No.10891, 30 Sep 2013, Klue Klux Klan

KKK presents a thriller with some beheadings (in 4a, 13a), some de-tailing (in 1d), a MALEFIC OCCULTIST and a SHOWER and a bath orgy (in 8d) with a HOURI

ACROSS

1 Female protected feline from damage (6) SCATHE (SHE protected CAT)

4 Cause of beheading: betrayal (6) REASON (tREASON)

9 Young salmon for erstwhile English queen (4)  PARR (2)

10 Bricklayer traps one character, edges away to apartment (10) MAISONETTE (MASON traps 1, lETTEr)

11 Lavish display, ever hollow (6) SHOWER (SHOW EveR)

12 Is he an insect-giant? (8) BEHEMOTH (BE HE MOTH)

13 Notice ally, beheaded monarch uniting (9) ADJOINING (AD JOIN kING)

15 Tamil Nadu town uncentered by one nymph (5) HOURI (HOsUR 1)

           I understand from a cartoon I recently saw that heaven has put up a 'No Stock' board

16 Plum-mixed cocktail loses kick, tastes like starters (5) ICACO (COCKTAIL)*

18 Formerly make amends by association with captured headman (2,3,4) AT ONE TIME (ATONE TIE with captured Man)

22 Equal weapon, so to speak (8) PARLANCE (PAR LANCE)

23 Tough crow, not trim, frail (6) UPHILL (triUmPH ill)

25 Pep her sick, odd-looking dog (10) SCHIPPERKE (PEP HER SICK)*

           Schipperke reminded me of the lisping Kripke from the comedy mentioned in 8d. 

           “Kids wove me: There's just something about me that makes them waugh and waugh.” 

26 Regularly incur two women’s slang? Enough! (4)  NUFF (iNcUr FF, 2 females)

27 Hate of Spanish examination (6) DETEST (DE TEST)

28 Scout confused about one language (6) TSOUIC (SCOUT* about 1)

DOWN

1 Tailless bird, lost, made splashing noise (7) SWASHED (SWAn SHED)

2 Pointer to let directions change (5) ARROW (ALLOW -LL+ RR, lefts changed to rights)

3 Base hit, shattered Rome protected by Attila, for one (4,3) HOME RUN  (ROME* protected by HUN)

5 Retrospective coverage captures first human’s times (6) EPOCHS (SCOPE< captures H)

6 Side with snake in good man’s vessel (9) STEAMBOAT (TEAM BOA in ST.)

7 Swimmer’s infant regularly loses at dart board? Nothing odd (7) NATATOR (iNfAnT dArTbOaRd)

           Natator reminded me of Piscine Molitor, the protagonist of Life of Pi, who was named after a swimming pool

8 Organise bath orgy binge to explain formation of universe (3,4,6) THE BIG BANG THEORY (BATH ORGY BINGE)*

           The Big Bang Theory is at the centre of the comedy universe! 

14 One who studies the supernatural is bizarre, stoic, shelters cult (9) OCCULTIST (STOIC* shelters CULT)

17 Exalted Celt leader replaced some Englishmen, found… (7) CHANCED (ENHANCED with En replaced by C)

19 …doctors initially needed for head of news agency (7) NEUTERS (N instead of R in REUTERS)

20 Man, first in charge, evil (7) MALEFIC (MALE F IC)

21 Attacks Oriental caught in crops (6) SNIPES (E caught in SNIPS)

24 This paper’s sources have important news delivered upfront (5) HINDU (H I N D U)

            Should this have been THE HINDU?

Special, Sunday 29 Sep 2013, Afterdark

Three answers per commenter with annotations upto 6 PM

ACROSS

8   Eccentric boor seized the French jacket (6)

9   After commencement, 1D puts on southern dungarees (8)

10 Liberal urging to get second garment (8)

11 Should let learner go and soon get king's clothing (6)

12 A lease taken by friend is related to father (8)

13 Bolt on the bed Lawrence riveted initially (6)

14 Bewildered pupil in ship makes errors (4-3)

17 Girl's cable for underwear (1-6)

20 The skirt king swapped for Henry's garment (1-5)

22 Anyhow certainly no point in education (8)

25 Open University not to receive cayenne (6)

26 Vote to accept returning mother in law's sneaker (8)

27 Old king protects a lady's short dress (8)

28 Westbound old boy cut women's clothing (6)

DOWN

1   Returning priest and everyone follow officer on boilersuit (8)

2   Married soldier wearing English shoe (6)

3   Headgear from German city on stranger's head (6)

4   Study about lust and discuss (7)

5   Deck boss fancifully with a clothing item (3,5)

6   Author ran back right before a hill (8)

7   Bach's disturbed soul is on English jacket (6)

15 Quiet Asian police officer with black French garment (8)

16 Drink made in potato (8)

18 Kiss the French engineers' ornament (8)

19 After fall, salesman came back with footwear (7)

21 Humanist carelessly discards Mumbai Indians' debutante cap (6)

23 Attempt to swallow one pound hat? (6)

24 Extraordinary desire to live (6)

To attempt the CW on a separate page follow the link ADB9

Enjoy.

No 2758, Sunday 29 Sep 2013

Enjoyed this one. My COD 17A.

ACROSS
1   Study occupied by a senior clergyman (4) DEAN {DE{A}N}
3   Director in golf club longing to acquire the lot (5,5) WOODY ALLEN {WOOD}{Y {ALL}EN}
10 Interpret former patent (7) EXPLAIN {EX}{PLAIN}
11 Appropriate, a truss (very large) (7) APROPOS {A}{PROP}{OS}
12 A bishop put in a new villa close to shrine - that's handy (9) AVAILABLE {A}{VAIL{A}{B}L*}{E}
13 Suspect definition (5) SENSE [DD]
14 Really funny TV channel - cracking (4-9) SIDE-SPLITTING {SIDE}-{SPLITTING}
17 Fly lengthy stages, with old man at the front (5-8) DADDY-LONGLEGS {DADDY}-{LONG LEGS}

21 Sudden round of applause in Oval, inappropriate after Surrey's start (5) SALVO {S}{OVAL*}
23 Notices plastered across front of office opening in Milton Keynes? (9) ECONOMIST {ECON{O}{M}IST*}
24 Cakes - girl's got her sixth in her mouth! (7) ECLAIRS (+e)ECLAIR(-e)S
25 One associated with Queen, happy to bring in copper (7) MERCURY {MER{CU}RY}

26 Further snake shows renewed energy (6,4) SECOND WIND {SECOND} {WIND}
27 Guide young man round far side of stage (4) LEAD {L{E}AD}

DOWN
1   Two letters for radio presenter (6) DEEJAY (d j)
2   Valued a piano, much admired (9) APPRAISED {A}{P}{PRAISED}
4   Several books in one vehicle (7) OMNIBUS [DD]
5   Reach an agreement with party over a vintage port? (2,1,4) DO A DEAL {DO} {A} {DEAL}
6   A burden shouldered by the directors in general (6-3-5) ACROSS-THE-BOARD {A}{CROSS}-{THE-BOARD}
7   Short row about winning flower (5) LUPIN {L{UP}INe}

8   Gets gen distributed about small savings (4,4) NEST EGGS {NE{S}T EGGS*}
9   Parliamentary proposal an oily Tory made, ludicrously (5,3,6) EARLY DAY MOTION*
15 Start school (9) INSTITUTE [DD]
16 Greek hero you'd assess, mistakenly, as forgotten (8) ODYSSEUS {YOU'D+asSESS}*
18 What supervisor did about bladed hand tool (7) OVERSAW {OVER}{SAW}
19 Jazz musician, proficient guy (7) GOODMAN {GOOD}{MAN}

20 Remained sober, reportedly (6) STAYED (~staid)
22 Ring up about island shrub (5) LILAC {L{I}LAC<=}

No 10890, Saturday 28 Sep 2013, Skuldugger

Managed to crack Skuldugger today in double quick time without a hiccough.

ACROSS

1   Crude ramshackle slum in Cyprus (6) CLUMSY {C{SLUM*}Y}

4   Rock music: primarily awful blare (6) MARBLE {M}{BLARE*}

9   Object used chiefly in hold-ups! (4) BELT [CD]

10 Heavy, metal band employed as instrument of torture (4,6) IRON MAIDEN [DD] I have a couple of cassettes of theirs. Must check if they will still play!

11 Queer-looking? Stifle it reflexively (6) ITSELF*

12 Well-rounded, we’d gone out and about to get displayed (8) UNROLLED weLL-ROUNDEd*

13 Found vigorous enjoyment took the edge off hidden wound (9) ESTABLISH {rE{STAB}LISH}

15 Vessel, seaworthy even after a century (4) RAFT cRAFT

16 Revolutionary fruitcakes take your breath away (4) SNUB <= (Addendum - STUN <= - See comments)

17 See trivia as a hodgepodge of sorts (9) VARIETIES*

21 After children migrated, West European got doubly large improvement on knocker (8) DOORBELL {DOORB<=}{E}{L}{L}

22 “…happens to belong to us,” admits Cuban counter-espionage chief (6) OCCURS {O{C}{C}URS}

24 Quirky musical acquires strange image (10) SIMULACRUM {MUSICAL*}{RUM} Forgettable new word for me

25 Finished a number of deliveries (4) OVER [DD] I liked the white towel in the toon!

26 Stared openmouthed with surprise at first, then caught one’s breath (6) GASPED {GA{S}PED}

27 Design vain venture boasts (6) INVENT [T]

DOWN

1   Career actress regularly produces new work (7) CREATES {CaReEr AcTrEsS}

2   Adjusting nut that is loose (5) UNTIE {NUT*}{IE}

3   Wicked king imbibed enough booze to make one drunk (7) SKINFUL {S{K}INFUL}

5   Wonder at a heartless, stupid fury (6) ADMIRE {A}{DiM}{IRE}

6   Sick in the brain, twisted, extremely deviant, but magnificent (9) BRILLIANT {BR{ILL}IAN*}{T}

7   Drunken melee at noontime leads to fire, perhaps (7) ELEMENT {MELEE*}{N}{T}

8   Regularly goes rambling where criminals hang (6,7) ROGUES GALLERY* In army units, the area in the officers mess where  photographs of ex CO's are displayed is also informally known as the rogues gallery.

14 Blue-coloured rings you discovered inside marine complexes (9) AQUARIUMS {AQUA}{RI{U}MS}

16 Silence due to performance (7) SHOWING {SH}{OWING}

18 Superhero who might become rusty? (4,3) IRON MAN [CD]

19 Grave veterans leaving the front broken (7) EARNEST vETERANS*

20 Bounder thrown into lake for some time (6) DECADE {DE{CAD}E}

23 Not far away, in the outskirts of Cologne, the sun rises (5) CLOSE {Col{LOS<=}ognE}

No 10889, Friday 27 Sep 2013, Incognito

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's Superman aka Clark Kent flying around today.

ACROSS

8   Kelly’s heredity unit (4) GENE [DD]

9   Play cute around American tree (10) EUCALYPTUS {PLAY+CUTE}*{US}

10, 26 Superman’s charts once used by mathematics and science students (6,6) CLARKS TABLES {CLARKS} {TABLES}

11 Sounds like nether region is dark. Capital! (8) HELSINKI (~hells inky)

12 Hesperus, say, was earlier round the church (8) SCHOONER {S{CH}OONER}

14 Reserves blood for the poet (6) TAGORE {TA}{GORE}

16 Stable concern (4) FIRM [DD]

17 Brings up red ears (5) REARS {R}{EARS}

18 Surprise order for paratroopers (4) JUMP [DD]

19 Resident of a web after alien went away (6) INTERN INTERNet

21 Exaggerated maleness displayed when endless pain is borne by male medical officer (8) MACHISMO {M}{ACHe}{IS}{MO}

23 Old coin obtained from remote object (8) FARTHING {FAR}{THING}

26 See 10 ac.

27 Superman’s change room where you can give a ring (10) PHONEBOOTH [GK]

28 7, perhaps, went back for grass (4) REED <=

DOWN

1   Thinking what Dracula does not have is … (10) REFLECTION [DD]

2   … an inheritance that sounds like a hair weaver (8) HEIRLOOM (~ hair){HEIR}{LOOM}

3   Admiral found hiding in tunnels once (6) NELSON [T]

4   He goes back after air-conditioning an Indonesian province (4) ACEH {AC}{EH<=}

5   Cries, “Let usual cook” (8) ULULATES*

6   Yang’s counterpart in Special Protection Group is engaged in espionage (6) SPYING {SP{YIN}G}

7   Author’s money (4) BUCK [DD]

13 True minister of the kingdom (5) REALM {REAL}{M}

15 Did not forget to put eastern constituent in colour (10) REMEMBERED {R{E}{MEMBER}ED}

17 Chinese currency got by miner running around broken nib (8) RENMINBI {RENM{INB*}I*}

18 Imprison avian who has been inside earlier (8) JAILBIRD {JAIL}{BIRD}

20 Coverage of old accommodation (6) EXTENT {EX}{TENT}

22 Tricky but easily 15 (6) CATCHY [CD] [DD] - See comments

24 Pain felt when 4 trembled (4) ACHE*

25 Blyton’s policeman is a thug (4) GOON [GK/DD] - See comments

No.10888, Thu 26 Sep 2013, Mover

 Interestingly, Mover gives us some pairs today: Godesses Athena and Diana, accoutrements of the Civil Service (Toady and Red Carpet), Balladeer with Idyll, Gesso and Madder, ...

ACROSS

1 Strange Stiff alias Dead, couldn’t be better (2,3,2,1,6) AS FIT AS A FIDDLE (STIFF ALIAS DEAD)*

          Especially if you are Nero

10 Amphibious sycophant? (5) TOADY CD

          Yes Sir!

11 Singer read label wrong (9) BALLADEER (READ LABEL)*

12 Coral Sea, perhaps, without a fish (7) ESCOLAR (CORAL SEA-A)*

13 Southern courage, without a whip (7) SCOURGE (S COURaGE)

           Aaah! The consequences of lying, with the Captain's daughter on one's back ...

14 Getting old drink in silver container (5) AGING (GIN in AG) Loved this one

16 Card Peter wrongly laid out for big shots (3,6) RED CARPET (CARD PETER)*

19 Shows fatness I’m developing (9) MANIFESTS (FATNESS I'M)

20 Given, me in Paris, topsy-turvy after a kiss (5) AXIOM (MOI< after A X=kiss)

          Remembered Moi Avenue in Mombasa and the fake tusks ...

22 Jagged spoiled note replaced by bridge player (7) NOTCHED (BOTCHED-B+N)

25 Urge on the main intellectual (7) EGGHEAD (EGG HEAD)

27 Delaying agent’s rant about ill-conceived trade (9) RETARDANT (RANT about TRADE*)

28 Brilliance she takes in (5) SHINE (SHE takes IN)

29 Those forging ahead should be working with these (6,3,5) HAMMER AND TONGS CD

 

DOWN

2 Supporting post to stop flow reaching particle (9) STANCHION (STANCH ION)

3 Uncharacteristically, Dickens pens uplifting romantic ballad (5) IDYLL (T<)

4 I ram bergs to pieces for perfume ingredient (9) AMBERGRIS (I RAM BERGS)*

          Pictured the Titanic

5 Strong man found in a school desk, perhaps (5) ATLAS (CD,DD)

Atlas in a rather unusual position, more like the laughing Buddha. Also, stronger than the usual Atlas, able to lift the earth without resting it on his shoulders. You may also see a Catbert lookalike ...

6 Fragrance in a tin wafted about for a loved woman (9) INAMORATA (AROMA in A TIN)*

7 Miserable raise follows poor grade (5) DREAR (REAR follows D) 

8 Thoughtful attention to refuge (7) EARNEST (EAR NEST)

9 Goddess soon afterwards transported by American Airlines (6) ATHENA (AA carrying THEN)

15 Confused foresight; an oral examination is not advised if one gets it (4,5) GIFT HORSE (FORESIGHT)*

          One must have the foresight to look the gift horse in the mouth and politely refuse it, or pay for the dentures

17 Took exception to insult and dispatched editor (9) DISSENTED (DIS SENT ED)

18 Nothing follows award in boxing venue (5,4) PRIZE RING (RING=0, follows PRIZE)

          Like Madison Square Garden

19 Borderland has acting ruler (7) MONARCH (MARCH has ON)

21 Insane to form paint pigment (6)  MADDER (MAD RED*)

23 Tribal emblem starts to take on torrid erotic meaning (5) TOTEM (T O T E M)

24 Was a person of importance in Canadian arts (5) DIANA (T)

26 Painting surface covered in stages sometimes (5)  GESSO (T)

          Old timers will remember ESSO !

No 10887, Wednesday 25 Sep 2013, Scintillator

Stumped in the midriff by Scintillator.

ACROSS

1   Hit back government blocks in discredit (6) MALIGN {MAL<=}{I{G}N}

4   Tend to get caught on boundary (8) CONVERGE {C}{ON}{VERGE}

9   A string of devotees (6) ROSARY [CD]

10 Closet support to lead BCCI, say (8) CUPBOARD {CUP}{BOARD}

12 Spiny one has to be shifty to take control (8) HEDGEHOG {HEDGE}{HOG}

13 Pathan’s pathos-personified (6) PASHTO*

15 Former or current? (4) LATE [DD]

16 “Sunny, possibly, inside moon-core,” observes theorist (10) STRATEGIST ? (Addendum - IDEOLOGIST -{I{DEOL}O}{GIST} - See comments)

19 Husband rejects my eleventh hour make-up emphatically (10) VEHEMENTLY {MY+ELEVENTh+H}*

20 It is ideal to remain by the side of road (4) BEST {BE}{ST}

23 Tempers to weep with tears on no show of gratitude (6) SOBERS {SOB}{tEaRS}

25 Nuisance of radiation — bothersome trait embodying pain in the backside (8) IRRITANT Anno pending (Addendum - {IR}{RITA{paiN}T*}

27 Relax freely in this interrogation about communist leader’s arresting (4,4) ORAL EXAM {O{RAL EX}AM<=} Definition in the middle??

28 Excitement is one part of this channel (6) THRILL {THis}{RILL}

29 Lady accepts to propose informally and make calm (8) SMOOTHEN {S{MOOT}HE}{N} 'N' for 'and'

30 One sees one down when one’s out (6) OPENER [CD]

DOWN

1   Air-officer damages old airport in Bengaluru (7) MARSHAL {MARS}{HAL}

2   Desperate to survive; dead with thirst (4-5) LAST-DITCH {LAST}-{D}{ITCH}

3   Store in Mali that’s empty in the interior (6) GARNER GARdeNER Chambers defines a Mali as ' A member of the gardener caste in India, etc.'

5   Removing albumens at the centres in an egg (4) OVUM Anno pending (Addendum - remOVing albUMens - See comments)

6   Silent mobile starting to ring following a shaky effect (8) VIBRATES [CD] (Addendum - VIBRATOR - {VIBRATO}{R} - See comments)

7   Insect bird drops for fish (5) ROACH cockROACH

8   Last cook? Maiden doesn’t … (7) ENDMOST {M+DOESN'T}

11 … having left hot dog, nuts, sandwiches at home (7) (Addendum - HOLDING {HOLD{IN}G*} - See comments)

14 Bald and upset to disown everyone at heart (7) (Addendum - POLLARD {PO{LLA}RD} <= - See comments)

17 Item mostly got with allowance for cycle (9) ITERATION {ITEm}{RATION}

18 Small, fair and estimated to be most chic (8) SMARTEST {S}{MART}{EST}

19 Adhesive force cohering on ultra smooth surfaces (7) VISCOUS {VIS}{C}{O}{U}{S}

21 Nominal ritual conducted after tsar’s crowning (7) TITULAR {Tsar}{RITUAL*}

22 Priest is taking part in bachelor party (6) BISHOP {B}{IS}{HOP}

24 Excellent gun-man (5) BRAVO [DD]

26 Outburst amongst legal executives (4) GALE [T]

No 10886, Tuesday 24 Sep 2013, Arden

End of Arden's entertaing round. Non-samosa weeks coming up.

ACROSS

1   Extremely powerful border security (6) PLEDGE {PowerfuL}{EDGE}

4   A protein is new — follows a work of art (8) COLLAGEN {COLLAGE}{N}

9   Whippy drink is regularly spilled (6) SUPPLE {SUP}{sPiLlEd}

10 Lugging up the lute and piano, worker is sullen (8) PETULANT {P}{ETUL}<={ANT}

12 Spearman’s making cheese (8) PARMESAN*

13 Dig some more to get to the jail on other side of the river (6) DEEPEN {DEE}{PEN}

15 Cut fruit and crushed cane will be making a comeback (12) REAPPEARANCE {REAP}{PEAR}{CANE*}

18 Europeans coming together will brighten up the cabinet (6,6) FRENCH POLISH {FRENCH} {POLISH}

21 A Greek island in difficulty with (a) cash-strapped Government (6) ITHACA [T] As per crossings. Anno pending. Wonder if it has anything to do with Ithaca, NY where they print their own 'Ithaca Hours' (See comments)

22 Say something very personal (8) INTIMATE [DD]

24 Sing about America in a drunken revelry (8) CAROUSAL {CARO{USA}L}

25 It is heavenly to find some water (6) DIVINE [DD]

26 It takes a month to get over depression, when one is run-down (8) DECREPIT {DEC}{RE}{PIT} 'RE' and 'to get' ? (See comments)

27 Drink will singe you initially (6) BRANDY {BRAND}{Y}

DOWN

1   Document for father’s amusement (8) PASSPORT {PA'S}{SPORT}

2   Heaven will repay men somehow (8) EMPYREAN*

3   Get around chapel compound with a safety clause in the job contract (6,9) GOLDEN PARACHUTE* New learning as I had heard of  'Golden Handshake only'

WHICH ONE IS YOURS?

5   Picture of old people (4) OMEN {O}{MEN}

6   He had a role to play with a cryptic clue over airline (8,7) LAURENCE OLIVIER*

7   27 ac. Is good with some music, old man! (6) GRAPPA {G}{RAP}{PA}

8   Floating in a basin at Antwerp (6) NATANT [T]

11 In the heart of England, a story about a new dish (7) LASAGNA {engLand}{A}{SAG{N}A} Oh boy! I'm hungry.

14 Rope remains inside fish (7) LASHING {L{ASH}ING}

16 Award free action around it (8) CITATION {C{IT}ATION*}

17 Shows some interest in the very act of stealing (8) THIEVERY {TH{I}E}{VERY}

19 Look after and cover church ground (6) MINCED {MIN{CE}D}

20 Chic or otherwise, it relates to many voices singing on stage (6) CHORIC*

23 Island protected by tribal institutions (4)  BALI [T] Just yesterday I saw a programme on Bali on Discovery HD. It was simply exotic.