No 2572, Sunday 14 Feb 10

11A was last to fall after an internet search
ACROSS
1 - Candle holder about to be stuck into cake (6) – SCON{C}E

4 - Programme information ringed by girl (6) – A{GEN}DA
8 - Vertical pipe, part of boiler I serviced (5) – RISER [T]
9 - English poet and Scottish one nearly surrounded by pigs (9) – SWIN{BURN(-s)}E
11 - Anger about British band in part of the US (5,4) – {BI{B}LE} {BELT}
12 - Is desperate for massages, reportedly (5) – NEEDS(~kneads)
13,16 - Greeting shames incompetent fools, surprisingly (11,2,3,6) – COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON*
19 - Bacteriologist treated tripe (5) – PETRI*
21 - Lazy types exhausted, last in heats (9) – {DEAD}{BEATS}
23 - Poet in saddle on eastern hilltop (9) – {COL}{E}{RIDGE} Nice clue
24 - Mount Carmel's first section (5) – {C}{LIMB} Nice one
25 - Crude fox's burrow at end of spinney (6) – {EARTH}{Y}
26 - Open out a French bap (6) – {UN}{ROLL}
DOWN
1 - Writer's attribute article ignored (6) – (-a)SCRIBE
2 - Almost take place next to principal brought over after duck dish (4,5) – {O}{SSO B<-}{(-r)UCCO<-} )
3 - Swear remedy must include touch of sun (5) – CUR{S}E
5 - Crack crackers and become very angry (2,7) – {GO} {BANANAS}
6 - Slow-moving shark in harbour (5) – NURSE [DD]


7 - Reluctant to produce a limerick? (6) – {A}{VERSE}
9 - Conceited dandy led the way (5-6) – {SWELL}-{HEADED}
10 - Lacking self-control, consuming alcohol to excess (11) – INTEMPERATE [DD]
14 - A short journey inside border for a venerable old lady (9) – {M{A}{TRI(-p)}ARCH}
15 - Oarsman in races representing country (3,6) – SAN MARINO*
17 - Parisian gangster quickly hiding heroin (6) – APAC{H}E
18 - Girl is first person to be murdered (6) – {IS}{ABEL} Another nice one
20 - Left in row for roof worker (5) – TI{L}ER
22 - Meat embargo hampering small company (5) – BA{CO}N



GRID

No 9765, Saturday 13 Feb 10, Neyartha

ACROSS
1 - Censor former partner’s denouncement letter (13) - (-ex)COMMUNICATE (Correction - (-ex)COMMUNICATION)
9 - Internet access that may cause rings to go missing (4-2) - DIAL-UP
10 - Accomplished boxer’s completely taken in by an animal from the east (8) - RE{ALIS}ED <- )
11 - Care to help? (3) - AID [DD]
12 - Lunatic affected, after a time lapse, by a style of orthography (6) - UNCIAL(-t)*
13 - Old barman, initially a restaurant employee, was the eyewitness (8) - {O}{B}{SERVER}
14 - Pole enters dangerous race scene on revival (10) - RE{N}ASCENCE*
17 - Hold on tight to the flag ripped in part (4) - GRIP [T]
18 - Secretly supply reporter on the radio with a vegetable (4) - LEEK(~leak)

19 - Wrong sign in end piece designed by Yankee leader shows self-interest (10) - E{X}PEDIENC*{Y}
21 - Glove material from the ram and the ewe, say (8) - {LAMBS}{KIN}
23 - Calling a knight for the right list (6) - (Addendum - CAREE(-r+n)N - See comments below)
25 - An untidy place by the interminable mythical river (3) - STY(-x)
26 - Cosmetic preparation from the spring harvest vegetable (8) - {KOHL}{RABI}

27 - The thing taken out in haste for a herb (6) - CELER(-it)Y
28 - Hear! Welder Lee turns out to be a smooth operator! (7,6) - WHEELER DEALER*
DOWN
2 - Greek character missing view of kitchen bulb (5) - O(-pi)NION
3 - Concurrently run more than one job (9) - MULTITASK [E]
4 - Cactus drink on counter (5) - {NO}{PAL}<- )
5 - Plant model replaced by Dutch chief in animated feature (7) - CAR(-t+d)DOON
6 - Leave behind the craze to collect fancy cans (9) - TR{ANSC*}END
7 - Old German rice turns up in a willow tree (5) - {O}{SIER<-} )
8 - Clear ice cracked up to reveal an edible root (8) - CELERIAC*
15 - Lift the airfoil on the tailplane (8) - ELEVATOR [DD]
16 - Final move on board? (9) - CHECKMATE [E]
17 - Insurgent sounds like an ape (9) - GUERRILLA (~gorilla)
20 - Dear lover, once sent out for being wistful (7) - PENSIVE Anno pending (Addendum - (-ex)PENSIVE Thanks to Chaturvasi, see comments)
22 - Letters from a rebel challenging Shakespeare’s Sir Toby (5) - BELCH [T]
23 - Tree found by upset lawyer following Yankee into cricket club (5) - {C{Y}C}{AD<-} )

24 - Lofty treehouse? (5) - EYRIE [E]


GRID