No 12577, Tuesday 19 Mar 19, Buzzer

ACROSS
9   Short-tail on Australian native bird (7) ROOSTER {STERn}<=>{ROO}
10 Mutation of clone embodying male group at a level (7) ECHELON {EC{HE}LON*}
11 North-eastern close ally? (5) NEPAL {NE}{PAL} &lit
12 Childhood years lady recollected (5,4) EARLY DAYS*
13 Stop agreeing so much and shut up (3,2,4) SAY NO MORE [DD]
14 Echoing prayer, receiver of ashes to feel sadness (5) MOURN {OM<=}{URN}
15 Nothing venerable about American subject (7) NEVADAN {NADA}{VEN}<=
17 Counsel is most comfortable with name-dropping (7) SUGGEST SnUGGEST
19 Knocked back magnificent drink (5) LAGER <=
20 Sort of curry to seek in earnest (3,3,3) CRY OUT FOR*
22 Special destructive avatar is of a goddess (9) SARASVATI {S}{AVATAR+IS}*

24 Do one's best every second in charge (5) ONSET {dO+oNeS+bEsT}
25 Island be turning into hint of very pale colour (3-4) ICE-BLUE {I}{C{BE<=}LUE}
26 I undo knots bound by handcuffs, irons primarily (7)  HOUDINI {I+UNDO}* in {Ha...s}{Ir...s} &lit

DOWN
1   Soaks up noise surrounding skating courses (6,2) DRINKS IN {D{RINKS}IN}
2   Toe the line and act out in a dense manner (6) COMPLY COMPactLY
3   Demanding task rounding up chartered roll at airport (1,4,5) A TALL ORDER [T<=]
4   Capital font we're developing (8) FREETOWN*
5   Costanza perhaps earthy, right revolting example (6) GEORGE {GEO}{R}{EG<=}
6   Way to pronounce serum (4) WHEY (~way)
7   Delight in unspoiled grassy lands (8) PLEASURE {P{LEAS}URE}
8   Complete agreement in how dune gets to be done (6) UNISON {UN is ON} to convert DUNE to DONE
14 Summon up a cast showcasing grand work of art (6,4) MAGNUM OPUS {SUMMON+UP}* over {G}
16 Attorney-General engaged in changes, changes that are unexpected (8) VAGARIES {V{AG}ARIES}
17 Case of kitty sneaking through small window (8) SKYLIGHT {S{KittY}LIGHT}
18 Take flight off Turin, Italy crossing borders (4,4) TURN TAIL {TURIN+iTALy}*
19 Look rigid taking one's snap (4,2) LOSE IT {LO}{SE{1}T}
20 Alpine accommodation is robust in cold temperature (6) CHALET {C}{HALE}{T}
21 Remains doubly stoic at first during defeat (6) FOSSIL {FO{St..c}{St..c}IL}
23 Pressure is solid in ball game for one (4) SOLO (-p+s)SOLO

GRID

No 12576, Monday 18 Mar 2019, Arden

ACROSS
1   Work stops, take off to capital city (6) TOPEKA {T{OP}EKA*}
4   Pick on the boy, it's negative (8) ELECTRON {ELECT}{RON}
9   Greek God — he left alehouse all sozzled (6) AEOLUS ALEhOUSe*
10 Scientific method to solve crime, used in forces (8) FORENSIC*
12 It's scandalous to see Carol drinking wine (8) SHOCKING {S{HOCK}ING}
13 Aim for a peak (6) ASPIRE {A}{SPIRE}
15 Reason before church, rebel free to make it a public debate (5,7) CAUSE CELEBRE {CAUSE} {CE}{REBEL*}
18 What it takes to create a loop? Earn enough (4,4,4) MAKE ENDS MEET [DD]
21 State involvement in drug and alcohol cases (6) UGANDA [T]

22 Play in a test, final outcome shows cordial spirit (8) ANISETTE {IN+A+TEST}*{o...mE}
24 Song called "Crazy like a King" (8) MADRIGAL {MAD}{RIGAL}(~regal)
25 Hallowed ground inside, that is neglected (6) SACRED {Si{ACRE}De}
26 Ready to turn over barrel for something to eat (8) DOUGHNUT {DOUGH}{TUN<=}

27 Place to make movies by American academic (6) STUDIO STUDIOus Reverse deletion

DOWN
1   Coaches do lose interest, deal with them (8) TRANSACT {TRAiNS}{ACT}
2   Put off for a criminal (8) PROROGUE {PRO}{ROGUE}
3   Hand over clubhouse, say, and get a punch (7,8) KNUCKLE SANDWICH {KNUCKLE}{SANDWICH} What's the role of 'house'?
5   John Preston's first circuit (4) LOOP {LOO}{Pr...n}
6   There is no pressing need for this material (6-9) CREASE-RESISTANT [CD]
7   Sign of wastage, essentially hick, yes (6) RUSTIC {RUST}{hICk} Hick on double duty?
8   Great to have cocktail, left with some money (6) NICKEL {NIC{cocK}E}{L}
11 One could be entering incognito, it's possible (7) INTEGER EnTERING*
14 Sign, a number gets animal looks (7) LEONINE {LEO}{NINE}
16 Bullied and changed the decor (8) HECTORED*
17 One will mind featuring in Times, only wait on (6,2) ATTEND TO {A}{T{TEND}T}{O}
19 Added up to a few months in a year when the date was right (6) SUMMED SUMME(-r+d)D
20 Carriage or country comes first? (6) LANDAU {AU}<=>{LAND}

23 Touch from bottom to top, it's forbidden (4) TABU (+t)TABU(-t)

Bhargav's Talepiece

RUK RUK RUK ARE BABA RUK....

One could see the ANISETTE and DOUGHNUT untouched. The CREASE RESISTANT shirt lying crumpled.

The SHOCKING incident of the previous night - Paul receiving a KNUCKLE SANDWICH in the brawl will soon become the day's CAUSE CELEBRE.

Paul found it difficult to ATTEND TO his morning duties....

What exactly happened in TABU'S STUDIO?

GRID