Answers to Crosaire No: 14603 - 20 Oct 11, Thursday

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I am really finding the puzzles tough to solve this week, but finally I managed to bring one home. I had all sort of problems along the way though. The first mistake was writing in INWARD for TOWARD. I had to come up with CONCERTED in order to give me a guess at 1-across, which I then incorrectly pencilled in as LOCOMOTION, but at least that forced me to make the correction for TOWARD. I finally unravelled VIOLENT, forcing me to make the correction to LOCOMOTIVE. WOOD-CRAFT took forever, but it gave me SCULLION. That gave me an L at either end of the answer that turned out to LOYAL. I was thinking that what turned out to be A LADY actually ended in -AIL, so LOYAL wasn’t easy coming either. At least the last two answers popped in readily enough, namely BAIL, and WERE back down in the southeast corner. It was a rough ride which surprisingly only took me 19m 04s. I thought I had taken a lot longer. r1ow ...

Here are my answers. As always, I welcome comments and explanations. Thanks!

Across
1: LOCOMOTIVE
Obviously a LOCOMOTIVE travels on a rail line, but why “once”? Maybe it’s that we had steam locomotives once, and don’t anymore? Anyone?
6: BAIL
Out on this (BAIL) to get the water out (BAIL).
One can be “out on bail”.
10: TEN-ON
X (TEN) upon (ON) saw (SAW) = TENON SAW: this for a carpenter.
11: WOOD-CRAFT
The ships at Trafalgar (WOOD CRAFT) = WOODCRAFT: skill that made the ships at Trafalgar.
Quite nice …
12: RE-CHARGE
There is a typo and “one” should reach “once”:
Attack once more (RE-CHARGE) = RECHARGE: not that the battery is strong again to do this.
13: LOYAL
I’ll need help with this one too. To be LOYAL is to be “full of faith”, but why do we have “by the sound of it”?
UPDATE: Frank solved this one for me:
"Faith" that's "full" of it (FAITH FULL) by the sound of it (FAITHFUL) = LOYAL.
15: ESTEEMS
What LOCOMOTIVE does (STEAMS) sounds like (-STEEMS) is the “last” part of the answer = ESTEEMS: in this regard.
17: TRI(VI)AL
Court case (TRIAL) about six [TRI(VI)AL] or about four [TR(IV)IAL] = TRIVIAL: not an important.
Clue of the Day!
19: IN-DIANA
In (IN) GIRL (DIANA) = INDIANA: the state.
21: C-ON-FIRM
A hundred (C) on (ON) the company (FIRM) = CONFIRM: prove.
Tight …
22: TOAST
Get heated (TOAST) for the good of one’s health (TOAST, good health!).
24: OVER-SEAS
Across the ocean, a-broad.
27: IN-TENT-I-ON
To be camping (IN TENT) with “one on” the end (I ON) = INTENTION: meaning.
28: RAISE
Sun-beams (RAYS) the sound of = RAISE: get up.
29: GIRL
“Rig” up (GIR) to “fifty” (L) = GIRL: her.
30: AT-TEN-DANCE
At (AT) the ball that starts at 10:00 pm (TEN DANCE) = ATTENDANCE: being at.

Down
1: LOTS
There’s many of them (LOTS) bid for here (LOTS).
2: CONCERT-ED
Music (CONCERT) with “the editor” (ED) = CONCERTED: mutual.
3: MONTH
A matter of days (“daze”, by the sound of it) = MONTH: May, for one.
4: TO-WARDS
In this direction (TOWARDS) in this direction they’ll all have to be patient (TO WARDS).
5: VIOLE(N)T
Blooming (VIOLE-T) around “the North” (N) = VIOLENT: they’re not peaceful.
7: A LADY
A thousand (M) with “what Ma is” (A LADY) could be = MALADY: sick with it.
Very tricky …
8: LITTLE LAMB
All Mary had, in the nursery rhyme (LITTLE LAMB) as a matter of course, at a meal (LITTLE LAMB).
9: SCUL-LION
A beastly (-LION) is at the “end” of the answer = SCULLION: does beastly work.
A SCULLION did the menial work in the kitchen, and was the male equivalent of a scullery maid, as we saw in a Look-Up of the Day back in May of 2009 …
14: BE-LITTLE
To say the least (BE LITTLE) = BELITTLE: to be dis-pa-raging.
16: EXACT-ING
Precisely (EXACT) “gin” (ING) = EXACTING: may make demands of you.
18: I’M-IT-AT-ION
I am (I’M) the thing (IT) at (AT) the ion (ION) = IMITATION: but not originally.
20: A-M(OR)IST
A fog (A M-IST) “or” in (OR) = AMORIST: a loving one.
An oldie but goody …
21: C(LEAN)SE
One is inclined (-LEAN-) is “inside” the answer = CLEANSE: the wash.
23: AFTER
Following (AFTER) there’s no on (NO-ON) for = AFTERNOON: the PM.
25: SH-RED
Telling “shut up” (SH) to “the revolutionary” (RED) for = SHRED: a scrap.
Very nice …
26: WERE
“We are” shortly (WE’RE) wolf (WOLF) = WEREWOLF: the sort of witch we’re afraid of.
Something like that, I think ...

Reveal-An-Answer
Need just one answer to get things moving? Here is my solution to today's puzzle, in a hidden format. To reveal any particular answer, highlight the whole line containing the relevant clue number.

Across
1: LOCOMOTIVE
6: BAIL
10: TEN-ON
11: WOOD-CRAFT
12: RE-CHARGE
13: LOYAL
15: ESTEEMS
17: TRI(VI)AL
19: IN-DIANA
21: C-ON-FIRM
22: TOAST
24: OVER-SEAS
27: IN-TENT-I-ON
28: RAISE
29: GIRL
30: AT-TEN-DANCE

Down
1: LOTS
2: CONCERT-ED
3: MONTH
4: TO-WARDS
5: VIOLE(N)T
7: A LADY
8: LITTLE LAMB
9: SCUL-LION
14: BE-LITTLE
16: EXACT-ING
18: I’M-IT-AT-ION
20: A-M(OR)IST
21: C(LEAN)SE
23: AFTER
25: SH-RED
26: WERE