No 11892, Saturday 31 Dec 2016, Arden

ACROSS

1. Basically watching if girl can hold a drink (7)  CHALICE {watCHing}{ALICE]
5. Give market review – showing nervousness (7) ELASTIC {SALE<=}{TIC}

9. Express pain initially during attack (5) RAPID {RA{Pain}D}

10. Found one at opening rate (9) CASTIGATE {CAST}{I}{GATE}

11. Relatives gang up and throw things at her (4,5) AUNT SALLY {AUNT S}{ALLY}

12. He has the choice to get new replacement (5) OWNER {O{NEW*}R}

13. Japan gains by saving Yen (4) PANG (T)

15. Soil on top, not bottom for North Indian chili (8) BESMIRCH {BESt}{MIRCH}

18. Return – keep out damn politician (8) DEMOCRAT {D{COME<=}RAT}  Addendum {RETURN} = {COME BACK}. It took me some time to figure that one

19. Show no interest to return via Greenways road (4) YAWN (T<=)

22. Corner occupying the minimum (3,2) HEM IN (T)

24. Service is sacrosanct, no point getting killed (9) MASSACRED {MASS}{sACRED}

26. Affect American interest? Put one back in office (9) REINSTATE {A+INTEREST}*

27. For one with sex drive, not to perform is an excuse (5) ALIBI {A}{LIBIdo}

28. Number of deaths – it makes way to take fifty lethally (7) FATALLY {FATAL(-it+L}Y}

29. American priest intervenes, rejecting immoral behaviour (7) KNAVERY {Y{REV}ANK}<=

DOWN

1. Grain stored before in state (6) CEREAL {C{ERE}AL}

2. Attachment will take place, husband will go with daughter on time (9) APPENDAGE {hAPPEN}{D}{AGE}

3. Most people in India pluck the top of Hibiscus flower (5) INDUS {hINDUS}

4. Old dog guards 27's short sword (9) EXCALIBUR {EX}{C{ALIBi}UR}

5. Try paper (5) ESSAY (DD)

6. Being so huge, another Independence day takes place (9) ADIPOSITY  {ADI{POSIT}Y*}

7. Coach in singular or plural is the same (5) TRAIN (DD)

8. Keen to take her fruit (6) CHERRY {C{HER}RY}

14. Unwanted growth, reasons for central help (9) GROUNDSEL {GROUNDS}{hELp}

16. Drunk so upset – get high if you will (2,2,5) SO TO SPEAK {SO T}{O S<=}{PEAK

17. Noel's cool, showing the white feather (9) COWARDICE {COWARD}{ICE}

20. Small woman provided for the Arab dignitary (6) SHERIF {S}{HER}{IF}

21. Every other thing's unknown – isn't it strange? (6) ODDITY {ODD}{IT}{Y}

23. Wet and only limited visibility outside (5) MOIST {M{O}IST}

24. Tuck into my fleshy part (5) MEATY {M{EAT}Y}

25. Lizard caught climbing over a magazine (5) AGAMA (T<=)

GRID