No 12331, Thursday 31 May 2018, Anon

ACROSS
1   Political party to chant for Eastern interest (6) INCOME {INC}{OM}{E}
4   Flexible one in factory (6) PLIANT {PL{1}ANT}
9   Page about security missing Special Investigation Team’s sources (2-2) OP-ED DEPOsit* <=
10 Unkempt divan torn, left in (10) BEDRAGGLED {BED}{RAGG{L}ED}
11 Fervent THC setter toils, at first (6) ARDENT {ARDEN}{To..s}
12 Money for just fabric (8) CASHMERE {CASH}{MERE}
13 Return in taxi with 200 mg sulphur for card games (9) BACCARATS {CAB<=}{CARAT}{S}
15 Yours truly ingested new fruit (5) ANNON {AN{N}ON}

16 Last hairdresser, in anger, when covered with hair (5) FURRY {FUR{h...eR}Y}
18 Developed decades ol’ contraption (9) ADOLESCED*
22 Dessert is in atrium at sea (8) TIRAMISU {TIRAM{IS}U*}
23 Remove last smirch from skeleton with French liqueur (6) CASSIS ChASSIS

25 Trotskyites hide secret service roster in distress signal (10) SOCIALISTS {SO{CIA}{LIST}S}
26 Hands outfits (4) ARMS [DD]
27 Microscopic flash (6) MINUTE [DD]
28 Songs on note appended to donation (6) PSALMS {PS}{ALMS}

DOWN
1   Empires of elf, one in epoch (7) IMPERIA {IMP}{ER{1}A}
2   Beg for first deer to be put into enclosure (5) CADGE {CA{Deer}GE}
3   Gang member, for first meal, decapitates crustacean (7) MOBSTER {Meal}{lOBSTER}
5   Relate to fifty one left out of passage (6) LIAISE {LI}{AISlE}
6   Quarrels, somehow augments source of revenue (9) ARGUMENTS (AUGMENTS+Re...e}*
7   The ball began oddly with lute-like instrument (7) THEORBO {THE}{ORB}{Od...y}

8   Cute dudes, sage wrongly estimate (8,5) EDUCATED GUESS*
14 Pink automobile for people (9) CARNATION {CAR}{NATION}
17 Costume has single design (7) UNIFORM [DD] (Addendum - {UNI}{FORM} - See comments)
19 Student somehow scouts grasshoppers (7) LOCUSTS {L}{SCOUTS}*
20 IG names weird problems (7) ENIGMAS*
21 Letter from William to alien (6) BILLET {BILL}{ET}
24 Heads of Serbia, Tunisia and Liberia look to delay (5) STALL Acrostic

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 50

In the days when Uncle Sam wore the UNIFORM a secret meeting was held in a BILLET.

An ARMS deal with the Union of Soviet SOCIALISTS Republic by a sinister looking international MOBSTER was to be thwarted.

The message had been sent by Military Intelligence via an ENIGMA machine.

After several ARGUMENTS and MINUTE discussions a team of seven was formed.

Uncle Sam was one. And another a young woman in a FURRY CASHMERE sweater.

The team was split soon after and one could not contact the other.

It was Uncle Sam's EDUCATED GUESS that Kayal was that woman. If so, it is dangerous for them to be seen together...

What happened next?

No 12330, Wednesday 30 May 2018, Lightning

ACROSS
1   Fellow revolutionary leader embracing master advocate (8) CHAMPION {CHA{M}P}{NO1<=}
5   Shape of old boy with desire (6) OBLONG {OB}{LONG}
9   Score reputation with Iron Man, say (8) NICKNAME {NICK}{NAME}
10 Convert money that is leftover (6) CHANGE [DD]
12 Aid was settled in part (5) ASSET [T]
13 Give torte in order to move on (3,4,2) GET OVER IT*
14 Weak-minded person to finish late, falling short (6) DOTARD {DO}{TARDy}
16 Large number with large amount of food item (7) NOODLES {N}{OODLES}
19 Erratic route by pupil (7) WAYWARD {WAY}{WARD}
21 Messiah from Switzerland without type of spin (6) CHRIST {CH}{wRIST}
23 Modern sports shirt in American state (3,6) NEW JERSEY {NEW}{JERSEY}
25 Young animal caught inside, at a spotlight (5) FOCAL {FO{C}AL}
26 Expressed viewpoint through newspaper column about batting (6) OPINED {OPED} over {IN}
27 New spur, it’s right for rider’s aid (8) STIRRUPS {SPUR+ITS+R}*
28 Engineer agrees to provide lubricating oil (6) GREASE*
29 Ordinary chance, missing a part of sky where sun sets (8) OCCIDENT {O}{aCCIDENT}

DOWN
1   Scan vast stores for thick cloth (6) CANVAS [T]
2   Say soccer preparation is extra (9) ACCESSORY*
3   Measure taking in old wine (5) PINOT {PIN{O}T}
4   Scientist with unknown canine returned expression of shock (2,2,3) OH MY GOD {OHM}{Y}{DOG<=}
6   Not quite big, have our mysterious ways (9) BEHAVIOUR {BIg+HAVE+OUR}*
7   Proprietor died missing drug (5) OWNER dOWNER
8   Entrance exam, a challenge for the most outstanding (8) GREATEST {GRE}{A}{TEST}
11 Foolish to go back to shock (4) STUN<=
15 Knowledge of a type of pottery at headland (9) AWARENESS {A}{WARE}{NESS}
17 Rephrases clauses to one without hope (4,5) LOST CAUSE*
18 Bird’s last act? (8) SWANSONG [CD]
20 Ruin food prepared for eating (4) DISH {DD]
21 Shout softly before finishing off, check mark this clue (7) CRYPTIC {CRY}{P}{TICk}
22 Fail to break court secret (6) CLOSET {C{LOSE}T}
24 Passage of time where one replaced a mammal (5) WHILE WH(-a+1)ILE
25 Curiously fire male physicist (5) FERMI {FIRE+M}*

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 49

The floor beyond the CRYPTIC board soon became the FOCAL point of an increasing number of people and this became one of its GREATEST threats.

Words like "Oh My God"  "What an ASSET" and "Wonderful DISH" were heard in conversations.

A WAYWARD pot-bellied man going by the NICKNAME of Wild Bill frequented the place to WHILE away his time and he was telling everyone around.

Soon Uncle Sam came to know about this and to get AWARENESS he went to th school in disguise.

What he saw STUNNED him. He could not GET OVER IT.

Is that KAYAL??  If he took action against the school the skeleton in the CLOSET would be revealed!

What happened next?

No 12329, Tuesday 29 May 2018, Incognito

ACROSS
8   Metal in the possession of Alistair O'Neill (4) IRON [T]
9   Gasps, "Trousers!" (5) PANTS [DD]
10 Indian fried bread from town in Odisha (4) PURI [DD]
11 Box vehicle has 1000 kg (6) CARTON {CAR}{TON}
12 People from Middle East who don’t change even when Fleming goes away (8) ARABIANS ARABianS
13 Virginia first drove around animal and went away hurriedly (8) VAMOOSED {VA}{MOOSE}{Dr..e}
15 Brother Anderson gets some liquor (6) BRANDY {BR}{ANDY}
17 Success comes before Whiskey and Yankee (7) VICTORY [DD] (Addendum - {VICTOR}{Y} - See comments)
19 Liquor all consumed cautiously at first by circle in front of Head Office (7) ALCOHOL {AL{Co...d}{O}{HO}L}
22 Juggling hats, mummy, can cause a disease (6) ASTHMA {HATS}*{MA}
24 Activate soldiers in east-north-east after engineers return (8) ENERGISE {{EN{RE<=}{GIS}E}
26 Goon's gin was tampered — resulted in things happening (6-2) GOINGS-ON*
28 Come in again, after losing first election and become a tenant (6) RENTER REeNTER
30 Japanese plane that amounted to nothing (4) ZERO [DD]

31 Destroy special lubricant (5) SPOIL {SP}{OIL}
32 Stop and shoot (4) STEM [DD]

DOWN
1   Extent of 100 square metres near the source of Avon (4) AREA {ARE}{Avon}
2   Adjusted trade discount — without dread — to get price per piece (4,4) UNIT COST {Trade+dISCOUNT}*
3   Porcupines seem to have many of these backbones (6) SPINES [DD]
4   Drawback in our ships towards the centre (7) INWARDS {DRAW<=} in {INS}
5   Transcontinental city mentioned in Afghanistan bulletins (8) ISTANBUL [T]
6   Operation Timothy accepted in the beginning to create a typeface (6) OPTIMA {OP}{TIM}{Ac...d}
7   Bird joining Martin in writing legendary grammar book? (4) WREN [DD]
14 Soda was sprinkled around one to bid goodbye to Spaniard (5) ADIOS {AD{1}OS*}
16 Discards small amounts of liquid (5) DROPS [DD]
18 Appraise once again whether chumps can follow religious education before Sabbath (8) REASSESS {RE}{ASSES}{S}
20 Co-ordinate, without energy, with model musician (8) ORGANIST {ORGANISe}{T}
21 Sheds thin tops without pressure (4-3) LEAN-TOS {LEAN}{TOpS}
23 Horse cart's handsome after some dust and earth were removed (6) HANSOM HANdSOMe
25 Strangely, strange yielder yielded penny (6) EERILY YIELdER*
27 Page opposite the editorial contains manufactured dope (2-2) OP-ED*
29 Jug found in breweries (4) EWER [T]

GRID

No 12328, Monday 28 May 2018, Incognito

Wedding Bells are ringing.

ACROSS
8   Ceremoniously eat some dessert in Spain (4) DINE {De...t}{IN}{E}
9   Fitter, sailor, learner, king (5) ABLER {AB}{L}{ER}
10 Request soft fish (4) PRAY {P}{RAY}
11 In the beginning, men entertaining ladies on deep-sea yachts produce sequence of pleasant notes (6) MELODY Acrostic
12 Small carols are composed about husband's learned men (8) SCHOLARS {S}{C{H}OLARS*}
13 Arabs vie to become rough (8) ABRASIVE*
15 Bird doctor's circular letter on PETA, for example (6) DRONGO {DR}{O}{NGO}

17 Woman is next to her spouse initially and people greeting them (7) WISHERS {W}{IS}{HER}{Sp...e}
19 Former thespian and tax-man? (7) EXACTOR {EX}{ACTOR}
22 Joined in marriage by clergyman in little dilemma at first (6) WEDDED {WE{DD}E}{Di...a}
24 Sacrifice male feline with round mark of the beast (8) HECATOMB {HE}{CAT}{O}{MB} B/Beast? See comments
26 Sinner's vile order circulated in absence of right (8) EVILDOER {VILE+ORDEr}*
28 Come upon a river in spate (6) ARRIVE {A}{RIVER}*
30 X skis haphazardly (4) KISS*
31 American island's path for 14 and 16 to walk together (5) AISLE {A}{ISLE}
32 Operates oars in narrow straits (4) ROWS [T]

DOWN
1   Drink half with new European (4) WINE {WIth}{N}{E}
2   Thane cop renovated empty tomb (8) CENOTAPH*

3   Pray animatedly in Portuguese igreja initially and get ancient scrolls (6) PAPYRI {Po...e}{PRAY*}{Ig...a}
4   Invokes divine favour on Elizabeth having Latin and English students initially (7) BLESSES {B{L}{E}{St...s}ESS}
5   Twisted hot rod is placed on animal — it's traditional (8) ORTHODOX {HOT+ROD}*{OX}
6   Phoebus's one vote gets nothing (6) APOLLO {A}{POLL}{O}
7   A Mangalorean redhead or two (4) PAIR {PAI}{Red}
14 Some boys travel on a horse to get girl getting married (5) BRIDE {Boys}{RIDE}
16 Presently Prince Harry starts to get romantic with Meghan at first — carries a couple of rings! (5) GROOM {Get}{Ro...c}{Me...n} over {OO}
18 Studied, I hear — before beginning of class-test — an organic gem (3,5) RED CORAL (~read){RED} {Cl..s}{ORAL}

By Helena Bonnevier -  LSH 110121 (hm_dig24210), Public Domain, Link
20 Retraces movement for providers of food and drink (8) CATERERS*
21 American singer is hot — look after lovingly (7) CHERISH {CHER}{IS}{H}
23 1 Salad mix for 1 unit of currency (6) DALASI*

25 Man the Spanish place of worship (6) CHAPEL {CHAP}{EL}
27 Live fashioning face covering (4) VEIL*
29 Promises Victor offers with sincerity at first (4) VOWS Acrostic

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 48

Grand opening of Gemini School of Dance.

Smith walked down the AISLE of the CHAPEL between ROWS of chairs and invited the Pastor to inaugurate the Gemini School of Dance.

He was not exactly ORTHODOX but wanted to be seen as such.

Well-WISHERS had assembled.

When the Pastor ARRIVED the song and MELODY was subdued.

The PAIR of Kayal and Lily offered a simple PRAYER.

After his speech the Pastor BLESSED everyone and left.

Those present adjourned to WINE and DINE in the restaurant.

Special, Sunday 27 May 2018, K Koteswar Rao

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

“END OFF THE WORD” CROSSWORD

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Each solution must be entered in the grid leaving the last letter. The Enums referred in brackets at the end of the clue are actual from out of which you have to drop the last letter. 

To illustrate, if the answer to a clue with ENU (5) is TODAY, you will enter TODA

All the dropped letters are jumbled and will help in answering the FINAL question at the end of the clues. Happy solving!

ACROSS
8   Perhaps teleplay on bug (3,6)
9   Difficult day spent shortly due to breathing problem (7)
10 Operation Spy Copy? (3-4)
11 Taking more than one medicine playing drum with guilt (9)
12 Excellent? Substandard, out of bounds – rejected (5)
13 No, no. Charlie perhaps is lacking qualities of protagonist (3-8)
15 Fruit drink (5,3)
16 Mark of approbation received by the rocket launching centre from island village of Greece (8)
18 Coterie sits around one following mysterious doctrines (11)
19 The target missed that ugly bird (5)
20 Second number takes back expression of regret over blunder in kitchen utensil (4,5)
22 Is a constellation rejecting a line on a map? (7)
23 Sick lad translates the poetry of Scandinavian bards (7)
24 The renouncer hurriedly began rejecting schedule (9)

DOWN
1   Spirit of the sea’s grave lies at the bottom of the ocean (4,6,6)
2   Surprise from clear sky? (1,4,4,3,4)
3   Cry of punter – perhaps careless (11)
4   Brilliant over by one having bill (8)
5   Go out of worshipping mental images (5)
6   Language mistake – That’s not intended! (1,4,2,3,6)
7   This commentator has no first-hand information (2,8,6)
14 Except one, main episodes telecast are filled with emotion (11)
17 Cha mixed as mantra for a Wisconsin community? (8)
21 Private makes revolutionary increase absorbing cream (5)

FINAL QUESTION: (Answer to this question to be given only after all the solutions have been revealed )

Increasing the speed is of rightful importance (12,3,2,7)

Across Lite version can be accessed at KKR 15

Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword No 2997, Sunday 27 May 2018

ACROSS
1   Add to enclosure containing buildings (8) COMPOUND [DD]
6   Stare at Oscar with endless joy (4) OGLE {O}{GLEe}
10 Fish in perspective (5) ANGLE [DD]
11 Staff thus after end of seminar tucked into pasta and left (9) PERSONNEL {PE{s...aR}{SO}NNE}{L}
12 Pious in retreat? On the contrary, in truth (8) HONESTLY {HO{NEST}LY}
13 Captains ignoring very quiet competitors in winter sport? (6) SKIERS SKIppERS
15 Monotonous style ruins good broadcast (4-10) SOUL-DESTROYING*
18 Observed disc following fool with no time for UFO sighting? (5,9) CLOSE ENCOUNTER {SEEN}{COUNTER} after {CLOt}
20 Player's second foul allowed (6) LAWFUL {pLa..r}{AWFUL}
21 Consultative volume is probing trouble with railway (8) ADVISORY {AD{V}{IS}O}{RY}
24 Discovery coming from confinement with carbon instead of nitrogen (9) DETECTION DETE(-n+c)CTION
25 Rebel finally, to some extent, impish (5) ELFIN [T]
26 Study without large merit (4) EARN lEARN
27 Meal about right with definite value (8) TREASURE {T{R}EA}{SURE}

DOWN
2   Old tips for restoring an instrument (5) ORGAN {O}{Re...nG}{AN}
3   Delighted with sale, chap ends up getting tipsy (7,2,5) PLEASED AS PUNCH*
4   Crude vote, nearly held by university, dropped (10) UNPOLISHED {UN{POLl}I}{SHED}
5   Five hundred on vessel without light (4) DARK {D}{ARK}
7   See about run, refreshed after drink and biscuit (6,3) GINGER NUT {GIN}{GE{RUN*}T}
8   Sign up in street topped with funny line (6) ENLIST {LINE*}{ST}
9   Mischief aboard vital vehicle popular during disorder (6,8) MONKEY BUSINESS {M{ON}{KEY}{BUS}{IN}ESS}
10 Horrified tourist's latest story coming up, about hotel (6) AGHAST {t...sT}{SAGA}<= about {H}
14 Page on garden in preliminary survey getting priority (10) PRECEDENCE {P}{REC{EDEN}CE}
16 United in due course to protect large south-western lake (9) ULLSWATER {U}{L{L}{SW}ATER}
17 Shaft of light in trick becoming stick of wax? (6) CRAYON {C{RAY}ON}
19 Assurance in place with advantage (6) PLEDGE {PL}{EDGE}
22 Upset about supporting bad proposal (5) OFFER {OFF}{RE<=}
23 Reportedly avoided thin fog (4) MIST (~missed)

GRID

No 12327, Saturday 26 May 2018, Arden

Across

1. Like it? Boy arrived on time for taking pictures (7,6) DIGITAL CAMERA {DIG}{IT}{AL}{CAME}{RA} RA=Time?
10. Return by midweek, not with old presenter (5) EMCEE  {CoME<=}{wEEk} Return=Come back
11. Bond will live wearing false teeth (9) DEBENTURE {DE{BE}NTURE}
12. Required from a Frenchman and a conservative (9) MANDATORY {M}{AND}{A}{TORY}
13. Animal with horn, perhaps one sticking out in the centre (5) RHINO {HORN*} around {I} &lit
14. Engineer altered foot lever (7) TREADLE {ALTERED*}
16. Old Greek musician essentially transformed America (7) ORPHEUS {mORPHEd}{US}
18. Put at risk including a Royal (7) IMPERIL {IMPERIL} around {A}={IMPERIAL}
20. Love to hide behind open tent entrance (7) ENAMOUR {tENt}{AMOUR}
22. Some at sea allow only a horny creature (5) MOOSE {SOME*} around {O}
24. A plea in court not once resolved, by the way (2,7) NO CONTEST {NOT ONCE*}{ST}
26. Annie does act strange, it's in her DNA (9) ADENOSINE {ANNIE DOES*}
27. Better exposed to the party (5) OUTDO {OUT}{DO}
28. India in grip of severe coal shortage, he will do the digging (13) ARCHAEOLOGIST {I} in {COAL SHORTAGE*}

Down

2. Scent will  // put one off (7) INCENSE (DD)
3. Heard admission of calumny by a subject (9) ICELANDER { ~ I SLANDER}
4. Sound is only behind a car (5) AUDIO {AUDI}{O}
5. Hardly any room here for husband and rape, according to Spooner (9)  CUBBYHOLE {(-h+C)UBBY (-c+H)OLE}
6. He has a choice to get a big house (5) MANOR {MAN}{OR}
7. Regular Casanova, has money (7) ROUTINE {ROU{TIN}E}
8. I agree with comment, it may be average (9,4) GEOMETRIC MEAN {I AGREE COMMENT*}
9. Clear 50% on the way, food gets disapproval (13) REMONSTRATION {REMove}{ON}{ST}{RATION}
15. For example, a way to get money plant (9) EGLANTINE {EG}{LAN{TIN}E}
17. Chant by playful pangolins (9) PLAINSONG {PANGOLINS*}
19. First one in dock (7) PIONEER {PI{ONE}ER}
21. Minerals set up by a Greek character (7) ORESTES {ORES}{SET<=}
23. Face up to hard time (5) EPOCH {COPE<=}{H}
25. Cover both ends of fish basket (5) CREEL {CoveR}{EEL}

Reference List
Boy=Al, Old=O, Frenchman=M, Conservative=Tory, One-I, America=US, Only=O, Way=St, Party=Do, India=I
Money=Tin, For example=Eg, Way=Lane, Hard=H, Fish=Eel


Colour/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

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 47

There was no REMONSTRATION against the Gemini School of Dance.

Due diligence was carried out and whatever ROUTINE and MANDATORY approvals required were obtained.

Between 4 and 6 pm PLAIN SONG after song was heard on the AUDIO.

The school was indeed a PIONEER in teaching children.

It did a good job and never wanted to OVERDO.

No 12326, Friday 25 May 2018, Arden

Today being Friday only the blank clues will be posted. All those who are not regular commenters/rookie commenters/silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake someone will correct it with the right annotation.

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers till 2 PM thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

The regular blog will replace the clues at 2 PM after which anyone is free to comment. 

Thanks everyone for the response. Here is the regular blog

ACROSS
1   Starts going up very near office, ring the boss (6) GUVNOR Acrostic
4   Appreciating painless treatment? It tells you what to pay (5,3) PRICE TAG APpRECIaTinG*
10 Silent start to puzzle (9) DUMBFOUND {DUMB}{FOUND}
11 Strange end to cricket match, runout was a disgrace (5) ODIUM {ODI}{rUM}
12 It's a mistake to stay outside the circle, run (7) BLOOPER {B{LOOP}E}{R}
13 Cut open, add something extra to the figure (7) OCTAGON {dOCk}{TAG ON}
14 They play a part in growth within computer industry (5) UTERI [T]
15 Standard depth in any well known beach (8) NORMANDY {NORM}{AN{D}Y}
18 Marks it as wrong without an entrance test (8) STIGMATA {IT+AS}* over {GMAT}
20 Interrupt opera, could be as precaution (3-2) CUT-IN preCaUTIoN* [CA]
23 Material for engine part is British, I see (7) CAMBRIC {CAM}{BR}{IC}
25 It's spoken by the hour in Church, it's also sung in Church (7) CHORALE {C{H}{ORAL}E}
26 Opening home on lease (5) INLET {IN}{LET}
27 Little bear cradling in our arms (4,5) URSA MINOR*
28 Kill the fish, it's almost gone bad (8) GARROTTE {GAR}{ROTTEn}
29 Make it hard for girl to be with boy (6) ANNEAL {ANNE}{AL}

DOWN
1   Rover's complaint over a spot (8) GADABOUT {G{A}{DAB}OUT}
2   Go low, break container (7) VAMOOSE {VA{MOO}SE}
3   Issue is not on season (9) OFFSPRING {OFF}{SPRING}
5   Communication or aid? (5,9) RADIO BROADCAST {OR+AID}* [RA]
6   Yahoo's under Charlie's influence (5) CLOUT {C}{LOUT}
7   Pained to see William get a part (7) TWINGED {WING} in {TED}
8   Private parts — exposing half of them in house (6) GEMINI {G{thEM}{IN}I}
9   Electrifying story — something to do with a bank (7,7) CURRENT ACCOUNT {CURRENT} {ACCOUNT}
16 He oozes charm on an unsuspecting audience (9) ANCHORMAN* &lit
17 May be relating to the whole (8) INTEGRAL*
19 Acrobat can hold a drink (7) TUMBLER [DD]
21 Entire organisation protects amateur student (7) TRAINEE {TR{A}INEE*}
22 Training, half the side is longing for it (6) ACHING teACHING TE from TEam? Not sure of anno
24 Speech exposed only a fraction (5) RATIO oRATIOn

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 46

The public's ODIUM towards SS had subsided. Still wishing to remain in the background he took a friend who had CLOUT in the hamlet as his partner.

Residents were DUMBFOUND to see hoardings in the hamlet:

GEMINI School of Dance

Student Teacher RATIO 1:1

Courses with low PRICE TAG!!

Soon money in the CURRENT ACCOUNT of Gemini School of Dance began to swell.

Little did the residents know that GADABOUTS were visiting the school after 9 pm for adult entertainment!

No 12325, Thursday 24 May 2018, Arden

ACROSS
9   Supporter going against a party — it's a display of courage (7) BRAVADO {BRA}{V}{A}{DO}
10 Jump in anger, the place is dirty (7) FLEAPIT {F{LEAP}IT}
11 A ship perhaps returns to the old capital (7) CAMELOT {CAMEL}{TO<=}
12 Money's guaranteed for the rest (7) LEISURE {LEI}{SURE}
13 Extremely silly to say one's left the group (9) SYNDICATE {SillY}{iNDICATE}
15 Maybe alight athwartships (5) ABEAM {A}{BEAM}
16 John's burdened with work, is a star (7) CANOPUS {CAN}{OPUS}
19 Fool's got limited period to air his views here (7) TWITTER {TWIT}{TERm} Ha Ha! How true.
20 Marie tailored cloth (5) RAMIE*

21 Persistent line, exposed record (9) CHRONICLE {CHRONIC}{LinE}
25 Fruit, date inside a piece of cloth (7) BANDANA {BAN{D}ANA}
26 Computing with uniform input, no good in the end for an artist (7) GAUGUIN {GAUG{U}INg}
28 Can regular matter get in line? (7) LATRINE {L{mAtTeR}INE}
29 Falls in pouring rain, a match stopped midway (7) NIAGARA {A}{GAme} in {RAIN}*

DOWN
1   Grab a custard pie kept in the counter (6) ABACUS [T]
2   Side entrance in church has name of opera (6) CARMEN {C{ARM}E}{N} Arm/Side entrance? See comments
3   Manual work, one leaves it for savage (4) MAUL ManUAL*
4   Spider woman becomes a heroine (6) ?O?T?A (Addendum PORTIA [DD] - See comments))

5   Left unguarded, flowing waste (8) EFFLUENT {lEFt}{FLUENT}
6   Long before a musical show gets into a higher state (10) LEVITATION {L}{EVITA}{INTO*}
7   Such growth, by the way is the cleanest (8) SPRUCEST {SPRUCE}{ST}
8   Boat crossing river makes headline (8) STREAMER {ST{R}EAMER}
14 Showman makes repairs in one second (10) IMPRESARIO {1}{M{REPAIRS*}O}
16 The reverend said to be of old Irish stock — from Iowa, perhaps (4,4) CORN BELT (-b+c)CORN (-c+b)BELT
17 Propose Tom and Annie sort it out (8) NOMINATE*
18 Plea to accept case of a philosopher (8) SOCRATES {SO{CRATE}S}
22 Government is in control, under a Queen (6) REGINA {RE{G}IN}{A}
23 Courage lacking, in the end turns into a cat (6) COUGAR COURAGe*

24 Almost close, finally there are nine in a group (6) ENNEAD {EN{NEAr}D} No indicator for containment? See comments
27 Author rejects choice, in confused state (4) UTAH AUTHor*

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 45

Sudden commotion in Shangri-la.

A message is circulated through TWITTER and other social media that farm help REGINA had seen a COUGAR MAUL a sheep.

The local SYNDICATE NOMINATE the bouncer to head the team to track it down.

Some locals join with BRAVADO.

No 12324, Wednesday 23 May 2018, Arden

ACROSS
1   Overtake the animal in lead — end of Derby (4,2) PASS BY {P{ASS}B}{derbY}
4   Caught the wind, sick and bent over (8) BILLOWED {B{ILL}OWED}
9   Herb for head splitting pain (6) ORACHE {fOR}{ACHE}

10 Front exposed, minister's bang-on (8) ACCURATE {fACe}{CURATE}
12 Discharge the final assignment (8) EMISSION {thE}{MISSION}
13 I am a character, with bloated head (6) SETTER (-l+s)SETTER Not sure how L becomes S See comments
15 Animosity creates alarm — turning green in frigid conditions (12) BELLIGERENCY {BELL}{I{GREEN*}CY}
18 Dog sauntered around the fern (6,6) ADDERS TONGUE*

21 It's painful to see a girl embracing American soldier (6) ANGINA {AN{GI}NA}
22 I would get back eyesight in part (8) DIVISION {I'D<=}{VISION}
24 Deals with love, I'm good looking (8) HANDSOME {HANDS}{O}{ME}
25 Be angry with master in the boat (6) BIREME {B{IRE}{M}E}

26 Starts implementing government regulations in state — it's a headache (8) MIGRAINE {M{Im...g}{Go...t}{Re...s}AINE}
27 Abuses model riding fancy car (6) TROLLS {T}{ROLLS}

DOWN
1   Show starts repeating basically same axioms (8) PROVERBS {PROVE}{Re...g}{Ba...y}{Same}
2   Painless way to treat dogs (8) SPANIELS*
3   After Britain, one has a country supporting its language (6,9) BAHASA INDONESIA {B}{A}{HAS}{A} {INDONESIA} Thanks to Google
5   Winced and ran out a short distance (4) INCH flINCHed
6   Made up or real cover, in lieu of parts he played (8,7) LAURENCE OLIVIER {REAL+COVER+IN+LIEU}*
7   Artist enters with a ghost (6) WRAITH {W{RA}ITH}
8   Dull, back breaking duty, it’s heartless (6) DREARY {Du{REAR}tY}
11 Treasured by two men (7) COVETED {COVE}{TED}
14 Collector's drunk wine, he is terrible (7) BEASTIE {BE{ASTI}E}
16 Example of investment — in the beginning trade is what one strives for (3,5) EGO IDEAL {EG}{Of} {In...t}{DEAL}
17 Spite lands girl in trouble (8) MEANNESS {ME{ANNE}SS}
19 Disturbance keeps PM on edge (6) MAYHEM {MAY}{HEM}
20 Prod and the pain essentially shoots up — it's the drink (6) EGGNOG {EGG}{paiN}{GO<=} (Addendum - {EGG}{aGONy<=} - See comments)

23 Land covered from another direction (4) OMAN [T]

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 44

There is no place like home.

No man is an island.

Such PROVERBS would describe the peaceful life in and around Shangri-la.

EMISSION from fire places BILLOWED out of the chimneys in the cottages.

A rich resident who spoke BAHASA INDONESIA and had returned from distant OMAN had leased a portion of Shangri-la and set up a mini theater. Residents enjoyed movies like Rebecca, Pride and Prejudice featuring the then famous LAURENCE OLIVIER and pushed DREARY afternoons.

Persons like the Romanian and SS who showed their BELLIGERENCY were forgotten.

The bouncer's child was well taken care of by the nurse and had grown into a HANDSOME young baby.

And the person who COVETED this dream place was yet to arrive...

What happened next?

No 12323, Tuesday 22 May 2018, Spinner

Someone to spell out the theme and theme words

ACROSS
1   Call captain instead of vice-captain at the start to provoke (6) INCITE IN(-v+c)CITE
4   Spinner, upset, is describing unending period of stress (8) EMPHASIS {ME<=}{PHASe}{IS}
10 Candy for devoted worker (7) FONDANT {FOND}{ANT}
11 River turning west a second time on Russia’s borders (7) NIAGARA {AGAIN<=}{Ru..iA}
12 Pain is masked by nicety (8) NUISANCE {NU{IS}ANCE}
13 Watch and tend endlessly to get tip (6) CAREEN {CARE}{tENd}
15 Age of multimedia content (4) TIME [T]
16 Leader of the pack quickly drove around part of town with some henchmen onboard (9) SPEARHEAD {SPE{AR{He...n}EA}D}
20 With no empty chair, standing maybe an indicator of having fitness? (9) EDIBILITY crEDIBILITY
21 Spirit very low? Takes a bit of understanding! (4) SOUL {SO}{Un...g}{L}
24 Self-important guy loses head getting over quiet depression (6) UPPITY {gU{P}{PIT}Y}
26 Finish off rookie in battle (8) COMPLETE {COMP{L}ETE}
28 They speak about wife as they cut wood (7) SAWYERS {SA{W}YERS}
29 Truth is perhaps a lie wearing extremely radiant finery, at the end! (7) REALITY {Radi{A+LIE}*anT}{f...rY}
30 Every one that woman loves ultimately dies (8) PERISHES {PER}{1}{SHE}{l..eS}
31 Guide helped to eat greens every now and then (6) LEGEND {LE{GrEeNs}D}

DOWN
1   Extensiveness of one tiny, transforming glove for arm (8) INFINITY {1}{N{FIN}ITY*} Fin/Arm? See comments
2   Fraud dismissed with involvement of money established (9) CONFIRMED {CON}{FIR{M}ED}
3   Crowns brilliant artisan in knight’s absence (6) TIARAS ARTISAn*
5   Heart of witness stands in the way of rolling back ill-defined judgement (4) MIND {DIM}<= over {witNess}
6   After hollering initially, every engineer comes to grips with commercial issue (8) HEADACHE {Ho...g}{E{AD}ACH}{E}
7   Play for second position with league basically lost (5) SPACE {S}{PlACE}
8   Lengths of time with woman produces kids (6) SPAWNS {SPA{W}NS}
9   Pick fancy scarf wraps from store (9) STOCKPILE {STO{PICK*}LE}
14 A thousand of them form a unit designed to shut war (9) WATTHOURS* (From KiloWatt Hour)
17 Pay raise issue back in the day (2,3,4) AT ONE TIME {ATONE}{EMIT<=}
18 They help one improve oneself, essentially (8) ABETTERS {A}{BETTER}{oneSelf}
19 Having the backing of those running the show, unfairly duel by taking drugs (4-4) BLUE-EYED {DUEL+BY}* over {EE}
22 Aggravates, manages with raise (4,2) RUNS UP {RUNS} {UP}
23 Record deceased’s identity, for starters (1-5) L-PLATE {LP}{LATE}
25 Pressure on holder, after dropping point, to show competency (5) POWER {P}{OWnER}
27 Sri Lanka, say, sent on a wild goose chase that's endless (4) ISLE  mISLEd

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 43

With Rita having CONFIRMED her joining the team, SS was on cloud nine. The three together could SPEARHEAD his plan to take over Shangri-la, after his leasing a portion and commencing his Club INFINITY operations.

First his EMPHASIS should be to build up crEDIBILITY with the people of the hamlet. Then put his heart and SOUL into his plan to INCITE the residents with some seductive dances.

What he had in MIND was that  AT ONE TIME the bouncer should leave the place by himself. Then entire Shangri-la will be his without any payment!

The four came to Shangri-la in a car which CAREENED inside just missing a huge tree.

SS had in his excitement  COMPLETELY forgotten Uncle Sam and his POWER to foil his plan by proving to be a constant HEADACHE.

What happened next?

No 12322, Monday 21 May 2018, Sunnet

What is Sunnet celebrating?

ACROSS
1   Means of attracting attention of army chief having an expression of disgust (6) COUGHS {CO{UGH}S}
4   Brown's riotous third anniversary (8) BIRTHDAY {B{THIRD*}AY}
10 Willing to roughly evict peer (9) RECEPTIVE*
11 Some tax on elastic fibre used for transmitting electrical impulses (5) AXONE [T]
12 Set a standard starting place for an auditor (5) PARTY {PAR}{TY}(~tee)
13 Furniture worker found around every street (9) HALLSTAND {H{ALL}{ST}AND}
14 Able to repair sled tapers (7) CANDLES {CAN}{SLED*}
16 Endlessly long period (4) YEAR YEARn
19 Bar coat (4) CAKE [DD]
21 Swell dance at midday ain't starting (7) BALLOON {BALL}{nOON}
24 Family's barely egalitarian (9) CLASSLESS {CLASS}{LESS}
25 Firecracker of a story (5) SQUIB [DD]
26 Value of one final letter sent in before (5) PRIZE {PR{1}{Z}E}
27 Star before M.Curie's shot (3,6) TOM CRUISE {TO}{M+CURIES}* To/before? See comments
28 Unethical fellows throw saints outside hospital room (8) SHYSTERS {SHY}{ST{ER}S}
29 Take away nine and score (6) TWENTY {29-9}

DOWN
1   Shell's vehicle near a yard (8) CARAPACE {CAR}{A}{PACE}
2   Indifferent to one auditor's association (8) UNCARING {UN}{CA}{RING}
3   Joyful occurrence near Puducherry (5) HAPPY {HAP}{PY}
5   Ponzi deal lynch-pin arrested in the best possible manner (7) IDEALLY [T]
6   Reformed naval star of South African Republic (9) TRANSVAAL*
7   Tree sent a message back heartlessly (6) DEODAR RADiOED<=

8   Produces incomes (6) YIELDS [DD]
9   Wants husband to enter enlightened society (6) WISHES {WIS{H}E}{S}
15 Metal layer's song copy with musical notation (4,5) LEAD SHEET {LEAD} {SHEET}
17 Result of mixture (8) SOLUTION [DD]
18 Arrogance of partners to head off theft (8) SNOBBERY {SN}{rOBBERY}
20 It sends out core jet's slurry (7) EJECTOR*
21 Supervisor circumambulates award chests (6) BOSOMS {BOS{OM}S}
22 Assesses sister and manages (6) SCOPES {S}{COPES}
23 Note by relative to unknown group (6) FAMILY {FA}{M-I-L}{Y}
25 Disseminate soup recipe inside (5) STREW {ST{R}EW}

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 41 and 42

SS used to KEEP TAB on Rita, a DIVA and a dancer of EXTRAordinary TALENT. She was the one who could easily EXHILARATE the crowd.

 He had thought of the BIG PICTURE long back. With her in the team the PROSPECT of his 'CAPTURE' of Shangri-la sooner than later was bright.  

INVOKING Rita an ENIGMAtic personality was not really difficult for SS. Neither  rhyme nor REASON would convince her, but BEHESTing her with money in the right quantity would. And  keep her away from playing TRUANTS!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSVAAL.

A BIRTHDAY PARTY is arranged by DEODAR for his sister Rita with TWENTY CANDLES.

A FAMILY function with CAKE and BALLOONS.

The mobile rings. It's a phone call from SS and Rita is RECEPTIVE and YIELDS to his request to join his team as a dancer for a few months.

What happened next?