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.