No 9730, Saturday 02 Jan 10, M Manna

Stumped by 20A
ACROSS
1 - Guard tip after getting fed-up (6) - {DEF<-}{END}
4 - Places out of sight to prevent disclosure (8) - CONCEALS [CD]
10 - Chinaware seems in broken state (7) - MEISSEN*
11 - A chord around the neck to hang a knife (7) - LANYARD [E]
12 - Call-up, we hear, includes first couples in Somerset House (4) - SOHO<- ? Anno pending )
13 - Women over-order (10) - PRIORESSES [CD]
16 - Left nothing due on either side (6) - E{L}{EVEN} Don't know where the first E came from
17 - Turn around, to snare one in government (7) - SENATOR*
20 - Prevailing influence characterising a group (7) - GLAMORS ? (Addendum - CLIMATE - Thanks to Sandhya)
21 - Fish for the little devil I’m after (6) - {SCAMP}{I}

24 - He plans street to speed the general idea (10) - {ST}{RATE}{GIST}
25 - Elie takes turn in place of another (4) - LIE(-e+u)U* Why does U take place of E
27 - Finally rose up to publicly and definitely support candidate (7) - {END}{ORSE*}
29 - Mussolini hurried into the river in France (7) - DU{RAN}CE
30 - Slipping down the pro leaps out (8) - {PRO}{LAPSE*}
31 - The French chat about having a cottage in the Alps (6) - CHA{LE}T

DOWN
1 - Refuse to sort out rest of rubbish in container (8) - {DUMP}{STER*}
2 - Put your trust in this physician (5, 6) - FAITH HEALER [CD]
3 - Modified structure to serve as abode for animals (4) - NEST Anno pending
5 - One who is about to see that things are right is a spectator (8) - {ON{LOOK}E}{R}
6 - Legal document that could be a trap (10) - CONVEYANCE [DD]
7 - She can possibly be a lawyer (3) - {A}{DA}
8 - It’s sad to see him inflict pain on others (6) - SADIST*
9 - Displayed strong displeasure when youth rang to disturb him (5) - {ANGR*}{Y}
14 - It lets you know there’s a rough time ahead (5, 6) - STORM SIGNAL [E]
15 - High rise accommodation built by workers for their own occupation (10) - TERMITARIA [E]

18 - Is amazing, to old hands wearing a G-string (8) - {PRO{G}{RES}S} Anno for RES pending (Addendum - STAG{G}ERS - Thanks to Sandhya)
19 - Time a good man’s taken — the very least (8) - {MINUTE}{ST}
22 - Please do not be dormant (6) - ASLEEP*
23 - Utterance not to be audible to others (5) - ASIDE [E]
26 - Char out the chief opponent (4) - ARCH*
28 - Accept class in party for a pair (3) - D{U}O

GRID

No 9729, Friday 01 Jan 10, Gridman

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE
An unscheduled Gridman!! The grid looks most unlike a Gridman Grid with so many double unches and so many black squares 41% of them? I wonder if it is the printers devil at work.
ACROSS
6 - Worker’s words of resignation to maistry at last in times gone by (9) - {ANT}{IQUIT}{Y}
7 - She may cry “Uncle!” as stage head leaves Scene I in disarray (5) - (-s)N{I}ECE*
10 - Hindu leader also recalled taunt (4) - {H}{OOT<-} )
11 - No warden he – replaced without delay (4,3,3) - HERE AND NOW*
12 - A medical officer almost awake and randy (7) - {A}{MO}{ROUS(-e)}
13 - Front part of carriage, yet moving, threatening to collapse (7) - {RICK(-shaw)}{ETY*}
14 - At school, small section in marked improvement (7) - {UP}{S}{WING}
17 - Inspiration for musician with repute falling off after end of note (7) - {EUTERP*}{E}
21 - Started job sorting out things in a museum (6,4) - OBJETS D'ART*
22 - In favour of first-class meeting places (4) - {FOR}{A}
23 - Call bumpkin exchanging 1000 for 500 (5) - YO(-k+d)DEL
24 - In no port I discharged black wine (5,4) - PINOT NOIR*
DOWN
1 - Parasite worn-out in custody of pious maiden (7) - {PI}{NWOR*}{M}
2 - Rope for artist? (7) - PAINTER [DD]
3 - What the aged once had but cannot boast of any longer (12) - YOUTHFULNESS [E]
4 - Its call has to be answered periodically (6) - NATURE [E]
5 - Antelope has young goat turning up twice (3-3) - DIK-DIK <- )

8 - Small farm frequently goes after credit (5) - {CR}{OFT}
9 - Acts of getting accustomed to perverse Haitians’ bout (12) - HABITUATIONS*
15 - Painter Picasso or Poet Neruda (5) - PABLO [DD]
16 - Gardening tool, small, the German retrieved (6) - {WEE}{DER}

18 - Master has Oriental fellows to destroy international leader (7) - {E}{FF}{END}{I}
19 - Scope of original six lodged in cathedral stall (7) - P{UR}{VI}EW
20 - Female friends in France extremely loth to starve (6) - {F}{AMIS}{H}

GRID