No 11172, Monday 25 Aug 2014, Klue Klux Klan

Is KKK being morbid today?  Was scratching around for a while till things fell into place. Learnt some new words today. 

ACROSS
1   I define raft gone to pieces by its defining characteristics (11) DIFFERENTIA*
9   Expand the street passing through Big clock (7) BROADEN {B{ROAD}EN}
10 Removing it from caption makes it understated (6) SUBTLE SUBTitLE
11 Pope takes down clock tower by order (5) EDICT benEDICT

12 With pickaxes initially, start off for settlement to plunder (7) PILLAGE {Pickaxes}{vILLAGE}
15 Make amends for allowing opener an extra run (4) ABYE {Allowing}{BYE}
16 Tree for distinguished humourist (6,4) AUGUST PLUM {AUGUST} {PLUM}
18 English tend to half the armies’ appeals (10) ENTREATIES {E}{TREAT}{armIES}
20 Sophisticated coward lacking cognizance (4) CHIC CHICken
23 Pedestrian in favour of regular sea biscuit (7) PROSAIC {PRO}{SeA}{bIsCiut} Same query as in the special yesterday regarding fodder for regular/alternate etc
24 First lover of Austen’s heroine gets preliminary proposition (5) LEMMA {Lover}{EMMA} New word for me
26 Fish comes to pond with intrinsically Indian origins (6) DIPNOI {POND+Intrinsically+Indian}* Where's the AInd? Had to cheat for this one

27 Kill administrator by removing drips (7) EXECUTE EXECUTivE
28 Dismissal from the faction might lead to death (6,5) FIRING PARTY {FIRING} {PARTY} 'might' or 'will' ?

DOWN
2   Write to signal loss of accountant (6) INDITE INDIcaTE
3   Letting out criminals from cages is admirable (4) FINE conFINEs
4   Restores some regard for all but top two schools (10) RESTITUTES {REgard}{inSTITUTES} How much regard? Another new word
5   The aristocracy source opium for upright leader who is marriageable (8) NOBILITY N(-u+o)OBILITY

Cartoon by Rishi

6   Criminal, sick, held most of the endowment (7) ILLEGAL {IL{LEGAcy}L}
7   Sailor from North East confined, denied… (9) ABNEGATED {AB}{NE}{GATED}
8   … harmony of American university found in modest surrounds (6) COMITY {CO{MIT}Y}
13 Restraining the brusque, sickly (10) CURTAILING {CURT}{AILING}
14 Freed; lost initial nervous predisposition; became thin (9) EMACIATED EMAnCIpATED
17 First of his kin lies injured in European capital (8) HELSINIKI {His}{KIN+LIES}*
19 Countermining characters at destinations (7) TERMINI [T]
21 Croon into hidden microphone? Rubbish! (6) HUMBUG {HUM}{BUG} Into is misleading
22 Head of church’s perjury of sacred text to patron (6) CLIENT {Church}{LIE}{NT}
25 Testing stage for Indian son (4) BETA [DD]

No.11140, Friday 18 Jul 2014, Klue Klux Klan

Instead of the garden path, KKK takes us amongst the brushes, needles, nagamis,...  I am stumped by 28a, which  might also be a shrub ...

ACROSS
1 Clergyman, faithful, loses a source of comfort (6) CURATE (acCURATE)
4 Tease, label as being common,… (6) RAGTAG (RAG TAG)
9 …celebrity’s passionate return (4) DIVA (AVID<)
10 Dispirited capture of the working class … (4-6) BLUE COLLAR (BLUE COLLAR)

11 ... by Spanish man without leading scientific device (6) SENSOR (SENOR outside S)
12 Nautical brace in jungle? Yes! (8) FORESTAY (FOREST AY)
13 Vehicle of druggies who love to make merry (9) CAROUSERS (CAR O USERS)
15 The devil is the same when seen from either side (5) SATAN ?
16 Poplar fit to shelter first entrance (5) ABELE (ABLE sheltering E)
18 Aware of son acting demented (9) COGNISANT (SON ACTING)*
22 Cannon causes virulence, not effective at first (8) CULVERIN (VIRULENCe)* New word for me
23 Animals, lacking right instinct, start to make mistakes (6) GAFFES (GirAFFES)
25 Inscription at ranch upset groom (10) CHRONOGRAM (RANCH GROOM) upset is the anagram indicator in the middle of the fodder! Is this K-K-Kosher?
26 Plunder, lose heart, and irritate (4) RILE (RIfLE)
27 Sibling is backing holy man? Perhaps (6) SISTER (IS< ST ER)

28 Shrubs all over the place in South Assam (6) MSASAS {ASSAM}*{S} - See comments

DOWN
1 Sound of Sun God is a figment of the imagination? (7) CHIMERA (CHIME RA)
2 Harvests with bent spear (5) REAPS (SPEAR*)
3 Sat back, concealed poet’s tunics (7) TABARDS (SAT< conceals BARD)
5 Harmonize with part of musical instrument (6) ACCORD (ACCORDion)
6 Taslima’s new fancy trinkets (9) TALISMANS (TASLIMA'S N)
7 Father’s father loses direction, heads for Spanish city (7) GRANADA (GRANdADA)
8 Enthusiast, perhaps, to be important to regular army of neutral state (6,7) BUFFER COUNTRY (BUFF ER COUNT aRmY)
14 Unaware of fifty one in unconcealed surroundings? (9) OBLIVIOUS (LI in OBVIOUS)
17 Sweeps right into the thickets (7) BRUSHES (R in BUSHES)
19 Shrubs bother a girl endlessly (7) NAGAMIS (NAG A MISs)
20 Irritates, in an unnecessary manner, endlessly (7) NEEDLES (NEEDLESs)
          Two consecutive clues ending with endlessly ...
21 Ditch, initially open, in plantation (6) GROOVE (O in GROVE)
24 Card game of ancient Egyptian kings, we hear (5) FAROS (~PHARAOHS) I thought the game was Faro, and the def. is in the singular ...

GRID
 

No.11110, Friday 13 Jun 2014, Klue Klux Klan

Some doubts and, according to my knowledge, inaccuracies ...

ACROSS
1 Similarity of shapes of crooked, impish rooms (11) ISOMORPHISM (IMPISH ROOMS)*
9 British writer to mourn for His Highness' overthrowing (1,1,5) H H MUNRO (H H MOURN*)
          As earlier, I always remember his Open Window and indulge in romance at short notice
10 Blesses head-hunter, permits… (7) HALLOWS (H ALLOWS)
11 … almost all men to help revolutionary press (5) MEDIA (MEn AID<)
12 Most tense character examination (7) TAUTEST (TAU TEST)
15 The notion is almost perfect (4) IDEA (IDEAl)
16 Miser’s case made of woollen cloths (10) CASSIMERES (MISERS CASE)*
          Sage Kashyap has gone a long way to Kashmir, Cashmere and Cassimeres
18 Fleeing sailors head north without encrypting… (10) ABSCONDING (ABS, N in CODING)
20 … some Aboriginal languages (4) ABOR (T)
23 Signals for prisoner caught in Indian river (7) BEACONS (CON in BEAS)
          a premonition on the part of KKK?
24 A bird found in African city (5) ASWAN (A SWAN)
          I thought it a bit unfair to refer to a continent when looking for a city. If a setter clues in an Indian village (over 6 lakh of them, according to the web), I think something must be done to narrow down the possibilities, like naming the State (I am not sure if even this will be enough), if not the district.
26 Rogue leaves continent for European country (7) AUSTRIA (AUSTRALIA - AL, with his cap-one)
27 Armour plate to block boyfriend (7) JAMBEAU (JAM BEAU) New word for me
28 Sad prisoner uses calculating device (7,4) NAPIER'S RODS (SAD PRISONER)*
          knew them as Bones
DOWN
2 Sailor gets degree in Pakistan province (6) SINBAD (BA in SIND) I thought the province was Sindh ...

3 Tie up the second James Bond? Not quite (4) MOOR (MOORe)  Factual inaccuracy here!
        Roger Moore, was the 3rd, not second to play it in movies, Sean Connery and George Lazenby being the earlier ones. He was the first choice and could not take it up because of his commitments to The Saint. And that is not counting others who played in non-film formats or spoofs, like David Niven in Casino Royale
4 Listen again, then croon when practising (10) REHEARSING (RE-HEAR SING)
5 Break in a football game is two-thirds of the tie (4-4) HALF TIME (Anno not clear)  2/3 of tie is TI, and then rev. anagram to HALF TIME which is also half TIme   See comments
6 Englishman partly scores with druggie (7) SCOUSER (SCOres USER)
          Liverpool reminds me of the Beatles

7 Almost punish head of useless play for being quirky (9) WHIMSICAL (WHIp MuSICAL)
8 Smear wise man with soil instead of ash, at first (6) SMUDGE (SAGE with MUD instead of A)
13 Girl locks the fern (10) MAIDENHAIR (MAIDEN HAIR)
14 Spaceman cooks tuna roast (9) ASTRONAUT (TUNA ROAST)*
          Remember this word, Deepak ? ;-)

                                                                                     Cartoon by Rishi
17 Compositions, strangely incorrect, lack rhythm initially (8) CONCERTI (INCORrECT)*
19 Hookah’s tip cut by a blunt knife initially for last Raja (7) SHEESHA (anno not clear) BAKSHEESH=A,B,K+A See comments

21 Fought, lost first round, wept loudly (6) BAWLED (BrAWLED)
22 Headman in Indian city pulls up rug (6) NAMMAD (M in DAMAN<) Could not find it in Chambers
25 Open a container (4) AJAR (A JAR)

No 11078, Wednesday 07 May 2014, Klue Klux Klan

ACROSS
1   Good man, returning from party at German prisoner-of-war camp (6) STALAG {ST}{ALAG<=}

                                                                                               Cartoon by Rishi

4   Amble, from start to finish, with mountain creatures (6) TROLLS (-s)TROLL(+s)S
9   Aquatic organisms lose heart, grow wings (4) ALAE ALgAE
10 Admitting heartless yahoo into urgent matters (10) PROFESSING {PR{OaF}ESSING}
11 Hesitate to replace head of one of the two with dummy head (6) DITHER (-e+d)DITHER
12 Greek God protects Israel from gradual destructions (8) EROSIONS {ERO{SION}S}
13 Awareness of one surrounded by doom (9) SENTIENCE {SENT{I}ENCE}
15 Speculate patron’s unfinished origin story (5) GUESS {GUESt}{Story}
16 Frighten Southern fish, cut off tail with knife finally (5) SCARE {S}{CARp}{knifE}
18 Made irate face at restaurant (9) CAFETERIA*
22 This outbreak occurred when pigs took flight, we hear (5,3) SWINE FLU {SWINE} {FLU}(~flew)

... THE NEW TERRORISM ...

23 Noisy quarrel between a couple of followers and fish? (6) AFFRAY {A}{FF}{RAY}
25 German woman, partly dull, assisted criminal (10) FRAUDULENT {FRAU}{DUll}{LENT}
26 Cook taking single off main… (4) CHEF CHiEF
27 ...fast bowler residing in Chinese America (6) SEAMER [T]
28 Censures element from beginning to end (6) ODIUMS (-s)ODIUM(+s)S

DOWN
1   Father protect a lean toddler initially with cross (7) SALTIRE {S{A}{L}{T}IRE}

2   Character of beer indicates acidity level (5) ALEPH {ALE}{pH}
3   Defame regular boys intrinsically (7) ASPERSE {lAdS}{PER SE}
5   Maker of apparel for antelope (6) REEBOK [DD]
6   Sluggishness of girl regularly into headless guy (9) LASSITUDE {LASS}{InTo}{dUDE}
7   Sounds made by boy and his relatives lack unity initially (7) SONANTS {SON}{AuNTS}
8   Classifications of dreadful, unclean metros (13) NOMENCLATURES*
14 Spider natural at traumatizing… (9) TARANTULA* &lit

17 … deserters in firm’s divisions (7) COWARDS {CO}{WARDS}

19 Precise journalist insisted on… (7) EXACTED {EXACT}{ED}
20 … national leader leaving minarets to make Turkish hostels (7) IMARETS MInARETS*
21 Pour out from bottom the iron melt (6) EFFUSE {EF<=}{FUSE}
24 Scarf found in specific hutments (5) FICHU [T]

No.11046, Monday 31 Mar 2014, Klue Klux Klan

KKK has a trio of cities (TURIN, NAGASAKI & OSLO) and a brace of poets (YEATS & LEAR)  in the answers and wordplay, accompanied by a couple of guys with pseudonyms (SAKI & BANNER)  in the puzzle a la Incognito!

ACROSS

1 Liberal Tzar, bizarre innovator (11) TRAILBLAZER (LIBERAL TZAR)*

9 Regular repairman’s revolutionary pain (3,4) EAR ACHE (rEpAiRmAn CHE)

10 Fashionable group like cricket, say (6) INSECT (IN SECT)

11 City’s chance to take in one (5) TURIN (TURN to take in 1)

12 Hideout of untidy eater found within Ranipet borders (7) RETREAT (EATER* in RT)

15 Consumes beheaded poet of yore (4) EATS (yEATS) or (kEATS) having made his advent earlier, See comments

16 Rotate cart made of earthenware (5,5) TERRA COTTA (ROTATE CART)

18 Resemblance of commander with one in jail (10) COMPARISON (COM. A in PRISON)

20 Come back from 26, say, by cable car (4) TRAM (MART<)

23 Jobs makes a mistake, and accepts (7) ERRANDS (ERRS accepts AND)

24 Gabriel, for one, reverses direction at the end, evokes ire (5) ANGER (ANGEL-L+R)

26 American, Zambian, Australian leaders admitted into inn at marketplace (6) BAZAAR (A Z A in BAR)

27 Royal gallery found in clandestine surroundings (7) STATELY (TATE in SLY)

28 Never odd or even, say, these are the same either way (11) PALINDROMES DD (NEVER ODD OR EVEN<>, for eg.) my favourite fish

 

DOWN

2 Young trustee about to replace great leader (6) RECENT (REGENT-G+C)

3 Goat is amidst nine (4) IBEX (BE in IX)

4 Newly-wed, cross, pushed first girl to end of chamber (10) BRIDEGROOM (BRID(-G)E(+G) ROOM)

5 Remove naughty brats caught in the act;… (8) ABSTRACT (BRATS* in ACT)

6 ….the outlandish can then charm (7) ENCHANT (CAN THEN)* 

7 Awareness of judge harbouring one… (9) SENTIENCE (SENTENCE harbouring 1)

8 …fungus found in sundry rotis (3,3) DRY ROT (T)

13  Confused bird led ewe astray (10) BEWILDERED (BIRD LED EWE)*

14 These might turn a Banner into a monster (5,4) GAMMA RAYS (GK-  ref to Bruce Banner who becomes The Hulk under influence of a gamma bomb)

17 Torment a writer in Japanese city (8) NAGASAKI (NAG A SAKI)

          Romance at short notice was her speciality.

19 Wine without Indian spices is right (7) MARSALA (MASALA outside R)

21 Feel sorry for last Lear’s bird (6) REGRET (R EGRET)

22 Bill slipped in to confront misrepresentation (6) FACADE (AD in FACE)

25 Leaders of opposition stutteringly leave office in this city (4) OSLO (acrostic)

ENDNOTE

For a Sunday special in the future, a community CWD is being planned for which CV will contribute a filled-in grid. Clue writing will be by members of this blog.

Volunteers have to send a mail to chaturvasi{at}yahoo{dot}com with THCCCC in the subject line.

As there may be 30 clues, he needs 15/30 volunteers. One member will write one clue each. If there are fewer volunteers, clues will be distributed pro rata and any left-overs he will tackle.

He will assign clues to voluntary clue-writers and do the rest of the work. All are welcome including Venkatesh who, if interested, may write to him. 
Credit will be in general terms with names disclosed but not which clue number. In the email indicate the byline you want if it is not your real name.

See the comments section in yesterday's post for further on this.

No.11014, Friday 21 Feb 2014, Klue Klux Klan

ACROSS

1 Scavenge, to enemy’s endless wrath (6) FORAGE (FOe RAGE)

4 Grasp of math is iffy (6) FATHOM (OF MATH)*

9 Song contained in Bihar iambics (4) ARIA (T)

10 Mission, lacking ammo initially, to suppress man (10) CONTINGENT (CONTaIN GENT)

11 Sibling, initially sceptical, replaced first filter of sieve (6) SISTER (SIFTER-F+S)

12 Give at Gates, for instance, advertisement (8) HANDBILL (HAND BILL (Gates))

13 Jibe of lad inducting Eastern photograph (5,4) CHEAP SHOT (CHAP inducting E SHOT)

          With elections round the corner, cheap shots come dime a dozen nowadays from many politicians

15 Character, non-entity, uses deodorant to mask body odour initially (5) NODDY (NOboDY uses D) Is an initial character indicator required for d for deodorant?

          Noddy reminded of words like Gollywog, Picanniny etc. which became un-parliamentary.    Though I have my doubts, looking at parliament (when there are no glitches), as to what is parliamentary and what is not.

16 Got wet behind the ears by upturned French mineral water (5) NAIVE (EVIAN<)

18 Gets rid of cartoon family that protects fashionable revolutionary (9) JETTISONS (JETSONS protects IT<) I am not sure if the 'fashionable=it' works. I thought 'it' refers to something else.

          Their dog came a few days back ... 

22 Desolate Los Angeles, become sweaty (3,6) LAY WASTE (LA SWEATY*)

23 Capital's hot, small area (6) PARISH (PARIS H)

25 Overbearing car going round bend with twitch (10) AUTOCRATIC (AUTO ARC< TIC)

26 Jewish man missing drink? (4) BREW (heBREW)

          Capitalising on an old joke: How does a Jew get tea? He brews

27 Regularly tenses sanyasi with attempts (6) ESSAYS (tEnSeS sAnYaSi)

28 Trending lungis in a whirl (6) SLUING (LUNGIS*) Gerund of Slew

           Eleventh commandment: Though shall not fiddle around with our lungis

DOWN

1 Provide pot to fish innards (7) FURNISH (URN in FISH)

2 Laughing artisan leaves because of confusion (5) RIANT (ARTISAN-AS)* I thought this was French, but Chambers has it

3 Supporters, perhaps not protecting company, reverse vehicles (7) GOCARTS (GARTerS protecting CO<)

          As all William fans know garters have just one purpose - so that you can make catapults

5 Associates foreigners with Englishmen instead of Germans initially (6) ALIGNS (ALIENS0E+G)

6 Intellectuals, intoxicated, start bitter fights (9) HIGHBROWS (HIGH B ROWS)

          Typing 'Brow' reminds me of the time I used to use Foxbase. Invariably half the time I used to doggedly type the command as 'Bow'.

7 Butlers, happy, switch first two vowels, get cut up (7) MANGLED (MEN GLAD with vowels switched)

8 Rotten hens, men spoil coronations (13) ENTHRONEMENTS (ROTTEN HENS MEN)*

14 Bill promises no retirement rights to Somali leader (9) ADVOWSONS (AD VOWS ON< S) Had to Google this one. Defn. in the middle

17 Alien leaves laureates confused more often than not (2,1,4) AS A RULE (LAUREATES-ET)*

19 Local humid weather, say, not right (7) TOPICAL (TrOPICAL)

20 Retreat, regularly engage savings (4,3) NEST EGG (NEST EnGaGe)

21 So, back to kill the hawk? (6) OSPREY (SO< PREY)

          Oh! Spray?!

24 Spiritual leader, sailor sheltered by central bank (5) RABBI (AB sheltered by RBI)

No.10984, Friday 17 Jan 2014, Klue Klux Klan

Nice one from KKK. For a while I thought it was an Army theme: Private, Lieutenant, Veterans, ...

ACROSS

1 Arrange solo matches with old chums (11) SCHOOLMATES (SOLO MATCHES)*

9 Classified chatter about Kiev regular (7) PRIVATE (PRATE about kIeV)

10 Empowering ringleader who leaves long-standing… (7) ENDUING (ENDUrING)

11 ...South Indian town he partly drove to (5) ERODE (hE RODE)

          Ranks at No.1 in the popularity rating

12 Repeat, leaving the sick unschooled (7) ITERATE (ill ITERATE)

15 Holistic detective, Gently, used dagger (4) DIRK (2) (Ref to Dirk Gently, detective)

          Or as they say in Hyderabad, "Hulloo hulloo"

16 Gamble on first lady’s endless knowledge of head of state (10) CHANCELLOR (CHANCE L LORe)

18 Europeans, provoked, grow insane (10) NORWEGIANS (GROW INSANE)*

20 Mixture of lemon in oil for starters? (4) OLIO (O L I O)

23 State authority initially backs force (7)  ASSERTS (A STRESS<)

24 Donkey in tunnel? Not quite (5) BURRO (BURROw)

26 Leave when Republican enters to cause delay (6) DETRAIN (R in DETAIN)

27 Stumble upon oil spill in Libya’s capital (7) TRIPOLI (TRIP on OIL*)

28 The caring, attacked with canes, rioted (11) CONSIDERATE (CANES RIOTED)*

DOWN

2 Without source of encouragement, makes boxes (6) CRATES (CReATES)

3 Warning for returning Verne character (4) OMEN (NEMO<)

          A rather fishy character

4 Deputy in place of boarder (10) LIEUTENANT (LIEU TENANT)

5 Representatives of senior people switched American head for English (8) ALDERMEN (ELDERMEN-E+A)

6 Of decrees found in Vedic talismans (7) EDICTAL (T)

7 Adding on to Andhra Pradesh is forthcoming (9) APPENDING (AP PENDING)

8 Hardship of first royal, initially lacking energy (6) RIGOUR (R vIGOUR)

13 Baptised saint, in enriched surroundings, confused (10) CHRISTENED (ST. in ENRICHED)*

14 Therefore, no microphone is for human good (9) ERGONOMIC (ERGO NO MIC.)

17 Doctor returns to trap old-timers (8) VETERANS (VET SNARE<)

          The U.S. has a lot of vets from V'et-nam

19 Knight comes back for perfume rice (7) RISOTTO (SIR< OTTO=attar)

21 Musical pieces’ first recital in African city (6) LARGOS (R in LAGOS)

22 Musician not half boisterous (6) OBOIST (O BOIST)

          Reminded me of GB Shaw. It seems he once received a letter starting with "My dear Shawm".  Exasperated, he commented to his wife that the chap could not even spell his name correctly. To  which, Mrs Shaw reportedly showed him the dictionary to validate the address. Shawm: an old fashioned woodwind instrument. Thus, justifying the use of the word to describe her husband.

25 Rodents looking up at the red dwarf, for one (4) STAR (RATS<)

No 10952, Tuesday 10 Dec 2013, Klue Klux Klan

ACROSS

1   Girl, heads army, replaces Oriental in Indian ground (6) MAIDEN MAID(-a+e)EN

4   So, Indian deity backs boats? (6) AVISOS {AVIS}{OS}<=

9   Perfume obtained from flowers with trimmed base (4) OTTO  Anno pending (Addendum - bOTTOm - See comments)

10 In a lucid manner, firm man let flay regularly… (10) COHERENTLY {CO}{HE}{RENT}{fLaY}

11 …dead bodies right out of bushes (6) COPSES COrPSES

12 Denial when, for instance, trapped in country (8) NEGATION {N{EG}ATION}

13 Slur on snake, perhaps one sheltered by boy (9) ASPERSION {ASP}{ER}{S{1}ON}

15 Bare head, dance topless in wood (5) BALSA {Bare}{sALSA}

16 Composer takes note on land (5) BEACH {B{E}ACH}

18 Fallacy of cop sheltering round one initially out of the past (9) SOPHISTRY {S{O}P}{HISToRY}

22 Mother’s banter, for starters, is copious, glorious (8) MAJESTIC {MA}{JEST}{I}{C}

23 Take for granted because bird’s back (6) ASSUME {AS}{SUME<=}

25 I’m in strange scenario of ill-tempers (10) ACRIMONIES {ACR{I'M}ONIES*}

26 Whisky without water or soda? Great! (4) NEAT [DD]

27 Regularly scan hideout for the most rational (6) SANEST {ScAn}{NEST}

28 Snake with half of insect’s feature (6) ASPECT {ASP}{insECT}

DOWN

1   Mother laughs haughtily back at nurses (6) MATRONS {MA}{TRONS<=}

2   Presses on when surrounded by taxmen (5) IRONS {IR{ON}S}

3   Pardons one for initially usurping duties (7) EXCISES EXC(-u+1)ISES

5   Amazon navigator loses tan for a change (6) VIRAGO naVIGAtOR*

6   Governors imprison heartless don back in bunkers (4,5) SAND TRAPS {SA{NoD<=} TRAPS}

7   Discolours birds lacking wings, head (7) SALLOWS SwALLOWS

8   Violently pinch to do harm to white flower (7,6) PHANTOM ORCHID*

14 Discharge previous institution by removing ancient leader (9) EXCRETION {EX}{CREaTION}

17 Former kings losing Buddhist to bishops (7) EXARCHS {EX}{monARCHS}

19 Without Royal Enfield headlights, practices with coffin-carrying vehicles (7) HEARSES reHEARSES

20 Hindu God to break wall (7) RAMPART {RAM}{PART}

21 Sharpens revolutionary features (6) STROPS <=

24 Burn one without lighter initially (5) SINGE SINGlE

No.10921, Mon 04 Nov 2013, Klue Klux Klan

Looks like he's playing cricket in South America !

ACROSS

1 Anoint Israelites to protect the Spanish’s most priced possessions (5,6) CROWN JEWELS (CROWN JEWS protecting EL)

9 One half of comic duo’s awards (7) LAURELS (LAUREL'S) DD

          One of my all time favourites is this priceless piece of perfection portraying Philip's peculiar performance 
          on spotting a lady  :

PUTTING PANTS ON PHILIP

10 Lassos to rein in antelopes’, toads’ and snakes’ heads (6) RIATAS (R I A T A S)

          Used by 6

11 Regular maid to assume fielding position… (3,2) MID ON (MaId  DON)

12  … or another as an extended stump (4,3) LONG LEG

15 King, quiet, expressed surprise (4) SHAH (SH AH)

16 Placed Tom Hanks in charge of raincoat … (10) MACKINTOSH (TOM HANKS IC)*

          Remembered Desmond Bagley's The Freedom Trap made into a movie called The Mackintosh Man

18 … with some more protection on the offside (10) EXTRA COVER

20 Stumble when standing next to the 'keeper (4) SLIP

23 Attorney caught in fight with tool (7) BRADAWL (DA in BRAWL)

24 Indicate to one misplaced pontiff losing couple of followers initially (5) POINT (PONTIff with I misplaced)

26 Assassin sick in half of southern Indian state (6) KILLER (ILL in KERala)

27 Rebel physician left New York with board game (7) PACHISI (PHySCIAn)*

28 This game always starts with a message of peace (6,5) TENNIS MATCH CD, starting with "Love All"

DOWN

2 Lamenting Oriental takes place of learner on the throne (6) RUEING (RULING -L +E)

3 Yesteryear actress soaked initially in damp surroundings (4) WEST (S in WET)

          Mae be some of your can imagine her in damp or wet surroundings !

4 Leading juror’s retro link conjured by fantasy writer (1,1,1,7) J R R TOLKIEN J (RETRO LINK)*

          You can get addicted if you make it a Hobbit to read his books

5 Woman losing head, morphing, lashing out… (8) WHANGING  (W cHANGING)

6 … at South American cowboy, a confused loner in Los Angeles (7) LLANERO (LONER in LA)*

7 Part of emblem I discard is tarnished (9) BLEMISHED (emBLEM I SHED)

8 Ruined rotunda missing second room in Arctic region (6) TUNDRA (RoTUNDA)*

13 Source of trouble confused cows on farm (3,2,5) CAN OF WORMS (COWS ON FARM)*

          Not a source of trouble if you are into angling ...

14 Regular, astute one surrounded by fellows with Indian breads (9)  CHAPATTIS (AsTuTe 1 surrounded by CHAPS)

17 Male God, one displaced by instrument (8) MANDOLIN (MAN iDOL+I, N from ?)

19 Late, mostly sluggish, I have … (7) TARDIVE (TARDy I'VE)

21 … stashed support in some linen (4,2) LAID IN (AID in LINen)

22 Vomit-inducing drug made of chick-pea, does not choke regularly (6) IPECAC (CHICK PEA - cHoKe)

25 Elephant loaned out to old Hebrew unit (4) EPHA (ElePHAnt)

          Initially thought of Aleph, and found myself with an extra pound. Had to Google this one

No.10891, 30 Sep 2013, Klue Klux Klan

KKK presents a thriller with some beheadings (in 4a, 13a), some de-tailing (in 1d), a MALEFIC OCCULTIST and a SHOWER and a bath orgy (in 8d) with a HOURI

ACROSS

1 Female protected feline from damage (6) SCATHE (SHE protected CAT)

4 Cause of beheading: betrayal (6) REASON (tREASON)

9 Young salmon for erstwhile English queen (4)  PARR (2)

10 Bricklayer traps one character, edges away to apartment (10) MAISONETTE (MASON traps 1, lETTEr)

11 Lavish display, ever hollow (6) SHOWER (SHOW EveR)

12 Is he an insect-giant? (8) BEHEMOTH (BE HE MOTH)

13 Notice ally, beheaded monarch uniting (9) ADJOINING (AD JOIN kING)

15 Tamil Nadu town uncentered by one nymph (5) HOURI (HOsUR 1)

           I understand from a cartoon I recently saw that heaven has put up a 'No Stock' board

16 Plum-mixed cocktail loses kick, tastes like starters (5) ICACO (COCKTAIL)*

18 Formerly make amends by association with captured headman (2,3,4) AT ONE TIME (ATONE TIE with captured Man)

22 Equal weapon, so to speak (8) PARLANCE (PAR LANCE)

23 Tough crow, not trim, frail (6) UPHILL (triUmPH ill)

25 Pep her sick, odd-looking dog (10) SCHIPPERKE (PEP HER SICK)*

           Schipperke reminded me of the lisping Kripke from the comedy mentioned in 8d. 

           “Kids wove me: There's just something about me that makes them waugh and waugh.” 

26 Regularly incur two women’s slang? Enough! (4)  NUFF (iNcUr FF, 2 females)

27 Hate of Spanish examination (6) DETEST (DE TEST)

28 Scout confused about one language (6) TSOUIC (SCOUT* about 1)

DOWN

1 Tailless bird, lost, made splashing noise (7) SWASHED (SWAn SHED)

2 Pointer to let directions change (5) ARROW (ALLOW -LL+ RR, lefts changed to rights)

3 Base hit, shattered Rome protected by Attila, for one (4,3) HOME RUN  (ROME* protected by HUN)

5 Retrospective coverage captures first human’s times (6) EPOCHS (SCOPE< captures H)

6 Side with snake in good man’s vessel (9) STEAMBOAT (TEAM BOA in ST.)

7 Swimmer’s infant regularly loses at dart board? Nothing odd (7) NATATOR (iNfAnT dArTbOaRd)

           Natator reminded me of Piscine Molitor, the protagonist of Life of Pi, who was named after a swimming pool

8 Organise bath orgy binge to explain formation of universe (3,4,6) THE BIG BANG THEORY (BATH ORGY BINGE)*

           The Big Bang Theory is at the centre of the comedy universe! 

14 One who studies the supernatural is bizarre, stoic, shelters cult (9) OCCULTIST (STOIC* shelters CULT)

17 Exalted Celt leader replaced some Englishmen, found… (7) CHANCED (ENHANCED with En replaced by C)

19 …doctors initially needed for head of news agency (7) NEUTERS (N instead of R in REUTERS)

20 Man, first in charge, evil (7) MALEFIC (MALE F IC)

21 Attacks Oriental caught in crops (6) SNIPES (E caught in SNIPS)

24 This paper’s sources have important news delivered upfront (5) HINDU (H I N D U)

            Should this have been THE HINDU?