Solution to 12A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.
Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.
ACROSS
1 Winner's angry about deviants, essentially getting military award (8,5) VICTORIA CROSS {VICTOR}{devIAnts}{CROSS}
11 Poles are in a catch (5) SNARE {S}{N}{ARE}
12 Satisfy service-level agreement, take 50% discount (5) S?A?E (Addendum - SLAKE {SLA}{taKE} - See comments)
13 Full-time employee is independent, very sincere at work (2-7) IN-SERVICE {I+V+SINCERE}*
14 Scratching head, chemist turns to belief in god (6) THEISM cHEMIST*
16 Have dhal in the second half and meat (4) VEAL {haVE+dhAL}
25 Knowledge about battle at Ukraine finally taken to head (9) AWARENESS {A}{WAR}{u...nE}{NESS}
26 Boorish son smothers one in victory (5) SWAIN {S}{W{A}IN} Is the definition okay?
27 Avoid backing Dave having drugs (5) EVADE {DAVE<=}{E} Drugs/Drug?
28 Application with no licence to operate hearse around Western Australia and Redmond primarily (9) SHAREWARE {HEARSE}* over {WA}{Re...d}
29 Offered to keep the essence gentle (13) TENDERHEARTED {TENDER{HEART}ED}
DOWN
3 100 + 9.5 unit of mass (5) TONNE {TON}{niNE}
4 Heartlessly coach again to remember (6) RETAIN RETrAIN
5 Irritating to see Victor in new air-base (8) ABRASIVE {V} in {AIR+BASE}*
6 Rescuer struggles to contain force and acceleration to come up again (9) RESURFACE {RESUR{F}{A}CE*}
7 Fixed attics in a hurry (6) STATIC*
8 Present? Not new, made in advance (6) PRESET PRESEnT
9 Number could be odd or this, small earlier (5) SEVEN {EVEN}<=>{S}
15 Completely lifeless notes composed by father after consuming drug (5-4) STONE-DEAD {NOTES*}{D{E}AD}
17 Behind every start, ship uses gold and an appraiser (8) ASSESSOR {ASS}{Ev..y}{SS}{OR}
18 Residence of a clergyman gets six cars nearly, on time (8) VICARAGE {VI}{CARs}{AGE}
21 Spice given for a drink at Germany (6) GINGER {GIN}{GER}
26 Sharp swing (5) SHEER [DD]
Reference List
Poles = S,N, Service-level agreement = SLA, Independent = I, Very = V, Japan = J, Ordinary = O, Guards = SS, About = A, Head = NESS, Son = S, Drug = E, Western Australia = WA, Victor = V, Force = F, Acceleration = A, New = N, Small = S, Ship = SS, Gold = OR
28a
ReplyDeleteShareware is a proprietary s/w with license albeit limited usage.
3D half of 9 is NE not NI as shown?
ReplyDelete+1; tonne is a unit of mass. what is tonni?
DeleteTypo on my part. The wrong half has been struck out
DeleteCorrected it
Delete26a POS?
ReplyDeleteDid cone across swain in adjective form. As it is that meaning is archaiac.
Did not come across (in dictionaries)*
DeleteI also googled endlessly. Swain is a rustic lad. Not boorish by any stretch.
Delete24d west?? And by???
ReplyDelete10a why why why?
ReplyDeleteHave "on" and then again overworking!
The first "on" a connector?
Delete22d is some really necessary!
ReplyDelete12 Satisfy service-level agreement, take 50% discount (5) {SLA}{(-ta)KE}
ReplyDelete12A: satisfy = slake
ReplyDeleteService-Level Agreement taKE 50%discount
Hence, (s+l+a)(ke)
Sathia
Joke from cryptics
ReplyDeleteWhys is 3.14 important
Opinion becomes onion without it!
3.14 is Pi.......?
DeleteYes
Deletešš»
ReplyDeleteSathia
@ Prasad - I'd similar doubts to most of the queries raised by you.
ReplyDeleteYet some interesting clues & a nice grid.
My fav
PEKING, AWARENESS. THEISM, SEVEN.
Thanx Afterdark.
Like yesterday have few more.
DeleteBut this does not feel like AD.
And a very sepcific intriguing point: usage of link words.
Has been using container indicators as link words like get/kept/has.
This results in a lot of confusion while solving for a novice like me.
DeleteBecos I take clues literally.
3d 9.5 is actually nine and half. Half of nine should be 4.5!
ReplyDeleteBy the same logic - half of nine is ne. This seems like an ok or rather a clever clue to me.
Delete9.5 is not half of nine!
Delete1a victoria is feminine version of victor. So winner is victoria. Dont need the streneous addition.
ReplyDeleteIs Victoria a synonym for winner? I didn't find it anywhere.
Delete11,12,18,8d,18d
ReplyDeleteVery non-cryptic operations on fodder.
I liked the present-preset though.
Just too many for a cryptic (thc esp), imho.