No 12450, Thursday 18 Oct 2018, Arden

ACROSS
1   Unusual? No matter — has to cover one's head (3-1-7) TAM-O-SHANTER*

7   Pixie on the ledge, won't keep quiet (3) ELF shELF
9   Lashes spy agency over exposed film (5) CILIA {CI{fILm}A}

10 Flag — colour will fade gradually (4,5) BLUE PETER {BLUE} {PETER}

11 Followed very closely to get laid at random (9) TAILGATED*
12 Lied about writing gear (5) IDLER {LIED*}{R}
13 Animal egg kept over pot (3,4) ROE DEER {ROE} {REED<=}

15 It isn't counterfeit money (4) REAL [DD]
18 Call to attention — doubles break point (4) PSST {P{SS}T}
20 Films he makes in a European language (7) FLEMISH*
23 Host said to stash money (5) HORDE (~hoard)
24 Avoids work as mother waits (9) MALINGERS {MA}{LINGERS}
26 It's hot onion, but not on sausage (9) PEPPERONI {PEPPER}{ONIon}
27 Some return by taxi cab available at counters (5) ABACI [T<=]
28 Place for a song (3) LAY [DD]
29 Grime spread on land, it's just the beginning (11) GERMINATION {GRIME*}{NATION}

DOWN
1   It's understood — one who retains Ashes will remain silent (8) TACITURN {TACIT}{URN}
2   Countrymen accept 50% share (8) MALDIVES {MAL{DIVide}ES}

3   Abuse and drink — depends on which one gets in the centre (5) SLANG SL(-i+a)ANG
4   Resolve tiebreakers, seek out the referee (7) ARBITER TIeBReAkERs*
5   Bolt from the blue? (7) THUNDER [CD]
6   Copy — copy those on either side (9) REPLICATE {REPLICA}{ThosE}
7   Praises the old place (6) EXTOLS {EX}{SLOT<=?} Slot up?
8   Beaver or sable? At last there's commotion (6) FURORE {FUR}{OR}{s..lE}
14 Segregate boiled candy (6,3) EASTER EGG*

16 Perhaps high time it is upheld for the intelligentsia (8) LITERATI {LIT}{ERA}{IT<=}
17 The turnaround American actor (8) THESPIAN {THE}{SPI{A}N}
19 Drum shifted to Burma (7) TAMBOUR*

20 Hide in Italy, behind film maker... (7) FELLINI {FELL}{IN}{I}
21 …himself exposed to church (6) CHAPEL {CHAP}{sELf}
22 Works in air, gets swelling (6) DROPSY {DR{OPS}Y}
25 One allows air lift to a city in Sudan (5) NYALA {A{LAY}N}<=

GRID

No 12449, Wednesday 17 Oct 2018, Arden

ACROSS
6   Marked out, first man goes for duck (5) DRAKE mARKED*
7   Directions to reach the top, coined first in 1984 (8) NEWSPEAK {N}{E}{W}{S}{PEAK}
10 Conductors for current carrying master switch (7) MAESTRI {AMSTER*}{I}
11 On an average can do the account (7) PARABLE {PAR}{ABLE}
12 Blockade — only master on freighter can change sides (7) EMBARGO {(+e)E{M}BARG(-e)}O O from? (Addendum - {O}{M}{BARGE} to  {E}{M}{BARG}{O}- See comments)
13 Staff have a point; Peter Principle basically works (7) SCEPTRE {S}{PETER+prinCiple}*
14 Moving south? Beware of one's location (11) WHEREABOUTS*
19 Not even once add something extra — figure that! (7) OCTAGON {OnCe}{TAG ON}
21 Out LBW, go on find a weapon (7) LONGBOW*
23 Positive attitude? Sure, open to openness (7) CANDOUR {CAN DO}{sURe}
25 Record — list prepared to the last letter (7) EPISTLE {EP}{LIST*}{thE}
26 Scientist finds a way to check designs at regular intervals on both sides (8) EINSTEIN {dEsIgNs}{ST}{dEsIgNs}
27 Electronic instrument will wash (5) ELUTE {E}{LUTE}

DOWN
1   What Cupid does to acknowledge cheers (4,1,3) TAKE A BOW [DD]
2   Way to break free, free of rot (6) FESTER {FE{ST}ER*}
3   Painted on a building on the other side of the world (10) ANTIPODEAN*
4   Hands go up in exchange (4) SWAP<=
5   Stop over for a little chat (6) RABBIT {BAR<=}{BIT}
6   The French are crazy over a young woman (6) DAMSEL {LES}{MAD}<=
8   Substandard location in short for an arriviste (7) PARVENU {PAR}{VENUe}
9   Soldiers wearing tote cap (5) BERET {BE{RE}T}
13 They are commissioned to lift vehicle, change directions later (10) SUBALTERNS {BUS<=}{ALTER}{N}{S}
15 Put pen to paper, no pressure, so plunge right in (7) ENGROSS {pEN}{GROSS}
16 He wrecks boats at sea on the way up (8) SABOTEUR {BOATS*}{RUE<=}
17 It's very painful reaction, I can guarantee (5) VOUCH {V}{OUCH}
18 Starts taking wickets with ease reportedly — pluck them out (6) TWEEZE {Ta...g}{Wi...s}{EEZE}(~ease)
20 Girl comes into money, it's used in leather industry (6) TANNIN {T{ANN}IN}
22 Fixed one up, one went ahead (6) NAILED {AN<=}{1}{LED}
24 Free to untangle the knot (4) REEF*

GRID