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ACROSS
1 Why some cops arrive at demonstrations early (2,4,3,6)
9 Permissible to be decapitated? That’s horrible! (5)
10 Unfinished alcove conceals distasteful assets (9)
11 Song craft, if undisciplined, is something that needs to be controlled by professionals (3,7)
12 Large amount of cash found at the source of Iraqi streambed (4)
14 Schubert works vocalized for governor (6)
15 A.I., an inhabitant of Greece (8)
18 Out-of-control outbreak: anger at Dad’s misdirected drink (8)
19 Hewes returned money held by John Hancock, initially (6)
22 Compete while internalizing bit of bad feeling (4)
24 Doctor I recall (yup) in a strange fashion (10)
26 Shout wildly at European’s extreme global position (5,4)
27 Hint of excitement embraced by pleasant relative (5)
28 “70s Dance Music” float, behind schedule, has bits of mud splattered about in confusion (15)
DOWN
1 Fall behind after incorporating Virginia’s hard work (7)
2 Fruit ace mashed beneath helping of banana split (9)
3 Visitor’s heading to the basement, accepting spirit (mostly) and causing a strong reaction (10)
4 Gap underlying most of the economy (6)
5 One seat I arranged to occupy gently (4,4)
6 Loudly deplore ingredient for sauce (4)
7 Catholic chief connecting Wisconsin to California’s religion (5)
8 Raised rackets about beginning of summit meeting (7)
13 Religious New Wave rock band, into Weird Al (10)
16 I approach home seriously (2,7)
17 Words spoken by author White, perhaps, when in grave and imminent danger (4,4)
18 Recommended including tool in total (7)
20 To the Rev. Spooner, for example, mind a yokel (7)
21 Magnificent politician, in coach, traveling north (6)
23 Drab loser’s sung offering! (5)
25 Get out and curtail fire (4)
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3431
ACROSS 1 [f]RECKLES + SLY 6 I + BIS (rev.) 10 MI + [a]NIMAL 11 C + HAL + ICE 12 EASTER[n] 13 SUB + POE + N/A 14 SPO(R)TS + BAR 16 rev. 18 I(NAW)E (wan rev.) 20 2 defs. 22 TABU + LATE 24 T(UR)EEN 26 “keel, I’m” 27 DON A TED 28 anag. 29 C(HEAPS + K)ATE
DOWN 1 RUMP + ELS + TILTS + KIN 2 CONES + TOGA 3 LAMB + [s]ENT 4 initial letters 5 “[p]lacard” 7 BRIN + E 8 letter bank 9 anag. (&lit.) 15 pun 17 OR + CHEST + RA 19 rev. hidden 21 anag. 23 2 defs. 25 E + DNA
Joshua Kosman and Henri PicciottoJoshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto are The Nation’s puzzlers. To read more about Kosman, click here. To read more about Picciotto, click here. Kosman and Picciotto explain what they’re up to in “Solving The Nation’s Cryptic Crosswords” (also available as a PDF). Check out The Nation’s Current Issue page each week for the latest puzzle.