No 11042, Wednesday 26 Mar 2014, Mover

RAH-RAH Mover

ACROSS

1   Very close-knit like stupid criminals? (5,2,7) THICK AS THIEVES [C&DD]

10 Song about river, ocean, and lake initially (5) CAROL {CA}{R}{O}{L}

11 Dissolute pair mauls one who keeps her precious ones in a pouch? (9) MARSUPIAL*

12 Romantically inclined when shapeless undergoes pH loss (7) AMOROUS AMORphOUS

13 Extreme displeasure exhibited by an embarrassed nude god (7) DUDGEON*

14 Blood factor in ocean mammal (5) RHINO {RH}{IN}{O}

16 Anxious letters from Virgil, late as ever (3,2,4) ILL AT EASE [T]

19 Tanzanian leader knocks adornments (9) TRAPPINGS {T}{RAPPINGS}

20 Old director took note (5) DATED {D}{ATE}{D}

22 Ointment suitable for children consumed by man from UN (7) UNGUENT {UN}{G{U}ENT}

25 Must his clowns strip in the ocean? (7) ISTHMUS*

27 Tense philosopher may suit the bride? (9) TROUSSEAU {T}{ROUSSEAU}

28 Team leader left Mister Scrooge (5) MISER MIStER

29 Royal Society leaders share abnormal dry run before the first performance (5,9) DRESS REHEARSAL {R+S+LEADERS+SHARE}*

DOWN

2   Cheer up Lewinsky! It produces music if blown (9) HARMONICA {HAR<=}{MONICA} It sure does !! My COD

3   Small room and leader of orchestra needed for an instrument (5) CELLO {CELL}{O}

4   Acknowledging access (9) ADMISSION [DD]

5   Sleepy returned it, blushing (5) TIRED {TI<=}{RED}

6   Overwhelmed, one sister went out (9) INUNDATED {1}{NUN}{DATED}

7   Dainty fabric Olive ordered (5) VOILE*

8   Otherwise license the rest of Hamlet (7) SILENCE*

9   Prepared lacier cream pastry (6) ECLAIR*

15 Cruelly treats work with printers (9) OPPRESSES {OP}{PRESSES}

17 Total lack of enthusiasm for girlishness in Scotland? (9) LASSITUDE {LASS}ITUDE Anno not clear

18 I go after Diana with a perennially bitter herb (9) ARTEMISIA ARTEMIS{I}{A}

19 Ridiculed nut and date confection (7) TAUNTED*

21 Abandon merit (6) DESERT [DD] 

23 Men go mad for a garden ornament (5) GNOME*

24 The men point out a topic (5) THEME {THE}{MEn}

26 Send back stopwatch (5) TIMER <=

No 11011, Tuesday 18 Feb 2014, Mover

Attempt at a pangram from Mover has lost its 'Z'ing.

ACROSS

1   Getting back bit in Radio Telephony for evidence of payment (7) RECEIPT {R{ECEIP<=}T}

5   A legendary musician, he joins us after turning professional (7) ORPHEUS {ORP<=}{HE}{US}

9   Watch for order containing fifty boxes with arrows (9) FLOWCHART {F{L}OWCHART*} Singular plural mismatch

10 Simply missing the point, I suggest (5) IMPLY sIMPLY

11 Former prongs may furnish outer coats (7) EXTINES {EX}{TINES}

12 The sound of raindrops -- last thing in design for a model (7) PATTERN {PATTER}{N}

13 Monsieur drowned in unspecified French river (5) SOMME {SO{M}ME}

15 Right after two copper bits for gourds (9) CUCURBITS {CU}{CU}{R}{BITS}

17 Evil, it’s normal, possibly (6,3) MORTAL SIN*

19 Proficient in algebra, starting with short division (5) ADEPT {Algebra}{DEPT}

21 Juliet and I invested in suet-like snacks (7) FAJITAS {FA{J}{I}T}{AS} That's hardly a snack, more like a full meal!

23 United Nations leads a war, with Eritrean head caught napping (7) UNAWARE {UN}{A}{WAR}{E}

25 Mendacious storytellers? (5) LIARS [E]

26 Confine bear without a trade (9) CARPENTRY {CAR{PENT}RY}

27 Merchants could be card players (7) DEALERS [DD]

28 Umpire Southhead surrounding jumper provides shelter again (7) REROOFS {RE{ROO}F}{S}

DOWN

1   Beams in reverse alphabetical order? (7) RAFTERS {S AFTER R}

2   Appropriate work in bed (5) COOPT  {CO{OP}T}

3   Whip up perfume (7) INCENSE [DD]

4   Conducts tense incomplete search before Tuesday, the 5th of August (9) TRANSACTS {T}{RANSACk}{T}{auguSt}

5   Readily available, like piped water (2,3) ON TAP [C&DD]

6   Boat for Landseer, perhaps (7) PAINTER [DD] A 'painter' is not a boat, it is a rope used to fasten a boat.

7   Unnecessary oath from ex-priest I’ve allowed in earlier (9) EXPLETIVE {EX}{P}{LET}{IVE} P for Priest ?

8   Statements, perhaps more than one saw (7) SAYINGS [CD]

14 Famous lover partly embraced by Maria could knock you down (9) MARIJUANA {MARI{don JUAN}A}

16 Victor William? (9) CONQUEROR [DD]

17 Quietened when learner bungled around (7) MUFFLED {MUFF{L}ED}

18 Skill is extremely troublesome for a performer (7) ARTISTE {ART}{IS}{TroublesomE}

19 He is not doing it for money; a good friend coming to ancient city (7) AMATEUR {A}{MATE}{UR}

20 See tidy artful batiks! (3-4) TIE-DYES*

22 Dismisses dry white wines (5) SACKS [DD]

24 Jetsons dog star? (5) ASTRO [DD]

No.10979, Friday 10 Jan 2014, Mover

I was shivering in anticipation of Scintillator, but a quickie helped me come out of the cold!

ACROSS

1 Birds talk wildly to Poles (6) RAVENS (RAVE N S)

4 Garden patch essentially consumed sloth, perhaps (8) EDENTATE (EDEN paTch ate)

9 Sharp ache a knife caused? (5) PANGA (PANG A)
          As they say in the north, "Mujh se panga mat le!"

10 Longing for familiar things aroused at closing (9) NOSTALGIC (AT CLOSING)

11 Eat dinner and donut, returning to work (4) OPUS (SUP O=donut)<

12 Studies scams (4) CONS 2
           when traveling abroad and then tries to apply scalability to it

13 A hereditary unit used for bleaching flour (5) AGENE (A GENE)

15 Cut short what a dog wags? (7) CURTAIL (CUR TAIL)

16 Nymph reflected sound (4) ECHO 2

19 Endless summer recalled in Norse poetry (4) EDDA (ADDEr<)

20 Madiba exchanges notes to get a meditation device (7) MANDALA (Madiba=MANDELA-E+A)

23 Oriental in hide sees flight of wild geese (5) SKEIN (E in SKIN)

24 Jack cried out in the middle of a church (4) NAVE (~KNAVE)

25 Mixed-up mail ended up in Peru (4) LIMA (MAIL*)

27 Amino acid excess followed by nitrogen compound (9) GLUTAMINE (GLUT AMINE)

28 Part order declared (5) PIECE (~PEACE)

29 Somehow argues very loudly for right to vote (8) SUFFRAGE (ARGUES FF)*
          Sorry to be sombre, but cartoons need not always convey humour, they can convey a feeling of weltschmerz and angst too

30 Blanches tennis outfits (6) WHITES 2

DOWN

1 Upbraid bug following salesman (8) REPROACH (REP ROACH)
          I wonder what Hal Roach would say

2 Vehicle sentry in front (8) VANGUARD (VAN GUARD)

3 Indian bread Anna baked (4) NAAN (ANNA*)

5 Box office flop like the Titanic? (8,5) DISASTER MOVIE CD,DD
          The frequency of usage of the word "Disaster" seems to have gone up in 2014. What is dis aster?

6 Close to a bunch of bananas, within reach (4,2,4) NEAR AT HAND 
           Banaaana, mujh ko log kahe! Main samjhoo jag hai banaana ..

7 Fished in area with corners (6) ANGLED 2

8 Cheers confused woodcut artist (6) ESCHER (CHEERS*)

10 Watercolour perhaps, not so good looking! (2,3,8) NO OIL PAINTING 2

14 Plant climbed by Rapunzel’s lover? (10) MAIDENHAIR CD

17 Clear cargo list (8) MANIFEST 2

18 Marine mammals confused men at sea (8) MANATEES (MEN AT SEA)*
          Lots of those men at sea had thought they were mermaids!

21 Traditions America matures (6) USAGES (US AGES)

22 Check polish again (6) REBUFF (RE BUFF)

26 Expression of disgust follows old fish (4) OPAH (O PAH)
          I am sure a lot of you have heard of Opah Fish-fry

No 10949, Friday 06 Dec 2013, Mover

Mover this time has thrown in at least half-a-dozen unusual words: see when you can use them but don't ever accuse any woman of being a 28a or 19d.

Across

1 Location for obtaining secret information about an enemy somehow spoils netting (9,5) – LISTENING POSTS – anag. of  ‘spoilsnetting’ – def too elaborate
10 Ski run detective encounters Southern element (5) – PISTE – cha. of PI (short for Private Investigator) S Te (tellurium) - This is a French term which pretentious English people use to show off their knowledge. Ski run is a single downhill run), ski slopes refer to the whole hillside with perhaps several runs. A ski trail, I learn, is used for cross-country skiing rather than downhill. Ski tracks are the marks made by skis on fresh snow.

11 Close? Not at all! (3,4,2) – FAR FROM IT – DD – The second def is clear but the first one seems to be iffy, the question mark notwithstanding
12 Unfinished tune we hear from a pirate (7) – CORSAIR – hom. Of ‘coarse (unfinished) air (tune)’
13 Mixed high class salsa acceptable for children is nothing out of the ordinary (2,5) AS USUAL – anag. Of U (high class), salsa, U (acceptable)
14 Copper keys for pepper variety (5) – CUBEB - cha. of CU (copper) B E B (musical keys)

16 Lived one for all; restrained (9) – INHIBITED – sub. I (one) for A (all) in inhabited (lived)    
19 Dictatorship when theological rationalism covers blemish (9) – DESPOTISM - spot inserted in Deism
20 Gave party in front (5) – DOLED – cha. of Do (party) led (in front) – Actually only ‘was in front’ can give us ‘led’                           
22 Damage the object, Mr. Gore, having to do with marriage (7) – MARITAL – cha. of  mar it Al

Cartoon by Rishi

25 The French short hood on figure (7) – DECAGON – cha. of de (the French)  cag on – Actually ‘de’ is of, I think. So one would expect ‘of the French’ for de – no idea how ‘cag’ is derived from short hood

27 Rude noise from a fruit? (9) – RASPBERRY – DD – DD but the surface reading  doesn’t mean much
28 Affirmative response includes books for loud vulgar woman (5) – YENTA – NT (New Testament, books) in YEA (affirmation)
29 Very happy like the puppet-show figure (7,2,5) – PLEASED AS PUNCH – ref. to puppet show character in Judy and Punch

Down

2 Scores with fashionable journalists (9) – INSCRIBES – cha. of in(fashionable) scribes (journalists)
3 The California case! (5) – THECA – cha. of the CA - this is a zoological term or botanical term referring to a sheath or a spore case. If the punctuation mark is to alert you to leave the courtroom to find a synonym for 'case', I am not sure if it fulfils the purpose, unless I am missing something. 
4 Iron in crude nitrite for an Egyptian queen (9) – NEFERTITI – Fe (iron) in anag. of nitrite – No idea what the queen would do with the result

5 No rising tune for a Persian wheel (5) – NORIA – cha of no ria (rev. of air (‘tune’)

6 Barking pure-bred terrier initially upset (9) – PERTURBED – anag. of ‘purebred t’, ‘barking’ being the anag. signal, ‘though’ barking doesn’t quite suggest movement. If we take ‘upset’ as anag. signal, ‘barking’would be the def – what one might do when ‘perturbed’, perhaps  
7 Chinese casual dress US uncle kept for us initially (5) – SAMFU – cha. Of Sam f u - this is an outfit worn by Chinese women and it consists of a jacket and trousers.

 8 It means you can put paid to being footloose and fancy free (7) – SETTLED – when a bill is ‘settled’ it is paid. When a man or woman is ‘settled’, he or she can no longer be footloose and fancyfree – at least in popular perception, for we know what married men are up to from some recent episodes of adventurists
9 Broken ice-cap may cause an upheaval (6) – IPECAC – anag. of ‘icecap’ – this is a short form of ipecacuanha, which is a medicine that as acts as an expectorant – hence ‘may cause an upheaval’ – it is also a purgative so wonder how the clue writer would have indicated that – ‘may cause a downfall’?

15 Birds lose independence but ate up television sets (4,5) – BOOB TUBES – Sub. 'tub' (rev. of 'but') for i (independence) in boobies (birds).

17 Amateur radioenthusiast meets a dry as dust, tailless baboon (9) – HAMADRYAS – cha. of ham (amateur radio enthusiast) a dry as (given gratis) – what is the role of ‘dust’?

18 Disturbed gentle ice is appealing on television (9) – TELEGENIC – anag of ‘gentleice’
19 Woman of ill repute was half Republican (7) – DEMIREP – cha of demi (half) Rep.
21 Opposition to allegation and lie about it (6) – DENIAL – anag of  'and lie'
23 Tropical cyclone bent osier out of shape (5) ROSIE – anag of ‘osier’ - good surface reading
24 Ghastly when clear Charlie changed places with Rex (5) – LURID – sub of R for C in lucid (clear)
26 A large rodent, being bashful, rolled up (5) – COYPU – cha. of coy pu (I take it as  anag. of up rather than rev. ind.)

No.10918, Thu 31 Oct 2013, Mover

Mover gives you an opportunity to move in sync with the Mariachi, with copperheads and dovetails !

ACROSS

1 Bouncer coming back for ID (7) NAMETAG (GATEMAN<)

          Rare full word reversal !

5 Condensed agreement (7) COMPACT (2)

          I thought of Contract first and ran out of space, so I had to further reduce it

8 Timid gentleman clutches fly (5) MIDGE (T)

9 Napoleon at a distance, wearing an off-white colour (9) BONAPARTE (APART wearing BONE)

11 Bemired post for a staid conservative? (5,2,3,3) STICK IN THE MUD CD,DD

13 Medicine man producing counterfeit article (6) SHAMAN (SHAM AN)

16 Overwhelm one sister keeping tryst (8) INUNDATE (1 NUN DATE)

          Yesterday, too, we were Inundated ! Truly, it does not rain, but pours

18 Somehow twice I charm a group of Mexican musicians (8) MARIACHI (IX2 CHARM A)*

LISTEN TO THIS

19 Over-producer could provide capital cover (6) BOWLER (2)=cricket player/hat

24 Mortality census perhaps for sailing blindly (4,9) DEAD RECKONING (2)

26 Quacking civil servants? (9) MANDARINS (CD) ref to ducks and bureaucrats

          Some turn out to be quacks and some turn out to be toadies

27 Roman goddess fifty found in meeting-places (5) FLORA (L in FORA)

28 Set of baby’s clothes even in the past (7) LAYETTE (YET in LATE)

29 Loose coat for a wan-looking toddler (7) PALETOT (PALE TOT)

DOWN

1 Siemens could be a source of harm (7) NEMESIS (SIEMENS*)

2 Wine and cheese brought back to revolutionary group? (7) MADEIRA (EDAM< IRA)

3 Adjust to initially having very little strength (5) TWEAK (T WEAK)

4 Board-game sounds as if it could explode (6) GOBANG (GO BANG)

5 Child’s play on a tree (8) CINCHONA (CINCH ON A)

          Remembered the old malaria days !

6 Biting copperhead found in desert conditions (5) ACRID (C in ARID)

7 Ranks knot makers (5) TREES (2) = organisation charts / trees make knots (Addendum - TIERS [DD] - See comments)

10 Irrational men to get pepper (7) PIMENTO (PI MEN TO)

12 Dovetail at end of animal enclosure may result in inflamed swelling (4) STYE (E at the end of STY)

14 Equal share in a fishing ground, reportedly (4) HAAF (~HALF)

          New word for me. Had to cheat for this!

15 Watch tower at a secular academy (7) ATALAYA (AT A LAY A)

          And this!

17 Incendiary gas entering an isopteran (8) THERMITE (H entering TERMITE)

20 Explained how ill-behaved fellow accepted help (4,3) LAID OUT (LOUT accepted AID)

21 Heading off with child leading (7) REGNANT (pREGNANT)

22 Catsup in a salad; What a fellow does to give trouble? (4,2) ACTS UP (CATSUP*)

23 Lawrence of Arabia’s transport arrived and left (5) CAMEL (CAME L)

24 Shabby, dirty-looking boat (5) DINGY (2)

25 Refuse dyke-builder left (5) OFFAL (OFFA L)

No.10888, Thu 26 Sep 2013, Mover

 Interestingly, Mover gives us some pairs today: Godesses Athena and Diana, accoutrements of the Civil Service (Toady and Red Carpet), Balladeer with Idyll, Gesso and Madder, ...

ACROSS

1 Strange Stiff alias Dead, couldn’t be better (2,3,2,1,6) AS FIT AS A FIDDLE (STIFF ALIAS DEAD)*

          Especially if you are Nero

10 Amphibious sycophant? (5) TOADY CD

          Yes Sir!

11 Singer read label wrong (9) BALLADEER (READ LABEL)*

12 Coral Sea, perhaps, without a fish (7) ESCOLAR (CORAL SEA-A)*

13 Southern courage, without a whip (7) SCOURGE (S COURaGE)

           Aaah! The consequences of lying, with the Captain's daughter on one's back ...

14 Getting old drink in silver container (5) AGING (GIN in AG) Loved this one

16 Card Peter wrongly laid out for big shots (3,6) RED CARPET (CARD PETER)*

19 Shows fatness I’m developing (9) MANIFESTS (FATNESS I'M)

20 Given, me in Paris, topsy-turvy after a kiss (5) AXIOM (MOI< after A X=kiss)

          Remembered Moi Avenue in Mombasa and the fake tusks ...

22 Jagged spoiled note replaced by bridge player (7) NOTCHED (BOTCHED-B+N)

25 Urge on the main intellectual (7) EGGHEAD (EGG HEAD)

27 Delaying agent’s rant about ill-conceived trade (9) RETARDANT (RANT about TRADE*)

28 Brilliance she takes in (5) SHINE (SHE takes IN)

29 Those forging ahead should be working with these (6,3,5) HAMMER AND TONGS CD

 

DOWN

2 Supporting post to stop flow reaching particle (9) STANCHION (STANCH ION)

3 Uncharacteristically, Dickens pens uplifting romantic ballad (5) IDYLL (T<)

4 I ram bergs to pieces for perfume ingredient (9) AMBERGRIS (I RAM BERGS)*

          Pictured the Titanic

5 Strong man found in a school desk, perhaps (5) ATLAS (CD,DD)

Atlas in a rather unusual position, more like the laughing Buddha. Also, stronger than the usual Atlas, able to lift the earth without resting it on his shoulders. You may also see a Catbert lookalike ...

6 Fragrance in a tin wafted about for a loved woman (9) INAMORATA (AROMA in A TIN)*

7 Miserable raise follows poor grade (5) DREAR (REAR follows D) 

8 Thoughtful attention to refuge (7) EARNEST (EAR NEST)

9 Goddess soon afterwards transported by American Airlines (6) ATHENA (AA carrying THEN)

15 Confused foresight; an oral examination is not advised if one gets it (4,5) GIFT HORSE (FORESIGHT)*

          One must have the foresight to look the gift horse in the mouth and politely refuse it, or pay for the dentures

17 Took exception to insult and dispatched editor (9) DISSENTED (DIS SENT ED)

18 Nothing follows award in boxing venue (5,4) PRIZE RING (RING=0, follows PRIZE)

          Like Madison Square Garden

19 Borderland has acting ruler (7) MONARCH (MARCH has ON)

21 Insane to form paint pigment (6)  MADDER (MAD RED*)

23 Tribal emblem starts to take on torrid erotic meaning (5) TOTEM (T O T E M)

24 Was a person of importance in Canadian arts (5) DIANA (T)

26 Painting surface covered in stages sometimes (5)  GESSO (T)

          Old timers will remember ESSO !

No 10858, Thursday 22 Aug 2013, Mover

Moved quickly today.

ACROSS
1   Good fortune enjoyed by a setter, perhaps? (4,2,3,5) LUCK OF THE IRISH [C&DD] With Irish coming from RISHI* (See comments for more on this)
10 Decapitated coiffure set as a kind of wave (5) RADIO hAIRDO*
11 Adapted clone data based on unscientific observations (9) ANECDOTAL*
12 Sartre’s misguided apprehensions (7) ARRESTS*
13 Charges air-conditioning expenses (7) ACCOSTS {AC}{COSTS}
14 It can clear the nose when fun is turned into science fiction (5) SNUFF {S{NUF<=}F} I never knew that snuff is made from tobacco leaves!
16 Some black-market art I bravely turned over to judge (9) ARBITRATE [T<=]
19 Fennec or Field Marshal Rommel (6,3) DESERT FOX [DD]
20 Shaky movie boxer? (5) ROCKY [DD]
22 Broke stones as king slept (7) KNAPPED {K}{NAPPED}
25 Central, though it could be unclear (7) NUCLEAR*
27 Unstuck though taken in by the underworld (9) DISLODGED {DIS}{LODGED}
28 Quietly, Frost becomes first (5) PRIME {P}{RIME}
29 Disjointed all-rounder? (3,2,4,5) MAN OF MANY PARTS [CD]

DOWN
2   Offers meats at a lower price? (9) UNDERCUTS [C&DD]
3   We hear the sniffer is acquainted with the facts (5) KNOWS (~nose)
4   It enables one to raise the standard in Arizona (9) FLAGSTAFF [DD]
5   Animal desire in this year (5) HYENA {H{YEN}A} 'in' on double duty

6   Limits of Indonesian dictator lacking true signal (9) INDICATOR {IndonesiaN}{DICtATOR}
7   Radicchio tastes good in little bits (5) IOTAS [T]
8   Roman leader’s domain where you’d hear only the blessed Adriatic (4,3) HOLY SEE {HOLY} {SEE(~sea)}
9   Humorously sarcastic publicity for nymphs (6) DRYADS {DRY}{ADS}
15 Admonition follows if returning with asbestos? (9) FIREPROOF {FI<=}{REPROOF}
17 Occasion for a pugilist after Christmas (6,3) BOXING DAY [CD]
18 In vain he sought to get gold from St. Michael (9) ALCHEMIST*
19 Head of Daimler, U.K. brought back style to noble estate (7) DUKEDOM {D}{UK}{EDOM<=}
21 Inhabitant of English city likely to bowl out a batsman? (6) YORKER [DD]
23 The crime committed by the firing party? (5) ARSON [CD]
24 Belief created when retreating deity meets mother (5) DOGMA {DOG<=}{MA}
26 A crop deviously handled will yield oil (5) COPRA*

No.10825, Monday 15 Jul 2013, Mover

Tarts (11a and 17a answer), trollop, streetwalker, ...  Mover seems to be on the move !

ACROSS
1 Gigantic  // ship Down Under? (7) TITANIC DD,CD
          This was one Monday without that sinking feeling ...
5 Increase recombined mutagen (7) AUGMENT (MUTAGEN*)
          Remembered the Augmentin used for treating bacterial infections
9 Beginning note changes in handrails for cylindrical containers (9) CANISTERS (BANISTERS-B+C)
10 Tie torn coats (5) ASCOT (COATS*)
          To learn how to tie this, you have to travel back in time...  to June 23,2013 : 11a
11 Head swallows pastry tart (7) TROLLOP (TOP around ROLL)
12 Pilfered fruit cake, we hear (7) STOLLEN (~STOLEN),
          The clue seems to lead to STOLEN, but that is 6 letters...
13 Reportedly remained sober (5) STAID (~STAYED)
15 Preventing objectionable person in case (9) THWARTING (WART in THING)
          Not sure if case=thing works
17 Having advantage in the race, leads a streetwalker (4,5) HEAD START (HEADS TART)
19 Fling // bedspread (5) THROW 2
21 Box put on line for bird (7) SPARROW (SPAR on ROW)
23 Monitor leading young man (4,3) HEAD BOY
          He leads a hundred and fifty asses !
25 Fibre extracted from Scottish thistles (5) ISTLE (T)
26 Sound insincere  like a cracked bell? (4,5) RING FALSE CD
27 & 28 Brazil may be a difficult problem to solve (4,3,2,5) HARD NUT TO CRACK (CD)
          Reminded me of Uncle Fred and the Brazil Nut in the beginning of Cocktail Time

DOWN
1 Ancient historian understood America (7) TACITUS (TACIT US)
2 Got an awkward dance (5) TANGO (GOT AN)*
3 Fitted inside surrounding beginner; arranged in cosy position (7) NESTLED (NESTED around L)
          Like those Russian dolls !
4 Pale actor playing Antony’s lover (9) CLEOPATRA (PALE ACTOR)*
          Julius, where art thou ?
          Goscinny and Uderzo put it as: C LEO PAT RA in Asterix the Gladiator with the definition as "Caesar loves the whole of me"
5 Fools the Proletariat after banning Marx’s Capital (5) ASSES (mASSES)
6 Thousand in the morning surrounds extreme evil next to our glitzy beauty (7) GLAMOUR (G (L) AM OUR)
7 Surpasses number one yellow-coloured wood shavings (9) EXCELSIOR (EXCELS I OR)
8 Showing disapproval, oriental nag could yield zinc alloy (7) TUTENAG (TUT E NAG)
          A word of Tamil ancestry. Anything to do with Toothukudi ?
14 White stone flower follows a dog (9) ALABASTER (A LAB(rador) ASTER)
16 Used to ward off a spell when bird follows hag (9) WITCHKNOT (WITCH KNOT)
          I can't understand this witchery ! Wiki tells me it is to put a spell and not ward off one.           
          Though untying one seems to do the trick.  But then, I was quid-ditched out of Hogwarts for bad spelling before Rowling came there bowling.

17 Has His Highness started cannabis? (7) HASHISH (T) or rather HAS HIS Highness
18 Swell operating doctor (7) SURGEON (SURGE ON)
          If operating doctor is taken as def, then operating would be on double duty
19 Craft, if employed in trade (7) TRAFFIC (CRAFT IF)*
20 Painful result of craning to see a woodpecker? (7) WRYNECK (CD),DD See comments
          In India, if you want to see 'rubber necks' just look at an accident scene
22 Sausage, we hear, is least favoured (5) WURST(~WORST) or is it  WORST (~WURST)
          Even money on both. Though I favour the first option because it lets me remember the knockwursts in 'Allo 'Allo
24 Fragrant resin endlessly yields wood (5) BALSA (BALSAm)
          Wood used for making gliding model aircraft.  This reminded me of the bicycle repairman who, after examining my free-wheel,  told me in the vernacular: "Aapke baalsa kharaab ho gayen hain"

LINK TO SOLUTION GRID

No.10796, Tuesday 11 Jun 13, Mover

ACROSS
1 Alas! Radha Krishnan initially went astray in African villages (6) KRAALS (ALAS RK)*

4 Want fish to be annoying (8) NEEDLING (NEED + LING)
9 Change in hay pH could result in fungal growth (5) HYPHA (HAY PH)*
10 Show sadness when fruit gets cut out (4,1,4) SHED, A, TEAR (DATE inside SHEAR)
11 Authentic // old coin (4) REAL (DD)
12 A fool providing information (4) DOPE (DD)
13 Lion’s leader publicises dens (5) LAIRS (L + AIRS)
15 Unusual dog to establish state unit (7) BASENJI (BASE + NJ + I)

16 Nothing more than a distress signal, neither good nor bad (2-2) SO-SO (SOS + 0)
19 Tease tense intellect (4) TWIT (T + WIT)
20 Granny eager for cotton cloth (7) NANKEEN (NAN + KEEN)
23 Hollow // light measure (5) LUMEN (DD)
24 Cheese made up (4) EDAM (MADE<=)
25 Herring basket brought back for a federal agent (4) NARC (CRAN<=)
27 A plural in awkward shape for a woman who has never given birth (9) NULLIPARA (A PLURAL IN)*
28 Divine instrument for drilling, one hears (5) AUGUR (~AUGER)
29 Swimmers taken by waterways (8) HADDOCKS (HAD + DOCKS)
30 Moves smoothly, these glass mounts (6) SLIDES (DD)

DOWN
1 Eye makeup with winter harvest vegetable (8) KOHLRABI (KOHL + RABI)

2 Acclaim gold’s found inside fruit (8) APPLAUSE (AU'S inside APPLE)
3 Live // wire found in a pencil (4) LEAD (DD)
5 Samson described by Huxley? (7,2,4) EYELESS, IN, GAZA (GK)
6 Fatal errors? (6,4) DEADLY, SINS (E)
7 Boiled in rice peacefully (6) IRENIC (IN RICE)* Definition is an adverb and answer is an adjective
8 Showy part of a cigar is hidden (6) GARISH (T)
10 Guess what the benighted marksman did? (4,2,3,4) SHOT,IN,THE,DARK (CD)
14 Nocturnal animal gnaws endlessly on bait mixture (10) ANGWANTIBO (GNAWs ON BAIT)*

17 Crazy bell sounded indeed! (8) DERANGED (RANG inside DEED)
18 Nico runs around fabulous animals (8) UNICORNS (NICO RUNS)*
21 Start state measurement (6) FLINCH (FL + INCH)
22 Took risks, lost head and walked leisurely (6) AMBLED (gAMBLED)
26 Announce Cinderella’s fateful destination and cry (4) BAWL (~BALL)

LINK TO SOLUTION

No.10766, Tuesday 7 May 13, Mover

Nice one from Mover. A couple of answers are outside the usual dictionaries - XIMENES, NOSFERATU, but gettable from the wordplay and crossings.

ACROSS
1 Victorian quotation regarding lack of entertainment (2,3,3,6) WE, ARE, NOT, AMUSED (CD)
10 Misplaced hat in Long Island club (5) LATHI (HAT* inside L I)
11 He explores caves while punk reels drunkenly (9) SPELUNKER (PUNK REELS)*
12 One embraced by merciful Christian (7) GENTILE (I inside GENTLE)
13 Guided a spirited horse without hesitation (7) STEERED (STEED outside ER)
14 Either Thomas or George could be the Leslie Charteris character (5) SAINT (DD)
16 Routed partisans anxious to advance their position (9) ASPIRANTS (PARTISANS)*
19 Sweet bunch of flowers (9) CANDYTUFT (CANDY + TUFT)

20 Starling sitting in tree gives song (5) PSALM (S inside PALM)
22 Curiously examines a missing grand inquisitor (7) XIMENES (EXaMINES)*
25 Fish for disgusting insects exchanging right for left (7) LOACHES (ROACHES with L for R)

27 Zero distribution for chemical treatment of water (9) OZONATION (O + ZONATION)
28 Habituate one northern river (5) INURE (I + N + URE)
29 Is Rupert Murdoch // old-fashioned? (6,3,5) BEHIND, THE, TIMES (DD)

DOWN
2 Past strain could be a stretch (9) EXTENSION (EX + TENSION)
3 Hundred leave ickier alternative healing technique (5) REIKI (IcKIER)*
4 Futons are in disarray in this Dracula adaptation (9) NOSFERATU (FUTONS ARE)*
5 Stories heard about measures (5) TAELS (~TALES)
6 Poor cheese put as more improved! (9) MOUSETRAP (PUT AS MORE)*
7 Small cannon gets the bird (5) SAKER (DD)

8 Desired rotten insults (7) DERIDES (DESIRED)*
9 Justifies busy signal (6) ALIGNS (SIGNAL)*
15 Make an unsuccessful attempt to convict (3,2,4) TRY, IN, VAIN Not sure what convict's role is. See comments below
17 Preferred union weapon is insolence (9) PETULANCE (PET + U + LANCE) My CoD
18 Shed for tidy bovines (9) NEATHOUSE (CD)
19 Conceited dandy; leader of eight attains crest (7) COXCOMB (COX + COMB)
21 One who makes amorous advances with a kitchen utensil? (6) MASHER (DD)
23 Cadge enthusiastic but pointless kiss (5) MOOCH (sMOOCH)
24 Change // dress (5) SHIFT (DD)
26 Bengali bigamist partly claimed he was elsewhere at the time (5) ALIBI (T) Mismatch between the definition and the answer

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 10738, Thursday 04 Apr 13, Mover

Smooth opener from Mover.

ACROSS

1   Talk about Abel’s strange story (7) PARABLE {PAR<=}{ABLE*}

5   Crabby musician who indulges in minor frauds? (7) FIDDLER [DD]

8   University enthusiasts returning in confusion (5) SNAFU {SNAF}{U}<=

9   Pink flower club has no right to follow head nurse in purity measure (9) CARNATION {CAR{N}AT}{IrON}

11 Rusty like a retired doctor (3,2,8) OUT OF PRACTICE [DD]

13 Hurts thousand tangled threads (6) THRUMS {HURTS+M}*

16 I cast aspersions on key resident? (8) ISLANDER {I}{SLANDER}

18 What has poor Ali eaten to drive away his friends? (8) ALIENATE {ALI+EATEN}*

19 Perfume bottle company found in baked dish (6) FLACON {FLA{CO}N}

24 What happy divers presumably do? (4,2,7) COME UP SMILING [CD]

26 Top things disturbed cabaret (9) NIGHTSPOT*

27 Ruler crossing the ocean (5) LINER [DD]

28 Unusual drill can be quite sharp and savoury (7) RAREBIT {RARE}{BIT} Favourite dish of setters.

29 Not-so-ordinary, the taxi CEO ordered (7) EXOTICA*

DOWN

1   Faint pout while embracing fool (4,3) PASS OUT {P{ASS} OUT}

2   Regarding player making a pile (7) REACTOR {RE}{ACTOR}

3   Steep bank used by poker players? (5) BLUFF [DD]

4   Call for further acts in the theatre (6) ENCORE [CD]

5   In front actors predict (8) FORECAST {FORE}{CAST}

6   French law about French flower (5) LOIRE {LOI}{RE}

7   Endless droning for a masterless samurai (5) RONIN dRONINg

10 Be unwell chasing a grand lady’s maid (7) ABIGAIL {A}{BIG}{AIL}

12 Her love; his exploits are admired (4) HERO {HER}{O}

14 Partly, such a lot indicates holiness (4) HALO [T]

15 Liberate husband suitable for children with German (7) MANUMIT {MAN}{U}{MIT}

17 Call girl player with instrument (8) STRUMPET {S}{TRUMPET} 'S' and player? (See comments)

20 Greek character opposed to red wine (7) CHIANTI {CHI}{ANTI}

21 Zaire gingerly includes backward country (7) NIGERIA [T<=]

22 Flier twice set badly (6) TSETSE {SET}*{SET}*

23 Five hundred in a top-rank monetary unit (5) DINAR {D}{IN}{A}{R}

24 Craig rolled a smoke (5) CIGAR*

25 Cool dwelling place for the convenience of the Inspector General (5) IGLOO {IG}{LOO} My COD

LINK TO SOLUTION

No 10709, Friday 01 Mar 13, Mover

 Some nice clues from Mover today. Liked 6D the best.

ACROSS

1   Discomfort caused by tangled belts and harnesses? (14) BREATHLESSNESS*

10 The head will yield fabric (5) TWILL {T}{WILL}

11 Back alley holds terrible woes for a wet body near Korea (6,3) YELLOW SEA {YELL{OW SE*}A}

12 Essential furniture for the sartorially resplendent! (7) DRESSER [DD]

13 Congressman Grant’s opponent gobbles steak bone, feeling stuffed (7) REPLETE {REP}{LE{T}E}

14 Sudden loud noise behind old Japanese coin (5) OBANG {O}{BANG}

16 Writing desk for the senior official (9) SECRETARY [DD]

19 Pine arose, possibly behind ducks’ milieu (9) PONDEROSA {POND}{AROSE*}

20 Flower part to lapse badly (5) SEPAL*

22 “Rats!” snorted Daffy (7) RODENTS*

25 Confounded and knocked to the ground (7) FLOORED [DD]

27 Man hugging Spanish aunt after boy returned spotted dog (9) DALMATIAN {DAL<=}{MA{TIA}N}

28 Book intro by mere poet (5) BLAKE {B}{LAKE}

29 Close-knit, like some stupid criminals? (5,2,7) THICK AS THIEVES {THICK} {AS THIEVES}

DOWN

2   Probably Adam and Eve kick up a fuss (5,4) RAISE CAIN [CD] Why probably?

3   Titan found in a school desk? (5) ATLAS [DD]

4   Voila! poetry she composed (3,6) HEY PRESTO*

5   Edmonton hockey team player sounds like a mathematician (5) EULER (~oiler)

6   Urgent news from Saint Harry? (4,5) STOP PRESS {ST}{OP PRESS}

7   Measure and take action to follow (5) ENSUE {EN}{SUE}

8   August gallery artfully surrounded (7) STATELY {S{TATE}LY}

9   Sexy man I love in artist’s workshop (6) STUDIO {STUD}{I}{O}

15 Fresh support for the U.S. dollar? (9) GREENBACK {GREEN}{BACK}

17 Bird is short distance behind trash (9) CHAFFINCH {CHAFF}{INCH}

18 As Norm connected with gentle, sweet thing (9) ASPARTAME {AS}{PAR}{TAME}

19 Precious stone fairy gets her dowry (7) PERIDOT {PERI}{DOT}

21 Served boy in the van (6) LADLED Anno not clear (Addendum - {LAD}{LED} - See comments)

23 Capital held somehow by Italian leader (5) DELHI {HELD*}{I}

24 Leaders of South Korea in disgrace suffer slippages (5) SKIDS {S}{K}{I}{D}{S}

26 Card game causes guy to lose his head (5) OMBRE hOMBRE

LINK TO SOLUTION