Special, Sunday 31 Mar 13, Aldhelm (through Raju Umamaheswar)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Three answers per commenter
2. Annotations to be compulsorily provided with the answer.
3. Answers for clues marked A, B, C, D & E (In red) are NOT repeat NOT to be given till all the other answers are in. These answers will automatically get revealed when all the answers come in.

Five eights

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

The eight-letter answers to the five clues (A to E) — which are given in no particular order — fit into the five bold squares. They read in a clockwise direction, starting from the top left-hand corner in each case. Any other answer with three letters forming part of these five words is clued with a definition element and an indication of the answer minus those three letters. Letter-counts refer to the full answer in each case.(A to E are not shown in Acroslite version).

A   Repeats... repeats it, not softly, perhaps

B   Horribly plastered without right support

C   Song needs ear that’s finely tuned

D   Better to get sport in for a complaining type

E   It’s instrumental in organising 28 with MBE

ACROSS
1   Politician gets, to start with, your cross (6)

4   Second Conservative on the margin was far from liberal (8)

10 Scope for wriggling worm swallowing ducks? Quite the opposite (5- 4)

11 Scientists’ iron deeds (5)
12 With shellfish to eat, falls silent (5,2)
13 Lay into team at Eurovision (7)
14 One issuing E. Lear’s nonsense (8)
17 Climber grabbing gold — valuable stuff (5)
19 It’s foul dropping one relative (5)

21 Ancient tax, say — English pound for Danish leader (8)

24 Stuck double gin in and drank noisily (7)

26 Melted about zero after wild fun (7)

28 Boundaries of Open golf course in Scotland (5)
29 Solitary type’s to stop, in the main (9)
30 French race doesn’t finish off aristocrat (8)

31 Dance trio at the conclusion of festival (6)

DOWN

1   Country of the European Community to the east (6)

2   Offence of violence (7)

3   Uses 19 men on board (5)

5   Butterfly’s seen here, symbolically (5)
6   Ballooning in Florida with receptacle overcoming gravity (9)
7   Churchman’s deceptive treatment? (7)

8   Completely razes besieged city of legend — years, ultimately (8)

9   Speak fondly about member’s calm (8)
15 1 down men organised for a rise (9)

16 Give up little weight (8)
18 Metal nuts twisted round top of girder (8)

20 Could penny off be the unit of charge? (7)
22 Worship leaders of Leninism in one’s naivety (7)

23 Low-down biology classes (6)

25 Draw seems an utterly pointless piece of suspense (5)

27 All the plants she’s embracing (5) 

To attempt the crossword on a separate page follow the link FIVE EIGHTS.

Enjoy.

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 2732, Sunday 31 Mar 13

Excellent, crisp surfaces today.

ACROSS
1   Feasts abroad, most free from risk (6) SAFEST*
4   Film luminary was screening beginning of Rocky (4,4) STAR WARS {STAR} {WA{R}S}
9   An artist holding shot rabbit (6) ANGORA {AN}{GO}{RA}

10 A blaze inside chimney in plant (8) LABURNUM {L{A}{BURN}UM}

11 Book had to include right dates (4,5) HARD TIMES {HA{R}D} {TIMES}
13 One avoiding work, badly riled (5) IDLER*
14 Dam lake for religious head (6,8) MOTHER SUPERIOR {MOTHER} {SUPERIOR}
17 Similarly, purchase, say, an identical disc (2,3,4,5) BY THE SAME TOKEN (~buy){BY} {THE SAME TOKEN}
21 Take mouthful from ragout (a stew) (5) TASTE [T]
23 A new suggestion concerning an hors d'oeuvre (9) ANTIPASTO {A}{N}{TIP}{AS TO}

24 What 18 is especially? (5,3) ABOVE ALL [C&DD]
25 Key cricketer, first at the crease? (6) OPENER [DD]
26 In stand is eastern paper (8) TREATISE {TREAT}{IS}{E}
27 Recited flourishing novelist (6) GREENE (~green)

DOWN
1   Bandage the man after violent blow (6) SWATHE {SWAT}{HE}
2   Reckon dignitary's not in (6,3) FIGURE OUT {FIGURE} {OUT}
3   Withdraw with slight injury (7) SCRATCH [DD]
5   Clear river blocked by unruly US clan (11) TRANSLUCENT {TR{ANSLUC*}ENT}
6   Procedure at home getting in the way (7) ROUTINE {ROUT{IN}E}
7   Invalidate yearbook, with article missing (5) ANNUL ANNUaL
8   Run out after dark in a Mexican's hat (8) SOMBRERO {SOMBRE}{RO}

GREAT IDEA

12 Opera singer, Lanza, cut short La Scala broadcast (5,6) MARIA CALLAS {MARIo}{A CALLAS*}
15 Fashionable German city church, basically (2,7) IN ESSENCE {IN} {ESSEN}{CE}
16 Summary of a bishop's religious pamphlet (8) ABSTRACT {A}{B'S}{TRACT}
18 Continually rest, heading off for mountain (7) EVEREST {EVER}{rEST}

19 Working daily? In theory (2,5) ON PAPER {ON} {PAPER}
20 Origin of HP, perhaps, reportedly (6) SOURCE (~sauce)

22 Angry about wife, used bad language (5) SWORE {S{W}ORE}

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 10734, Saturday 30 Mar 13, Arden

Samosa days are here again. Give me Arden anyday.

ACROSS

1   Perhaps depart before two, having split (6,7) PARTED COMPANY {DEPART*} {COMPANY} From two's company, three's a crowd

10 Box to inform in church (5) CRATE {C{RAT}E}

11 All round visual protection of our central bank (9) ORBICULAR {O{RBI}CULAR}

12 Single murder in a building (9) UNMARRIED*

13 It may be sticky time out from others at home (5) RESIN {RESt}{IN}

14 Arranging chairs around backend of the pedicab (7) RICKSHA {RIC{K}SHA*}

16 Friend keeps an oriental sirenian (7) MANATEE {M{AN}ATE}{E}

18 Propriety of code breaking is strange (7) DECORUM {CODE*}{RUM}

20 Annoys when let out during practice (7) NETTLES {NET{LET*}S}

22 Struck date out when covered with bristles (5) TINED dINTED* (Addendum - AWNED dAWNED - See comments)

24 It is sweet like ….. and on average mild (9) ASPARTAME {AS}{PAR}{TAME}

26 Natural at design — a webmaster perhaps (9) TARANTULA*

27 It is alright to have a relationship with the animal (5) OKAPI {OK}{A}{PI}

28 Shocked at fat breasted girl characters (13) FLABBERGASTED {FLAB}{BREASTED+G}*

DOWN

2   Came in a confused weak state (7) ANAEMIC*

3   He supposes that an article could be rosier (9) THEORISER {THE}{ROSIER*}

4   It is worn by many sweltering in India (5) DHOTI [CD] (Addendum - {D}{HOT}{I} - See comments)

5   Million flowers yet to bloom in a country, according to this official (9) OMBUDSMAN {O{M}{BUDS}MAN}

6   Publicity surrounding champion bowler (5) PACER {P{ACE}R}

7   Empty mathematical group (4,3) NULL SET [E]

8   Appreciation got with state constitution (8,5) ACQUIRED TASTE {ACQUIRED} {STATE*}

9   Apprentice sprinter, running wild, stayed back (8,5) PRINTER'S DEVIL {SPRINTER*} {LIVED<=}

15 Made mistake with a certain way to apportion (9) ADMEASURE {MADE*}{A}{SURE}

17 Refusal to take credit notes which are disreputable (9) NOTORIOUS {NO}{TO}{R}{IOUS} Anno for R not clear See comments

19 Calm about old Indian moviestar getting power (7) CONTROL {CO{NTR}OL}

21 Said to be protected enclosure losing water (7) LEAKAGE (~lee){LEA}{KAGE}(~cage)

23 A study be taken up on a river (5) DENEB {DEN}{EB<=} Couldn't find this river on the net? See comments

25 Jumped seconds away before crash (5) PRANG sPRANG

A COLLECTIVE PRANG

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 10733, Friday 29 Mar 13, Scintillator

Was crucified by the 'cross' word on Good Friday in the NE and SW. Incidentally there are two crosses in the grid.

Across

1 Very beautiful shawls majorly embellish the queen of the Adriatic (6) VENICE Anno not clear (V NICE outside E) See comments

4 Secretary assimilating lawyer’s poor handwriting (8) SCRIBBLE (SCRIBE outside BL)

9 My boot could be rugged (6) TOMBOY (MY BOOT)* Not sure if this definition is enough

10 Inferno — a largely grim horror story (8) DISASTER See comments

12 Upright individual in green state of USA (8) VERTICAL (VERT 1 CAL)

13 Hearts of smallest lives (6) NUCLEI CD

15 It could be a delta output (4) RICE CD

16 Where Tiruchi’s fort was built // in great difficulty (2,3,5) ON THE ROCKS DD

19 Car stops beside some watering holes (6,4) SALOON BARS (SALOON as in 'car' and BARS as in 'stops')

20 Darling’s gyratory dance move (4) STEP (PETS)* Could also be PETS< See comments

23 Amateurs were incumbent on soldiers (6) LAYMEN See comments

25 Vehicle test needs alternatively, worker and driver (8) MOTORMAN (MOT OR MAN)

27 Mineral discharge in firm soil found to recede (8) CORUNDUM (CO RUN MUD<)

28 Listen to unpolished lectures (6) COURSE (~COARSE)

29 A giant-killer, a con and a criminal (8) ANACONDA (A CON AND A)*

30 Aunt gets rid of skirts… and belt turns loose (6) UNKNOT (aUNt KNOT) I had put in UNKNIT at first See comments

Down

1 Around western banks of Tapti, revive fresh grass (7) VETIVER (REVIVE* around T) a word of Tamil origin. Would banks in plural be right to describe only one letter to be taken from Tapti?

2 Novel narrated a fantastic miracle of numbers (9) NUMERICAL (NU ~new+ MIRACLE*)

3 Labourer uprising reported to misrepresent truth (6) COOLIE (COO ~coup+ LIE)

5 Fibre band’s not hard (4) COIR (ChOIR)

6 Unexpected rainy hour’s not over soon (2,1,5) IN A HURRY (RAINY HOUR -O)*

7 A leaf-insect, so to say (5) BETEL (~BEETLE)

8 Cringers heed rebukes (7) EARWIGS?  See comments

11 Aspirant of white collar employment, primarily (7) WANNABE (WAN NAB E) This clue was nice

14 It is base to go behind half-chewed cigar (7) CHEROOT (CHEwed ROOT(=base))

17 Hundred at a wreck on a new boat (9) CATAMARAN (C AT A MAR A N)

18 Be involved in design of emoticon (4,4) COME INTO (EMOTICON)*

19 A cult is disbanded in a Caribbean island (2,5) ST LUCIA (A CULT IS)*

21 Sharp ointment, though not top-class, shows power at first (7) PUNGENT (P+ UNGuENT)

22 Degenerate shed (6) GODOWN (GO DOWN)

24 Australian river range seen to be withdrawing (5) YARRA (ARRAY<)

26 Finally ghee is extracted from preserved dairy product (4) CURD (CUReD)

LINK TO SOLUTION GRID

No 10732, Thursday 28 Mar 13, Buzzer

Buzzer is as devious as ever, but enjoyable all the same.

ACROSS

9   The art of speaking in a chapel (7) ORATORY [DD]

10 A spinning shot in tennis is hard to stop (7) ABOLISH {A}{BOL<=}{IS}{H}

11 Distinctive characteristic of a stethoscope (5) ETHOS [T]

12 However crazy, Nancy is a sweetheart (2,3,4) IN ANY CASE {NANCY+IS+A+swEet}*

13 Inelegant drawing of a rose (9) EGLANTINE*

14 Caption contest (5) TITLE [DD]

15 Weekend begins with pals? (7) FRIENDS {FRI}{ENDS} Friday ends and weekend begins

17 Basic shapes minus for example rectangle (7) CENTRAL ReCTANgLE*

19 Advantages of pawn and queen endings in counterattack chess (5) PERKS {P}{ER}{K}{S}

20 One with good horse sense (9) STABLEMAN [CD]

22 Avoid travel (3,6) GET AROUND [DD]

24 Young girl in novel turning on companion (5) WENCH {WEN<=}{CH}

25 Country fish receives mark of approval (7) TUNISIA {TUN{ISI}A}

26 Siren over time becomes reticent (7) ENTICER RETICENt*

DOWN

1   Unable to appreciate music from jarring note/notes (4-4) TONE-DEAF {NOTE}*-{D}{E}{A}{F}

2   Girl’s desire to enter rugby league (6) RACHEL {R{ACHE}L}

3   Those in rhythm and not? Oui (10) CONSONANTS [CD]

4   Serves as an example of sorts about providing unity (8) TYPIFIES {TYP{IF}{1}ES}

5   Car port around sideroad is rubbish (6) GARAGE GARbAGE 'B' is a sideroad? - See comments

6   Kid is just over eight years tops (4) JOEY {J}{O}{E}{Y}

7   Rest said to spell doom (8) DISASTER*

8   Say price to live on moon (6) PHOEBE (~fee){PHOE}{BE}

14 Get involved in changes to tighten law (6,4) TANGLE WITH*

16 Stirring stand in the middle over time becomes a thorn in the flesh (8) IRRITANT {stIRRIng}{sTANd}{T}

17 Retail merchant’s deal accepted by creditor (8) CHANDLER {C{HANDLE}R}

18 See no good alternative in hand often for beef (8) LONGHORN {LO}{NG}{Ha{OR}Nd}

19 Regret stealing 1000 $ pen (6) PIGSTY {PI{G}{S}TY}

20 Tell tales covered in risque allegations (6) SQUEAL [T]

21 Seles perhaps was once aimless (6) MONICA Anno pending (Addendum - {ONCE AIMLESS}* - See comments)

23 Arctic explorer’s men northbound on ship (4) ROSS {RO<=}{SS}

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 10731, Wednesday 27 Mar 13, Buzzer

Nice opener again. Got Suresh's city at the stroke of 8:30.

ACROSS

1   Lines separating border mostly (3,3) ALL BUT {A{LL} BUT}

5   Lose a warehouse (6) GODOWN {GO}{DOWN}

10 At sea for the most part (2,3,4) IN THE MAIN [DD]

11 Senor’s accent (5) TILDE [CD]

12 Smashing of ulna not new in collision (5) AFOUL {OF+ULnA}*

13 Permits an artificial flavour for chewing gum (9) SPEARMINT*

14 Free sample of press release (7) HANDOUT [DD]

16 Stomach upset — bad sign (7) ABDOMEN {BAD*}{OMEN}

18 Calm constable took in account provided by one (7) PACIFIC {P{AC}{{IF}{1}C}

20 In relation to 5 is a 6 second? (3-1-3) VIS-A-VIS {V}{IS}-{A}-{VI}{S} My COD

21 Confidential summit about to be held by group (3-6) TOP-SECRET {TOP}-{SEC{RE}T}

23 Old country protected by Excalibur magic (5) BURMA [T]

25 Devoured a sheep reportedly (3,2) ATE UP ~{A} {TUP}

26 Unreasonably be so awful and get mad (4,1,4) BLOW A FUSE {BE+SO+AWFUL}*

27 Parting remark from copper on the phone (3,3) SEE YOU (~ c u)

28 Put in order rejecting article that’s broken (6) TIDIED {TI<=}{DIED}

DOWN

2   Allowed to travel for free (3,2) LET GO {LET}{GO}

3   Insect, let out, gets away in hurry (6,3) BEETLE OFF {BEE}{LET OFF} (Addendum -{BEE}{LET*} {OFF} - See comments)

4   Go through relay knocking off miles (7) TRANSIT TRANSmIT

5   Plant a firearm near criminal (7) GUNNERA {GUN}{NEAR*}

6   Half of firm to show opposition (5) DETER DETERmined

7   King seen in Shakespeare trivia mainly (7,2) WILLIAM IV {WILLIAM} {trIVia}

8   Supply Panama hats out in eastern Kiev city (13) VISAKHAPATNAM {PANAMA+HATS+IN+V}* (Addendum - {PANAMA+HATS+KIeV}* - See comments)

9   Seem more taken by arrangement to die (4,4,5) MEET ONES MAKER*

15 Perhaps bow to kiss relative of Spooner (9) NECKPIECE {(-p+n)NECK}{(-n+p)PIECE}

17 Console attorney getting second-hand jury (9) DASHBOARD {DA}{S}{H}{BOARD}

19 Reindeer vehicle, one dropping Santa regularly about (7) CARIBOU {CAR}{1} {aBOUt} (at from sAnTa)

20 Dismiss from office? Veto (4,3) VOTE OUT VETO*

22 Vacant piece of unkempt yard (5) EMPTY [T]

24 Way an ancestor expressed (5) ROUTE (~root)

LINK TO SOLUTION

No.10730, Tuesday 26 Mar 13, Neyartha

Liked FRANCHISE, POCKET, LIE-IN, NERVE CENTRE and SIDECAR. I've depicted what I thought were the theme entries, let me know if I missed any.

ACROSS
1 American football player and journalist entertain gangster on Facebook (8) HALFBACK (HACK outside AL + FB)
5 This may be pressed in panic (6) BUTTON (CD)

9 Individual grasping balance problem of the outgoing inspector-general gets the hint (8) OVERTONE (ONE outside VERTigO)
10 A cover for the arm in a thin cardboard container (6) SLEEVE (DD)

11 In Greenland, doc arranged for a hormone source (9,5) ENDOCRINE, GLAND (IN GREENLAND DOC)*
14 Reportedly snatches the hinges (5) RESTS (~WRESTS)
16 Team packs rocks sculpted with a bottle opener (9) CORKSCREW (CREW outside ROCKS*)
17 A European country confiscated his licence (9) FRANCHISE (FRANCE outside HIS)
19 Parsi salesman’s selection of agave fibre (5) SISAL (T)
20 Trainee briefly free when not at home for something mutually beneficial (14) INTERDEPENDENT (INTERn + inDEPENDENT)
23 Anger may result in heating up of the space under this (6) COLLAR (CD)

24 Disconnected Roman censor follows felines in retreat (8) STACCATO (CATO after CATS<=)
25 Tower’s resistance overcome by the power of money (6) POCKET (ROCKET with P for R)

26 Worn-out Democrat’s ouster predicted by accident (8) DECREPIT (PREDICTEd)*

DOWN
1 Thug’s scarf (4) HOOD (DD)

2 Oversleep like infants enlisted in nurseries initially (3-2) LIE-IN (Acrostic)
3 In speech, reforms everyone in the pool (7) BETTORS (~BETTERS)
4 Tending to draw in after having let narcotic break down (11) CONTRACTILE (LET NARCOTIC)*
6 Leakage losses rile revolutionary captured by angry Sue (7) ULLAGES (GALL<= inside SUE*)
7 Synonym finder’s suture has unravelled (9) THESAURUS (SUTURE HAS)*
8 Lone welder getting a facelift is a wastrel (4-2-4) NE'ER-DO-WELL (LONE WELDER)*
12 Headquarters may never let the king move up to the hub (5,6) NERVE, CENTRE (NE(+R)VE(-r) + CENTRE)
13 Policeman on the road finds the jam maker’s business page (7,3) TRAFFIC, COP (TRAFFIC + CO + P)
15 Streetcars sent up to ex-cricketer Bedser by a know-all (5,4) SMART, ALEC (TRAMS <= + ALEC)
18 A bouquet for the daughter clearing out the sulphur in the ship’s ropes (7) CORDAGE (CORSAGE with D for S)
19 Criminal disgrace to get rid of the good cocktail (7) SIDECAR (DISgRACE)*
21 American civil rights organisation’s tax ID written backwards in internal account (1,1,1,1,1) NAACP (PAN<= outside AC)
22 Frijol, temporarily concealed, may give this to a Mexican cook (4) JOLT (T) Not quite sure how this ties with the definition

LINK TO SOLUTION

No.10729, Monday 25 Mar 13, Neyartha

Nice opener from Neyartha.  Transportation theme? Tricycle, Locomotion, Road, Ship, Sedan, Sled. Noticed some paired words: Main, Cross (familiar to Bangaloreans); Recruit, Court-Martialled; Bedizen, Bewitch

ACROSS

7 Ron discarded incorrectly built bike for kids (8) TRICYCLE (INCORRECTLY-RON)*

9 Is the moon difficult to sight when here? (6) APOGEE CD

10 Progress in crazy movement? (10) LOCOMOTION (LOCO+MOTION)

11 Speaker’s rallied on the way (4) ROAD (ORAD)* or (~rowed) or ~rode)? See comments

12 Work of the leaders of the Olympic players under suspension (4) OPUS (O P U S)

13 Informal meal with my German-Chinese dish (4,4) CHOW MEIN (Chow is informal word for meal and Mein is 'my' in German)

16 Gaudily dress up Ben after hiding Diana’s last letter to Edward (7) BEDIZEN (BE(DI Z E)N)

18 Enlist // a novice (7) RECRUIT 2 The recruit may end up being 5d

20 Oriental excited by exclamation of surprise at the retreat appearance shows high spirits (8) EUPHORIA (E+UP+HO+AIR<)

21 Indiscretion makes Henry replace the apprentice on the steamer (4) SHIP (SLIP-L+H) I almost thought it could be SLIP (SHIP-H=L), which also fits. But thought better of it on second thoughts)

23 Vocally complained about the margin (4) SIDE (~sighed)

24 Sea urchin found in a beach toy in Arkansas (4,6) SAND DOLLAR (SAND DOLL AR)

25 Push the good man left in the shade (6) HUSTLE (ST+L inside HUE)

26 Large eel entertains the English coming back with a liquor constituent (8) CONGENER (CONGER outside EN<, which makes it CONGE(NE<)R. Dropping the coming back, it would be CONG(EN)ER. New word for me. My spell check also underlined it.

DOWN

1 Minister needs no introduction to incendiarism (5) pARSON

2 Skills needed to transcribe caliph’s comments (15) ACCOMPLISHMENTS (CALIPHS COMMENTS)*

3 Net raised with a desire to capture (7) BEWITCH (WEB< ITCH)

4 The remaining part is the most important (4) MAIN (T)

5 Tried in the armed forces and let admiral free after chase (5-10) COURT-MARTIALLED (COURT+ (LET ADMIRAL)*) My CoD

6 Couple of 50s thrown away by philatelist suffering from a liver disease (9) HEPATITIS (PHILATELIST-L-L)*

8 Start to go over and become angry (5) CROSS 2 Is start necessary? Or am I missing something?

14 Run up debts after trouble with advancing the ball (3) OWE (WOE with O moved up)

15 Being destitute, engineer prunes internal promissory note (9) PENURIOUS (PRUNES+IOU)*

17 Mistake to be king for a long time (3) ERR (ERA-A+R)

19 Flatbread given by the cheating revolutionary employed in a financial institution (7) BANNOCK (BANK around CON<)

21 Type of chair// in a car (5) SEDAN 2

22 Truth without any embellishments? (5) NAKED CD

24 Isle depot hides a North American snow vehicle (4) SLED (T)

LINK TO SOLUTION GRID

Special, Sunday 24 Mar 13, Filler

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Three answers per commenter.
2.   Annotations to be compulsorily provided with the answer.

ACROSS

9   Talented people seem to have a lot of this (9, 6)

10 It takes approximately 3 days for Jesus to do one of these (7)

12 Therefore, turning back makes his new form grotesque (7)

13 Fuss about very absurd actor who seeks to influence (9) 

14 Lament for Pavan, executed by beheading (5)

15 The most horrible trade between stocks and bonds initially is a problem for banks (3,4)

18 Reduce first quarter of 28 held by deputy general (7)

21 A horse, rare, caught running (5)

23 Climbing a boat, he plunges right in as he ferries people (3,6)

25 Circular edited once a year at the end of December (7)

26 A State somewhat honourable is still honourable (7)

29 What invokes loathing from nudists and impatient people alike (4, 4, 5, 2)

DOWN

1   Small girl gives meat (4)

2   Revolution from Buddhist Iraqis (4)

3   Maybe eccentric relative cold at heart (9)

4   Think and understand a compilation of essays (6)

5   It’s utterly useless to fear hearing about a movie (5, 3) 

6   Reveal leaders of United Nations who revolted against Portugal (6)

7   Gardenia installs a system of pipes (8)

8   Maybe halt the final papacy of the church inside the church (2, 6)

11 Country’s old leader not right for the country (5)

15 Military building where men drink and have meat (8)

16 Can’t reed be used to hold wine? (8)

17 Like a potato, it’s cylindrical and cooked sour (8)

19 Face the endless train entering the harbour (8)

20 They fall off during old age or when surprised (5)

22 Engineer using thread reportedly passes on the message (6)

24 Game to crush (6)

27 Exam one needs to pass to gain entry (4)

28 Idiot looking up at small cans (4)

To attempt the crossword on a separate page follow the link FILLER2

Enjoy

No 2731, Sunday 24 Mar 13

ACROSS
1   Quick exercises after concert (6) PROMPT {PROM}{PT}
4   Child's play? (5,3) PETER PAN [GK]

10 Member blowing hard, trumpet player (9) ARMSTRONG {ARM}{STRONG}
11 Behave badly at college after work (3,2) ACT UP {ACT} {UP}
12 Children's author and poet shortly to be given extremely excellent time (7) BURNETT {BURNs}{ExcellenT}{T}
13 Mimic one friend eating Italian (7) IMITATE {1}{M{IT}ATE}
14 A careless seamstress may forget her train of thought? (4,3,6) LOSE THE THREAD [CD]
17 What a child may have to wear even on train (or coach)? (6,7) SCHOOL UNIFORM {SCHOOL} {UNIFORM}
21 In conflict with commander this month (7) AGAINST {AGA}{INST}
22 Crow put him off? That's about right (7) TRIUMPH {T{R}IUMPH*}
24 Is it possible for a learner to navigate this? (5) CANAL {CAN}{A}{L}
25 Guns lay by sacks (3,6) AIR RIFLES {AIR} {RIFLES}
26 Average speed on way (8) MODERATE {MODE}{RATE}
27 Workmen's tools left in crooked spire (6) PLIERS {P{L}IERS*}

 DOWN
1   Work willingly with others in activity ahead of dance (4,4) PLAY BALL {PLAY} {BALL}
2   Shell daughter removed from window (5) ORMER dORMER

3   Cool case (7) PATIENT [DD]
5   Condiment game colonel put underneath tongue (7,7) ENGLISH MUSTARD {ENGLISH} {MUSTARD}
6   Inspect burst main feeding SW river (7) EXAMINE {EX{MAIN*}E}
7   Drunken do up at pit ended (3,4,2) PUT PAID TO*
8   Quietly he interrupts young relative (6) NEPHEW {NE{P}{HE}W}
9   Mainly intended to reach those people top star harassed (3,3,4,4) FOR THE MOST PART {FOR THE M}{OST PART*}
15 Supported American coming in injured (9) SUSTAINED {S{US}TAINED}
16 Force when entering Tennessee port, leaderless (8) EMPHASIS {mEMPH{AS}IS}
18 Boxer's second name's King (7) HANDLER {HANDLE}{R}
19 First home, one with tail wagging (7) INITIAL {IN}{1}{TAIL*}
20 Powder copper put in malt extract (6) TALCUM {TAL{CU}M*}
23 Children's author's line seen in pit (5) MILNE {MI{L}NE}

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 10728, Saturday 23 Mar 13, Gridman

End of a fine run from Gridman.

ACROSS

1   By no means a city characteristic (8) RURALITY [CD]

5   A county council’s practice is to make a charge (6) ACCUSE {A}{C}{C}{USE}

10 Old, bald confused eccentric (7) ODDBALL*

11 Cut the blanket? (7) WHITTLE [DD]

12 Attempt to protect tree becomes useless (6) TRASHY {TR{ASH}Y}

13 Almost finally, one heartless try’s going on forever (8) INFINITY {INFINite}{1}{TrY} Not sure of anno (Addendum - {IN FINe}{1}{TrY} - See comments}

15 Fill until full with Malaysian meat dish (4) SATE [DD]

16 Energy — one can’t have it remaining in bed (3-2-3-2) GET-UP-AND-GO [CD]

18 No matter what happens — applying to whatever the field contest is (2,3,5) IN ANY EVENT [C&DD]

20 First letter is first letter backing continent (4) ASIA {A}{SI}{A}<=

23 Becoming rotten and exploding (5,3) GOING OFF [DD]

24 Turned, placed and freed (6) PUTRID {PUT}{RID}

26 Have — or hold ? (7) CONTAIN [DD]

27 Cat swindler, so to speak (7) CHEETAH (~cheater)

28 Belief in god makes man lost in strange mist (6) THEISM {T{HE}ISM*}

29 What happens when you put two and two together (8) ADDITION [E]

DOWN

1   No pet lover will have Tom without this (4,2,5,1,3) ROOM TO SWING A CAT [CD]

2   Looking happy, artist and girl want to be topless (7) RADIANT {RA}{DI}{wANT}

3   Hate to see two articles together (6) LOATHE {LO}{A}{THE}

4   Wordgame piece on the floor? (4) TILE [DD]

6   Important to be judgemental (8) CRITICAL [DD]

7   Unit assembled around royal editor not tested (7) UNTRIED {UNT{R}I*}{ED}

8   Wand the nervy one shook too frequently (5,3,3,4) EVERY NOW AND THEN*

9   Wine Burns served a poet (9) SWINBURNE*

14 Handed this punishment, one has to pay a large sum (5,4) HEAVY FINE [CD]

17 Monocle good girl got after I suggested orally (8) EYEGLASS (~i){EYE}{G}{LASS}

FIRST USER OF A MONOCLE

19 A right starts exhilarating exclusive property receiver (7) ALIENEE {A}{LIEN}{E}{E}

21 Dismissed tritest fugue parts (7) STRETTI*

22 Bones from old British administrator’s semi-ring (6) HUMERI {HUME}{RIng}

25 I note the journalist is frozen (4) ICED {I}{C}{ED}

LINK TO SOLUTION

No.10727, Friday 22 Mar 13, Gridman

Superb one from Gridman. Took me a little time to figure out the anno for 22d.

ACROSS

1 Disney film number for Italian child (7) BAMBINO (BAMBI NO.) Not our vermicelli brand

5 Association almost let the fever catch on (6) LEAGUE (LEt AGUE)

9 One in terrible moan about prenatal test (5) AMNIO (1=I inside MOAN*) The best way to determine a baby's sex is after it is born

10 Troubled dealer rotting in prison (4-5) CARE LADEN (DEALER* in CAN)

11 Important gap in opening (7) KEYHOLE (KEY HOLE) The most embarrasing thing you can see through a keyhole is another eye. Nowadays used for surgery.

12 Gulf state reported complaint (7) CATARRH (~QATAR)

13 Poke tip of thong in crumbling dune (5) NUDGE (G inside DUNE*)

14 Remove // entrance? (9) TRANSPORT 2

16 Run, we hear, to beat the storm (9) HURRICANE (~HURRY CANE)

19 Vada doled out by one in a Chennai suburb (5) AVADI (1=I in VADA*) Best known for its tanks. According to Wiki: Avadi is an acronym for "Armoured Vehicles and Ammunition Depot of India. Can anyone here confirm that this is a fact? Reminded me of Mhow.

21 It makes sense if it’s a bridge manoeuvre (7) FINESSE (SENSE+IF)* Did a double take at the setter's name. So Ardenesque.

23 Marker back to flash spider fly (3,4) BAT TICK (TAB< TICK)

24 Military person to peruse piece of writing (9) CONSCRIPT (CON SCRIPT)

25 Crag provided a bit of foothold to leaders of climbers’ league (5) CLIFF (CL IF F)

26 Mix up all the French! (6) TOUSLE (In French TOUS and LE mean ALL and THE)

27 “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of __ thought” (Shelley) (7) SADDEST (GK, from To A Skylark, PB Shelly) from where we also got the immortal line: Hail to thee, blithe spirit!

DOWN

1 Extremely angry — like a tarred man’s visage (5,2,3,4) BLACK IN THE FACE (DD) Remember 'tarring and feathering a person and carrying him on a rail' like they used to do in Lucky Luke. Of course, if he is feathered, he may be white faced, so Gridman is talking only of tarring him

2 Given a little time, needy turns well-off (7) MONEYED (MOment + NEEDY*)

3 Elemental variant in one’s love to physical exercise (7) ISOTOPE (I'S O TO PE)

4 Its members must play in unison (9) ORCHESTRA (CD)

5 Cyril’s awful poem (5) LYRIC (CYRIL*)

6 Wears away a table’s sections (7) ABLATES (A TABLES)*

7 Suffer while transiting the subway? (7) UNDERGO (CD,DD) Ab hum to safar karte hain. Listen to this

8 Completely involved — no thinning there! (2,3,5,2,2) IN THE THICK OF IT (DD)

15 Embitters care-worn English writer (9) ACERBATES (CARE*+BATES) As against Norman Bates of Psycho, HE Bates seems to have been a nominally Ernest chap.

17 Turn-on I experience by bump (3,4) RUN INTO (TURN ON I)* Maybe when you run into a person, you meet him by accident

18 Bugs in groups (7) INSECTS (IN SECTS)

See this cartoon 

19 Medicine makes worker bitter (7) ANTACID (ANT ACID)

20 A north Indian business in dye chemical (7) ANILINE (A NI LINE)

22 Best girl out of murder (5) ELITE (ELIminaTE) As against the familiar Indian name of Meena, there is, of course, the English name Mina, familiarised to a large number of us by Bram Stoker as Mina Harker.

LINK TO SOLUTION GRID

No 10726, Thursday 21 Mar 13, Gridman

The fine run continues.

ACROSS

1   Possible consequence of too much of walking: measure, therefore, getting somewhat ready (8) FOOTSORE {FOOT}{SO}{REady}

5   Trim five trapped by tangled steel (6) SVELTE {S{V}ELTE*}

9   Published credit to work gets projection (7) OUTCROP {OUT}{CR}{OP}

10 Broadcasters prod madly for IAF deli (3-4) AIR-DROP {AIR}-{DROP*}

11 Dear once thoughtful (9) EXPENSIVE {EX}{PENSIVE}

12 Company’s head office begins segregating Pacific salmons (5) COHOS {CO}{H}{O}{S}

13 Mild movement of sea at end of day (4) EASY {SEA*}{Y}

14 Leader of charlatans on funny traits of cheat (3,6) CON ARTIST {C}{ON} {TRAITS*}

17 Give up! Time and number past recollection (9) FORGOTTEN {FORGO}{T}{TEN}

19 All right! Beginning to end, it’s a huge hit (4) KAYO (-o)KAY(+o)O

23 Provide various directions to hold party (5) ENDOW {EN{DO}W}

24 Travelling salesman’s diatribe following one point (9) ITINERANT {1}{TINE}{RANT}

25 Establishments not in throes (7) OUTFITS {OUT}{FITS}

26 Steal a scene in college, with gates swung violently (7) UPSTAGE {UP}{GATES*}

27 Fast-paced deli; if new, one may be in the U.S. (6) YORKER newYORKER

28 Rather pleased about Tamil leader yielding stand (8) PEDESTAL {PEDES{T}AL*}

DOWN

1   Reached a peak in the garden? (8) FLOWERED [CD]

2   Creature has a short month to work (7) OCTOPUS {OCT}{OPUS} RIP Paul

3   Released a kind of rhythm? (6) SPRUNG [DD]

4   Workshops where they make couplings once again? (6,7) REPAIR OUTFITS [CD]

6   Five offering time to metropolitan area? That’s the truth! (8) VERACITY {V}{ERA}{CITY}

7   Boy going over bend in trees (7) LARCHES {L{ARCH}ES}

8   Former model lay bare (6) EXPOSE {EX}{POSE}

10 Viagra refugee doled out is for mean body (7,6) AVERAGE FIGURE*

15 Urge with reportedly utmost degree for a meringue ingredient (3,5) EGG WHITE {EGG} {W}{HITE}(~height)

16 Therefore paper’s measure is a non-aggressive marketing technique (4,4) SOFT SELL  {SO}{FT}{SELL} (Addendum - {SO}{FT'S}{ELL} - See comments)

18 Someone getting on is a little cold; stern as well (7) OLDSTER [T]

20 A barrier on worker that is firm (7) ADAMANT {A}{DAM}{ANT}

21 Recall my having more confusion (6) MEMORY {M{MORE*}Y}

22 The French notice to temporary owner (6) LESSEE {LES}{SEE}

LINK TO SOLUTION