No 2796, Sunday 22 Jun 2014

ACROSS
1   Go after Asian river business (8) INDUSTRY {INDUS}{TRY}
5   In Tolkien, Tom Bombadil's put six feet under . . . (6) ENTOMB [T]
10 . . . Baggins (hobbit) heartily upset about Bombadil's end (5) BILBO {hOBBIt}* around bombadiL
11 Embargo on ballistic missile (9) BOOMERANG*
12 Produce item of jewellery found inside container (5,2) BRING IN {B{RING} IN}
13 Battle of New Orleans? (7) SALERNO*
14 About average on violin, having committed tune to memory originally (4,2,8) FAIR TO MIDDLING {F{AIR} {TO} {M}IDDLING}
17 One altering certain features in a theatre? (7,7) PLASTIC SURGEON [CD]
21 Hot drink required in not entirely warm French castle (7) CHATEAU {CHA{TEA}Ud}
23 Terrible tsar stuck on promontory in novel (7) IVANHOE {IVAN}{HOE}
24 PM includes this one not far away (9) AFTERNOON* My COD
25 Group's leader brought in awful song (5) DIRGE {DIR{G}E}
26 Former Scottish philosopher, the opposite of 5 (6) EXHUME {EX}{HUME}
27 Knowing nothing, such a crossword can't be solved! (8) CLUELESS [DD]

DOWN
1   Drink - one tipple brought in by me (6) IMBIBE {1}{M{BIB}E}
2   From a republic in Africa, a young man's turned up to see spiritual leader (5,4) DALAI LAMA {DAL}{A}{I LAM}{A} <=
3   Small lumberjack, one who toils (7) SLOGGER {S}{LOGGER}
4   Ornate orb connoisseur misrepresented in book (8,6) ROBINSON CRUSOE* {ORB*}{INSON CRUSOE*} - See comments
6   Annoyed, wanted to catch learner driver (7) NEEDLED {NEED{L}ED}
7   Being broadcast from Barcelona, ironically (2,3) ON AIR [T]
8   Past patron saint causes an exclamation (2,6) BY GEORGE {BY} {GEORGE}
9   Legal walk (14) CONSTITUTIONAL [DD]
15 Train in club on piece of gymnastic equipment (4,5) IRON HORSE {IRON} {HORSE}
16 Watch tapes etc., haphazardly (8) SPECTATE*
18 Article on more complex proposition that has been proved (7) THEOREM {THE}{MORE*}
19 Haughty and extremely excitable man of high rank abroad (7) GRANDEE {GRAND}{ExcitablE}
20 Time off in bay (6) RECESS [DD]
22 A long letter (5) AITCH {A}{ITCH}

No. 11117, Saturday 21 Jun 14, Afterdark

This was a smooth and easy offering from Afterdark. Liked BURSAR, REASONED, AFOOT, INDIAN, INHABITANT, MOSES, NEUTRAL and FRIENDS.

Coming after two comparatively tougher puzzles, this might bring some relief to solvers. Those solvers that manage to get their hands on the puzzle that is, if The Hindu hasn't stuffed up the on-line puzzle for the nth day running.

ACROSS
1 Sign of spirit incomplete, Mumbai Indians admitted (6) GEMINI [GENIe outside Mumbai Indians]
4 3rd quarter outlook not ok, needs new capital (6) LONDON [LOwDOwN outside N]? Not sure
9 Lads, on return shed tears about youth leader (4) BOYS [SOB<= around Youth]
10 Institute agreement to admit non-performing model (10) UNIVERSITY [UNITY outside VERSIon] performing = 'on' as in 'on air'
11 Treasurer to stop accepting purse without limits (6) BURSAR [BAR outside pURSe]
12 Thought experienced partner should be replaced readily first (8) REASONED [SEASONED with Readily for S]
13 Powerful nuclear blast on Governor's trail... (9) HERCULEAN [Her Excellency + NUCLEAR*]
15 ... shakes roots and trunk (5) TORSO [ROOTS]*
16 Terribly out of date duet out in the air (5) AFOOT [OuT OF dAte]*

18 Way others turned out is fit for voyage (9) SEAWORTHY [WAY OTHERS]*
22 Luxury car not fully made in French province (8) LIMOUSIN [LIMOUSINe]
23 Hotel to accommodate princess and a fellow citizen (6) INDIAN [INN outside DI + A]
25 Trendy dressworker is an inmate (10) INHABITANT [IN + HABIT ANT]
26 Match without maiden this season (4) TIME [TIE outside M]
27 Senator, around Wednesday will reach the country (6) SWEDEN [SEN outside WED]
28 Member's first monthly article delivered through errand boy (6) LEGMAN [LEG + Monthly + AN]

DOWN
1 Viscous gel applied around pitch before Underwood's first ball (7) GLOBULE [GEL* outside LOB + Underwood]
2 Some, by mistake take saint as prophet (5) MOSES [SOME* + S]
3 Heard current practice to sack setter is unbiased (7) NEUTRAL [~NEW + TRiAL]
5 Traffic system a new boy operated on blackout (3-3) ONE-WAY [ A NEW bOY]*
6 Reject food first offered on return at old city (9) DISHONOUR [DISH + Offered + ON<= + UR]
7 Chats about train set I took away (7) NATTERS [TRAiN SET]*
8 African mountain range, one lean edifice (6,7) SIERRA LEONEAN [SIERRA + ONE LEAN*] edifice as anagram indicator?
14 Sweet of political satirist to keep General Assembly out of Coalgate corruption (9) CHOCOLATE [CHO + COALgaTE*]
17 Beasts when injected with a bit of Ranitidine become companions (7) FRIENDS [FIENDS outside Ranitidine]

19 Cut bone off, replace with a prime steel pipe (7) WHISTLE [WHITTLE with Steel for T]

 Cartoon by Rishi

20 Chief Ambassador takes on publicist (7) HEADMAN [His Excellency + ADMAN]

Illustration by Rishi

21 A small judge in old court (6) ASSIZE [A + S + SIZE]
24 Short meeting with top two umpires for a bit of information (5) DATUM [DATe + UMpires]