No 12860, Monday 17 Feb 2020, Arden

ACROSS
9   Maybe bad sign — it takes guts (7) ABDOMEN {BAD*}{OMEN}
10 Sam, perhaps on a roll initially, can't make out (7) UNCLEAR {UNCLE}{A}{Roll}
11 Each adopted the wild cat (7) CHEETAH {EACH+THE}*
12 Big bird with a nice clipped tail (7) TITANIC {TIT}{A}{NICe}
13 Rain on grass, odd rain creates a hotchpotch (9) POTPOURRI {POT}{POUR}{RaIn}
15 Testing time for kids — Terminator bombed airport terminal (5) APRIL {AIRPort+terminaL}* [CA]
16 Late to cover study, you can go no further (4,3) DEAD END {DEA{DEN}D}
19 American upset with scrambled eggs and tea — it’s prompt (7) SUGGEST {US+EGGS+T}* (Addendum - {US<=}{EGGS*}{T} - See comments)
20 Long, maybe nearly fifty gone (5) YEARN NEARlY*
21 Redemption — meant to modulate and check voice (9) ATONEMENT {A{TONE}MENT*}
25 Long time spent in line like an animal (7) LEONINE {L{EON}INE}
26 Case of cockney demand for some bling (7) EARRING (~ 'earing)
28 Food complaint, two characters flipped inside (7) ALIMENT A(I<=>L}MENT
29 Melissa used for earthmoving activity (7) SEISMAL*

DOWN
1   Crazy plan to get an aide (6) MADCAP {M{ADC}AP}
2   Start with one diamond opening (6) ADVENT {A}{D}{VENT}
3   Novel must be filth (4) SMUT*
4   Party by the hour, no universal support (6) ANCHOR {ANC}{HOuR}
5   Sit out among doctors, shows respect (8) CURTSIES {CUR{SIT*}ES}
6   A beautiful fish, less than right in a way (5,5) ACUTE ANGLE {A}{CUTE}{ANGLE}
7   Fake news? True, she does provide nourishment initially (3,5) WET NURSE*
8   Risk taking people, by law get a handcuff (8) BRACELET {B{RACE}{L}ET}
14 Placing reliance on a mode of transport (5,5) OCEAN LINER*
16 Air filter for chemical wash (8) DRYCLEAN {DRY}{CLEAN}
17 A defence pact faces trouble over Asia Minor (8) ANATOLIA {A}{NATO}{AIL<=}
18 Face oddly excites tongues (8) DIALECTS {DIAL}{ExCiTeS}
22 Some are embarrassed on being hauled up to port (6) ODESSA [T<=]
23 New meaning, not new puzzle (6) ENIGMA MEAnING*
24 Switch to Google — loves to go (6) TOGGLE {TO}{GooGLE}
27 Scotch during regular reunions (4) RUIN ReUnIoNs

Reference List
Grass = POT, Fifty = L, Aide = ADC(Aide-de-camp), Diamond = D, Universal = U, Law = L, New = N, Love = 0

Dr RKE's TalePiece

TITANIC TALE RETOLD

In the month of APRIL 2019, a luxury OCEAN LINER, ENIGMAtically named TITANIC II,  lifted ANCHOR and set sail from the port of ODESSA. Some SUGGEST that it was a MADCAP idea to have named it so, knowing well the RUIN, literally a 'DEAD END,' that the earlier ship by the same name had run into.  It was UNCLEAR if the captain of this ship, who hailed from ANATOLIA, known for his LEONINE courage, YEARNed for a place in naval history or only wanted his two minutes of fame. He was seen on deck in a DRY CLEANed crisp uniform wearing a BRACELET and a single EARRING, which were his lucky charms. A POPOURRI (for that is how POTPOURRI ought to be pronounced, the 'T' being silent in the proper British DIALECT) of dishes awaited in the plush hotel named 'ALIMENT' two floors below the deck,  where the maître d' CURTSIEd to welcome the guests. SEISMAL activity many nautical miles away caused the ship to pitch and yaw violently, causing a revolt in the ABDOMEN of the diners. They thought the end was near, fell to their knees and prayed for ATONEMENT. Captain Cool, fleet as a CHEETAH, charged to the control room and merely TOGGLEd some switches, turned the ship's course at an ACUTE ANGLE, and they were back on to smooth waters. That is what ADVENT of technology has done to make shipping safe.