Financial Times, no. 12,930 Set by Jason, November 20, 2008

Nothing very testing in this morning’s puzzle, apart from a few slang terms which may not be known to all.
Much easier than last Thursday’s task.

ACROSS

1.     HORNPIPE – ( ho-rn-pi-pe – RN and pi within hope)
5.     TEASER ( t-e-aser- the taser  stun gun used by police with E for Spain)
10.    MOLOTOV – ( cd.  The molotov cocktail being an explosive device formed by placing petrol etc within a bottle. Named by the Finns when fighting against the Soviets, but thought to be first used in the
                              Spanish civil war.  Now associated with rioters.)
11.    RAGGING – ( rag-g-ing – a dressing down or scolding)
12.    UPSET – (*stupe)
13.    MOVIE STAR – ( mo-vies-tar.  Mo is often the abbreviation for Maureen)
14.    ROUND THE BEND – ( a term meaning ‘mad’, as is ‘barking’).
18.    ICE CREAM SODA – ( *america does-cOLD)
21.    BELL METAL – ( bel -*mallet.  ‘bel’ as in ‘decibel’)
23.    ROUGE – (Rogue with the ‘g’ out of place.  Last letter of ‘swag’)
24.    RIOTOUS (hidden in SCENArio-to usE)
25.    IRON OUT – (‘ golf club’ iron’)
26.    ENNEAD – (* need an.  A group of nine persons, things or deities, therefore Muses would be an example)
27.    BRUNETTE – ( run within Bette – Bette Midler, American acrtress and comedian.  Presumably ‘nutty’ as      in the Highland song, Horo, my nut-brown maiden.’)

DOWN

1.    HUMBUG – (dd) –
2.    RELISH – ( dd)
3.    PETIT FOUR – ( pet-it-f-our – the small iced cake often served at end of meals.)
4.    PAVEMENT ARTIST -(cd)
6.    EAGLE – ( dd, an eagle being an  old American gold coin)
7.    SHIFT KEY – (cd – the key which changes lower to upper case))
8.    RAGTRADE – ( rag-<dart-e.  A dart is a small fold sewn in to reduce width in material)
9.    PRIVATE SOLDIER – Non-commissioned and ‘private’ as opposed to salaried)
15.  EIDERDOWN  – ( cd but very obvious)
16.  DISBURSE – ( *busrides)
17.  WELLBORN – (w- ell-b-orn.  An ell is about 45 inches)
19.  RUB OUT- ( RU -bout.  This probably  describes most Rugby Union games)
20.  METTLE – (Met – tAle – ginger in the sense of courage or spirit –  Show us your mettle.)
22.  MOOLA – ( slang term for money, sometimes spelt ‘moolah’, as are the words in the clue)