No 10970, Tuesday 31 Dec 2013, Gridman

Advice from Gridman for the next 4 days "1D and 8D"

ACROSS

1   Marrying monarch entertains criticism (8) KNITTING {K{NITT}ING} There's an extra T in the criticism?

5   Uh-uh! SP ordered to be silent (4,2) HUSH UP*

10 Completely absorb from English doctor (7) ENGROSS {EN}{GROSS} (Correction - {ENG}{ROSS} - See comments)

11 Anyhow clear it for performance (7) RECITAL*

12 Work with other ranks to reach Portuguese city (6) OPORTO {OP}{OR}{TO}

13 I met one GP agitatedly — beginning of old skin problem (8) IMPETIGO {I+MET+1+GP}*{O}

15 Discover special insight may be found by July-end (4) ESPY {ESP}{Y}

16 Does it make one knotty in matrimonial state? (7,3) NUPTIAL TIE [CD]

18 Is in prison — works for the enemy (6,4) SERVES TIME [DD]

20 Love to drink on return from work (4) OPUS {O}{PUS<=}

23 A venture to follow one attractive woman endlessly in excessive adoration (8) IDOLATRY {1}{DOLl}{A}{TRY}

24 Gridman’s near-ploy consisting of verses (6) METRIC {ME}{TRICk}

26 Bleat about Australian pageant (7) TABLEAU {BLEAT*}{AU}

27 Instruments from coach — not of the French sailors (7) GUITARS {GUIde}{TARS}

28 Prying is no violation? Good! (6) NOSING {NO}{SIN}{G}

29 With this virtue one doesn’t look to others for assistance (4-4) SELF-HELP [CD]

DOWN

1   Remain calm, don’t take off the upper garment (4,4,4,2) KEEP ONE'S SHIRT ON [C&DD] Error in enumeration it should be (4,4,5,2)

2   Clique not out to aggregate (2-5) IN-GROUP {IN}-{GROUP}

3   Advocates holding river fish (6) TROUTS {T{R}OUTS}

4   Abode where one is happy as a lark? (4) NEST [CD]

6   Somehow muscle an American (5,3) UNCLE SAM*

7   Strikers’ rota? (3,4) HIT LIST [CD]

8   Make a determined effort, draw those darned things (4,4,5,2) PULL ONE'S SOCKS UP [CD]

9   Peak period when people are before the idiot box (5,4) PRIME TIME [CD]

14 Ram about to lift flower (9) BUTTERCUP {BUTTER}{C}{UP}
Reminded me of the Dean Martin song 'Buttercup a Golden Hair' hear it below.

17 Encouraged a desire to capture Orient guerrillas (8) FEDAYEEN {FED}{A}{YE{E}N}

19 Figure hours are wasted in nabbing doctor (7) RHOMBUS {RHO{MB}US*}

21 Study carefully cost indicator for transportation (7) PORTAGE {POR{TAG}E} No containment indicator? (See comments)

22 Exist readily with a canon (6) BELIEF {BE}{LIEF}

25 Give an eye with exclamation and endless jollity (4) OGLE {O!}{GLEe}

No.10969, Monday 30 Dec 2013, Gridman

ACROSS

1 State owns one article producing utter speechlessness (7) APHASIA (AP HAS 1 A)

5 American Indian on a street is clever (6) ASTUTE (A UTE on ST)

9 Pi(pic)c (5) INSET CD Picture in Picture

          Remember those TVs that advertised PIP in days of yore

10 Timely old joke having left end of punchline (9) OPPORTUNE (O  PUN having PORT, E)

11 Idle scribbler drooled excitedly (7) DOODLER (DROOLED*)

12 Movie VIP has something to chew over: pie (7) CUSTARD (CUD around STAR)

13 Holy man gets female a French cocktail (5) FAKIR (F A KIR)

14 One new rooftop collapses in Italian village (9) PORTOFINO (1 N ROOFTOP)*

16 Not controlled immediately? (3,2,4) OUT OF HAND 2

19 Banter from fellows following tea (5) CHAFF (FF after CHA)

          A popular repast among the customers here

21 A vessel that’s run aground would want to … (7) REFLOAT CD

23 Rough action on good layer (7) COATING (ACTION* on G)

24 He is raw; we interrupted — Help me remember what I was talking about (5,3,1) WHERE WAS I (HE IS RAW WE)*

25 Lines about fast-breaking, no small meal (5) IFTAR (IR FAsT)* (IR about FAsT*)

26 Prohibit surrounding some tree (6) BANYAN (BAN around ANY)

27 Straight sign on the road (2,5) NO TURNS CD

DOWN

1 If you’ve this, you wouldn’t ask anyone else for thoughts (1,4,2,4,3) A MIND OF YOUR OWN CD,DD

2 Fool pawned church cushion (7) HASSOCK (HOCK around ASS)

3 Colonist’s decisive blow? (7) SETTLER 2
           Would a Welshman who pays up be a settler or a welsher?

4 Strange approach surrounding the last of crazy unorthodox books (9) APOCRYPHA (APPROACH* around Y)

5 A small, small photograph of jellied dish (5) ASPIC (A S PICture)

6 Avails oneself of stint on aircraft: no learner (5,2) TURNS TO (TURN STOL-L)

7 Time-out: I mustn’t fall around the extreme part of Goa – there’s coastal disaster (7) TSUNAMI *(I MUSTNt A)*

8 One with this is good at arithmetic (4,3,7) HEAD FOR FIGURES CD

          And possibly sculpture too

15 Introduce different cut (9) REDUCTION (INTRODUCE)*

17 Industrialist gets female to iron crisp fabric (7) TAFFETA (TATA gets F FE)

18 Senseless behaviour (7) FOOLERY (E)

          Easy for me!

19 Talk about river goddess’ vehicle (7) CHARIOT (CHAT about RIO=river) Can also be CHAT about R and IO, with only vehicle as def.  CV has confirmed the latter

20 Pilot takes a number to a mountain (7) AVIATOR (A VI A TOR)

22 Time to take god in coach (5) TRAIN (T RA IN)

No 2771, Sunday 29 Dec 2013

This Crossword was numbered 3500 when it appeared as an Everyman crossword at The Guardian site.

ACROSS

5   Twitter comment, short and excessively sentimental (4) TWEE TWEEt

7   Heath Robinson, say, showing duck in box - it’s Daffy? (10) CARTOONIST {CART{O}ON}{ITS*}

10 Rectangular harpsichord, spotless (8) VIRGINAL [DD]

11 Exhausted, American editor on horseback (4-2) USED-UP {US}{ED}-{UP}

12 Envisage article making one fume (6) SEETHE {SEE}{THE}

14 Transport access (8) ENTRANCE [DD]

15 Headcase with broken finger, leaves group of extremists (7,6) LUNATIC FRINGE {LUNATIC} {FINGER}*

17 Ordered to repeat a G&S work, perhaps (8) OPERETTA*

19 Utter part of lament I recalled (6) ENTIRE [T]

20 Song, a diva’s first after formal dance (6) BALLAD {BALL}{A}{D}

21 Affluent four on right included in article (8) THRIVING {TH{R}{IV}ING}

23 Neglected child runs through Battersea, distressed (6,4) STREET ARAB {STREET A{R}AB}*

24 Drawn on match day (4) TIED {TIE}{D}

DOWN

1   Female trapping number in lift (8) HEIGHTEN {H{EIGHT}EN}

2   Image I study (4) ICON {I}{CON}

3   Valuable wood from this place? Better off spending capital (6,4) LOCUST TREE {LOCUS}{T TREEb}*

4   E.g. Lana, unusual girl’s name (6) ANGELA*

6   He, with wit, edited jumbo, a conspicuous failure (5,8) WHITE ELEPHANT {WHITE}* {ELEPHANT}

8   Ups and downs on this vessel covered by heavy wave (6,7) ROLLER COASTER {ROLLER} {COASTER}

9   New layout of mall can secure the demolition of squalid houses (4,9) SLUM CLEARANCE*

13 Dues payable upon a death, say, in eastern part (6,4) ESTATE DUTY {E}{STATE} {DUTY}

16 Representation of Christ’s birth - service handling it in two ways (8) NATIVITY {NA{TI<=}V{IT}Y}

18 Easing out of harbour, Eli, effortlessly (6) RELIEF [T]

22 Dressing-gown in rear portion of closet (4) ROBE wardROBE

No 10968, Saturday 28 Dec 2013, Gridman

ACROSS

1   Graduate gets quartz from hall (8) BASILICA {BA}{SILICA}

5   Cutter provided no publicity to many a fanatic (6) ZEALOT {adZE}{A LOT}

9   Look at no-good Russian player for extended period (4,3) LONG RUN  {LO}{N}{G} {R}{UN} (Correction - {LONG} {RU}{N} - See comments)

10 Exhaust allowed into deep fissures (7) DEPLETE {DEP{LET}E*}

11 Shots certain to figure in exhibitions (9) EXPOSURES {EXPO{SURE}S}

12 Individuals from America will contain criticism (5) UNITS {U{NIT}S}

13 Obsessive about one making ton (4) INTO {1}{TON*}

14 Layers Meg put back into plan (9) STRATAGEM {STRATA}{GEM<=}

17 A vision that is likely to go up in smoke? (4,5) PIPE DREAM [CD]

19 Scheme not completely regular (4) PLAN PLANe

23 The end reached in the home game (5) OMEGA [T]

24 Former partner gripped by terrible tension is drawn out (2,7) IN EXTENSO {IN {EX}TENSO*}

25 Vulgar outfit’s character extremely blameworthy (7) KITSCHY {KITS}{CH}{Y}

26 Serious, all-round stare bestowed around a quarter (7) EARNEST {EAR{NE}ST*}

27 Are these fellows ever nodding their heads? (3-3) YES-MEN [CD]

28 Lawyer at sports competition not acceptable (8) ATTORNEY {AT}{TOuRNEY}

DOWN

1   Lie almost allowed: that’s the report (8) BULLETIN {BULl}{LET IN}

2   Son with stone in a certain excavation hole (7) SANDPIT {S}{AND}{PIT}

3   Song-writer’s unfulfilled year in the directory (6) LYRIST {L{YeaR}IST}

4   Brotherhood makes possible canny retrofit (13) CONFRATERNITY*

6   Advocacy for engagement (8) ESPOUSAL [CD]

7   General reportedly drawn to what flows with the wind (3,4) LEE TIDE {LEE} {TIDE}(~tied)

8   Small youngsters extremely raunchy (6) TEENSY {TEENS}{Y}

10 Speaking slightly of conduct of pedestrian AGM (13) DISPARAGEMENT*

15 Diplomatic move takes a month in the surroundings of river (8) DEMARCHE {DE{MARCH}E} Topical nowadays!

16 Peacekeepers back line taken by your old base (8) UNWORTHY {UN}{WOR<=}{THY}

18 Forms mental pictures of one sedate comic (7) IDEATES {1}{SEDATE*}

20 Light later around northern part of Nellore (7) LANTERN {LA{N}TER}{N}

21 Manoeuvre a rider? (6) JOCKEY [DD]

22 Way before ordinary sound system (6) STEREO {ST}{ERE}{O}

No.10967, Friday 27 Dec 2013, Gridman

Sorry, folks, for the delay. Entirely forgot it was my turn to post.  Scrambled to it after receiving message from the Col. at 0825 hours. Please take with a large pinch of E.&O.E. Brickbats welcome !

ACROSS

1 Destitute dismissed and criticised (8) STRAPPED (ST RAPPED, st=stumped)

6 Information Bureau’s gone over one bird (4) IBIS (IB'S over 1)

9 Bind hair that’s raised (4,2) LOCK UP (LOCK UP)

10 We embrace the man — Yaleman — in a motorcycle stunt (7) WHEELIE (WE embrace HE ELI)

13 Valuable, yet not having a high tag (9) PRICELESS 2D

14 Woman goes back and forth (5) MADAM <>

15 The French scholar’s Tibetan title (4) LAMA (LA MA)

16 Figure, say, runs to enter one country (10) MONTENEGRO (TEN EG R in MONO)

19 How a swimming woman may emerge unharmed (2,3,5) IN ONE PIECE (CD)

21 Jack to suffer in prison (4) JAIL (J AIL)

24 Big framework mentioned (5) GREAT (~GRATE)

25 Employee, yes, but does he work? (3-6) JOB HOLDER (CD)

26 He chooses Eastern reader (7) ELECTOR (E LECTOR)

27 Respect ace mired badly (6) ADMIRE (A MIRED*)

28 Relaxed and took sake finally to fill completely (4) SATE (SAT E)

29 Very well, you needn’t take it! (8) MEDICINE (CD)

DOWN

2 Murthi roughly accepting outsider’s original element (7) THORIUM (MURTHI* accepting O)

3 Don’t begin to fret over primarily turquoise ornament (6) ANKLET (rANKLE T)

4 Go to Argentine leader and Indian leader for sausage (9) PEPPERONI (PEP PERON I)

5 Polishes off these clues? (5) DOWNS 2

7 Two animals in a sort of tenacious expression (7) BULLDOG (BULL DOG)

8 These machines are used in mending the ways (5-7) STEAM ROLLERS CD

11 Queen’s plenty of fur (6) ERMINE (ER MINE)

12 Surely, they would rule that ‘hunny’ is wrong (8,4) SPELLING BEES ref to Honey

17 Not that notices on it display sleaze and one becomes wearied reportedly (4,5) TACK BOARD (TACK ~BORED)

18 A couple of trios make it (6) SEXTET (CD)

20 Stuff on each tandoori, to begin with (7) OVEREAT (OVER EA T)

22 Notice Press featuring new firedog (7) ANDIRON (AD around N, IRON)

23 Grandiose businesses get mineral endlessly (6) COSMIC (COS MICa)

25 Average guy poured out Oriental spirit from big drinking vessel (5) JORUM (JOe RUM)

No 10966, Thursday 26 Dec 2013, Gridman

7D too eminent for me !!

ACROSS

1   Something to investigate – for a dog? (1,4,2,4) A BONE TO PICK [CD]

9   One of a pair that may be involved in many a blow (7) NOSTRIL [CD]

10 Everyone overwhelmed by striking sound is wearisome (7) PALLING {P{ALL}ING} Pall byitself means wearisome, so is this correct?

11 Bear to see ruler caught by American after American (5) URSUS {U{R}S}{US}

12 What one is when the last page in a daily calendar is torn off (3,2,4) OUT OF DATE [CD]

13 Pants in island near Naples (5) CAPRI [DD]

15 Finally, none to follow (4,2,3) LAST OF ALL [DD]

18 Inactive, making little impression in various years (9) SEDENTARY {SE{DENT}ARY*}

21 Many spoil the amulet (5) CHARM {C}{HARM}

22 Of late, low turnout fetches absolutely negligible number (3,3,3) ALL TOO FEW*

24 Girl entertains appeal from Angolan party (5) UNITA {UN{IT}A}

26 Good, in France, a New Zealand ace gets a windfall (7) BONANZA {BON}{A}{NZ}{A}

27 Rani romps around me with primarily thin clothing (7) RAIMENT {RAI{ME}N*}{T...}

28 Spread some gossip about woman and learners being untidy (11) DISHEVELLED {DISH{EVE}{LL}ED}

DOWN

1   Gives the word to the woman about big cats (9) ANNOUNCES {ANN}{OUNCES}

2   Dispossesses nothing: America is on way up (5) OUSTS {O}{US}{TS<=}

3   Departure from backsliding doesn’t begin (9) EGRESSION rEGRESSION

4   There’s lot of petroleum there underground (3,4) OIL POOL [CD]

5   I am to set up a different version of driving force (7) IMPETUS {I'M}{SET+UP}*

6   Religious leader, fatherlike, leaves there in a quandary (5) KALIF FAtherLIKe*

7   Great eminence his small outing on peninsula fetches (8) ?I?A?A?A (Addendum - HIMALAYA {HIs}{MALAYA} - See comments)

8   Five get release from non-specific fever (4) AGUE vAGUE

14 Cudgelling prince’s disorientation (8) PADDLING {P}{ADDLING}

16 Serving to close, Officer Commanding gets sole former wife dismissed (9) OCCLUSIVE {OC}{exCLUSIVE}

17 Criticised for having botched up medals tab (9) LAMBASTED*

19 A female’s string of words said to cause violent disturbances (7) AFFRAYS {A}{F}{FRAYS}(~phrase)

20 A churchyard sight in England, yet we’re puzzled (7) YEWTREE* Anno should have been (3,4)

22 Sailor and engineer meet Parisian cleric (4) ABBE {AB}{BE}

23 Held title to a section of downtown edifice (5) OWNED [T]

25 One compromise turns out to be perfect (5) IDEAL {1}{DEAL}

No 10965, Wednesday 25 Dec 2013, Gridman

MERRY CHRISTMAS

ACROSS

1   Get on with a gentleman on Greek island frittering away afternoon (3,2,3) HIT IT OFF HIT I{T OFF} Anno pending

5   Second long-distance runner is a happy sort (6) SMILER {S}{MILER}

9   The reference is to a learner, ‘soul in torment’ (8) ALLUSION {A}{L}{SOUL+IN}*

10 Expert gets suitable gain (6) PROFIT {PRO}{FIT}

12 Rank achieved by palace attendant finally (4) TIER courTIER

13 Between boy and girl there’s no reasoning (10) PHILOSOPHY {PHIL}{O}{SOPHY}

15 City hangout is sweet (6) ECLAIR {EC}{LAIR}

17 Uncle back working as construction worker (5) MASON {MAS<=}{ON}

20 Speech has no tips on proportion (5) RATIO oRATIOn

21 Noted invader mentioned a guiding tool (6) ATTILA (~a tiller)

24 Stop! Trouble at the end of a couple of streets (5,5) STAND STILL {ST}{AND} {ST}{ILL}

27 Boyfriend breaks tip off nice-looking object (4) BEAU BEAUt

29 Dullards Amin and the drunken sot meet (6) IDIOTS {IDI}{SOT*}

30 Boy spins around in Greek island group (8) CYCLADES {CYC{LAD}ES}

31 Look on bore reflectively (6) REGARD {RE}{GARD<=}

32 No quarters given twice to balderdash (8) NONSENSE {NO}{N}{S}{E}{N}{S}{E}

DOWN

1   Hot soil in home (6) HEARTH {H}{EARTH}

2   He counts as a bank employee (6) TELLER [CD]

3   Examine international cricket match? (4) TEST [DD]

4   Insubstantial stuff from female writer (5) FROTH {F}{ROTH}

6   Societal norms code developer twisted at last (5) MORES MOR(-s+e)E(-e+s)S

7   Hoist father aboard with skier’s permit (4,4) LIFT PASS {LIFT} {PA}{SS}

8   Attempting once more for a second hearing (8) RETRYING [DD]

11 College head and learner tear around to make wine (6) CLARET {C}{L}{TEAR*}

14 Repeat from stable chorister (4) ECHO [T]

16 Looks forward to a week with a SIT round (6) AWAITS {A}{W}{A}{SIT*}

17 Bigot’s slipper? (4) MULE [DD]

18 More shaggy British Russian’s more bashful (8) BRUSHIER {B}{RU}{SHIER}

19 Inform about bird taking away secretly (8) STEALING {S{TEAL}ING}

22 Show me the way to deceive (4,2) LEAD ON [DD]

23 Chase union leader coming into money (6) PURSUE {PURS{U}E}

25 Active person has time to be mollycoddler (5) DOTER {DO{T}ER}

26 Taylor endlessly working to apply with vigour (3,2) LAY TO TAYLOr*

28 The sign of the summer? (4) PLUS [CD]

No 10964, Tuesday 24 Dec 2013, Sankalak

ACROSS

1   Escape turmoil somehow and get gold, say (8,5) PRECIOUS METAL*

9   The firm chosen to be appointed by invitation (2,5) CO-OPTED {CO}-{OPTED}

10 Take off with independent partner toting appeal (7) IMITATE {I}{M{IT}ATE}

11 Euros sold clandestinely with not a whiff! (9) ODOURLESS*

12 Fibre extracted from mistletoe? (5) ISTLE [T]

13 Futile note, outsize, in Old English (6) OTIOSE {O{TI}{OS}E}

14 Microbe causing god of wine, sick inside, to lose honour (8) BACILLUS {BACch{ILL}US}

17 Position of the body in an elevation with time to replace a bit of languor (8) ATTITUDE A(-l+t)TTITUDE

19 Tenant with not as much energy, close to indolence (6) LESSEE {LESS}{E}{E}

23 A bid to remove the top of the strongbox (5) OFFER cOFFER

25 The reptile to make a liar gloat wildly (9) ALLIGATOR*

26 Rude sailor, American that is, with a touch of vanity (7) ABUSIVE {AB}{US}{I{V}E}

27 Grey replacing top of meal, he keeps smiling! (7) GRINNER (-d+gr}GRINNER

28 Hypodermic treatment to give encouragement (1,4,2,3,3) A SHOT IN THE ARM [CD]

DOWN

1   An instrument to play for cricket body in another game (7) PICCOLO {P{ICC}OLO}

2   Man of science goes to LIC in distress (9) ECOLOGIST*

3   Trendy acts, say, for trainees (7) INTERNS {IN}{TERNS}(~turns)

4   Cancels peacekeeper’s parties with ecstasy (6) UNDOES {UN}{DO{E}'S}

5   Chief support for master in temporary residence (8) MAINSTAY {MA}{IN}{STAY}

6   Liabilities liquidated avoiding a lie in Georgian place (7) TBILISI liaBILITIeS*

7   Minimum of energy in the final (5) LEAST {L{E}AST}

8   Nightingale of India, say (7) POETESS [CD]

15 Ancient Roman province where Italian university’s relocated (9) LUSITANIA {ITALIAN+U'S}*

16 Lying next to a ballroom entertainer with very little money (8) ADJACENT {A}{DJ}{A}{CENT}

17 Fruit of a victory party in which a CO is mocked (7) AVOCADO {A}{V}{A}{CO}{DO} (Correction - {A}{V}{A+CO}*{DO} - See comments)

18 The lake is hard and may cause a loss of gloss (7) TARNISH {TARN}{IS}{H}

20 Henry, single, erupts into language (7) ENGLISH {H+SINGLE}*

21 Sound receptor through which you heard rumba etc. (7) EARDRUM [T]

22 Catchphrase of one not quick enough on the draw, say? (6) SLOGAN (~slow gun)

24 The animals originally found around unique natural ambience (5) FAUNA {F}{A}{U}{N}{A}

No.10963, Monday 23 Dec 2013, Sankalak

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO

COL. DEEPAK GOPINATH

ON WINNING THE IXL CHAMPIONSHIP

He was always the uncrowned King of Crosswords and now he has been officially coronated !

A classic Sankalak that will make your Monday morning blues disappear!
 
ACROSS

1 Prison time for a derelict without wife (7) STRETCH  (ST wRETCH)  When I test solved this puzzle, the word 'Street' was present before the word 'derelict'

5 Forceful holding of skipper by leaders of ultra radical establishment (7) CAPTURE  (CAPT. U R E)

10 A bite for the walrus, large (6) MORSEL (MORSE L) Morse is an archaic English word for walrus

11 Generous artist caught in defamation (7) LIBERAL (RA in LIBEL)

12 Old students get the luminary off-track, confused (6) ALUMNI (LUMINAry)*

13 Article found in a side street while travelling (2,3,3) BY THE WAY (THE in BY WAY)

14 Mother soaked in dye by a brute (6) ANIMAL (MA in ANIL)

15 Go back to the start of the tape (6) REWIND (CD)

18 Tree seen in a city (American) covered by prohibitory order (6) BANYAN (A NY covered by BAN)

          Sankalak has deftly sidestepped the a/an controversy by using a parenthesis and avoiding 'an American city'

20 Weaken the little devil with wind (6) IMPAIR (IMP AIR)

23 Lee talks ramblingly about bones (8) SKELETAL (LEE TALKS)*

          Reminded  me of Lee Falk's Ghost...

25 A specific aspect of French follower (6) DETAIL (DE TAIL)

26 A cockerel on glorious song, here, soon (3,4) ERE LONG (T)

27 Sick? Call back leaders in Unani practice (4,2) LAID UP (DIAL< U P)

28 Long, thin lines right inside cuts of beef (7) STREAKS (R in STEAKS)

29 Backlog of work stored in unfamiliar rear shelves (7) ARREARS (T)

DOWN

2 Blow the horn? As well let rip! (6) TOOTLE (TOO LET*)

3 Dough got without effort by corrupt yeomen, say (4,5) EASY MONEY (YEOMEN SAY)*

4 Element of a musical composition with soprano replaced by leader of chorus (7) CALCIUM (MUSICAL-S+C)*

6 Referee a retired artist, one with a tendency to chew (7) ARBITER (RA< BITER)

7 A shield to shorten the aim (5) TARGE (TARGEt)
           Reminded me of Vitatstatistix's mode of transport

8 Knowledge acquired afresh about old king supported by books (8) RELEARNT (RE LEAR NT)

9 A large house, top in grandeur, in this world that is a single community (6,7) GLOBAL VILLAGE (A L VILLA G in GLOBE) ie (GLOB(A L VILLA G)E)

16 Indicator of middle age spread (9) WAISTLINE (CD)

          Where things go to waste, as exemplified by Vitalstatistix

17 Accommodation for car passenger with unsolicited advice (4-4) BACK SEAT (CD)

19 The web, perhaps, handy for old boys! (7) NETWORK (CD, ref to Old boys network)

          Where they can stay Linked in

21 Quiet snake, with a bit of labour, gets boat person (7) PADDLER (P ADDER with L)

22 Drink makes loser quit dancing, abandoning set (6) LIQUOR (LOseR QUIt)*

24 Feudal superior who could be mendacious with extremes of grace (5) LIEGE (LIE GE)

Special, Sunday 22 Dec 2013, IXL Finale preliminary round CW

Three answers per commenter with annotations upto 8:30 AM on 23 Dec 2013.
For academic interest please answer the following
   1. How many answers you had left after half an hour.
   2. How long you took to complete the CW.
Answer the above provided no help was taken by you from any other source like Google etc when you were solving. 
I had 15 left after the 30 mins we got at the Finale.

ACROSS

9          Refurbished shrine stocks the last of church wine (7)

10        Concerning daily - in theory (2,5)

11        Stray one leaves source of potency and associates with books (7)

12        Boy goes over a sod that's turned - what's-his-name? (2-3-2)

13        Being on a circuitous path, go untired, maybe zigzagging (9)

15        Tired out, each exits in an unexpected direction (4)

17        All Mira discarded is a bracelet (7)

20        Fellow pupil (7)

21        Draw together in criticism, say (4)

22        Where females are scarce? (9)

26        Such a secret is sure to be out (3-4)

27        Rent row leads to a storm (7)

29        Indian uncle's examination is stretched to the limit (7)

30        One holding on to something, by changing sides, becomes a sycophant (7)

DOWN

1          Language in which two boys described leader of Rameswaram (9)

2          Hang on, say, with some importance (6)

3          Split competitor doesn't complete (4)

4          Talk about tiny, half-broken Indian earthenware (6)

5          Entrusts prisoner with placards (8)

6          South Indian father with a large sum  nearly hit a region in the U.S. (10)

7          Back number (8)

8          Wrong note introduces nothing in basic education (5)

14        Having no education, a French boy's without character (10)

16        Nothing to pay for panel in vessel's side above water (9)

18        Greek hero rounded up by usual enemies (8)

19        Owns up and lets in two without a shred of warranty (6,2)

23        Observe section without head going astray (6)

24        Fruit - nothing need be added to this and stirred for a seasoning (6)

25        Said in France pair heard the same (5)

28        Bear with bishop having gone off to fetch rubble (4)

To attempt the CW on a separate page follow the link IXL FINALE PRELIM CW

Enjoy

No 2770, Sunday 22 Dec 2013

ACROSS
1   Superb parrot and chimpanzee, for example (5,3) GREAT APE {GREAT} {APE}
5   US soldiers holding turncoat without charge (6) GRATIS {G{RAT}IS}
9   Phone about small error in notice (9) DISMISSAL {DI{S}{MISS}AL}
11 Tot before a play (5) DRAMA {DRAM}{A}
12 Oarsmen scoffed, by the sound of it (5) EIGHT (~ate)
13 Briefly run across street musicians (9) ORGANISTS {ORGANI{ST}Se}
14 Unhappy keeping scholarly woman (12) BLUESTOCKING {BLUE}{STOCKING}
18 Joining friendly US transportation company (5,7) UNION PACIFIC {UNION} {PACIFIC}
21 Promising illumination after power comes on (9) PLIGHTING {P}{LIGHTING}
23 Merle Haggard in ----- Gantry? (5) ELMER {MERLE}*
24 Rebuke daughter deserved (5) RATED {RATE}{D}
25 Sculpted near Loire, previously (7,2) EARLER ON*
26 Popular Bellini opera opening in London (6) NORMAL {NORMA}{L}
27 Sloth, perhaps, attendee suffered (8) EDENTATE*

DOWN
1   Ingenious device, specially tagged (6) GADGET*
2   Flag officer in the US navy (6) ENSIGN [DD]
3   Sporting event at Hilton arranged to include foremost of runners (9) TRIATHLON {AT+HILTON+R}*
4   Following surgery, worker goes after job (4-9) POST-OPERATIVE {POST}-{OPERATIVE}
6   Element causing trouble in the Navy (5) RADON {R{ADO}N}
7   Send on first of mail put into carriage (8) TRANSMIT {TRANS{M}IT}
8   Gesture involving sailors in house (4,4) STAR SIGN {S{TAR S}IGN}
10 Blonde felt inclined to steal (5-8) LIGHT-FINGERED {LIGHT}-{FINGERED}
15 Standard chapter on interior design (9) CRITERION {C}{INTERIOR*}
16 Work out drive required with club (4,4) PUMP IRON {PUMP} {IRON}
17 Clergyman, one entering cathedral (8) MINISTER {MIN{1}STER}
19 Cheers after Rome's broken conspiracy of silence (6) OMERTA {ROME*}{TA}
20 Rim of bell cast in iron (6) FRINGE {F{RING}E}
22 Monster in lengthy 11 (5) HYDRA [T] (From lengtHY DRAma DERAMA comes from 11A)

No 10962, Saturday 21 Dec 2013, Gridman

 CENTENARY SPECIAL from Gridman.

ACROSS
1 Naga play has artist initially making literal mixup (7) ANAGRAM {NAGA*}{RA}{M}
6 Item in ashtray? Objections rebuffed (4) STUB <=
9 Near no new stud's place, say (3) EAR nEAR
11 Eighth of patriarchs takes ancient seer in boat (7) CORACLE {.......C..}{ORACLE}
12 The Aerocar in Ahmedabad has hidden instrument (7) OCARINA [T]

13 Every clue in this set is like this (6) ACROSS [CD]
14 E-cash I'm disbursing to admit one having a blood-related disease (8) ISCHEMIA {ISCHEM{1}A*}
15 No adherence to rules in this composition 'Island 200X' (9) CAPRICCIO {CAPRI}{CC10}
17 Type of tape: see, there's nothing (5) VIDEO {VIDE}{O}
18 Hanker after chief's accolade (5) CRAVE {C}{RAVE}
20 In among well-known, Laud squirms, revealing lumps (9) NODULATED {NO{LAUD*}TED}
23 Resign hastily following a second  prescriber (8) ASSIGNER {A}{S}{RESIGN*}
25 The last letter and the first beg pitifully  to include Russian leader's capital (6) ZAGREB {Z}{A}{G{R}EB*}
27 Era iMac was launched in country (7) AMERICA*
28 Enter into a combination with O -- Dixie so adaptable! (7) OXIDISE*
29 Noisy squabble among borrowers (3) ROW [T]
30 What does it? Not difficult! (4) EASY [DD]
31 How Dean may propagate date to celebrate (4,3) NAME DAY*

DOWN
1 Extremely old and clever account about one (7) ARCHAIC {ARCH}{A{1}C}
2 Nair doesn't start dear work on parachute delivery (3-4) AIR-DROP {nAIR}-{DR}{OP}

SEE THESE AIR DROPS

3 Type of gene - saints to get around (9) RECESSIVE {RECE{SS}IVE}
4 Hardly demanding maiden to eke out (4) MEEK {M}{EEK*}
5 Explosive remark you're engaged with (9) CROSSWORD {CROSS}{WORD}
7 Get beard this to look tidy (7) TRIMMED [CD]
8 Abroad, Victor displayed swaggering behaviour (7) BRAVADO {ABROAD+V}*
10 Measure of the Jews for spa in England (4) BATH [MD]
16 Event for celebration: State despatched  Indian girl by train (9) CENTENARY (~sent}{CENT}{ENA}{RY}

17 Suggestiveness or being showy as rivals mug wildly (9) VULGARISM*
18 Travesty from daily publicity -- extremely crude (7) CHARADE {CHAR}{AD}{E}
19 A surgeon's duty in the face of an  inflamed swelling (7) ABSCESS {A}{BS}{CESS}
21 Remained behind, having been drawn to a bishop within (7) TARRIED {T{A}{RR}IED}
22 The sense of uncertainty of the French having exotic bite, extremely tasty (7) DUBIETY {DU}{BITE*}{tastY}
24 Electrical power network -- good and free! (4) GRID {G}{RID}
26 Duck feathers not up (4) DOWN [DD]

No.10961, Friday 20 Dec 2013, Sankalak

Sankalak as good as ever !

ACROSS 1 Miss India, say (6,5) BEAUTY QUEEN CD

9 Unknown trash, a new aid for smokers (7) ASHTRAY (Y TRASH)*           If you smoke in our washrooms, guess what we'll do in your ashtrays

10 In the midst of a snag Tom got diverted (7) AMONGST (SNAG TOM)*

11 Giants, very big, take back work unit (5) OGRES (OS take ERG<)

12 The work book to test the profession of eye care (9) OPTOMETRY (OP TOME TRY)

13 Food for a legendary friar? (4) TUCK (DD)   Ref the the gluttonous Friar Tuck from Robin Hood tales

15 True air contaminated in a part of old Italy (7) ETRURIA (TRUE AIR)*

19 Against the rules? With one pound, legitimate (7) ILLICIT (1 L LICIT)

20 Heredity factor in old dancing actor Kelly (4) GENE (CD,DD)   Ref to Gene Kelly

24 To knock the nitpicker is to start exposing (9) CRITICISE (CRITIC IS E)

25 Shadow cast by some dumb radicals (5) UMBRA (T)

27 Strange name, unity for a perennial herb (7) ANEMONE (NAME* ONE)

28 Little frog seen in notice carried by troop leader North, say (7) TADPOLE (T POLE carries AD)

29 Place for valuables steadies fop in confusion (4,7) SAFE DEPOSIT (STEADIES FOP)*

DOWN 1 The state of a famous prison with a change of head (5) BIHAR (TIHAR with change of first letter)

2 A time to relax when not working (2,4) AT REST (CD,DD, &LIT)

3 Preservative compound with some healthy molecules (6) THYMOL (T)

4 The number one lost in antiquity somehow (8) QUANTITY (ANTIQUITY)*

5 Huge? Right, one up with a tailless rodent in tow (8) ENORMOUS (R ONE MOUSe)

6 Entertainment for the insomniac perhaps (9) NIGHTLIFE (CD)

7 Robbery through business: it got contained in 24 hours (7) DACOITY (CO IT in DAY)

8 Curbs for vessel crossing Scottish river (5) STAYS (SS crossing TAY, a Scottish river)

14 Measuring device to treat ill pacers (9) CALLIPERS (ILL PACERS)*

16 Not really the game of a junior Woods! (8) MINIGOLF (CD)         A junior cannot really play the field !

17 Welcome announcement for a shareholder (8) DIVIDEND (CD)

18 Leader of business very happy though behind time (7) BELATED (B ELATED)

21 A lot of water, once a novelty (5) OCEAN (ONCE A)*           Water water everywhere, nor a drop to drink

22 Worn out, a sign of tachycardia? (4,2) BEAT UP (DD)

23 Money, American, for something in the eye (6)  FUNDUS (FUND US)

26 Swell up, as might a trainee in craft (5) BLOAT (L in BOAT)