Sunday, 2 August 2009

No 2544, Sunday, 02 Aug 09

I am stumped by 27A. Had to Google some answers
ACROSS
1 - Insect found in place close to coast (6) - {LOCUS}{T}
4 - Lump getting bigger (8) - SWELLING [DD]
9 - A short time after state capital makes pact (9) - {CONCORD}{A}{T}
11 - Lie about British chart (5) - TA{B}LE
12 - Finished first in Turnberry open (5) - OVER{T}
13 - Held short bust in doorway (9) - THRESHOLD*
14 - Lies in patches around part of the Vatican (7,6) - SISTINE CHAPEL*
18 - Suitable offer I support abroad (3,3,7) - FIT FOR PURPOSE*
20 - A new piece of advice about hors d’oeuvre (9) - {A}{N}{TIP}{ASTO}
22 - Musician played initially in support (5) - {P}{I}{PER}
24 - Miss Grey, from the north, kept in a long time (5) - AG{N}ES
25 - Relative’s partner in game (4,5) - {AUNT S}{ALLY}
26 - Last, in spite of everything (5,3) - AFTER ALL [DD]
27 - Game, jaunty chap (6) - ?U?E?T
DOWN
1 - Ball game in LA, trial reportedly (8) - {LA}{CROSSE}(~cross)
2 - Once a flying boat (5) - CANOE*
3 - Brief record of the suitable candidates (5,4) - {SHORT} {LIST}
5 - Film moderates outside joint (9,4) - {WATERS{HIP} DOWN} Got this one through a wild guess and some google search
6 - American after fortune for car (5) - {LOT}{US}
7 - Run out in awfully big limo causes a jam (9) - IMB{RO}GLIO*
8 - Voracious animal up in heart of Argyll (6) - (-ar)G{REED}Y(-ll)
10 - Loathed bolshy lunatic in school (9,4) - DOTHEBOYS HALL* Needed to google search to get this one
15 - Rash yet fasten a protective device (6,3) - SAFETY NET*
16 - Father, in capital, wants us raised together (4,5) - {PARI {PA}S}{SU<-} )
17 - Play in gym involved gentry (4,4) - {PE}{ER GYNT*} Google searched this one as well
19 - Criticise American standing on a hat (6) - {PAN}{AM}{A}
21 - Difficult question for model (5) - POSER [DD]
23 - Vitality plus extraordinary energy (5) - {PULS*}{E}

Saturday, 1 August 2009

No 9600, Saturday, 01 Aug 09, Gridman

Gridman is finishing off this round with some obscure words. It'll be 7 days of Manna from Monday
ACROSS
1 - Faucet output must be potable (3,5) - TAP WATER [E]
5 - Good man (“I shouldn’t have probably done that!”) bends (6) - {ST}{OOPS}
10 - Force in motion brings relative (Oriental) a nervous twitch (7) - {KIN}{E}{TIC}
11 - Capital of Japan at last to expose geisha’s belt (7) - {N}{AIR}{OBI}
12 - Enter secretly with what may be pink to one knight (4,2) - SLIP {I}{N}
13 - What the babu does in the office, perhaps (4-4) - DESK-WORK [E]
15 - Workers you called might indicate what the fare is (4) - {MEN}{U}
16 - Chief of engineers tells staff: he belongs to the plantations (7,3) - {E}{STATES} MAN
18 - Not that you have this sort of belief with your eyes closed (5,5) - BLIND FAITH [E]
20 - Medical officer has one leading patient with an intravenous procedure (4) - {DR}{I}{P}
23 - It’s at the back of a book: a page after page with revised index (8) - {A}{P}{P}{ENDIX*}
24 - Boy had switched to alternative medicine (6) - {SID}{DHA*}
26 - One who gives cover for you or your belongings (7) - INSURER [E]
27 - Know the type of wife (7) - CONSORT [DD]
28 - Adroitly gambles without head of betters and shines (6) - GLEAMS(-b)*
29 - Purist over trifles with small puzzle (8) - {S}{TICKLERS}
DOWN
1 - Be severely defeated in a game — what a percussion instrument would… (4,4,7) - TAKE SOME BEATING [DD]
2 - Fixed payment for boarding house in France (7) - PENSION [DD]
3 - Army’s top officer — one in charge of language group (6) - {A}{LT}{A}{IC}
4 - Every fruit’s top cut off (4) - (-p)EACH
6 - Runs slowly with 29 in disparate manner (8) - TRICKLES*
7 - Zoom out representation of old animal (7) - OTOZOUM*
8 - Priests tackling somehow with dressing for injury (8,7) - STICKING PLASTER*
9 - Performs inadequately on the stage (9) - UNDERACTS [E]
14 - Trainers are uncomfortably asleep, sir! (9) - ESPALIERS*
17 - A fellow with information — stuff on a biblical character (8) - {A}{DON}{I}{RAM}
19 - Deadlock caused by mischievous boy and fool at lane-end (7) - {IMP}{ASS}{E}
21 - Head of ranchers polled freely for a cattle breed (3,4) - {R}{ED POLL*}
22 - All but select footloose detective Carter for an excursion (6) - {PIC(-k)}{NIC(-k)}
25 - Foreign national has company in the street (4) - S{CO}T