No 13579, Friday 10 Jun 2022, Lightning

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ACROSS

1   Unfairly criticise brief mistake by Japan — leader's lacking influence (8) MISJUDGE {MIStake}{J}{nUDGE}

5   Grapes need to be squashed? Sprinkle some water (6) SPARGE*

9   Worker caught with annoyance, at first missing restraining device (8) HANDCUFF {HAND}{C}{hUFF}

10 Thorough search at contest (6) COMBAT {COMB}{AT}

12 Decree reportedly correct (5) WRITE (~right)

13 Allowance going over — help return microwave, perhaps (9) RADIATION {RA{AID<=}TION}

14 Run quickly confiscating record of leave (6) DEPART {D{EP}ART}

16 Scene from say Mahabharata clipped initially, substituted with poem (7) EPISODE {EPIc}{Su...d}{ODE}

19 One loving country to touch on public violence (7) PATRIOT {PAT}{RIOT}

21 Risk of primarily dormant rage (6) DANGER {Do...t}{ANGER}

23 Cancelling large pine order (9) REPEALING*

25 Topic of article by setter (5) THEME {THE}{ME}

26 District attorney mostly shy joins appeal for criminal (6) DACOIT {DA}{COy}{IT}

27 Go across street — basic reason for mix-up (8) STRADDLE {ST}{Re...n}{ADDLE}

28 Fire at home extinguished at the beginning by dog (6) CANINE {CAN}{IN}{Ex...d}

29 No dealer distributed poisonous plant (8) OLEANDER*

DOWN

1   Medical officer had cut short work to get a hairstyle (6) MOHAWK {MO}{HAd}{WK}

2   Dispatched independent gents with basically tense feeling (9) SENTIMENT {SENT}{I}{MEN}{Te..e}

3   Relative fun cleverly displayed (5) UNCLE [T]

4   Attempt at military building to capture island — do what's needed! (2,3,2) GO FOR IT {GO}{FOR{I}T}

6   Trial period for one breaking wand (9) PROBATION {PRO}{BAT{1}ON}

7   Teacher trimming tail of animal (5) RABBI RABBIt

8   Pulled out former lover with care by editor (8) EXTENDED {EX}{TEND}{ED}

11 Bid less, partly lazy (4) IDLE [T]

15 A great appeal by leader evicted from country leads to turbulence (9) AGITATION {A}{G}{IT}{nATION}

17 Depend on eastern resort having no boundary (4,5) OPEN ENDED {DEPEND+ON+E}*

18 Cops raid building on and off (8) SPORADIC*

20 Cut primarily tall edge (4) TRIM {Tall}{RIM}

21 Contemptible person breaking clock's face showing numbers (7) DIGITAL {DI{GIT}AL}

22 Came across oriental gold in a fiery streak (6) METEOR {MET}{E}{OR}

24 Bird — large one leaving tree (5) PECAN PEliCAN

25 This is always raised above heads (5) TIARA Acrostic &lit

Reference List

Judge = J, Caught= C, Record = EP(Extended Play), Appeal = IT, Street = ST, Faire = CAN, At home = IN, Work = WK, Independent = I, Island = I, Editor = ED, Great = G, Eastern = E, Oriental = E, Large = L