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ACROSS
1 Alert: Spanish uncle vanished with slip of the lip over my dead body (3,2,1,3,4,2)
9 Fed reorganized, amid loud call for strange political ally? (9)
10 Mathematician’s error breaking rule (5)
11 Circle swimming hole the other way (4)
12 Uniformed students overdose on drinks, backing up propagandist (4,6)
14 Heard (perceived) part of show (5)
15 Engineer dictates conclusive assessment (4,4)
18 Exceedingly shoddy mimic in box (8)
20 Third of December: frightful date for military trainee (5)
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23 Diner with lounge atmosphere, not excluding oxygen (10)
25 Formal park boundary (4)
27 A large quantity of boys grabbing ring (5)
28 50 imprisoned in chains with incomplete plan to deliver a nasty surprise (9)
29 Compilation of letters from maligned YA author (9,6)
DOWN
1 Singer, for example, with a number on live record (8)
2 Arrange to plead for slippery youngster? (7)
3 Oral disease moved quickly (4)
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4 I teach pal mysterious Muslim rule (9)
5 Aware, naked, and hopeless (2-3)
6 Symbol pinned to your ear is a critical feature of many conversations (3,7)
7 Exercise regimen for Pontius and his family? (7)
8 Spanish performer, ripped or flipped (6)
13 Bone and grain maintaining Turkic population (10)
16 Highly concentrated incentive discussed after trade (9)
17 Mad, steep chaos! (8)
19 Carefully conserve a set of cards securing computer connection (7)
21 Head of livestock entrusted to brave pet (7)
22 Phase originally boosting runner! (6)
24 Barbie nearly failing as congregation’s leader (5)
26 British comic is an object of worship in audio recording (4)
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3499
ACROSS 1 & 4 LE + GAL + DOUB(LE)TS 9 ME(GAP)H + ONE 11 NU[tshe]LL {+VOID} 12 PER + SU + ASIV-E (rev.) 15 [t/L]-OI-[l/T]-ER 16 SOS[o] 18 GA(LO)SH 20 HE(IF)ER (here anag.) 23 POST(P + ON)ING 24 hidden 26 C(E)ASE {+DESIST} 27 HO(I + POLL)OI (Ohio anag.) 29 DE-[f/BU]-G
DOWN 1 LEMON(A)DE 2 GIG OLOS (rev.) 3 LAP + D (rev.) 4 DO(O)VE + R 5 U(TENSIL[e])S 6 anag. 7 T(HEW)IRE 8 F(RE)E {+CLEAR} 14 SHOW(PIE)CE (chew so anag.) 16 SHANG(H)AI (Ghana is anag.) 17 B + RE(AKIN)G {+ENTERING} 19 [c]AB + STAIN 21 F(ANC)LUB 22 [l]ENDING 23 2 defs.
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.