Season's greetings to you all. Standing in for Colonel while he is enjoying holidays with his family.
This Christmas day lighting up the daily fix is Lightning with his usual smooth surfaces and uncomplicated wordplays. Liked THEME, RISHI, STRAINER, SHEATH, NAIVE and RAITA.
ACROSS
1 Saint, one protecting a park with foreigner (8) STRANGER [SainT + RANGER]
5 Rushed to check stick missing edges (6) HECTIC [cHECk sTICk]
9 Big lie fabricated left European in fit (8) ELIGIBLE [BIG LIE* + Left + European]
10 Pass nearly lost in water under the bridge (6) BYGONE [BYe? + GONE]
12 Segment of anthem expresses its essence (5) THEME [T]
13 Spell and say it along with civil engineer (9) PRONOUNCE [PRONOUN + Civil Engineer]
14 Intern at the French place of worship (6) TEMPLE [TEMP + LE]
16 Preparing a crop is boring (7) PROSAIC [A CROP IS]*
19 Accountant with knowledge about independent unit (7) CALORIE [CA + LORE outside Independent]
21 Insect’s caught on hard sedimentary rock (6) FLYSCH [FLY'S + Caught + Hard]
23 Solar unit damaged — it does not conduct electricity (9) INSULATOR [SOLAR UNIT]*
25 Gentleman returns greeting of saint (5) RISHI [SIR <= + HI]
26 Suddenly move around old waiting room (6) LOUNGE [LUNGE outside Old]
27 Set of beliefs of liberal institution in area (8) RELIGION [Liberal Institution inside REGION]
28 Flexible for the most part, store energy (6) SUPPLE [SUPPLy + Energy]
29 It could separate second coach (8) STRAINER [Second + TRAINER]
DOWN
1 Warm weather cracks sword’s primary hard case (6) SHEATH [HEAT inside Sword + Hard ]
2 Worried her allies will engage in disruptive behaviour (5,4) RAISE HELL [HER ALLIES]*
3 Lacking experience one enters central part of church (5) NAIVE [1 inside NAVE]
4 Overshadow European Commission with impudence, so exasperating at first (7) ECLIPSE [European Commission + LIP + So Exasperating]
6 Gloomy, yet rephrased history of a word (9) ETYMOLOGY [GLOOMY YET]*
7 Split houses, hospital — it could prick (5) THORN [TORN outside Hospital]
8 Held in mediocre den, ceded to belief (8) CREDENCE [T]
11 Masterstroke by policeman arresting union leader (4) COUP [COP outside Union]
15 Pearl, a gal tampered with lawyer’s assistant (9) PARALEGAL [PEARL A GAL]*
17 Approach revolutionary leader for attainment of rank (9) ACCESSION [ACCESS + NO.1 <=]
18 Unreturnable serves without gradient to one vulnerable at the heel (8) ACHILLES [ACES outside HILL]
20 Second to last chair for food (4) EATS [SEAT with Second at the end]
21 Stir up iron reactor, primarily intended to remove its core (7) FERMENT [FE + Reactor + MEaNT]
22 Top diet of champion without meal (6) DINNER [Diet + wINNER]
24 Puzzle and dismiss batsman this way (5) STUMP [DD]
25 Part of marinara (Italian) dressing (5) RAITA [T]
ACROSS
1 Saint, one protecting a park with foreigner (8) STRANGER [S
5 Rushed to check stick missing edges (6) HECTIC [
9 Big lie fabricated left European in fit (8) ELIGIBLE [BIG LIE* + L
10 Pass nearly lost in water under the bridge (6) BYGONE [BY
12 Segment of anthem expresses its essence (5) THEME [T]
13 Spell and say it along with civil engineer (9) PRONOUNCE [PRONOUN + C
14 Intern at the French place of worship (6) TEMPLE [TEMP + LE]
16 Preparing a crop is boring (7) PROSAIC [A CROP IS]*
19 Accountant with knowledge about independent unit (7) CALORIE [CA + LORE outside I
21 Insect’s caught on hard sedimentary rock (6) FLYSCH [FLY'S + C
23 Solar unit damaged — it does not conduct electricity (9) INSULATOR [SOLAR UNIT]*
25 Gentleman returns greeting of saint (5) RISHI [SIR <= + HI]
26 Suddenly move around old waiting room (6) LOUNGE [LUNGE outside O
27 Set of beliefs of liberal institution in area (8) RELIGION [L
28 Flexible for the most part, store energy (6) SUPPLE [SUPPL
29 It could separate second coach (8) STRAINER [S
DOWN
1 Warm weather cracks sword’s primary hard case (6) SHEATH [HEAT inside S
2 Worried her allies will engage in disruptive behaviour (5,4) RAISE HELL [HER ALLIES]*
3 Lacking experience one enters central part of church (5) NAIVE [1 inside NAVE]
4 Overshadow European Commission with impudence, so exasperating at first (7) ECLIPSE [E
6 Gloomy, yet rephrased history of a word (9) ETYMOLOGY [GLOOMY YET]*
7 Split houses, hospital — it could prick (5) THORN [TORN outside H
8 Held in mediocre den, ceded to belief (8) CREDENCE [T]
11 Masterstroke by policeman arresting union leader (4) COUP [COP outside U
15 Pearl, a gal tampered with lawyer’s assistant (9) PARALEGAL [PEARL A GAL]*
17 Approach revolutionary leader for attainment of rank (9) ACCESSION [ACCESS + NO.1 <=]
18 Unreturnable serves without gradient to one vulnerable at the heel (8) ACHILLES [ACES outside HILL]
20 Second to last chair for food (4) EATS [SEAT with S
21 Stir up iron reactor, primarily intended to remove its core (7) FERMENT [FE + R
22 Top diet of champion without meal (6) DINNER [D
24 Puzzle and dismiss batsman this way (5) STUMP [DD]
25 Part of marinara (Italian) dressing (5) RAITA [T]
10a bye1 noun 1 sport, etc a pass into the next round of a competition, given to a competitor or team that has not been given an opponent in the current round.
ReplyDeleteThanks Prasad, that makes sense
DeleteNicely done Prasad.
Delete+1
DeleteSimple and elegant. Thanks Lightning.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI have every reason to celebrate today having solved the puzzle before 8.30AM. Thanks Lightning.
ReplyDeleteMy COD 22Dn DINNER. Nice deception in the clue! Without as with = w out from the champ!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Bhavan for the blog.
ReplyDelete+1 for both.
ReplyDeleteStumped for a while in splitting 'without'.
Thank you Bhavan for the picture of Flysch. Did not know it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lightning for an enjoyable CW. Several good neat crisp clues.
+1
DeleteThanks for standing in Bhavan.
ReplyDeleteI've come down 10 Km to access the net. Staying at my wife's cousin's farm near Khopoli where there is no phone/net access.
Lovely puzzle. Very enjoyable.
ReplyDelete