No 12603, Thursday 18 Apr 2019, Arden

ACROSS
1   Cover over an item of furniture (6) CANAPE {C{AN}APE}

4   Wandering nomad is hard to tick off (8) ADMONISH {NOMAD+IS+H}* also {NOMAD}*{IS}{H} See comments
10 Every second four are allowed in — it's an option (9) ALTERNATE [DD] (Correction -  {ALTERNATivE}- See comments)
11 Start in first gear, stop vehicle smoke (5) CIGAR {C{In{Gear}AR}
12 Red army arrested wrong man in country (7) MYANMAR {ARMY}* over {MAN}*

13 Moneylender goes away taking most of the crop (7) SCROOGE {CROp} in {GOES}*
14 Material ends when they all go down (5) NYLON Tail Acrostic
15 Drab record said to be a 27 (5,3) GREAT APE (~ grey tape)
18 Introduction — 50% choose to walk (8) PREAMBLE {PREfer}{AMBLE}
20 Old Peruvian's preserved (5) INCAN {IN CAN}
23 Gulf country ends short, it's pathetic (7) ABYSMAL {ABYSs}{MALi}
25 Please refuse, underwriting will make it worse (7)  RELAPSE {R}{PLEASE*}
26 For ordinary people it's surrounded by air (5) LAITY {LA{IT}Y}
27 Called to check out, one is found in Indonesia (9) ORANGUTAN {O{RANG}UT}{AN}

28 Betting on pay by call (8) WAGERING {WAGE}{RING}
29 Way church is split down the middle by an attitude (6) STANCE {ST}{AN}{CE}

DOWN
1   Intention is to get into a group — first task for a petitioner (8) CLAIMANT {CL{AIM}AN}{Task}
2   Nijinsky's fifth ballet production — to be re-served (3,4) NET BALL {n..iNs.y}{BALLET*}
3   Pray freely, protect national burning ambition (9) PYROMANIA {PYR{OMANI}A*}
5  Correct, he'd less arrears in practice (5,9) DRESS REHEARSAL*
6   Actors assemble, no telling initially who will get it (5) OSCAR ACtORS* Semi&lit
7   Coterie pouring out (7) INGROUP*
8   She's on top — please, pick the odd complaint (6) HERPES {HER}{PlEaSe}
9   Air defence under fire, it can be blown up (7,7) BARRAGE BALLOON {BARRAGE}{BALLOON}

16 If you see it in front of you, then you've missed the bus (9) TAILLIGHT [CD]
17 "Prisoner" — drama about Mediterranean (8) INTERNEE mEdITERraNEaN* [CA]
19 Here and there, how do they sound? (7) RHYMING Definition by example
21 Ship's machinery can get past at sea (7) CAPSTAN {CA{PAST*}N}

22 Grease makes everything fall in line (6) TALLOW {T{ALL}OW}
24 Theresa's choice, it's official (5) MAYOR {MAY}{OR}

GRID

No 12602, Wednesday 17 Apr 2019, Arden

ACROSS
9   Material — one in German plant (7) MULLEIN {MULL}{EIN}

10 Ward off, change rules, keep record (7) REPULSE {R{EP}ULSE*}
11 Position almost on the point of temperature scale (7) RANKINE {RANKINg}{E}
12 Song is perhaps extremely dirty and vile (7) DYNASTY {DirtY}{NASTY}
13 Hand over and fuss about sick animal (9) ARMADILLO {ARM}{AD{ILL}O}

15 The best entry in the literary fest (5) ELITE [T]
16 Model stopped short of strip and torture (7) PARAGON Anno pending (Addendum -{PARe}{AGONy} - See comments)
19 Flyer's bottom covered halfway (7) KESTREL {KE{STReet}EL}

20 Brace for one in two (5) TWAIN {TW{A}IN}
21 In sentence they're linked (5,4) CHAIN GANG [CD]
25 It seems new model goes for long dress (7) APPAREL APPARE(-nt+l)L
26 Appropriate time to be exposed to some money (7) IMPOUND {tIMe}{POUND}
28 Talk about love — I see there is total confusion (7) CHAOTIC {CHA{O}T}{I}{C}
29 Caught it in true performance (7) RECITAL {RE{C}{IT}AL}

DOWN
1   Southern army manoeuvres involve Navy in Turkish port (6) SMYRNA {S}{MYR{N}A*}
2   Meeting seen to be regularly held by choice (6) PLENUM {PL{sEeN}UM}
3   Diner inside, limited entry (4) DELI [T]
4   Counterfeit one in French currency (6) UNREAL {UN}{REAL}
5   Free to go into pistol and jam (8) GRIDLOCK {G{RID}LOCK}
6   Time to hunt, being candid and mature (4,6) OPEN SEASON {OPEN}{SEASON}
7   Cold drink, even beer is more fashionable (8) CLASSIER {C}{LASSI}{bEeR}
8   So, spring is fine (4,4) VERY WELL {VERY}{WELL}
14 Descend or ascend? Greek character has not kept his word (10) DEGENERATE Anno pending (Addendum - {ETA}{RENEGED}<= - See comments)
16 Bread's nice, I will go for peanuts (8) PITTANCE {PITTA}{NiCE}
17 Prepare a set, come back again (8) REAPPEAR*
18 Scrag, spike and string (8) NECKLACE {NECK}{LACE}
22 Collectors' colony (6) APIARY [CD]
23 The upper class in a town have clear vision (6) ACUITY {A}{C{U}ITY}
24 Remove resin from lady's finger, could be very annoying (6) GADFLY {LADYs+FinGer}*
27 Under pressure take a measure (4) PACE {P}{ACE}

GRID