No 11740, Thursday 30 Jun 2016, Arden

Tough going today. 

ACROSS
6   Caracas — not as bad a capital (5) ACCRA CARACas*
7   Soldiers pick soldier among soldiers as troop leader (8) REGIMENT {RE}{GI}{MEN}{T}
10 Under order to housekeeping staff attached to hotel (7) BENEATH {BE NEAT}{H}
11 Polished hair setter about to come in shortly (7) GENTEEL {ENTEr} in {GEL}
12 Chosen girl, it's what every one will get (7) INHERIT {IN}{HER}{IT}
13 Under flowing stream only he performs so well (7) MAESTRO {STREAM}*{O}
14 Strips, to commit debauchery (5,6) SLEEP AROUND {PEELS<=}
19 Works in the back with a piece of canvas (7) TOPSAIL {OPS} in {TAIL}
21 It's not there in another identical country (7) ICELAND iDENtICAL*

23 He hasn't finished service period — period (7) CHAPTER {CHAP}{TERm}
25 Gone out taking everything on a ship (7) GALLEON {ALL} in {GONE}*
26 Port and quarter litre wine (8) MUSCATEL {MUSCAT}{E}{L}
27 They are thought to be inside a school (5) IDEAS [T]

DOWN
1   One therefore goes under power plant (8) ACANTHUS {AC}{AN}{THUS}

2   No leader in Palestine territory can enter — except the marketplace (6) BAZAAR {gAZA} in {BAR}
3   Lay with 23, copy or like the original? (10) ARCHETYPAL {LAY+CHAPTER}* Copy is the Anind?
4   Highly excited — it's past midnight (4) AGOG {AGO}{niGht}
5   It's a crime to finance, getting 2000 % in exchange... (6) ?N?E?T (Addendum - INCEST IN(-v+c)CEST - See comments)
6   ...although it takes one pound to collaborate (6) ALBEIT {A}{L}{BE IT}? Not sure of Anno (Addendum - {A}{LB}{TIE}<= - See comments)
8   Winter wear for football team having a drink (7) MANTEAU {TEA} in {MAN U}
9   Boat collects from bottom (5) SLOOP <=
13 Boy and girl bearing harness (10) MARTINGALE {MARTIN}{GAL}{E} Had to cheat for this one

15 Give up cold drink — it's inside (7) ELASTIC {IT'S} in {C}{ALE}<=
16 Complaint — playing side is a stakeholder (8) DIABETES {A}{BET} in {SIDE}*
17 Fix a piece of wood (5) STICK [DD]
18 Fuss over transgression by a young man (6) ADONIS {ADO}{SIN<=}
20 Harry switching sides in European capital (6) PLAGUE P(-r+l)LAGUE
22 Sweet girl from bottom to top (6) ECLAIR (+e)ECLAIR(-e)
24 Estimate speed (4) RATE [DD]

GRID

No 11739, Wednesday 29 Jun 2016, Arden

ACROSS
1   Official colour of fruit (8,6) MANDARIN ORANGE {MANDARIN} {ORANGE}

10 Caught in temptation for money (5) LUCRE {LU{C}RE}
11 Steered through opening in back seat (9) NAVIGATED {GATE} in {DIVAN<=}
12 Animal in a state, crossing stream (7) GORILLA {GO{RILL}A}
13 There's grass on the right — hide (7) LEATHER {LEA}{THE}{R}
14 Catches seafood from top to bottom (5) NAILS (-s)NAIL(+s)S
16 Save from one's regular small income (9) ECONOMISE {OnEs+S+INCOME}*
19 Onset of Conjunctivitis in our lab, spread to both eyes (9) BINOCULAR {Co...s+IN+OUR+LAB}*
20 Old phone said to do well (5) EXCEL {EX}{CEL}(~cell)
22 Strategy to take pressure off Indonesian orchestra (7) GAMELAN GAMEpLAN

25 Fish underwater ate away scrap (7) WRANGLE {WateR}{ANGLE}
27 Religion's quiet before a man is married (9) SHAMANISM {SH}{A}{MAN}{IS}{M}
28 Bright get in with ease, they are the best (5) ELITE {LIT} in {EE]
29 Last rites are too much work — fellow's gone (7,7) EXTREME UNCTION {EXTREME} {fUNCTION}

DOWN
2   Power cable — it's charged by instrument (9) ACCORDION {AC}{CORD}{ION}

3   Little dirty? Come up and stay (5) DWELL {Di..y}{WELL}
4   Syndicate left murder victim inside — seem familiar? (4,1,4) RING A BELL {RING} {A BEL}{L}
5   “Vatican during Christmas” — a written account (5) NOVEL {NO{V}EL}
6   Master will follow Veda — part of protocol (9) RIGMAROLE {RIG}{MA}{ROLE}
7   Score with cut (5) NOTCH [DD]
8   Back end of animal, not head (7) ENDORSE {END}{hORSE}
9   Vessel to start the proceedings (6) FLAGON {FLAG ON}

15 Harvester's on the way — time to recover (4,5) SICK LEAVE {SICK LE}{AVE}
17 They have a row — so, war erupts, it's a warning (9) OARSWOMEN {SO+WAR}*{OMEN}
18 Unknown or not unknown — metal will go into alloy (9)  INCOGNITO {zINC}{GO+INTO}*
19 Acquire property — mostly on paper (7) BAGASSE {BAG}{ASSEt}
21 Skipper heard songs (6) LIEDER (~leader)
23 Implied part? (5) MEANT Anno pending (Addendum - {MEAN}{T} - See comments)
24 One in front will create an uproar (5) NOISE {NO{1}SE}
26 Watchful while climbing — some are not relaxed (5) ALERT [T<=]

GRID

No 11738, Tuesday 28 Jun 2016, Arden

ACROSS
1   Tax over a drink by stealth (8) CAGINESS {C{A}{GIN}ESS}
5   Metal key to lock workshop returned (6) COBALT {C}{O{BAL}T<=}
10 Writer's review on music and God (7) NEPTUNE {PEN<=}{TUNE}
11 Sadly, her lust made her what she is (7) HUSTLER* &lit
12 Avoid trailer, shunning publicity (5) ELUDE Anno pending (Addendum - prELUDE  - See comments)
13 Stress on being drunk and cheerful (9) HIGHLIGHT {HIGH}{LIGHT}
14 Tale about Mike, Harry, Peter — before long one starts trouble (6,6) STORMY PETREL {STOR{M}Y} {PETER*}{L}
18 How to get in from Spain? By being friendly (4-8)  WELL-DISPOSED Anno not clear (Addendum - WELL = SPA spaIN - See comments)
21 Skin divers find aunts struggling underwater (9) AQUANAUTS {AQUA}{AUNTS*}
23 Starts using dairies within a state to make cheese (5) GOUDA {Us..g}{Di...s} in {GOA}
24 Forces euro out in due course, perhaps (7) INDUCES {IN+DUE+CourSe}*
25 It's too big to take off in most rich nations (7) OSTRICH [T] What's the role of 'nations'? Definition not clear. See comments
26 Communist set up will reject member under stress (6) GIRDER {GIR}{DER}<=
27 I said “sweet, nice looking” (3,5) EYE CANDY (~i){EYE} {CANDY}

DOWN
1   Run on credit, holding a stake (6) CANTER {ANTE} in {CR}
2   POP will cheat over money (6) GYPSUM {GYP}{SUM}
3   Disgusted — initially not allowed to hire a boy (9) NAUSEATED {Not}{Al...d}{USE}{A}{TED}
4   Escorts get money and a flower (9,5) SHEPHERDS PURSE {SHEPHERDS} {PURSE}

6   Bird's a bloodsucker, from top to bottom (5) OUSEL (-l)OUSE(+l)L

7   Tale of a cricket side in royal mess (8) ALLEGORY {LEG} in {ROYAL}*
8   Kill the regulator (8) THROTTLE [DD]
9   Dirty politician overshadows — it's a joke (6,3,5) SHAGGY DOG STORY {SHAGGY} {DOG S}{TORY}
15 Blue, green, even next piece is active (9) ENERGETIC {GREEN*}{nExT}{pIeCe}
16 Carol checks Don using bad language (8) SWEARING {S{WEAR}ING}
17 Struggle for fish (8) FLOUNDER [DD]
19 Finally you and I run away — for a forbidden fruit? (6) DURIAN {yoU+AND+I+R}* Forbidden?

20 A yacht built in ancient China (6) CATHAY*
22 Hard to break in — good slot (5) NICHE {NIC{H}E}

GRID

No 11737, Monday 27 Jun 2016, Buzzer

ACROSS
9   Drunk girl's base expression of defiance (2,5) SO THERE {SO T}{HER}{E}
10 Bloc to be reorganized within a month (7) OCTOBER [T]
11 Fish basket left next to small river (5) CREEL {CREEk}{L}
12 Good mikes made sound that is husky? (6,3) ESKIMO DOG*

13 Pressing very close (9) IMMEDIATE [DD]
14 Listed article got through hire (5) LEANT {LE{A}NT} (Correction - {LE{AN}T} - See comments)
15 Ancient town of North America a chasing ground (7) NALANDA {NA}{LAND}{A}

17 Joint smokers, outcasts heartily (7) HIPPIES [CD] (Addendum - {HIP}{PIpES} &lit - See comments)
19 Craze not new for following crime syndicate (5) MAFIA MA(-n+f)FIA
20 No lonely art – wrestling (3,6) NOT REALLY*
22 Fail to keep up with leaders coming out of closet so much (4,5) LOSE TOUCH {cLOSET sO mUCH}
24 Perhaps a book describing people in general (5) VOWEL {VO{WE}L}
25 Old currency of Switzerland coming into play (7) DRACHMA {DRA{CH}MA}
26 Essence of say new cryptic clues (7) NUCLEUS (~new){NU}{CLUES*}

DOWN
1   One way to deliver different notices around college (1-7) C-SECTION {NOTICES}* around {C}
2   Jet runs into mist (6) STREAM {ST{R}EAM}
3   Label lad on narcotics as consuming poison (10) BELLADONNA [T]

4   Made rare exotic dark rum (8) DEMERARA*
5   Biscuit company native to Oklahoma (6) COOKIE {CO}{OKIE}
6   Anything tiny or microscopic primarily (4) ATOM Acrostic &lit
7   A shoot, routine mostly in national capital (3,5) ABU DHABI {A}{BU D}{HABIt}
8   Frequency appropriate for alarm (6) FRIGHT {F}{RIGHT}
14 A kiss it is said, lacking conviction (3,7) LIP SERVICE [CD] [C&DD] See comments
16 Total duration of pain (self-inflicted) (8) LIFESPAN*
17 Hearts eager for becoming a couple (8) HITCHING {H}{ITCHING}
18 Special peripherals on young schoolgirl's telescope (8) SPYGLASS {SP}{YounG}{LASS}
19 Illness possibly overpowering boy (6) MALADY {MA{LAD}Y}
20 Sweet nothing, a must for husband (6) NOUGAT NOUG(-h+a)AT
21 Subdued mischievous Norse deity soundly (3-3) LOW-KEY (~loki)
23 Essentially horns on head covering up a wild goat (4) TAHR {hoRns}{HAT} <=

GRID

Special, Sunday 26 Jun 2016, Avtaar

Welcome to ur new setter Avtaar. Bouquets and Brickbats welcome.

Three answers per commenter (Annotations compulsory) as usual till 6 PM
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

ACROSS

1   Female pauses,say,.. ?(7)

5   Harry's extraordinary bluff about a ring (7)

9   More worried  about one's royalty (7)

10 Dance became ribald…secretary stripped (7)

11 Flyer's extremely sharp, pointed weapon (7)

12 Starts acquiring vacant land for guards (7)

13 Return British school memo (4)

14 Semaphore's blueprint (3)

16 You get money from these hollow little things (4)

19 It cuts wrought iron clips unevenly (7)

24 Having left, will start to transact one of 28 (7)

25 Treated  this girl escaping from  violent  past (7)

26 This means there is no alternative way to pass (2,2,3)

27 Cunning openers of Sri Lanka get two boundaries (7)

28 Properties, say, covered by eaves at both ends (7)

29 Olympic rider participating in foxtrot never retreats (7)

DOWN

1   Making someone happy is simple… as in gifting rings (8)

2   Once again joins lost parents, having left at first (8)

3   Stupid error by young satellite star/model (6)

4   Tube's not working… was torn badly (5)

5   Rears bulls (5)

6   Bow every now and then, disturbing detectives’ make-up(6)

7   Toxic air shrouds dirty cloth, wood and stone figure (8)

8   To set bus on fire's most stupid (8)

14 Smooth, rotating disk's turned,  trapping river fish (8)

15 That’s designed to become  part of model directly (4,5)

17 Taking cap off, standing drunkenly,  I may go in for a cocktail with an Italian flavour (3,3,2)

18 Man's symbol's not quite like trees, perhaps? (8)

20 Wolf-dog set off (6)

21 Best to be undressed, you say, when going off to seek the hand of partner (6)

22 Got branch to take agent finally (6)

23 Pearl Harbour?(6)

Across Lite version can be accessed at AVTAAR 1

Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword (2899), Sunday 26 Jun 2016

ACROSS
1   Depict stern problem (8) DRAWBACK {DRAW}{BACK}
5   List of charges made by revolutionary artist in quarrel (6) TARIFF {T{AR<=}IFF}
10 Head off in area covered with trees and everything (9) FORESTALL {FOREST}{ALL}
11 Contradict opinion lacking force (5) BELIE BELIEf
12 Delight about honour and support for hotel worker (11) CHAMBERMAID {CHA{MBE}RM}{AID}
15 Current appeal about election's first posted by Democrat (7-3) PRESENT-DAY {PR{El...n}{SENT}-{D}AY}
16 Total love for wrestling (4) SUMO {SUM}{O}

18 Time needed by mimic to make record (4) TAPE {T}{APE}
19 Attractive quality in crowd containing alien element (10) PRETTINESS {PR{ET}{TIN}ESS}
21 Silly distortion of online scans (11) NONSENSICAL*
24 Home movie's last part lacking skill (5) INEPT {IN}{m..iE}{PT}
25 Nervous on airing composition initially devoid of life (9) INORGANIC {ON+AIRING+Co...n}*
26 Understand article in newspaper after reflection (6) GATHER {GA{THE}R<=}
27 Island's sound central element (8) KEYSTONE {KEY'S}{TONE}

DOWN
1   Remove act, very loud (4) DOFF {DO}{FF}
2   Right in strange way? Wrong (4) AWRY {AW{R}Y*}
3   Symbol in music book linked to scales played with frequency (4,4) BASS CLEF {B}{ASS CLE}*{F}

4   Typical letter, one with endless criticism (14) CHARACTERISTIC {CHARACTER}{1}{STICk}
6   Gold, smart colour (6) AUBURN {AU}{BURN}
7   Cross I drew, covering boundaries of London airport (3-7) ILL-NATURED {I}{L{Lon-doN}{Ai...rT}URED}
8   Rodent filmed swimming on river (5,5) FIELD MOUSE {FIELD M}*{OUSE}

9   Vegetable oil back here got recycled (5,9) GLOBE ARTICHOKE*

13 Cheerful deputy, good and honest (10) UPSTANDING {UP}{STAND IN}{G}
14 New study breaking dictator down (10) DESPONDENT {DESPO{N}{DEN}T}
17 Very bad times for small communities (8) VILLAGES {V}{ILL}{AGES}
20 Calm people agree (6) SETTLE [MD]
22 Open ground occupied in part (4) UNDO [T]
23 Hour in great discomfort (4) ACHE {AC{H}E}

GRID

No 11736, Saturday 25 Jun 2016, Buzzer

ACROSS

1 Crew without leader falling to pieces (6) RAGGED {bRAGGED}
5 Bus on the way back expected to overrun (6) SUBDUE {SUB<=}{DUE}
10 Is lay sung out of tune unattractive? (4,2,3) UGLY AS SIN {IS LAY SUNG}*
11 Help carry out present (5) SERVE (MD)
12 Percussion instrument set, a blaring to get over (5) TABLA (T)
13 Inebriated are elated with one supplying drink (3-6) TEA-DEALER {ARE ELATED}*
14 Shame with dupe crossing all limits to overact (3,2,2)  HAM IT UP {sHAMe wITh dUPe}
16 Ending in picture is artificial (7) PLASTIC {P{LAST}IC}
18 Missile shot packing power to kill (7) TORPEDO {TOR{P}E}{DO}
20 Disliked person sadly said “I must be leaving soon” (2-3-2) SO-AND-SO {SAiD+SOON}*
21 Display skin for the audience in this occupation (9) CHAUFFEUR {~SHOW FUR}
23 Hybrid car noises muffled frequently (5) CROSS {CaRnOiSeS}
25 Be an uninitiated bigot (5) EXIST {sEXIST}
26 Gradual loss of charm's heartbreaking for one (9) ATTRITION {ATTR{-ac+I}TION}
27 Master's run in a golf club (6) MASHIE {MA}{S}{HIE}
28 Rage of being comparatively thin, not large (6) SIMMER {SlIMMER}

DOWN

2 Mostly excuse hugging date spontaneously (2,3) AD LIB {A{D} LIBi}
3 Tipsy aunt eager to provide assurance (9) GUARANTEE {AUNT EAGER}*
4 Data encryption standard 1024 bits, best for a computer (7) DESKTOP {DES}{K}{TOP}
5 Light source, small one missing initially in circuit (3-4) SUN-LAMP {S}{UN}{LA{Missing}P}
6 Wet meat has low temperature on the inside (5) BASTE {BAS{T}E} Correction-Removed the extraneous marking for 'has'. See comments
7 New neutral editor for Independent (9) UNRELATED {NEUTRAL}*{ED}
8 Fair growth of trees around for environment, extremely appropriate thing (4,3,6) JUST THE TICKET {JUST}{TH{Environmen T}ICKET}
9 Big restricted zone cars pulled up to admit pedestrians ultimately (5,8) ZEBRA CROSSING {BIG r ZONE CARS}* around pedestrianS} &lit ?
15 Spoil kid turning up with it, a cocktail (9) MARGARITA {MAR}{GAR<=}{IT}{A}
17 Disorder as in march going out of step (9) ANARCHISM {AS IN MARCH}*
19 Pilot training talk is inspiring (7) OPERATE {O{PE}RATE}
20 Dark low cloud standing over river (7) STRATUS {ST{R{ATUS}
22 Fine cut to bring ... (5) FETCH {F}{ETCH}
24 ... delayed single securing a century (2,3) ON ICE {ON {I}{C}E}

Reference list

Power=P, One=I, Master=MA, Large=L

Date=D, 1024 bits=K, Small=S, One=Un, Temperature=T, Editor=Ed, Training=PE, River=R, Fine=F, A=I(A=One=I), Century=C

Color/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID

No 11735, Friday 24 Jun 2016, Neyartha

ACROSS
1   Vets fed toper afflicted with a febrile disease (7,5) SPOTTED FEVER*
8   Job of a longshoreman's wife going out for the right computer memory (7) STORAGE STO(-w+r)RAGE
9   Remove part of the crab later (6) ABLATE [T]
11 Land of the slaves, once upon a time (4,5) DEEP SOUTH [GK]
12 Sturdy and reliable (5) SOLID [DD]
14 Foreign trait's complexities resolved after removal of half the sample (9) EXOTICISM COMpleXITIES*
16 Amy goes west around Cuba for a welfare movement (1,1,1,1) Y M C A {YM{C}A<=}
18 Call to do a bakery chore for the auditor (4) NEED (~knead)
19 Letter published prior to imprisonment shows fortitude (9) ENDURANCE {EN}{DURANCE}
21 Condition of the assets needs no introduction (5) STATE eSTATE
22 Libya interferes in transfer of the person making a formal statement (9) DECLARANT {DEC{LAR}ANT}
23 City's silent before the incentive gets detailed (6) MUMBAI {MUM}{BAIt}
25 It's charged back by a rash student quitting with clamour (7) NOISILY {ION<=}{SIlLY}
26 Cloud feature showing all is not lost? (6,6) SILVER LINING [CD]

DOWN
2   Preliminary discussions for the German pool designed with Oriental input (11) PROLEGOMENA {E} in {GERMAN+POOL}*
3   Carry mints prepared after the return of the painting (8) TRANSMIT {ART<=}{MINTS*}
4   Administrator to perform around the four with... (9) EXECUTIVE {EXECUT{IV}E}
5   ...Ray to get a type of memory (5) FLASH [DD]
6   Sensible Democrat overwhelmed by the bridge opponents' travel bag (6) VALISE VALI(-d+se)SE
7   Animal with a sailor from the south (3) RAT <=
8   Cook sends nudes in haste (10) SUDDENNESS*
10 The lady can jet around to find how related items are placed on a market shelf (10) ADJACENTLY*
13 Grief of someone showing courage accepting the last word of the volunteers on time (11) LAMENTATION {L{AMEN}{TA}{T}ION}
15 Decoration placed around the unfinished flavoured sugar topping is therapeutic (9) MEDICINAL {MED{ICINg}AL}
17 Crumpled raincoat of a man from Eastern Europe (8) CROATIAN*
20 Revolutionary, free in France, is after the German leader's desert animal (6) GERBIL {Ge...n}{LIBRE<=}

22 Ambition of one looking for pearls, perhaps, to move right up (5) DRIVE D(+r)RIVE(-r)
24 Group selling concealed battery-sporting equipment to handle load shedding? (1,1,1) U P S [T]

GRID

No 11734, Thursday 23 Jun 2016, Neyartha

ACROSS
1   Packet designed to hold upset editor's old automobile accessory (4,4) TAPE DECK {ED<=} in {PACKET}*
5   Monkey aiding medical research? (6) RHESUS [GK]
9   English church follows note set down by soldiers for the track team event (5,4) RELAY RACE {RE}{LAY} {RA}{CE}
11 Pale ghost, according to hearsay (5) WHITE Homophone pending (Addendum - (~wight) - See comments)
12 Offensive remarks of an officer beset by a troublesome sinus (7) INSULTS {SINUS}* over {LT}
14 Ron ignored the crazy progenitor's narcissistic indulgence (3,4) EGO TRIP {ProGEnITOR}*
15 Eye ornaments suspiciously and get a contract-binding payment (7,5) EARNEST MONEY*
17 Exotic canyon daisies for the Christian festival (9,3) ASCENSION DAY {CANYON+DAISIES}* There's an extra I in the fodder
20 Former alien entering part of the Marconi Memorial (3-4) ONE-TIME {ET} in {m..cONI  MEm...l}
22 Thirsting for more as accepted model had to leave (7) UNSATED UNStATED
23 Committee with liberal king's out of place (5) BOARD B(-r)OA(+r)RD
24 Leave port before drawing energy for a glider (9) SAILPLANE {SAIL}{PLAN}{E}
26 Fashionable attempt to grasp objective (6) TRENDY {TR{END}Y}
27 Tesla sent over for embrace by half of the Cubans in the workers quarters? (3,5) ANT NESTS {T}{SENT}<= in {cubANS}

DOWN
1   Fiery king exiled by Peruvian leader becomes sluggish (6) TORPID TOR(-r+p)PID
2   Wall features a border around the flowers (9) PILASTERS {LIP<=}{ASTERS}

3   Boring to be alcohol-free (3) DRY [DD]
4   It is descriptive of an ideal society (13) CLASSLESSNESS [CD]
6   Informal words of recognition in awkward situations (3-2-3-3) HOW-DO-YOU-DO'S [CD]
7   A difficult catch for one travelling over snow (5) SKIER [DD]
8   Act for the audience in a treeless plain (6) STEPPE (~step) Reminded me of Mrs Rama Rao my Geography teacher from school
10 Shock killing is a result of a poll about Romania admitting failure (13) ELECTROCUTION {ELECT{RO}{CUT}ION}
13 Liberal voters shunned by Angstrom delivered new arrangement (5-6) LARGE MINDED {ANGstroM+DELIveRED}*
16 Tangy pies prepared by people from Alexandria, say (9) EGYPTIANS*
18 Marsh turns up with a bid for the raw meat (6) GOBBET {BOG<=}{BET}
19 Bovine glands with uranium forcing out the adult snakes (6) UDDERS (-a+u)UDDERS
21 Get rid of some letters from a camera seller (5) ERASE [T]
25 Surprisingly effective weapon against a sword? (3) PEN [CD]

GRID

No 11733, Wednesday 22 Jun 2016, Gridman

ACROSS
1   Give an unnatural form to different phases, begun with half a mind (8) MISSHAPE {MInd}{PHASES*}
5   Old, tired way of working journalist (6) EDITOR {O+TIRED}*
9   A limit I set for soldiers group (7) MILITIA*
10 In reality, all but spoil plaything (2,5) DE FACTO{DE FACe}{TOy}
11 Six beginning to eat in Queer Street get towel (9) SERVIETTE {VI}{Eat) in {STREET}*
12 Extent of mountain chain (5) RANGE [DD]
13 Warning sign addressing males (4) OMEN {O MEN}
14 Where net sales are conducted (1-8) E-COMMERCE [CD]
17 Bird took a few steps but in an improper way (9) JAYWALKED {JAY}{WALKED} Steps on double duty
19 Sports complex not new in neighbourhood (4) AREA AREnA
23 For starters, you oohed utterly nubile girls in salad days (5) YOUNG Acrostic
24 Work you gave lady without publicity in a rich manner (9) OPULENTLY {OP}{U}{LENT}{LadY}
25 It ties as well as ties up bureaucratic files (3,4) RED TAPE [C&DD]
26 Sea creatures Dhana utilised by hauling up (7) NAUTILI [T]

27 Arm-twisting by rude means aboard (6) DURESS {RUDE*}{SS}
28 Led back to digital portal, parcel out work (8) DELEGATE {LED<=}{E-GATE}

DOWN
1   Two scholars raise lout — lad spoilt at home (5,3) MAMAS BOY {MA}{MA}{S BOY<=}
2   Go all out with special gruel served (7) SPLURGE {SP}{GRUEL*}
3   Killed two heads off in sheer blather (3,3) HIT ?I? (Addendum - HOT AIR {sHOT} {pAIR} - See comments)
4   Endless drill with two boys over kick-starting gag (9,4) PRACTICAL JOKE {PRACTICe}{AL}  {JO{Kick}E }
6   Document covers class that's out of shape (8) DEFORMED {DE{FORM}ED}
7   Method to get Lego rods and parts (7) TECHNIC Anno pending [DD] - See comments
8   Travelled over hard section in island (6) RHODES {R{H}ODE}{S}
10 Well-made part of film that is followed by an awakening (5,8) DREAM SEQUENCE [CD]
15 Personal aspirations — these are no-no for footballers (3,5) OWN GOALS [DD]
16 Refined learner correspondingly accepts dainty externals (8) LADYLIKE {L}{A{Da..tY}LIKE}
18 Danseur torn to pieces (7) ASUNDER*
20 Cap of canister broken, spilling foreign wine (7) RETSINA cANISTER*
21 Briton, cut by half, in a Telangana city, itself cut, is cross (6) HYBRID {BRIton} in {HYDerabad}
22 Dupe judge in river (6) DELUDE {LUD} in {DEE} From Chambers LUD = a form of lord (used when addressing a judge or facetiously)

GRID

No 11732, Tuesday 21 Jun 2016, Gridman

ACROSS
1   Run on the bank finished, predator comes back (8) OVERFLOW {OVER}{WOLF<=}
6   Lima man protecting Muslim leader (4) IMAM [T]
9   One that brings together is the squad at the hospital department (6) UNITER {UNIT}{ER}
10 Takes in I am a little short, not completely primo (7) IMBIBES {I'M}{BIt}{BESt}
13 If one has __ __, one cannot continue to track the spoor (4,5) LOST SCENT [FITB]
14 Smut provided by regular girlie magazine's cover and back (5) GRIME {GiRlIe}{Ma...nE}
15 Possesses topless dresses (4) OWNS gOWNS
16 Men, in style, in camaraderie (10) FELLOWSHIP {FELLOWS}{HIP}
19 Ennoble any stray old queen (4,6) ANNE BOLEYN*
21 Maiden figures in one high point (4) ACME {AC{M}E}
24 Lobbies for political ousters as leader is banished (5) URGES pURGES
25 In the opening of novel, queen is disguised as guardian (9) CHAPERONE {ER} in {CHAP ONE}
26 Shrink's led away after primarily dubious victory (7) DWINDLE {Du...s}{WIN}{LED*}
27 Individual, nicest, not new in turning to be most reserved (6) ICIEST {I+nICEST}*
28 At hand, beastly sound heard (4) NIGH (~neigh)
29 Exercises for journalists covering banquet, for example (5-3) PRESS-UPS {PRES{S-UP}S}

DOWN
2   I came (in Rome) with boy for meat (7) VENISON {VENI}{SON}
3   Half a side, among others, is to undergo a second exam (6) RETEST {RE{TEam}ST}
4   Repast regal male laid out (5,4) LARGE MEAL*
5   Said to rubbish where spare tyres may be found (5) WAIST (~waste)
7   Having crowd mentality, bomb his settlement (7) MOBBISH*
8   Emirate specs altered for great works of art (12) MASTERPIECES*
11 A pair of giants in card game (3,3) BIG TWO [DD]
12 Unexpectedly, a lead unfolds dramatically (3,2,1,6) ALL OF A SUDDEN*
17 Stores no opener, apart from theatre offerings (4,5) LAYS APART {pLAYS A PART} (Addendum - LAYS ASIDE {pLAYS ASIDE}
18 Mistreated sailor with American journalist (6) ABUSED {AB}{US}{ED}
20 Player growing up with girl's shrewish activity (7) NAGGING {N}{AG{G}ING}
22 Cuts — actor-politician-editor’s writing on display (5,2) CHOPS UP {CHO}{PS} {UP}
23 Stands up to cries of disgust of the French first (6) DEFIES {DE}{FIES}
25 On air for a song is a bird's cry (5) CHEEP (~cheap)

GRID

No 11731, Monday 20 Jun 2016, Gridman

ACROSS
1   Supports watch on half a city for traitor (11) BACKSTABBER {BACKS}{TAB}ER?? Anno pending (Addendum - {BACKS}{TAB}{BERlin} - See comments)
9   A debtor, perhaps, decided not to run (7) ABORTED*
10 Unexpected assistance results in stray dog being found at collapsed dens (7) GODSEND {DOG*}{DENS*}
11 In conclusion, setter's to correct text (5) EMEND {E{ME}ND}
12 Company man at technical college gets support from board (9) COMMITTEE {CO}{M}{MIT}{TEE}
13 Hari's first to move sideways, to avoid commitment (5) HEDGE {Hari}{EDGE}
15 Feeling transported? I am transported – without a bit of sadness (9) SENTIMENT {SENT}{I'M}{sENT}
18 Bug women said to be where spies leave secret messages (9) EAVESDROP (~eves){EAVES}{DROP}
21 A man's author's representative (5) AGENT {A}{GENT}
22 A new recommendation on the matter of Italian food (9) ANTIPASTO {A}{N}{TIP}{AS TO}
24 I, mod I, employed peculiar language (5) IDIOM*
26 Dear, I will meet the journalist and get trained (7) DRILLED {DR}{I'LL}{ED}
27 Those times of weeks when I would be in shreds (7) FRIDAYS {FR{I'D}AYS}
28 Birds reportedly teased election candidates (11) ROADRUNNERS (~rode){ROAD}{RUNNERS}

DOWN
1   Boy cleans up tool – car part that presses (5,4) BRAKE SHOE {B}{RAKE S}{HOE} Definition is a bit iffy
2   Intimate ending (5) CLOSE [DD]
3   Assets end up in a state of glut (9) SATEDNESS*
4   Take this too: ones going round court are those hooked (7) ADDICTS {ADD{1{CT}'S}
5   A nob wildly running around exercise room may be an imaginary threat (7) BOGYMAN {A+NOB}* around {GYM}
6   Bones artist, girl and I collected together (5) RADII {RA}{DI}{I}
7   A tourist's desire is to ... ... (not remain here) (3,5) GET THERE [FITB]
8   One cuts confusion as daughter moves up (4) ADZE (-d)A(+d)DZE
14 Fit nicely bit of info about half-over (8) DOVETAIL {D{OVer}ETAIL}
16 I, grandmother in Delhi, not one to buckle in lassitude (9) INANITION {I}{NANI}{NOT+1}*
17 Times achanging, boys go round as ritual sign-bearers (9) TOTEMISTS {TIMES}* in {TOTS}
19 Live endlessly with limitless dual remainders (7) RESIDUA {RESIDe}{dUAl}
20 Tender college teacher brings up short citation (7) PROFFER {PROF}{FER<=}
22 Includes a carpenter's tool, say (4) ADDS (~adze)
23 Star is not seen. It's so cold (5) POLAR POLARis
25 Being angry, I tear around (5) IRATE {I}{TEAR*}

GRID

Special, Sunday 19 Jun 2016, Buzzer

Three answers per commenter (Annotations compulsory) as usual till 6 PM
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Buzzer S

14 clues are undefined but have a commonly placed connection. Rest of the clues are normal.

ACROSS
1   Melancholic air, often engrossing (5)
4   Composition of Schubert captivating Austria (9)
9   New coin beginning to take off in continent (7)
10 Automobile club shop around for a wagon (7)
11 Family tax at present front to back (9)
12 Positive assertion from a male? (5)
13 Surely an easy thing being a city careerist (6)
15 Running out of the bus shelters (8)
18 Fish in stream cut down (8)
19 One's wife, American beauty pageant winner (6)
22 Like a young lass from the east (5)
24 Banal tour all over the place (4-5)
26 Chemical substance split over time (7)
27 Hear witness so nauseous (7)
28 Kneading dough is a mess at first (9)
29 Driver taking assumed name (5)

DOWN
1   Argument against railway carrying a thousand (7)
2   About to enter pub of Peruvian origin (5)
3   Uncontrollable sobs is one persistent complex (9)
4   A light pulse holding firm (6)
5   Crudely trace any curved shape (8)
6   Article after article covering rising trouble (5)
7   Limits of earth calculated primarily through data (9)
8   Seats in House of Representatives held by distinct characters (7)
14 Heartless python swallowed inside gradually, thrashing nag (9)
16 Surfing apparatus said to include large black paddle (9)
17 To a degree breaking resolution pays off (8)
18 It helps turn out delightful crumb cakes (7)
20 Small toy for a child, head of rugby football player (7)
21 More than half of Nauru welcomed association (6)
23 Expenditure while away (5)
25 Imagine stupid conservative replaced by leader of Nationals (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at BUZZER S

Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword (2898), Sunday 19 Jun 2016

ACROSS
1   Topple record in bout (6) DEPOSE {D{EP}OSE}
4   Revolutionary artist with stern passion (6) ARDOUR {AR<=}{DOUR}
9   Prisoners exercise force (9) CONSTRAIN {CONS}{TRAIN}
10 One assisting abbot earlier (5) PRIOR [DD]
11 Film derived from grand hit, say, had worked (1,4,4,5) A HARD DAYS NIGHT*
12 Letter, last of sequence by saint in stack (7) EPISTLE {s...cE}{PI{ST}LE}
13 Resentment created by faulty information about love (7) DUDGEON {DUD}{GE{O}N}
15 Idol in company with time for cigar (7) CHEROOT {C{HERO}O}{T}
17 Finish without large fight (7) COMPETE COMPlETE
18 Fussy, done with detail (4-10) OVER-PARTICULAR {OVER}-{PARTICULAR}
21 Dog going round in big rocket (5) CORGI [T<=]

22 Dossier about dodgy scam I copy (9) FACSIMILE {SCAM+I}* in {FILE}
23 Talkative, spiteful, interrupted by husband (6) CHATTY {C{H}ATTY}
24 Strain shown by architect connected with church (6) WRENCH {WREN}{CH}

DOWN
1   Take off from landing place (4) DOCK [DD]
2   Calling after drink for end of joke (9) PUNCHLINE {PUNCH}{LINE}
3   Planet mostly at one concerning aim for population limit (10,5) SATURATION POINT {SATURn}{AT}{1}{ON} {POINT}
4   Cross ground one day, bearing north (7) ANNOYED {N} in {ONE+DAY}*
5   Remain hard up due to struggle as novelist (6,2,7) DAPHNE DU MAURIER*
6   Employing some devious ingenuity (5) USING [T]
7   Led to suffer under sorrowful burden (6) SADDLE {SAD}{LED*}
8   Creep nervously round trap, lifting cover (8) PRETENCE {PRE{TEN<=}CE*}
12 For chance to reform, giving up following trespass (8) ENCROACH {fOR+CHANCE}*
14 Height of delight about English verse (9) ELEVATION {EL{E}{V}ATION}
16 Careful - your old-fashioned clothing split (7) THRIFTY {TH{RIFT}Y}
17 Confirm chlorine measurement (6) CLINCH {CL}{INCH}
19 Soil in shortage lacking depth (5) EARTH dEARTH
20 Border rising involving small network (4) MESH {ME{S}H<=}

GRID

No 11730, Saturday 18 Jun 2016, Gridman

Anniversaries defined precious and metallic shades by Gridman!

ACROSS
1   A rout suffered by champion in Grand Prix, say (4,4) AUTO RACE {A}{UTO R*}{ACE}
5   Cell where teacher's pushed back in Pondy, abandoning deputy (6) PRISON {P{RIS<=}ONdy}
9   Gem makes fathers come back with enthusiasm, say (8) SAPPHIRE {SAP<=}{PHIRE}(~fire)

10 South Indian devotee misses old valuable coins (6) SILVER {SI}{LoVER}
12 Clean top of your stone (4) RUBY {RUB}{Your}

13 Stupid Pole, confused, exited unobtrusively (7,3) SLIPPED OUT*
15 Small house not returning fabric (6) COTTON {COT}{TON<=}
17 Drill makes boy retreat with false, poor conclusions (5) BORER {BOR<=}{falsE}{pooR}
20 Way the General tossed back strong metal (5) STEEL {ST}{LEE<=}
21 Express admiration about the Italian large tree (6) WILLOW {W{IL}{L}OW}
24 Spares chap rummaging in dumps (10) SCRAPHEAPS*
27 Weights in press? (4) IRON [DD]
29 Very silly person, a learner, one held in subjugation (6) VASSAL {V}{ASS}{A}{L}
30 Andhra Pradesh indicates names for a job (8) APPOINTS {AP}{POINTS}
31 Puzzle – one full of holes (6) RIDDLE [DD]
32 Uncover pugree a couple of daughters shelled out (6,2) DREDGE UP {PUGREE+DD}*

DOWN
1   Confirm when ruse's unravelled (6) ASSURE {AS}{RUSE*}
2   Laid-back personalities disturbed by pest (4,2) TYPE BS*
3   Some suprahuman demon (4) RAHU [T]
4   A number gets to examination of reef material (5) CORAL {C}{ORAL}
6   Bring up artist's question, leaving out second union (5) RAISE {RA}{ISsuE}
7   Saint spreads out various rescuers (8) SAVIOURS {S}{VARIOUS*}
8   On! A retail seller's policy to ensure sales (2,6) NO RETURN {ON<=} Will this policy really ensure sales?
11 Back drops? (6) SPINAL Anno not clear (Addendum - (~spinel) - [DD] See comments)
14 Reportedly you have this cover (4) WOOL Anno pending (Addendum - (~ewe) - See comments)
16 Time proprietor becomes resident of city (6) TOWNER {T}{OWNER}
17 Almost obstruct group (4) BLOC BLOCk
18 Invites when king's done (4,4) ASKS OVER {AS}{K'S} {OVER}
19 Brought back and forcibly opened again (8) REPRISED {RE-PRISED}
22 Brother on touring zone gets tan (6) BRONZE {BR}{ZONE*}
23 Finishes as goal's in sight (4,2) ENDS UP [DD]
25 Fruit starts losing shade (5) PEARL {PEAR}{Lo...g}
26 Old man has each material (5) PAPER {PA}{PER}
28 Start getting ancient metal (4) GOLD {Ge...g}{OLD}

Reference list

Underlined words = Embedded links,  Deputy = DY, Father = PA, Small House = COT, Boy = ROB, The Italian = IL, When = AS, Number = C, Artist = RA, Saint = S, Each = PER

Color/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous,

GRID

No 11729, Friday 17 Jun 2016, Exa

ACROSS
7   Poor second-rate leads in rap (5) BLAME {B}{LAME}
8   Cat, inside building, leaves marks (9) INDICATES*
10 Ham, it comes from extra produce (6) OVERDO {OVER}{DO}
11 Endlessly kills for amusement (8) LAUGHTER sLAUGHTERs
12 Get going with best EP on iTunes (4,2,2) STEP ON IT [T]
13 A small bird's behind the aircraft (6) ASTERN {A}{S}{TERN}
14 Calculate professional fee (7) PRORATE {PRO}{RATE}
16 Weaken power to obliterate houses (7) DEPLETE {DE{P}LETE}
20 Surface of a rough paper (6) APPEAR {A}{PAPER*}
23 End a benefit RTI maintained (8) ABORTION {A}{BO{RTI}ON}
25 Great to collect boundless wealth in the name of charity (8) LARGESSE {aSSEt} in {LARGE}
26 One way to divide left over piece of bacon (6) LARDON {L}{A}{RD}{ON} ON for Over? Anno for N not clear

27 Find out about name I need to change (9) DETERMINE {I+NEED}* about {TERM}
28 Platform Gates developed (5) STAGE*

DOWN
1   Program a lever to lift (8) ELEVATOR*
2   Ace salesman rejected after admitting wrong (8) IMPROPER {I'M PRO}{REP<=}
3   Fill air in punctured tyre at last (7) INFLATE {IN}{FLAT}{tyrE}
4   Put on stupid suit? Lame (8) SIMULATE*
5   I'll misbehave in drinking spree around commercial hotel (3,3) BAD HAT {B{AD}{H} AT}
6   Film, though not suitable for all, generated revenue (6) VENEER REVENuE*
9   Make icon flashy (4) COIN*
15 Boring being in the back of theatre, it's more exciting in the front (8) TIRESOME {t...rE+ITS+MORE}*
17 Repeat after student to be able to read (8) LITERATE {L}{ITERATE}
18 Rigorous, hard or laborious to overcome it (8) THOROUGH {T{H}{OR}OUGH}
19 Show desire to attain maturity (7) PAGEANT {P{AGE}ANT}
21 Smooth bar – Mars perhaps (6) PLANET {PLANE}{T}
22 Bird, elegant in flight, has no name given to it (6) EAGLET ELEGAnT*
24 Working with extremely lively individual (4) ONLY {ON}{Li..lY}

GRID