The Hindu Crossword No. 9488 Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Across

1 Insect that makes a begging chap sit back (7,6) PRAYING MAN TIS <-

10 Outstanding brother-worker hosts sick one (9) BR ILL I ANT

11 Composer of some simple harmonies (5) LEHAR

12 Plant showing beginnings of yellowing under certain conditions abnormally (5) Y U C C A

13 Such words have inflections that do not conform to rule (9) IRREGULAR

14 Rupee spent in return for a nappy (6) DIAP ER <-

16 One generous when counting a dozen? (5) BAKER

19 Police officer that is left with an implausible story (5) SP IE L

20 Right of admission to a meal or part of it (6) ENTREE

25 Partner, not necessarily a sleeping one (9) BEDFELLOW

26 He runs errands but may take a pound away from Tiger Woods perhaps (5) GO(-L)FER

27 Cold, by the sound of it, but it is hot on the tongue (5) CHILI

28 In revamped GH, bribe is something difficult to understand (9) GIBBERISH*

29 Be impatient for action, like a horse raring to go? (5,2,3,3) CHAMP AT THE BIT

Down

2 Wet weather cover (8) RAINCOAT

3 WW II Conference venue in which some loyal tacticians figured (5) YALTA

4 A vitamin for a murderer back at home (6) NIAC <- IN

5 Such an uncle can be motherly (8) MATERNAL

6 Colour derived from an African flower (4,5) NILE GREEN

7 Breathe in (6) INHALE

8 Old boy, observed, carried out orders (6) OB EYED

9 A large amount for chromium bearing mineral (5) CR ORE

15 “Pre-owned” for “second-hand”, for example (9) EUPHEMISM

17 All-grape preparation for a condition resulting from dietary deficiency (8) PELLAGRA*

18 The writing on the wall, some times rude (8) GRAFFITI

21 Lacking politeness, they are endlessly devious (6) E AR(-E) THY

22 Plant an article between sailor and accountant (5) AB A CA

23 Old English cricketer who made a journalist affluent (6) ED RICH

24 Petty idiot suppresses rising body odour (3-3) TW(O-B)IT

26 One of them is a goose (5) GEESE