The Hindu Crossword No. 9517 Monday, April 27, 2009

Across

 1 The prevailing circumstances need a fresh, safe staff ratio (5,2,7) STATE OF AFFAIRS*

 8 Half a moment that is totally empty (6) MO IE TY

 9 One like Ferdinand whose death sparked a great war (8) ARCHDUKE

11 Passe, churlish, Chief Engineer may get what he needs from someone else (9) OUT SOUR CE

12 Extinct birds are so odd, somehow (5) DODOS*

13 Thralldom, say, in deceptive garb (7) SL(AVER)Y

15 Buy food to eat at home (4,3) TAKE OUT

17 City Improvement Trust involved in a genuine performance (7) RE(C I T)AL

19 Protection from slipping after a shower (4,3) BATH MAT

21 A meeting to discuss the Foreign Office spirit (5) F O RUM

23 Factional race isn’t a novelty (9) SECTARIAN*

25 A game involving amphibian progress (8) LEAP FROG

26 He works for a club and with clubs (6) CADDIE

27 Designed to reduce sweat, it traps painter in disarray (14) ANTIPERSPIRANT*

Down

 1 A call to court (7) SUMMONS

 2 A soldier’s beginning to turn into one who treats older people unfairly (5) A GI ST

3 Mover is hemmed in by one-time abstainer, one who likes company (9) EX {T(ROVER)T}

 4 Prefer men to contain confusion? (7) FERMENT

 5 Greenfly, say, that a state concealed (5) AP HID

 6 A rum word on destroying parasitic nematode (9) ROUNDWORM*

 7 Wealthy high-flyers! (3,3) JET SET

10 System of weights? Right in a plaything! (4) T(R)OY

14 Make sure of a sectarian distribution (9) ASCERTAIN*

16 Ali, joining a North Indian dance, makes it South Indian (9) KATHAK ALI (this makes "dance, boxer, dance" a classic!)

17 Another glassful for laid-back convict, a drop of lemonade (6) REFIL<-L

18 The girl is so meticulous and graceful to an extent (7) LISSOME

19 German composer returning in a hot taxi (4) BAC<-H

20 Brown man representing a ratio in a triangle (7) TAN GENT

22 Civilian clothes, not uniform (5) MUFTI

24 Indian god or part Indian-Egyptian god (5) IND RA