No.11099, Saturday 31 May 14, Neyartha

Good one from Neyartha. Liked MOCCASIN, STOCKING FILLER, T-JUNCTION, EXTENDED FAMILY, MINE and LEVER. It felt like the clues were easier/tighter than yesterday. Spotted a few video game references - BATTLESHIP, HALO, MINE-CRAFT, TOMB RAIDER. Pitch in if you see more that I missed.

ACROSS
1 Alien, one chased away by irate cosmetician with a soft leather shoe (8) MOCCASIN [COSMetiCIAN]*

5 Quick movement to get the note back in place was arranged ahead of time (6) PRESET [PRESTO with TE<= for TO]
9 Region inside shelter in, say, Turkey for the English (4,4) NEAR EAST [AREA inside NEST]
10 Metal making microbe and the rest back out (6) BARIUM [BActeRIUM]
11 Mad clerk gifts lion as a Christmas present (8,6) STOCKING FILLER [CLERK GIFTS LION]*
14 Forces that protect (5) ARMED [E] Like CV said yesterday with the sociolinguistic clue, this might do well with a 'Kind of' or 'Sort of' at the beginning.
16 With stronger reason, capital barricades fort on island in Oregon (1,8) A FORTIORI [A1 outside FORT + I + OR] Is the last 'in' intrusive/misleading?
17 Where one could go left or right, but not straight! (1-8) T JUNCTION [CD]

19 Counsel’s icon-based computer display goes missing at the ball (5) DANCE [guiDANCE]
20 Deftly examined formation of a social unit (8,6) EXTENDED FAMILY [DEFTLY EXAMINED]*
23 Famished antelope from the east found between the gas lines (6) HUNGRY [GNU<= inside H + RY]
24 Boomerang Ravi designed after leaving barge in capital port (8) MONROVIA [bOOMeraNg RAVI]*
25 Tempest lets out the concealed grinding tool (6) PESTLE [T]
26 Musical work by a lecturer on a Galilean moon (8) ORATORIO [ORATOR + IO]

DOWN
1 Bomb in the pit (4) MINE [DD]

2 Vessel with brown wrapping paper for the auditor (5) CRAFT [~KRAFT]
3 Sailed through protected French sea and got fined (7) AMERCED [ACED outside MER]
4 Seditious fact-finding evacuates Vellore’s outskirts (11) INSTIGATIVE [INveSTIGATIVE]
6 Montreal is terrorised to some extent by a practical person (7) REALIST [T]
7 Unsuccessful extra besieged by troubled nostril (9) STILLBORN [LB inside NOSTRIL*]
8 Twist following French word brought up with hesitation by a video game franchise (4,6) TOMB RAIDER [MOT<= + BRAID + ER]
12 Staircase climbing may be unnecessary if you want to reach this (6,5) GROUND FLOOR [E]
13 Hips damaged after struggle with armour-bearing gun-toting seafarer (10) BATTLESHIP [BATTLE + HIPS*]

15 Smart son goes down after the doctor and peacekeepers to get the support frameworks (9) MOUNTINGS [MO + UN + (s-)TING(+S)]
18 Principal’s abdominal vaccine initially replaced by a vitamin (7) CENTRAL [VENTRAL with C for V]
19 Revolutionary, drained after assimilating the letter, finds fault (7) DEMERIT [TIRED<= outside EM]
21 Lift the handle (5) LEVER [DD]
22 Cut and dried grass, insufficient, it is said, for the crown (4) HALO [~HAY LOW]

No 11098, Friday 30 May 2014, Neyartha

ACROSS
7   Sophisticated Democrat and Virginia participate in dance medley (8) ADVANCED {D{VA}{D}ANCE*}
9   Bulk of the main level has been abandoned (6) AMOUNT parAMOUNT
10 Hollywood misinterprets owl’s intent (10) TINSELTOWN*
11 One may pump this for exercise (4) IRON [CD]
12 Adult taking out a chromosome from the novice’s edible starchy root (4) TARO T(-y+a)ARO
13 Child ran amok in the American city (8) RICHLAND*
16 Gadgets with flaws put behind revolutionary Ed (7) DEVICES {DE<=}{VICES}
18 Revered threesome attempt to capture heartless Eskimo (7) TRINITY {TR{INuIT}Y}

20 Four students take me inside after training hurriedly (4-4) PELL-MELL {PE}{LL-{ME}LL}
21 Frown after missing the first pastry ingredient (4) LOUR fLOUR
23 Fertilizer chemical provided by a bureaucrat (4) UREA [T]
24 Beautiful handwriting in article going into exercise by New Mexico vessel (10) PENMANSHIP {PE}{NM}{AN}{SHIP}
25 British car manufacturer’s big cat (6) JAGUAR [DD]

26 Trouble admitting anger at the Oriental moving in with the pastoral staves (8) CROSIERS {CROS{I(+e)ER(-e)}S}

DOWN
1   Sad minister conceals one enjoying root access? (5) ADMIN [T]
2   Corrupt agencies haul tea for the old European trade group (9,6) HANSEATIC LEAGUE*
3   Northbound lawyer’s trip to the estuary borders abandoned at retreat (7) ADJOURN {AD<=}{JOURNey}
4   Rule for the auditor in a thunderstorm (4) RAIN (~reign)
5   Factors that may determine why dialects vary between classes in the same region (15) SOCIOLINGUISTIC [CD] ([E] - See comments) Had to cheat on this one
6   Keen on covering sprocket with nickel for an identity-concealing person (9) INCOGNITO {IN{COG}{NI}TO}
8   Sets out with the Pole for a ball with a musical instrument (5) CELLO Anno pending (Addendum - CELL(-s+o)O - See comments)
14 Mongrel’s dead skin is trimmed (3) CUR sCURf
15 Drill and cutting tool brought up with catch inside (9) REHEARSAL {RE{HEAR}SAL<=}
17 Exchange component that may make everyone blind (3) EYE [CD]
19 Devil’s kin, cold after treatment (3,4) OLD NICK*
21 Put up total on return from a grassy plain (5) LLANO {LLA<=}{NO<=}
22 Caught my black bird with an IC chip (5) MICRO (~my crow)
24 Balkan money found in a Brazilian city (4) PARA [DD] Thanks to Google

No.11097, Thursday 29 May 2014, Gridman

People who do not like compact discs might be uncomfortable today ...

ACROSS
1 Pen: ‘’Saint has rosette with top worn off’’ (8) STOCKADE (ST cOCKADE)
5 Roughly trace Eastern form (6) CREATE (TRACE E)*
9 Absurd, scholar being kept out of a kind of vocabulary (7) IDIOTIC (IDIOmaTIC)
10 The sort of force behind a wheel? (7) DRIVING (CD)
            The most dangerous part of the car is supposed to be the nut behind the wheel
11 Make a lodging arrangement as an itinerant might in a hotel (4,1,4) BOOK A ROOM (CD)
12 Wager for the Spanish leaf (5) BETEL (BET EL)
            You must have head of Bikram and Vettel ...
13 Is cognizant of stated feature (4) NOSE (~KNOWS)
14 What an inventive writer might do when the thesaurus is of no help (4,1,4) COIN A WORD (CD)
          "Figgymisgrugifooniyn".  For details, please ref this wonderful poem
17 Ordered: Dante must be a silent witness (5,4) STAND MUTE (DANTE MUST)*
19 The choral bears repetition (4) ECHO (T)
23 A pal trickily surrounded hard Greek character (5) ALPHA ((A PAL)* around H)
24 How a postman might walk over (5,4) STAMP DOWN (CD)

25 Tranquil sea (7) PACIFIC (CD)
26 Excess media reporting on dismissal of leader (7) OVERAGE (cOVERAGE)
           Reminded me of Vitamin bottles' "Appropriate overages added
27 Scheming to hug odd lady regularly in an unrestrained manner (6) WILDLY (WILY hugging LaDy)
28 Declared a dessert is well-cooked (8) ASSERTED (A DESSERT)*

DOWN
1 Part of foot that gets its kicks (8) SHINBONE (CD)
2 Threatening Mantra I almost sound violent (7) OMINOUS (OM I SOUN*d)
3 Its contents are uniform (6) KITBAG (CD)
4 A harmonious sounding physician? (6,2,5) DOCTOR OF MUSIC (CD)

           What this chappie certainly ain't !

Intro from Toccata by Johann Sebastian Bach

6 Excited Rani bends before colourful arcs (8) RAINBOWS (RANI* BOWS)
          Contrast with "Across a pale parabola of joy ..." written by Psmith,  masquerading as poet Ralston Mc Todd, on the flyleaf of a book ...
7 He flies a number over a hill (7) AVIATOR (A VI A TOR)
8 Overwhelm English girl withdrawing complaint (6) ENGULF (EN G FLU<)
10 Showers? (13) DEMONSTRATORS (CD) They show
           students how to go about things in labs and show up at picket lines
15 Kind of activity that is beyond provisions in any Act (8) UNLAWFUL (CD)
16 ’’My happiness is not the means — — —‘’ (Ayn Rand) (2,3,3) TO ANY END (FIB: GK-GOOGLE)
18 Of current interest in stormy Capitol (7) TOPICAL (CAPITOL*)
20 Great! Worker gets fluid (7) COOLANT (COOL ANT)
21 Father with double fruit (6) PAWPAW ((PA W) x 2)
22 A bit to each (6) APIECE (A PIECE)

No 11096, Wednesday 28 May 2014, Gridman

With 1A as REAL LIFE and 8D as UNIVERSALISM I was foxed for a long time. That's my problem with CD's. 

ACROSS
1   Such a story in literature may not lie (4-4) TRUE LIFE [CD]
6   Lover’s tie talked about (4) BEAU (~bow) Another pronunciation that i was not aware of till today
9   Lion, by no means a pussy (3,3) BIG CAT [CD]
10 National might be a female I hang about (7) AFGHANI {A}{F}{GHANI*}
13 Leader of Congress gets a quiet tip to source of funds (4,5) CASH POINT {C}{A}{SH} {POINT}
14 Run away with East European revolutionary (5) ELOPE {E}{POLE*} (Addendum - {E}{POLE}<= - See comments)
15 Finished deliveries? (4) OVER [DD]
16 Moody from some spreadsheet functions (3,2,5) OUT OF SORTS {OUT OF} {SORTS}
19 Karl caught messing up with feature of funny TV show (5,5) LAUGH TRACK*
21 Dark shadow from friend fell finally (4) PALL {PAL}{felL}
24 A second layer of pale colour (5) ASHEN {A}{S}{HEN}
25 Release a fellow who is not under any contractual obligation (4,5) FREE AGENT {FREE} {A}{GENT}
26 Part ZEE telecast is a circus act (7) TRAPEZE*
27 Pounds after short run around Bihar's capital (6) THROBS {THRO{B}S*}
28 Newlywed woman doesn't start journey (4) RIDE bRIDE
29 Takes a short sleep in rubbish bag (8) KNAPSACK {K{NAPS}ACK}

DOWN
2   Old foreign money given to a girl to send out again (7) REISSUE {REIS}{SUE}
3   Save right out of passage (6) EXCEPT EXCErPT
4   Tiger Run I toured to find plotter (9) INTRIGUER*
5   Accurate demand (5) EXACT [DD]

Cartoon by Bhargav

7   Strange roue catches upcoming fellow’s charm (7) ENAMOUR {E{NAM<=}OUR*}
8   Global commonness (12) UNIVERSALITY [E]
11 European country said to import lard (6) GREASE (~greece)

12 Instructor, too charmless, under reorientation (12) SCHOOLMASTER*
17 So charter reassembled band (9) ORCHESTRA*
18 Swap coins? (6) CHANGE [DD]
20 “…. but those __ are sweeter still” (Keats) (7) UNHEARD [FITB]
22 Good tennis player and writer are bitter (7) ACERBIC {ACER}{BIC}

23 Mammal doesn't complete slow movement - crowd loses heart (6) WALRUS {WALk}{RUSh}

25 Faker undergoes hesitant turn and shift - that’s unusual (5) FREAK {F(+er<=)REAK(-er)}

No 11095, Tuesday 27 May 2014, Gridman

Lot of googling done today. Too many CD's etc (50%) for my liking.

ACROSS
1   Relating to bookseller getting torn holy work, Goddess, to short force (11) BIBLIOPOLIC {BIBLe}{I}O{POLICe} Thanks to Google
9   One with many a pupil looking up to (7) TEACHER [CD]
10 Be inquiring ones without small vessels (7) BEAKERS {BE}{AsKERS}
11 W.W. Air Force General 10 losing sides (5) EAKER bEAKERs
12 One’s admission of having consulted a dictionary (1,6,2) I LOOKED UP  for plenty of answers today [CD]
13 Excel in al fresco? (5) OUTDO (~outdoor)
15 With pupils, they are bound for school (9) NOTEBOOKS [C&DD]
18 Maintain assent to Puducherry’s extreme skill of ball-juggling (5-4) KEEPY-UPPY {KEEP}{Y UP}{PuducherrY} Thanks to Google

21 Board tinge marred (3,2) GET IN*
22 Singer to get wild acknowledgements (9) GREETINGS* Was confused by the 'to' in between
24 Dance with redhead moving in darkness (5) UMBRA (-r)UMB(+r)RA
26 Angering endlessly one music composer (7) ROSSINI {cROSSINg}{1}
27 Endure while transiting the subway? (7) UNDERGO {UNDER-GO}
28 What Gridman, not equal to writing a clue, might say (3,6,2) IT'S BEYOND ME [CD]

DOWN
1   Following all rules, purchase guide, we are told (2,3,4) BY THE BOOK (~buy the book)
2   Ravenous? (5) BLACK [CD] Like logic 'All ravens are black, so anything black is ravenous' :-)
3   On the same page, musically (2,7) IN HARMONY [C&DD]
4   Shakespearean woman without a working share (7) PORTION {PORTIa}{ON}
5   As worn by the researcher in the science room (3,4) LAB COAT [CD]
6   The sort of talk that is a lesson (5) CHALK [CD]
7   Gives credit to dunce hoarding objects (5,3) LENDS OUT {L{ENDS} OUT}
8   Inviter's initial request? (1,1,1,1) R.S.V.P. [CD]
14 What a reserved person would say (3,5) THE LEAST [CD]
16 A TV nut is said to … … … the screen (2,5,2) BE GLUED TO
17 What the reprimanding music teacher did to the learner (4,1,4) SENT A NOTE [CD]
19 Puts in tentatively: Beams (7) PENCILS [DD]
20 A certain affirmation? (3,4) YES SURE [CD]
22 In R.K. Narayan’s title he is ‘’reluctant’’ (4) GURU [GK] Thanks to Google again

                                                                                        Cartoon by Bhargav
23 Endless twin kit for Buck Rogers’ robot pal (5) TWIKI {TWIn}{KIt} ... and again
25 Said directors are in a sick and tried state (5) BORED (~board)

No. 11094, Monday 26 May 2014, Gridman

Gridman’s puzzle today is devious and* partially understandable ...

ACROSS 
1 Snake caught on entering a country without capital (8) ANACONDA (C ON in cANADA)
5 Relative to divest incompletely? Not exactly (4,2) KIND OF (KIN DOFf)
10 Copper-T, out-of-order, fell (3,4) CUT DOWN (CU T DOWN)
          262 to 59
11 You of old accept reach outside Church of author (7) THOREAU (THOU accepts REAch) 
          Read with 8dn:  "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."-HD Thoreau

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/henry_david_thoreau_2.html#Ko8qklpceD0YdFtG.99

12 Step on circular block (4) LEGO (LEG O)
13 Daughter goes after new lawyer in case that’s demolished (10) VANDALISED (D goes after N DA in VALISE)
14 Good individual is missing (4) GONE (G ONE)
15 One succeeds, finding target in talk (10) DESCENDANT (END in DESCANT)
          Sometimes a descendant does not succeed ...
18 They cant’t tread a measure as they lack partners (3-7) NON DANCERS (CD)
21 Yes, in Italy, see where the fodder might be (4) SILO (SI LO)
23 All who are there at 10:00 get ball (10) ATTENDANCE (AT TEN DANCE)
          8 HoSs
25 First of financiers to look back on charges (4) FEES (F SEE<)
27 One bender, relaxing, not to go outside the family (7) INBREED (1 BE
NDER*)
28 Something wrong with the wax, it’s true (7) SINCERE (SIN CERE=wax) 

                                                                                          Cartoon by Bhargav
30 Directs son to chase cattle (6) STEERS (S to chase STEER)

31 Group, past its prime, is wrapped up (8) BANDAGED (BAND AGED)

DOWN
1 Part of a circle in the Bihar camp (3) ARC (T)
2 Worker begins indicating lowdown on immune-response trigger (7) ANTIGEN (ANT I GEN=info=lowdown)
3 Old boy has note extracted from one pipe (4) OBOE (OB OnE)
4 Having teeth, somehow tend to eat nuts (7) DENTATE (TEND* EAT*)
6 Gridman and boy nearly fall upon breathing machine (4,4) IRON LUNG (I RON LUNGe)
7 Speed camera Marc dropped carelessly in lower oceans (4-3) DEEP SEA (SPEED CAMERA-MARC)*
          It is these deep sea movements that cause tsunamis, I understand
8 Discovered states have no new bases (11) FOUNDATIONS (FOUND nATIONS)
9 Endless investigation of horse-breeding establishment (4) STUD (STUDy)
12 Renowned people sign after conclusion of a stretch? (11) LEGENDARIES (LEG END ARIES)
16 Child is out to seek redress (3) SUE (isSUE)
17 Garment that is no good on a sunny day (8) RAINWEAR (CD)
          Not in Bangalore. A sunny day can turn into a rainy day before you can say "Bangalore"
19 Distinguished person turning up on schedule (7) NOTABLE (ON< TABLE)
         Ref.23a
20 Shikar rushed madly to grab cheetah’s head in cart (7) RICKSHA (SHIKAR* grabbing C)
22 Cold and unemotional person? Beg Eric to change! (7) ICEBERG (BEG ERIC)*
24 Puts together a cutting instrument, we’re told (4) ADDS (~ADZE)
          282+18+16+6+4+3+2+1+1+1+1+1=336 Yes, it all adds up
26 One in last part is author Blyton (4) ENID (1 in END)
29 Conclusion is shepherd hasn’t begun (3) END (tEND)
          An apt grid-fill for this slot!

Special, Sunday 25 May 2014, Raju Umamaheshwar

Only 2 (TWO) answers per commenter today (upto 6 PM). Reduction due to less number of clues in the grid set by Raju.
Positive comments/Brickbats are welcome to encourage Raju to set some more crosswords.

ACROSS

2   He doesn't have this inside information (4)

4   This impression is unwanted in one's car (4)

8   To provide safety, when surrounded (7)

9   With GPS’s, we can dispense with these references (7)

11 Gold diggers' can aspire to become, if they are wily! (15)

12 Unbranched inflorescences (6)

13 These auditors confront each other! ( 6)

14 Taste this! I’m sure it’s simply ample! (6)

15 Is adorable , this Spanish baby (5)

16 With or without g, these can be comely! (6)

17 Hold your breath - Not while asleep, though (6)

18 This lemony limo sounds very French! (7)

19  Lively 16 across, though equine! (7)

20 This band can proudly -- ay! (4)

21  No siblings? Just! (4)

DOWN

1   One sort of recycling? (15)

2   Special effects-in cameras? (6,9)

3   Adrift? (15)

5   To give shape, superficially? (15)

6   Group therapy - this way! (15)

7   Jesus!! (7,8)

10 These are shifted -- equal to American nickels? (9)

Across Lite version is available at the following link RAJU UMAMAHESHWAR 2

Enjoy.

No 2792, Sunday 25 May 2014

ACROSS
1   Complaint made by Master of Arts, woman (6) MALADY {MA}{LADY}
4   Twist almost all of the backbone (6) SPINAL {SPIN}{ALl}
9   Notice embassy's entrance (9) ADMISSION {AD}{MISSION}
11 A Parisian, one working for Equity, perhaps (5) UNION {UN}{1}{ON}
12 Jockey's attacker article cleared (5) RIDER RaIDER
13 Mediocre, 12 that failed (5-4) THIRD-RATE {RIDER+THAT}*
14 I'm career chef that's prepared topping (5,7) CREME FRAICHE*

18 Valiant, began carrying out high explosive (12) STOUTHEARTED {ST{OU}{HE}ARTED}
21 Find out when positive (9) ASCERTAIN {AS}{CERTAIN}
23 Wild dog shot following row (5) DINGO {DIN}{GO}
24 Top-class player, last to play, sickly (5) SEEDY {SEED}{Y}
25 CND includes even a past president (9) CLEVELAND {C{LEVEL}{A}ND}
26 Pointer in joint with no lead, led off (6) NEEDLE {kNEE}{LED*}
27 Celebrity impressing you, one having stamina (6) STAYER {STA{YE}R}

DOWN
1   Thin, a Guides' leader plunging into lake (6) MEAGRE {ME{A}{G}RE}
2   Priest entertaining Bachelor of Divinity, a Greek character (6) LAMBDA {LAM{BD}A}
3   Soldier and sailor turned up after leave (6,3) DESERT RAT {DESERT} {RAT<=}
5   Poet's pen (5) POUND [DD]
6   Pest is hidden by shade (8) NUISANCE {NU{IS}ANCE}
7   Led across Niger, struggling - hung on (8) LINGERED {L{NIGER*}ED}
8   Lack of interest in controversy (12) INDIFFERENCE {IN}{DIFFERENCE}
10 Camp internee beaten for drunkenness (12) INTEMPERANCE*
15 Get better soldiers in a time for change (9) AMENDMENT {A}{MEND}{MEN}{T}
16 I kill two turkeys at home (8) ASSASSIN {ASS}{ASS}{IN}
17 Specific Cape on Mediterranean island (8) CONCRETE {C}{ON}{CRETE}
19 Popular female, girl of ill repute (6) INFAMY {IN}{F}{AMY}
20 Bird in apartment close to river (6) CONDOR {CONDO}{R}

22 Member of monarchy runs old American university? Not quite (5) ROYAL {R}{O}{YALe}

No 11093, Saturday 24 May 2014, Gridman

Continuing with chai and samosa after 3 days with Sankalak. 

ACROSS

1   Ascends with effort to get 150 twitching breams (8) CLAMBERS {CL}{BREAMS*}

5   Managed detectives far from fresh (6) RANCID {RAN}{CID}

9   High living in top shelf maybe (8) FLESHPOT*

10 Married a woman having a complaint (6) MALADY {M}{A}{LADY}

12 Boy tearing head off toy bear (4) EDDY tEDDY

                                                                                          Cartoon by Bhargav

13 Simple grade of school teacher’s job (10) ELEMENTARY [DD]

15 Throw off track revolutionary Communist with top Left leader (6) DERAIL {DER}{A}<={1}{L} (Addendum - {DER<=}{A1}{L} - See comments)

17 The sailor cut short Greek character (5) THETA {THE}{TAr}

20 Frequently mollify southern leader flouncing out (5) OFTEN sOFTEN

21 Boring study from poet (6) DRYDEN {DRY}{DEN}

24 Continuing love affair (8,2) CARRYING ON [DD] Remember the 'Carry on' series of movies

27 Extra giving up second responsibility (4) ONUS bONUS Shouldn't that be 'giving up second letter'

29 Tuned badly to capture English prisoner (6) DETENU {DET{E}NU*}

30 Record — one record mentioned in closing chapter (8) EPILOGUE {EP}{1}{LOG}UE UE for mentioned? (Addendum - {EP}{1}{LOGUE}(~log) - See comments)

31 Vegetable is hard to masticate (6) RADISH RAD{IS}{H} ? Anno pending. Something seems amiss here (Addendum - RADISH* - See comments)

32 Man's raga changes in kinds of wordplay (8) ANAGRAMS*

DOWN

1   One who spills information said to have repository (6) COFFER (~cougher)

2   A note to finish a list of things to be done (6) AGENDA {A}{G}{END}{A}

3   Bachelor has spewed out words of contempt (4) BASH BAHS {B}{HAS*} (See comments)

4   Finally one in stir to fix a squeak once more (5) REOIL {R{onE}OIL}

6   A profit for the second time (5) AGAIN {A}{GAIN}

7   Man has learner dismissed, getting publicity for party games (8) CHARADES {CHARl{AD}ES}

8   24 hours 24 hours? (3,2,3) DAY BY DAY [CD]

11 Put to work half of them on trick (6) EMPLOY {thEM}{PLOY}

14 Noticed loud Bollywood shooting? (4) SEEN (~scene)

16 Eager, our compiler’s on time (6) ARDENT {ARDEN}{T}

17 Hard journey makes some striker turn backwards (4) TREK <=

18 Cold about broken creed, he forfeits (8) CONCEDER {C}{ON}{CREED*}

19 One tear mended by Edward is repeated (8) ITERATED {1}{TEAR*}{TED}

22 Image N to be morphed into puzzle (6) ENIGMA*

23 Stockings people have no hard baskets (6) OSIERS hOSIERS

25 Pulls up Big Apple team? (5) YANKS [DD]

26 Alternatively, fasten a flower (5) ORPIN {OR}{PIN}

28 Small record in toil (4) SLOG {S}{LOG}

No.11092, Friday 23 May 2014, From the files of Sankalak

Another Superb one from Sankalak giving immense pleasure

ACROSS
1 Giving confidence with a call about American ship in retreat (8) ASSURING (A (USS<) RING)
5 School head deals effectively with visual display units (6) SCOPES (S COPES)
10 Team taken in by a mantra or self-evident truth (5) AXIOM (XI in A OM)
11 The key for one preparing data in columns (9) TABULATOR 2 &LIT
12 With the heart muscle relaxed, girl, a philosophic one suppresses onset of love (9) DIASTOLIC (DI A STO(L)IC
13 Do wrong, say, in return and burn (5) SINGE (SIN EG<)
14 Girl with article riding the elevated (5) ETHEL (THE in EL)
16 Loss of energy for a trainer, it becomes an annoyance (8) IRRITANT (TRAINER IT-E)*
18 A fine flute played with a bit of nostalgia — so rich (8) AFFLUENT (A F (FLUTE+N)*)

                                                                                                Cartoon by Rishi
20 Youth club leaders escorted by old general to French school (5) LYCEE (YC in LEE)
24 Observer, held by criminal, scratched off the paint (5) KEYED (EYE in KD)
              I understand in the British times, the Indian Police used KD as an abbreviation for a Known Defaulter or something like that. In Kannada, KD is used to refer to a 'rowdy sheeter'.  Once, in my Kannada answer paper (10th standard), I wrote KD Raya for Krishna Deva Raya ... It was the first time I was writing a Kannada exam
25 How a user, oriental, rebuilt a godown (9) WAREHOUSE (HOW A USER E)*
27 Plant, bile producer? The least acceptable without sulphur (9) LIVERWORT (LIVER WORsT)
28 Geometry is all about this (5) SHAPE CD
29 The way to travel, a big step (6) STRIDE (ST RIDE)
30 The most revealing undergarment is French (8) BRIEFEST (BRIEF EST)
           The briefest brief?

DOWN
1 A minor under protection with energy and ecstasy — he gets the prize! (7) AWARDEE (A WARD E E)
2 Green vegetable that can turn a child (7) SPINACH (SPIN A CH)
3 Area of work — part of a rare mite’s evolution (5) REMIT (T)
4 Clear of all charges, the French cause annoyance (6) NETTLE (NETT LE)
6 Right away, lilac trees turn heavenly (9) CELESTIAL (LILAC TrEES)*
7 Flower, dear girl carries one (7) PETUNIA (PET UNA carries 1)
8 Bond returning to confront surging water in overfulness (7) SURFEIT (SURF TIE<)
9 The old boy’s restoration to health is uncertain (7) OBSCURE (OB'S CURE)
15 Such money, however, is not clean (9) LAUNDERED CD
            Time money launderers were taken to the cleaners ...

17 Specialised skill is a negative, you say? In what way? (7)  KNOWHOW (~NO HOW)
18 Substances found in saki, all mixed up (7) ALKALIS (SAKI ALL)*

                                                                                          Cartoon by Bhargav    
19 Knowing about a road above another (7) FLYOVER (FLY OVER)
21 Endlessly woo over time, showing boldness (7) COURAGE (COURt AGE)
22 The French soldiers in Indian newspaper — the proper medium! (7) ELEMENT (LE MEN in ET)
          Sankalak in his element!
23 Server trades article for right as author (6) WRITER (Wa(R)ITER)
26 Detest accepting a bit of silver with undue speed (5) HASTE (S in HATE)

No.11091, Thursday 22 May 2014, From the files of Sankalak

Lot of clues to like - ÉTUDE, SAN MARINO, TARTAN, DEBIT, ACTIN, BEARER, SNOWBOUND, TENNIS MATCHES, OBITUARY, ENDANGER, OBJECT, BROOK, DRAMBUIE and ENGAGE. That looks like more or less all clues. 2d and 3d brought a sense of loss briefly when I was solving, but the rest of the puzzle cheered me up and reminded of all the good times. Thank you Sankalak.

ACROSS
1 Prisoner taken by tube to old place for a trip with a guide (9,4) CONDUCTED TOUR [CON + DUCTED + TO + UR]

                                                                                               Cartoon by Rishi

10 Think about twisted wire in white heath (9) BRIERWOOD [BROOD outside WIRE*]
11 Edible seaweed featured in medical avertiment (5) LAVER [T]
12 Musical work // study in France (5) ÉTUDE [DD]
13 European republic has no marinas, unfortunately (3,6) SAN MARINO [NO MARINAS]*

14 Material for a sailor, nice brown colour (6) TARTAN [TAR + TAN]
16 Entry in account for one in encumbrance (5) DEBIT [1 inside DEBT]
19 The protein for performance lacking nothing (5) ACTIN [ACTIoN]
20 He endures // a kind of bond (6) BEARER [DD]

                                                                                         Cartoon by Bhargav
25 The voice to put control at jeopardy (9) CONTRALTO [CONTROL AT]*
26 French author for whom Penny left university area (5) CAMUS [CAMpUS]
27 Creature that is acceptable to a Greek character (5) OKAPI [OK + A + PI]
28 Stuck in bad weather, down: no bus moving (9) SNOWBOUND [DOWN NO BUS]*
29 Court contests (6,7) TENNIS MATCHES [CD]

DOWN
2 Passing notice (8) OBITUARY [CD]
3 Lament for a late person (5) DIRGE [CD]
4 A beggar cannot be thus (6) CHOOSY [CD]
5 The aim — to provoke and put at risk (8) ENDANGER [END + ANGER]
6 Garrulous valet with a kit let loose (9) TALKATIVE [VALET A KIT]*
7 Expose a French evil developing (6) UNVEIL [UN + EVIL*]
8 The goal is to oppose (6) OBJECT [DD]
9 Allow inclusion of resistance in the script (5) BROOK [R inside BOOK]
15 The instrument that darin’ Coco played (9) ACCORDION [DARIN' COCO]*

17 Call unknown sibling for procedure to purify blood (8) DIALYSIS [DIAL + Y + SIS]
18 A bird (emu) turns to drink (8) DRAMBUIE [A BRID EMU]*

21 Mignonette raised in a glade serves a purpose (6) RESEDA [T<=]
22 Highlander with love at heart may leave quickly (5) SCOOT [0 inside SCOT]
23 One point about a joke that may occupy one (6) ENGAGE [ENE outside GAG]
24 A bag too clumsy in Colombia (6) BOGOTÁ [BAG TOO]*
26 Copper writer with a three-dimensional shape (5) CUBIC [CU + BIC]