The Hindu Crossword No. 9580 Thursday, July 09, 2009

Across

1 Witty aspects of personality cover up promise to pay (9) FACET(IOU)S

5 Where Freemasons may meet (5) LODGE

8 A new missile is slender (6) N ARROW

9 Such a union is not necessarily without love (8) ARRANGED

11 Point made by decapitating an animal (4) (-B)EAST

12 Manure to treat sterile fir (10) FERTILISER*

14 She went after peach for a dessert (5) MELBA

15 Used in fishing, it is a predetermined course of action (7) SET LINE

16 A spear to catch a jackass against all odds (7) ASSAGAI

17 Joint on which a door may close (5) HINGE

19 Born saints are distressed, they refuse to vote (10) ABSTAINERS*

20 A song of praise for that man, one hears (4) HYMN (~him)

22 What battleships may engage in (3,5) SEA FIGHT

23 Dairy product used on top of bread, say (6) B UTTER (nice!)

24 Evade 5 Ac, changing first (5) (-L +D)ODGE

25 You can’t expect a full day’s work from him (4-5) PART-TIMER

Down

1 Part of a glove or of a muff in Germany (6) FINGER

2 Australian territory, a rich landmass: it’s fantastic! (9,6) CHRISTMAS ISLAND*

3 Move fast to reverse a wrongful act (4) TROT<-

4 Part of the atmosphere that poses threat, right? Awful (12) STRATOSPHERE*

5 Distributing information sheets and turning the pages, suppressing obstacle (10) LEAFLET(-T)ING

6 It plays a vital, absorbing role for everyone (9,6) DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

7 Recommend some vendors eminently reliable (7) ENDORSE

10 A kinsman’s following current fashions for a bond (12) RELATIONS HIP

13 Commit intellectual piracy (10) PLAGIARISE

16 The same Das, provoked, made a pile (7) AMASSED*

18 A ‘sound’ sleeper perhaps (6) SNORER

21 Break a piece of sculpture (4) BUST