N0 11145, Thursday 24 Jul 2014, xChequer

Another good one from xChequer. I filled up 'slippers' at 4A and beat around the bush to search for 6D.

ACROSS
1   See 15 ac.
4   Queen wears casual trousers with loafers (8) SLACKERS {SLACK{ER}S}
10 Grant meant to be distributed without regressive tax (9) ALLOTMENT {A{LLOT<=}MENT*}
11 See 15a
12 American city fashionable earlier (7) CHICAGO {CHIC}{AGO}
13 Following spinner's introduction, two men caught at cover (7) SHEATHE {S}{HE}{AT}{HE}
14 Nip small children (4) TOTS [DD] (Correction - {TOT}{S} - Thanks to SMS from Ajeesh)
15 & 1ac., 11ac. Offer things of value to people who don't appreciate them? Sensible to scrap, few are involved (4, 6, 6, 5) CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE* Never heard this phrase before

See the Pearls cast after these swine !!

19 Transport for invalid where part of foot can disengage toilet locks (10) WHEELCHAIR {W{HEEL}C}{HAIR}
20 Friends hit back (4) PALS <=
23 See-saw overturned? Height of nonsense (7) EYEWASH {SEE+SAW}*{H} (Addendum - {EYE}{SAW<=}{H} - See comments)
26 Religious traveller, around fifty, sanctimonious and resolute (7) PILGRIM {PI}{L}{GRIM}
27 Hong Kong university receives excellent poem (5) HAIKU {H{A1}K}{U}
28 Rivals work from either direction before spreading net in opposite directions (9) OPPONENTS {OP<=>PO}{N{NET*}S}
29 What one perhaps does with old tyres, dreadfully serrated? (8) RETREADS*

                                                                                    Cartoon by Rishi

30 Fools taking time to show strengths (6) ASSETS {ASSE{T}S}

Cartoon by Rishi                                               Cartoon by Bhargav

DOWN
1   A combination of two animals: binturong and red panda? (7) BEARCAT {BEAR}{CAT}

2 & 22 dn. Two beginners tied in blanket finish scrambled to get method to complete this puzzle say (4,2,3,6) FILL IN THE BLANKS {FI{LL} IN THE BLANKS*}
3   It's allowed by Russia, a liberal tradition (6) RITUAL {R{IT}U}{A}{L}
5   Much described universal flower (5) LOTUS {LOT{U}S}
6   Pampered, yet firm on son to be prepared with education (8) COSSETED {CO}{S}{SET}{ED}
7   Electronic reference book for law (5) EDICT {E}{DICT}
8   They search; there are limits to knowledge that wise men possess (7) SEEKERS {SEE{KnowledgE}RS}
9   Adjusted cap on the monument for dead soldiers (8) CENOTAPH*

16 Shadow churchwarden possibly, end where gas gets exhausted (8) TAILPIPE {TAIL}{PIPE}
17 Change positions to bring up variety (9) REARRANGE {REAR}{RANGE}
18 Prayer certain to bring joy … (8) PLEASURE {PLEA}{SURE}
19 … if meteorological condition's sound (7) WHETHER (~weather)
21 Savoury snacks from Assam, so fresh (7) SAMOSAS*
22 See 2 dn.
24 Prince Victor has bounce (5) EVICT [T]

                                Cartoon by Rishi

25 Bone seen in heads of Himalayan yaks or Indian donkeys (5) HYOID {H}{Y}{O}{I}{D}

GRID

No 11144, Wednesday 23 Jul 2014, xChequer

Excellent as usual from xChequer.
Got bogged down after a blazing start in the NW corner but finally prevailed, unlike the last time around. 12A was last to fall after cheating!

ACROSS
1   Features etc. contorted with snakes coiling around (7) ASPECTS {ASP{ETC*}S}
5   Uncertainty of obligation overcoming one in nine (7) DUBIETY {DU{B{1}E}TY} Be from 9

9   Be prepared: Rule by mother-in-law (9) BERYLLIUM {RULE+BY+M-I-L}*
10 Additional article in gold (5) OTHER {O{THE}R}
11 Name dropping in this language? Polish maybe (6) FINISH FINnISH
12 Musical instrument is held by thumb, a stringed instrument perhaps (7) SISTRUM {S{IS}TRUM} Very devious construction by xChequer as this is a percussion instrument

14 Green light is beyond line of sight (4) LOOK {L}{O}{OK}
15 Feelings conveyed by son over essentially painful occasion (10) SENTIMENTS {SEN{TIME}{paiNful}T}{S} (Correction - {SE{paiNful}{TIME}NT}{S})
19 Ignoring son's bedtime in general (10) BOYCOTTING {BOY}{COT}{T}{IN}{G}
20 Correct time to repent (4) TRUE {T}{RUE}
22 Visible understanding? (7) INSIGHT {IN}{SIGHT}
25 Account with money to cover outstanding operation (6) ACTION {AC}{TI{O}N}
27 Further sex trade curbed (5) EXTRA [T]
28 Army officer in prison having a rough ride (9) BRIGADIER {BRIG}{A}{RIDE*}
29 Alarm from empty resort installed in flat (7) STARTLE {STA{ResorT}LE}
30 Marched on England, primarily an error by Germany (7) ELAPSED {E}{LAPSE}{D}

DOWN
1   Sailor, bachelor, a father (4) ABBA {AB}{B}{A}

 "Bachelor Boy"

When I was young, my father said,
"Son, I've got something to say."
And what he told me I'll never forget until my dying day.

[Chorus 1:]
He said, "Son, you'll be a bachelor boy
And that's the way to stay.

Son, you'll be a bachelor boy until your dying day."
                       Cartoon by Bhargav

2   Prison may spread a streak of meanness (9) PARSIMONY*

Cartoon by Rishi

3   Company, extremely loyal, that's a dog (6) COLLIE {CO}{LoyaL}{IE}
4   Tricky exam to say the least? (9) SLIGHTEST (~sleight test) (Addendum - (~sly test) - See comments)
5   Barriers broken by oriental women (5) DAMES {DAM{E}S}
6   Small section in buds and flowers (8) BLOSSOMS {BLO{S}{S}OMS}

7   Underground, nitrogen missing in air (5) ETHER nETHER
8   Railway official may arrest criminal carrying diamonds (10) YARDMASTER {YAR{D}MASTER*}
13 Bureau head hides dog with obesity (10) FLABBINESS {F{LAB}BI}{NESS}
16 Gallery filled by four past ten? Not sure (9) TENTATIVE {TEN}{TAT{IV}E}
17 Clients regularly drifting around former princely state for illegal drugs (9) NARCOTICS {N{ARCOT}ICSlet*}
18 Long to embrace, almost going crazy touching (8) POIGNANT {P{GOINg*}ANT}
21 Levels achieved by soprano above A-sharp while ascending (6) STRATA {S}{TRAT<=}{A}
23 Literary truths in Sanskrit from Dasaratha's wife, I'm left uplifted (5) SUTRA SUmiTRA
24 Finally appoint competent board (5) TABLE {appoinT}{ABLE}
26 Brought up food — through the mouth? (4) BRED (~bread)

GRID