing in Uttarakhand (7) SHAKUNI (HAS* + IN UK<=)
21 Former European biologist (7) PASTEUR (PAST + EUR)
22 Not keen on designer saree with V-cut (6) AVERSE (SAREE V)*
24 Voluminous and tricky algebra undoes grad student (5) LARGE (ALGEbRa)*
26 One could say Sushmita’s a force (4) SENA (SEN + A)

LINK TO GRID

No 10554, Wednesday 29 Aug 12, Buzzer

HAPPY ONAM

I didn't see any of the butterflies that Bhavan anticipated!!

ACROSS

9   - Hope to get a chance one time (4,3) - LONG AGO {LONG} {A}{GO}

10 - Self-aggrandisement for example, no mistake (3,4) - EGO TRIP {EG}{O} {TRIP}

11 - It is a disgrace drunkard’s unchanged (5) - SHAME (~same)

12 - Amateur’s well trained but not commercially motivated (3-6) - NON-PROFIT {NON-PRO}{FIT}

13 - Order in a manner of speaking (9) - INDICTION {IN}{DICTION}

14 - Man who is somewhat inebriant (5) - BRIAN [T]

15 - North Indian city surrounding a famous waterfall (7) - NIAGARA {N}{I}{AG{A}RA}

17 - Parts of a computer pulsing erratically (4-3) - PLUG-INS*

19 - Knock down base (5) - FLOOR [DD]

20 - PG accommodation without keys at first (9) - WODEHOUSE {WO}{D}{E}{HOUSE}

22,6 - Down: It admits odor? (9,4) - REVOLVING DOOR {REVOLVING ODOR}

24 - Said to be one and only largest Asian capital (5) - SEOUL (~sole)

25 - Knight wearing gaudy dress (7) - GARNISH {GAR{N}ISH}

26 - Cut hot dog in pieces and share equally (2,5) - GO DUTCH {CUT+H+DOG}*

DOWN

1   - Positive indicator of endless luxury — Scorpio perhaps (4,4) - PLUS SIGN {PLUSh} {SIGN}

2   - Outstanding peacekeepers given remuneration (6) - UNPAID {UN}{PAID}

3   - Sit and drink tea during broadcast (4,1,5) - TAKE A CHAIR {TAKE A {CHA}IR}

4   - Nothing left in devastated tsunami region of Australia (5,3) - MOUNT ISA {M{O}UNT ISA*}

5   - Curb ruling that’s no good at all (4,2) - REIN IN {REIgNINg}

6   - See 22 Across

7   - Rude picture of a tennis player, one appearing in newspaper (Independent) (8) - GRAFFITI {GRAF}{F{1}T}{I}

SEE THIS CARTOON

8   - Is kid snorting cannabis right? (4,2) - SPOT ON {S{POT} ON}

14 - Some of the mob rush as I’d expected for discount (5,5) - BRUSH ASIDE [T]

16 - Abandon or leave a plant (4,4) - ALOE VERA*

17 - Teaching exercise deputy accepted eagerly (8) - PEDAGOGY {PE}{D{AGOG}Y}

18 - Least bothered with your secret (8) - STEALTHY {LEAST*}{THY}

19 - Seek gold and silver with iron coating (6) - FORAGE {F{OR}{AG}E}

20 - Importance of work in a restaurant reportedly (6) - WEIGHT (~wait)

21 - Submarines turn and snake around strait (1-5) - U-BOATS {U}-{BOA{T}S}

23 - Layperson, one among a hundred thousand (4) - LAIC {LA{I}C}

LINK TO GRID

Another pleasant evening spent in the company of Arden, Kishore and David at Bowring Institute Bangalore. Pictures at the THCC Families blog.

No 10553, Tuesday 28 Aug 12, Buzzer

ACROSS

1   - Short accurate summary (6) - PRECIS PRECISe

5   - Small mischievous being seen in heavens (6) - SKIMPY {SK{IMP}Y}

SKIMPY NUMBER

10 - Fashion model, glad to get first prize (4,5) - GOLD MEDAL*

11 - Westbound 9.50 Russian local (5) - LENIN {L}{ENIN}<-

12 - Retro composition of a rurally divine song (5) - IDYLL <-

13 - Ringing endorsement for marriage (9) - BETROTHAL [CD]

14 - Before end of dinner, supply finest glass of brandy (7) - SNIFTER {FINEST*}{R}

16 - Push off internal cricketing body problems (7) - HICCUPS {H{ICC}UPS*}

18 - Key members of staff for a dictator (7) - TYPISTS [CD] My COD even though it's a CD

20 - Floating across Isle (Man) on the French ship (7) - AIMLESS {A}{IM}{LE}{SS}

21 - Case of extremely tired retinas? (9) - EYESTRAIN {ExtremelY}{RETINAS*} & lit

SEE THIS CARTOON

23 - It is worth having, like a collection (5) - ASSET {AS}{SET}

25 - Hot drink in the morning for the elite (1-4) - A-TEAM {A{-TEA}M}

26 - Correct throw gets one a wicket (9) - CASTIGATE {CAST}{1}{GATE}

27 - Blessed virgin mother associated with birth essentially, inside an animal shelter (2,4) - ST MARY {ST {MA}{biRth}Y}

28 - Saw a boat (6) - CUTTER [DD]

DOWN

2   - Side with supporter in a demonstration (5) - RALLY {R}{ALLY}

3   - Finishes unfinished building on time with odd ease (9) - COMPLETES {COMPLEx}{T}{EaSe}

4   - Secondary news article about seabird (7) - SIDEBAR*

5   - Mark piece of land surrounded by school (7) - SPLOTCH {S{PLOT}CH}

6   - House, primarily in Greenland, lacks opulence often (5) - IGLOO {I}{G}{L}{O}{O}

7   - Chaos in the U.S. Open top quarters (9) - PENTHOUSE*

8   - Criminal vs. Judiciary (7,3,3) - AGAINST THE LAW [CD]

9   - Perhaps pet author from Britain (7,6) - ENGLISH SETTER {ENGLISH} {SETTER}

15 - Device put into operation (9) - IMPLEMENT [DD]

17 - Symbol said to be first for a music player (9) - CYMBALIST (~symbol){CYMBAL}{1ST}

19 - Republican church content to remain stiff (7) - STARCHY {STA{R}{CH}Y}

20 - Forgetful person made Mensa in charge (7) - AMNESIC {MENSA+IC}*

22 - Stamp album showing place in Florida (5) - TAMPA [T]

24 - Old watch needs change of hand (5) - STALE STA(-r+l)LE

LINK TO GRID

No.10552, Monday 27 Aug 12, Neyartha

Neyartha makes me refer the dictionaries more than any other setters. Which is not a bad thing at all. Really enjoyed this puzzle. The theme is building materials as far as I can see is this. May be it is his own sometime soon? Let me know if you spotted any other motifs.

ACROSS
1 Desire to go around the sultanate is feminine (8) WOMANISH (WISH around OMAN)
5 Put forward the tense lasso as a form of worship (6) LATRIA (LARIAT with T moving ahead)
9 Antique bit sent back with an exposed frame (8) OUTDATED (TAD<= inside OUTED)
10 The Iron Lady shows no hesitation in getting the plant stalks for roofing (6) THATCH (THATCHer)

11 Colour of tee marker designed by an unlawful vendor (5,9) BLACK, MARKETEER (BLACK + TEE MARKER*)
14 Houses from which one shouldn’t throw stones? (5) GLASS (CD)
16 Messed up the timing in the darkness (5-4) NIGHT-TIME (THE TIMING)*
17 Alliance revealed in newly minted coin capturing a revolutionary ballroom dance (9) COGNATION (COIN* outside TANGO<=)
19 Reportedly scare away the Scotsman with a Middle Eastern spice (5) SUMAC (~shoo + MAC)

20 Morrison Carter in trouble for crime abetting illegal drug trade (14) NARCOTERRORISM (MORRISON CARTER)*
23 Democrat Hershey remains concealed to some degree (6) RATHER (T)
24 Alien to create trouble with a substitute for the unlisted (2,6) ET,CETERA (ET + CREATE*)
25 Bond with // concrete (6) CEMENT (DD)
26 Round sum pocketed by a pompous elder relative (8) GRANDDAD (ADD<= inside GRAND)

DOWN
1 Will, at an earlier point in time, was reported to be with the lumber (4) WOOD (~would , past tense of will)
2 Some elements of rock //music (5) METAL (DD)
3 Hints about Switzerland being overwhelmed by a Greek character’s gambles (7) NUANCES (CH replaced by NU in CHANCES)
4 Industrial Revolution kickstarter may rile up the driver (5,6) STEAM, ENGINE (STEAM + ENGINE)

6 Engineer, chastised after losing margins, was most pale (7) ASHIEST (cHASTISEd)*
7 Metallic element seen with another element in Utah’s borders (9) RUTHENIUM (RHENIUM outside UT)
8 Bone archer broke in disgust (10) ABHORRENCE (BONE ARCHER)*
12 Preying bird is powerless to go back up north, getting caught in a heat transfer device (11) REGENERATOR (RApTOR outside RENEGE<=)
13 Being self-absorbed, underwent initial turmoil like Ptolemy’s universe (10) EGOCENTRIC (GEOCENTRIC with G<=>E)
15 Napier proposed one for logarithm calculation (9) ALGORITHM (LOGARITHM)*
18 Nature of some tides in a Mediterranean arm and an Italian river needed for energy (7) APOGEAN (AeGEAN with PO for E)
19 Ship’s doctor takes out the model of the caviar yielding fish (7) SURGEON (StURGEON)
21 In haste, Edward gets to the horse (5) STEED (T)

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH

22 One may bury his head in this to ignore danger (4) SAND (E)

LINK TO PUZZLE

No 2701, Sunday 26 Aug 12

ACROSS
1   - Oppose the others crossing island (6)  - RESIST {RES{IS}T}
4   - Correspond about hospital making one squirm (6)  - WRITHE {WRIT{H}E}
8   - Foolishly tearful in Oxford college, reportedly (7)  - MAUDLIN (~magdalen)
10 - Murder in West Indies, extremely predictable and senseless (4,3)  - WIPE OUT {WI}{PredictablE} {OUT}
11 - I'm tense, and hence upset cartoon character (6,3,6)  - DENNIS THE MENACE*

12 - Rule changed to accommodate married primate (5)  - LEMUR {LE{M}UR*}
14 - Choosy school I have, but admitting the Spanish (9)  - SELECTIVE {S{EL}ECT}{I'VE}
16 - Piece of land shot in pale sun (9)  - PENINSULA*
17 - Travels free to East Sussex, initially (5)  - RIDES {RID}{E}{S}
19 - Murder at Bengali resort, a notorious danger area? (7,8)  - BERMUDA TRIANGLE*

22 - Picture of one excavation in which silver's found (7)  - IMAGINE {1}{M{AG}INE}
23 - Dog bred for racing beat favourite (7)  - WHIPPET {WHIP}{PET}

24 - Poor actor allowed in play (6)  - HAMLET {HAM}{LET}
25 - Harmonious, bar clubs round outskirts of Sydney (2,4)  - IN SYNC {IN {SydneY}N}{C}
DOWN
1   - Change the shape of rock festival held in the centre (7)  - REMODEL {RE{MOD}EL}
2   - Reject incentive offered by knight (5)  - SPURN {SPUR}{N}
3   - Trooper willing to persevere (7,2)  - SOLDIER ON {SOLDIER} {ON}
5   - Rugby Union fellow has no right to make a little money abroad (5)  - RUPEE {RU}{PEEr}
6   - Actress's horrid hat, crumpled (5,4)  - THORA HIRD* What a name!!
7   - Most violent end (7)  - EXTREME [DD]
9   - Nothing at all suppressed over a treatment (3,1,7)  - NOT A SAUSAGE {NO TAS<-}{A}{USAGE}
10 - Small cart has to turn round by pub and bank (11)  - WHEELBARROW {WHEEL}{BAR}{ROW}

13 - Napoleon's place in literature? (5,4)  - MANOR FARM [GK]
15 - Flower people following vehicle (9)  - CARNATION {CAR}{NATION}

16 - One pound sent over in advance for issue (7)  - PUBLISH {PU{BL}{1}<-SH}
18 - Infected having caught cold? One might doubt it (7)  - SCEPTIC {S{C}EPTIC}
20 - Make one marry (5)  - UNITE [DD]
21 - Fellow eating very soft fish (5) - GUPPY {GU{PP}Y}

No 10551, Saturday 25 Aug 12, Neyartha

Plenty of water today.

ACROSS

7   - Essential to be capable of distinguishing without help, in retrospect (8) - CRITICAL dia<-CRITICAL

9   - Oddly fear packaging the soft iced dessert (6) - FRAPPE {FRA{PP}E*}

10 - Issues resulting from one going missing in the straits (10) - EMERGENCES EMERGENCiES

11 - A break for the Oriental to move back to Victoria, say (4) - LAKE L(-e)AK(+e)E

12 - Pakistan keeps part of the armoured car (4) - TANK [T]

13 - Cook contended the head strike throughout (3-2-3) - END-TO-END cONTENDED*

16 - Perceived mop with a carpentry byproduct (7) - SAWDUST {SAW}{DUST}

18 - Sacred chant put by the king in the portrait of a Greek character (7) - OMICRON {OM}{IC{R}ON}

20 - Third note on the article wrapped in towelling fabric (8) - TERTIARY {TER{TI<-}{A}RY} (Addendum - {TER{TI}{A}RY} - See comments)

21 - One may fly across this from London to New York (4) - POND [GK]

23 - I replace the uranium in an extinct volcano in a Pacific island (4) - FIJI F(-u+i)IJI

24 - Fruit with lumps returned to the old French province (10) - STRAWBERRY {STRAW<-}{BERRY}

25 - Shopping centres coming back around the Eritrean capital’s watercourse (6) - STREAM {STR{E}AM<-}

26 - Antidotes prepared after time out in a medicated state (8) - SEDATION ANTIDOtES*

DOWN

1   - Hike with the vagrant (5) - TRAMP [DD]

2   - Tsar’s inapt dress burnt with the flag (5,3,7) - STARS AND STRIPES*

3   - Minced garlic containing vitamin and ice (7) - GLACIER {GARLIC+E}*

4   - Removes the louts after the female gets rid of the article (4) - OFFS O(-a+f}FFS

5   - Index of sorts in a contestable font was rewritten (5,2,8) - TABLE OF CONTENTS*

6   - Told to be in favour of being reserved (6,3) - SPOKEN FOR {SPOKEN} {FOR}

8   - Groan audibly on spotting the watercourse (5) - CREEK ~creak

14 - Upset unbalanced barrier (3) - DAM <-

15 - Renovations that may lead to heads being held high? (4-5) - FACE-LIFTS [CD]

17 - Main cryptography cipher has been reversed (3) - SEA <-

19 - Tree featured in a fancy pressmark (7) - CYPRESS [T]

21 - Mishandled the direction for Romeo to be docked (5) - PAWED PA{WED} Anno not clear (Addendum - PA(-r+w)WED - See comments)

22 - Heard an American defence rifle by the watercourse (5) - BROOK ~brooke

24 - A Lapplander’s uniform (4) - SAME [DD]

LINK TO GRID

No.10550, Friday 24 Aug 12, Gridman

Gridman finishes this run much the way it was throughout, with an entertaining puzzle. I do have a bone to pick with 2D though. How far is too far with regional references. Your thoughts?

ACROSS

1 Drivers rack and rasp angrily when not finding these (3,5) CAR, PARKS (RACK RASP)*

LAW OF CAR PARKING

5 Rest books the woman scribbled on top (6) OTHERS (OT + HER + S)

10 How Leander swam the Hellespont to meet his beloved (7) NIGHTLY (GK)

11 Delight in lather worked up to smother the nude’s head (7) ENTHRAL (LATHER* outside N)

12 Regard sessions recalled by evaluator at first (6) ESTEEM (MEETS<= after E)

13 Din Croat created is characteristic of a violent wind storm (8) TORNADIC (DIN CROAT)*

15 Aquatic creature, duck seen lying in shade (4) TOAD (O inside TAD)

16 Insignificant flow of millstream (5-5) SMALL-TIMER (MILLSTREAM)*

18 If one is sitting there, one is undecided (2,3,5) ON, THE, FENCE (E)

20 No limits to pasta! I will get wine (4) ASTI (pASTa + I)

23 The skill of our broadcasters in a flying machine (8) AIRCRAFT (CRAFT of A.I.R)

24 Leader of piety in Indian city finds site of temple (6) DELPHI (P inside DELHI)

26 Sounding natural and grammatical? No, Mother, it’s nonsensical (7) IDIOTIC (IDIOmaTIC)

27 Fancy ring given to the artist (7) CHIMERA (CHIME + RA)

28 Bird, no upstart, in a pound (6) THRASH (THRu(+A)SH)

29 Able peon described as tall, thin person (8) BEANPOLE (ABLE PEON)*

DOWN

1 Viol Constantine played is moderate (15) CONVENTIONALIST (VIOL CONSTANTINE)*

2 On roistering in Tamil Nadu, Al leaves boat race (7) REGATTA (RE + GalATTA)

3 Song puts worker on edge (6) ANTHEM (ANT + HEM)

4 King’s ‘yes’: first of orders to strike (4) KAYO (K + AY + O) K.O more familiarly

6 I, with ten, at it — producing mineral (8) TITANITE (I TEN AT IT)*

7 A title that could make me a lord (7) EARLDOM (ME A LORD)* &lit

8 A document in which one vouches for oneself (4-11) SELF-CERTIFICATE (CD)

9 Remember to band together again (9) RECOLLECT (DD)

14 One MP gets ref. and ‘tec’ tossed and disfigured (9) IMPERFECT (I MP + REF TEC*)

17 Lot of waste — dirt set haphazardly around the lid of urn (8) DETRITUS (DIRT SET* outside U)

19 Dog’s blunder in row (7) TERRIER (ERR inside TIER)

21 Boss’ super-duper modus operandi (7) SUPREMO (SUPER* + MO)

22 Kind girl in African nation (6) BENIGN (G inside BENIN)

25 Spots cane arrangement (4) ACNE (CANE)*

LINK TO GRID

No 10549, Thursday 23 Aug 12, Gridman

On the train approaching Bangalore,no time to dress up the blog, will do so after getting home.

ACROSS

1   - With child, rupee is pouring in — take heart! (5,2) - CHEER UP {CH}{EER UP*}

5   - Tree recalls a standard account (6) - (Addendum - CARAPA {CA}{RAP}{A}<-)

9   - Girl is almost typical (5) - NORMA NORMAl

10 - Bans haiku translated in a language (9) - KASHUBIAN*

11 - Exact opposite of left off? (5,2) - RIGHT ON {RIGHT} {ON}

12 - Boater, perhaps, gets fellow to French water (7) - CHAPEAU {CHAP}{EAU}

13 - Cared about a tree (5) - CEDAR*

14 - Adulthood — one of those a florist displays (4,5) - FULL BLOOM [DD]

16 - Blossomed? Encourage continually in garden plot (9) - BURGEONED {B{URGE)(ON}ED}

19 - Farewell publicity that is reaching you finally (5) - ADIEU {AD}{IE}{U}

21 - I and a couple of learners have head cold, maybe (7) - ILLNESS {I}{LL}{NESS}

23 - Search — proceed tediously on the web (7) - DRAGNET {DRAG}{NET}

24 - A corroded musical instrument for the inexperienced sort? (9) - GREENHORN {GREEN}{HORN}

25 - Catch old boy — prominent one (5) - NABOB {NAB}{OB}

26 - Assortment to meld somehow with prime eagerness and ultimate efficiency (6) - MEDLEY {MELD*}{E}{Y}

27 - Kind of message lost opening about setter being radical (7) - EXTREME {tEXT}{RE}{ME}

DOWN

1   - Game to shorten the span (8,6) - CONTRACT BRIDGE {CONTRACT} {BRIDGE}

2   - Annoyed grandee rages (7) - ENRAGED*

3   - Almost arrive at eminence that generates energy (7) - REACTOR {REACh}{TOR}

4   - Subjecting to ridicule are runner and monarch with female one in France (6,3) - POKING FUN {PO}{KING} {F}{UN}

5   - Unit for measuring volumetric rate of flow (5) - CUSEC [E]

6   - Fruit in row? (7) - RHUBARB [DD]

7   - Basic book has nothing on old card game (7) - PRIMERO {PRIMER}{O}

8   - Cannot be overcome? — Capable of being covered. Get on inside! (14) - INSURMOUNTABLE {INSUR{MOUNT}ABLE}

15 - Made others follow in the ballroom (3,1,5) - LED A DANCE [CD]

17 - Free from distress fiftyone held by bailiff (7) - RELIEVE {RE{LI}EVE}

18 - Learnt afresh about Oriental immortal (7) - ETERNAL {ET{E}RNAL*}

19 - Opposed to a take by the good man (7) - AGAINST {A}{GAIN}{ST}

20 - Disgraceful — elbowing woman out roughly (7) - IGNOBLE ELBOwING*

22 - Raining? Queen is stepping out! It’s flamboyant! (5) - SHOWY SHOWerY

LINK TO GRID

No 10548, Wednesday 22 Aug 12, Gridman

ACROSS

1   - To become pregnant? Imagine! (8) - CONCEIVE [DD]

5   - Measure in one of a series of books (6) - VOLUME [DD]

9   - Material arrived without eastern block having lost edge (7) - CAMBRIC {CAMe}{BRICk}

10 - Keep away for a short while: duel getting to be dirty (7) - SECLUDE {SEC}{DUEL*}

11 - Such a character can’t be a protagonist in an epic (3-6) - NON-HEROIC [E]

12 - Middle East worker not inadvertent (5) - MEANT {ME}{ANT}

13 - One of several in the bathroom that have a glazed look (4) - TILE [CD]

14 - It is laid on the table for a meal by a group of people making noise (6,3) - DINNER SET {DINNER} {SET}

17 - Become old enough to be considered mature legally (4,2,3) - COME OF AGE [E]

19 - Calves’ meal about to be taken off show (4) - VEAL reVEAL

23 - Soft one with creditors gets strength (5) - POWER {P}{OWER}

24 - Puts off retirement? (4,5) - LIES AWAKE [CD]

25 - Bald — with no cover! It’s stuffy! (7) - AIRLESS hAIRLESS

26 - Dismiss tritest fugue portions (7) - STRETTI*

27 - More than a piece of cake? (6) - EASIER [CD]

28 - Made headway — notice victory dance in a round (8) - ADVANCED {AD}{V}{DANCE*}

DOWN

1   - Firm after firm to knock up Kerala’s main produce (8) - COCONUTS {CO}{CO}{NUTS<-}

2   - Treatment of ol’ north Indian man in name only (7) - NOMINAL {OL+N+I+MAN}

3   - Novice losing head as he brings home the bacon (6) - EARNER lEARNER

4   - An old queen declines in a southern African tourist spot (8,5) - VICTORIA FALLS {VICTORIA} {FALLS}

6   - Repeated request heard in an auditorium, maybe (4,4) - ONCE MORE [DD]

7   - Weep as South African native, after losing capital, is dead (7) - ULULATE {zULU}{LATE}

8   - They happened just way-back (6) - EVENTS {EVEN}{TS<-}

10 - Anticipated supporter coming with invitee who is announced (6-7) - SECOND GUESSED {SECOND} {GUESSED}(~guest)

15 - Grace obtained by woman after prier slackened (8) - REPRIEVE {PRIER*}{EVE}

16 - I burbled incoherently for a member of the thrush family (8) - BLUEBIRD*

18 - Ahead on hospital sections (7) - ONWARDS {ON}{WARDS}

20 - Most recent one in Election Commission is flexible (7) - ELASTIC {E{LAST}{1}C}

21 - Nothing to robber unrightfully bringing narcotic drug (6) - OPIATE {O}{PIrATE}

22 - Learner takes time through song for veneration to god (6) - LATRIA {L}{A{T}RIA}

LINK TO GRID

Enjoyed a pleasant evening with Raju and his wife Sapna pictures on the THCC Families blog.

No.10547, Tuesday 21 Aug 12, Gridman

Gridman continues to be in good touch. I felt the across clues had a high number of charades and CDs but the down clues balanced that out.

ACROSS
1 A very soft condition excluding many gets praise (8) APPLAUSE (A+PP+cLAUSE)
6 Cleanse a U.S. state, in brief (4) WASH (WASHington)
9 Wine crate left smashed (6) CLARET (CRATE+L)*

10 One nurse takes care of girl in U.S. state (7) INDIANA (I+N+DIANA)
13 Spreads in folds (9) INCREASES (IN+CREASES)
14 Nothing green is visible (5) OVERT (O+VERT)
15 Go to the bottom in the kitchen? (4) SINK (DD)
16 Away from Chennai, perhaps, it’s inappropriate (3,2,5) OUT,OF,PLACE (OUT+OF+ CHENNAI (Def by Example))
19 Where one can’t be refused access (5-2-3) RIGHT-OF-WAY (CD)
21 Worn-out American journalist (4) USED (US+ED)
24 Outsider with a right (5) ALIEN (A+LIEN)

25 A dress worn in retirement (9) NIGHTGOWN (CD)
26 Turned into the flesh, as a nail might be (7) INGROWN (E)
27 Everyone, for instance, begins entering claim (6) ALLEGE (ALL+EG+E)
28 Group of people pulling buffoon’s leg in joke (4) GANG (N inside GAG)
29 There has to be some giving up here! (8) YIELDING (E)

DOWN
2 Glutton of a bird? (7) PELICAN (CD)

3 Bird with tail cut perched on the German store (6) LARDER (LARk + DER)
4 In good condition — can inhale tobacco (2,2,5) UP,TO,SNUFF (DD)
5 Sends no radical issues (5) EMITS (rEMITS)
7 American promenade sees boy and a dame exercising (7) ALAMEDA (AL+A+DAME*)
8 Wretched gardener — hint is terrible! (12) HEARTRENDING (GARDENER HINT)*  Amusing two-in-one clue. Either end can serve as the definition and the other as anagram indicator.
11 Downcast deputy hoarding poor returns (6) DROOPY (DY outside POOR<=)
12 Bill’s passage — leisurely walking by the side of trees (5,7) FIRST,READING (TREADING after FIRS)
17 Agreed on a frothy drink (9) ORANGEADE (AGREED ON A)*

18 Good man in attempt shows punch (6) STINGO (ST+IN+GO)

20 Rowdy accepting one new note is in progress (5,2) GOING,ON (GOON outside I,N,G)
22 Japanese commander holds model weapon (7) SHOTGUN (SHOGUN outside T)
23 By the way, idol is relaxed, showing no interest (6) STOLID (ST+IDOL*)
25 Simpleton from hotel in U.S. city (5) NINNY (INN inside NY)

LINK TO GRID

No 10546, Monday 20 Aug 12, Gridman

ACROSS

1   - Later action changed into fight (11) - ALTERCATION*

9   - Film where you get on or off (3,4) - BUS STOP [DD]

10 - Plotted for revolutionary setter to be caught in South Dakota (7) - SCHEMED {S{CHE}{ME}D}

11 - Piece of paper in body of water (5) - SHEET [DD]

12 - Wealth of disease in a criminal (9) - AFFLUENCE {A}{F{FLU}ENCE}

13 - Tree – to head of botanists, it’s more leafless (5) - ALDER bALDER

15 - Of strain Orsino suffered during tal (9) - TORSIONAL {T{ORSINO*}AL}

18 - If you do, you become reputed (4,1,4) - EARN A NAME [CD]

21 - Endlessly detest ruffian horse (5) - STEED DETESt*

22 - Former U.S. President going round enclosure for woodworker (9) - CARPENTER {CAR{PEN}TER}

24 - Pushed back, say, obscure insect (5) - MIDGE {MID}{GE}<-

26 - Ado Mira created in visual arts show (7) - DIORAMA*

27 - Orderly’s military outfit? (7) - UNIFORM [DD]

28 - Not working, having left the stage (3,2,6) - OUT OF ACTION [DD]

DOWN

1   - Lie-in-wait for Mother returning on a public transport with bad guy and drug (9) - AMBUSCADE {AM<-}{BUS}{CAD}{E}

2   - Set out to hold a small armour plate (5) - TASSE {T{A}{S}SE*}

3   - Italian roundabout getting a class of worms (9) - ROTATORIA [DD]

4   - A special stop on the road (7) - ASPHALT {A}{SP}{HALT}

5   - One new piece of furniture to wear finally to such an extent (7) - INSOFAR {1}{N}{SOFA}{weaR}

6   - Revolting female takes on Russian leader in India (5) - NEHRU {NEH<-}{RU}

7   - Height of dignity? (8) - EMINENCE [DD]

8   - Irritability caused by two sides falling off the account book (4) - EDGE lEDGEr

14 - Where some developments used to take place after a shoot (4,4) - DARK ROOM [CD]

16 - One con man is tossing and turning – he can’t get sleep! (9) - INSOMNIAC {1+CON+MAN+IS}*

17 - U.S. city maidens drop at the sight of womanizer (6,3) - LADIES MAN {LA}{DIES MAN*}

19 - A model area to draw (7) - ATTRACT {A}{T}{TRACT}

20 - Warmer attention to bungler (7) - EARMUFF {EAR}{MUFF}

22 - Jest brought to a conclusion (4) - CODA {COD}{A}

23 - Muse to appear after a long period (5) - ERATO {ERA}{TO}

25 - Girl wearing sexy clothing of Indian male (5) - DHOTI {D{HOT}I}

LINK TO GRID

No 2700, Sunday 19 Aug 12

ACROSS
1   - Runs a racket in a capital city (5)  - RABAT {R}{A}{BAT}
4   - Lacking humour, husband no longer in the game (7)  - WITHOUT {WIT}{H}{OUT}
8   - Escape and holiday at no cost (5,4)  - BREAK FREE {BREAK} {FREE}
9   - Recording sent over about unknown one working abroad (5)  - EXPAT {E{X}PAT<-}
11 - Last of beef - rush in new supply (7)  - FURNISH {F}{RUSH+IN*}
12 - Eastern sea creature shedding tail in spring (7)  - EMANATE {E}{MANATEe}
13 - Train fare may have been put away here (10,3)  - RESTAURANT CAR [CD]
16 - Wrote in an excited state about Peter Pan wickedly pinching crown (3,3,2,5)  - PUT PEN TO PAPER Anno pending (Addendum - {PU<-}{T PEN TO PAPER*} - See comments)
18 - Gross Welshman, reportedly a troublemaker (7)  - GREMLIN {GR}{EMLIN}(~emlyn) Anno not clear (See comments)
20 - Like a wild animal, one getting out of control during row (7)  - LEONINE {L{ONE*}INE}
22 - Drink rum in heart of shantytown (5)  - TODDY {shanT{ODD}Ytown}
23 - Sitcom broadcast after the end of Bread (6,3)  - FATHER TED {FATHER TE*}{D}
24 - Routine flight made by male, sort to take flight (4,3)  - MILK RUN {M}{ILK} {RUN}
25 - Learning about name written back to front in register (5)  - ENROL {E{N}ROL}<-
DOWN
1   - Snub extremely rude fan (6)  - REBUFF {RudE}{BUFF}
2   - Dim British king (5)  - BLEAR {B}{LEAR}
3   - Snatch children in dispute (4,5)  - TAKE ISSUE {TAKE} {ISSUE}
4   - Throw a fit rowing? Not exactly up to expectations (5,7,3)  - WORTH WAITING FOR*
5/6   - Poor poor male in top theatre company which may stage Tosca, say, in New York (3,12,5)  - THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
6 See 5
7   - Astaire was one cast part with cane - Fred's finale? (3-6)  - TAP-DANCER {PART+CANE+D}*
10 - Ambassador taken in by Conservative conjecture (6)  - THEORY {T{HE}ORY}
13 - Swine on embankment in port (9)  - ROTTERDAM {ROTTER}{DAM}
14 - Japanese ones entering NI degree course (9)  - NIPPONESE {NI}{PP}{ONES}{E} Anno not clear (See comments)
15 - Tap needs turn in roasting device (6)  - SPIGOT {SPI{GO}T}
17 - Know young man raised in a town in Cumbria (6)  - KENDAL {KEN}{DAL<-}
19 - Faithful ally troubled about love (5)  - LOYAL {L{O}YAL*}
21 - Bury in rain - terrible (5) - INTER [T]