ACROSS
1 Woodcutter rents axe-head at the beginning of winter (6) RIPSAW {RIPS}{Axe}{Wi...r}
4 Biscuits and bread made by this royal academician! (6) BAKING {BA}{KING}
9 Systems of belief in a text (4) ISMS {1}{SMS}
10 On piano, all composition is restrained and harmonious (10) APOLLONIAN*
11 Bad start to game of chance under the table (6) BLOTTO {Bad}{LOTTO}
12 Quack remedies for malignant tumors in non-smoker (8) NOSTRUMS {TUMORS}* in {NS} NS/Non-Smoker?
13 Moral deterioration in Eastern half of France after some time (9) DECADENCE {DECADE}{fraNCE}
15 Eastern leader embroiled in revolutionary experiments (4) EMIR [T<=]
16 Skin blemish woman eliminated by day's end (4) FLAY FLA(-w+y)Y
17 Altar base possibly sculpted from this soft rock (9) ALABASTER*
21 Quick appraisal from a planter, one might say (4-4) ONCE-OVER (~one sower)
22 Article of clothing linking harmful stereotypes (6) ULSTER [T]
24 Step manufacturers' hearty assistants! (10) PACEMAKERS {PACE}{MAKERS}
25 Plant shelter by kindergarten (4) LEEK {LEE}{K} Kindergarten is normally KG
26 Refuse offspring (6) LITTER [DD]
27 Small seal picked up by small swan (6) CYGNET (~signet)
DOWN
1 Overslept, missing exercise, difficult work out (7) RESOLVE OVERSLEpt*
2 Assume for argument's sake marijuana smuggling is on the rise (5) POSIT {PO{IS<=}T}
3 Fashionable mailman every so often unrestrained, immodest (1,2,4) A LA MODE {mAiLmAn}{imMODEst}
5 None more competent, balanced after first couple's demotion (6) ABLEST (-st)ABLE(+st)ST
6 Amusing or comical person who's omniscient? On the contrary (9) IGNORAMUS*
7 Branch of linguistics school in Britain (7) GRAMMAR [DD]
8 What cautious consumer might do about anorectic soul (5,8) COUNT CALORIES*
14 Humiliation in an underground location (9) ABASEMENT {A}{BASEMENT}
16 Spooner's servant let down by admirer's dispatches (3,4) FAN MAIL (-m+f)FAN (-f+m)MAIL
18 Sign of pleasant weather with no practical application (4-3) BLUE-SKY [DD]
19 Running away with lover after skipping operation's essential part (7) ELEMENT ELopEMENT
20 Do the Wright thing! (6) AVIATE [CD]
23 Gathering of intellectuals in drawing-room (5) SALON [DD]
Reference List
Woman = W, Exercise = PT
1 Woodcutter rents axe-head at the beginning of winter (6) RIPSAW {RIPS}{A
9 Systems of belief in a text (4) ISMS {1}{SMS}
10 On piano, all composition is restrained and harmonious (10) APOLLONIAN*
11 Bad start to game of chance under the table (6) BLOTTO {B
12 Quack remedies for malignant tumors in non-smoker (8) NOSTRUMS {TUMORS}* in {NS} NS/Non-Smoker?
13 Moral deterioration in Eastern half of France after some time (9) DECADENCE {DECADE}{
15 Eastern leader embroiled in revolutionary experiments (4) EMIR [T<=]
16 Skin blemish woman eliminated by day's end (4) FLAY FLA(-w+y)Y
17 Altar base possibly sculpted from this soft rock (9) ALABASTER*
21 Quick appraisal from a planter, one might say (4-4) ONCE-OVER (~one sower)
22 Article of clothing linking harmful stereotypes (6) ULSTER [T]
25 Plant shelter by kindergarten (4) LEEK {LEE}{K} Kindergarten is normally KG
27 Small seal picked up by small swan (6) CYGNET (~signet)
DOWN
1 Overslept, missing exercise, difficult work out (7) RESOLVE OVERSLE
2 Assume for argument's sake marijuana smuggling is on the rise (5) POSIT {PO{IS<=}T}
3 Fashionable mailman every so often unrestrained, immodest (1,2,4) A LA MODE {
5 None more competent, balanced after first couple's demotion (6) ABLEST (-st)ABLE(+st)ST
6 Amusing or comical person who's omniscient? On the contrary (9) IGNORAMUS*
7 Branch of linguistics school in Britain (7) GRAMMAR [DD]
8 What cautious consumer might do about anorectic soul (5,8) COUNT CALORIES*
14 Humiliation in an underground location (9) ABASEMENT {A}{BASEMENT}
16 Spooner's servant let down by admirer's dispatches (3,4) FAN MAIL (-m+f)FAN (-f+m)MAIL
18 Sign of pleasant weather with no practical application (4-3) BLUE-SKY [DD]
19 Running away with lover after skipping operation's essential part (7) ELEMENT EL
20 Do the Wright thing! (6) AVIATE [CD]
23 Gathering of intellectuals in drawing-room (5) SALON [DD]
Reference List
Woman = W, Exercise = PT
12a chambers online lists n/s as non smoker.
ReplyDelete25a education system from kindergarten to 12th class is ref as k-12 system.
+1
DeleteFreedictionary says K=kindergarten
Very few comments for a wonderful puzzle which I found quite tough.Had to struggle for Apollonian, leek, Ablest. Really liked Count Calories, Pacemakers(hearty assistants!) and the DD of Grammar. Thanks to Skulldugger for the challenge and Col. for an instructive blog.
ReplyDeleteWonder what happened to others!
Delete+1 Vasant on the clues you mentioned.
I really missed a hear beat when it struck me pacemakers!
:-)
DeleteVery enjoyable clues: especially 10A, 24A and 8D. Pleased to report that I solved them all! Thank you, Skulldugger.
ReplyDeleteToday's Guardian CWd is high in spirit(s).
ReplyDeleteI am yet to open the bottle, er, the grid!
DeleteHic!
Delete