Saturday, April 3, 2010 - At the Heart ...

Introduction

At the heart of today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon, we find a couple of appropriate clues.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

28a Pet Flipper, say? (7)

This clue seems exceedingly weak if it is nothing more than a cryptic definition for DOLPHIN. Perhaps I have overlooked some aspect of the wordplay.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a CA(ROME)D - CAD (churl) containing (outside) ROME (the Eternal City) /\ CAROMED (was a bouncer)

5a G|R(INN)ED - INN (tavern) contained in (framed with) {G + (and) RED}

9a _RO|GER_ - hidden in (exhibits) pRO-GERman; roger: (used in signalling, telecommunications, etc.) message received and understood

10a S(A|LAD| D)AYS - SAYS (remarks) containing (about) A BOY (lad) D (poor; as a grade received on a test at school)

11a PASTEUR* - anagram (plastic) of TEARS UP; Louis Pasteur: French chemist and microbiologist

12a TANG|LED - TANG (Chinese dynasty) LED (was first)

13a CAR|D(I)OG|RAMS - I (one) contained in (found in) {CAR (vehicle) + (with) DOG (hound) + (and) RAMS (sheep)}

17a CAPILLARIES - CAP (covering) ILL (bad) ARIES (sign; i.e., sign of the zodiac)

22a WARTHOG* - anagram (disfigured) of A GROWTH

23a WAG(ON)ER - ON (running) contained in (into) WAGER (stake)

25a NE|W (Y)ORKER - NE (northeastern) WORKER (labourer) containing (acquiring) Y (yen); New Yorker: American magazine

26a GO(I)NG - GONG (bell) containing (importing) I (current; physics, symbol for electric current)

27a YELTSIN* - anagram (rehabilitated) of IN STYLE; Boris Yeltsin: first President of the Russian Federation

28a DOLPHIN - cryptic definition?; Flipper: a dolphin who was the title character in the 1963 movie Flipper, as well as its various spin-offs, sequels, remakes and revivals both in the movies and on television

Down

1d CAR(A)P|ACE - {CARP (complain) containing (about) A (one)} ACE (hole in one; golf term)

2d REGIS|TRY - TRY (attempt) following (pursuing) REGIS (Philbin);Regis Philbin: American media personality

3d MORSE_ - MORSEL (bit) with last letter deleted (cut off; shortened)

4d D(IS|H)RAG - {IS H (hit)} contained in (in) DRAG (trail)

5d GAL(ATE)A - ATE (dined) contained in (in) GALA (festive occasion); Galatea: sea nymph in Greek mythology

6d IND(ONES)IA - ONES (small bills; low denomination American bank notes) contained in (accepted by) INDIA (Pakistan's neighbour)

7d N|EARLY - N (new) EARLY (antique)

8d DO-S|I|-DO - I DO (perform) following (after) DOS (parties)

14d IN CA|HOOTS - INCA (old Peruvian) HOOTS (laughs with glee)

15d F(I|END)ISH - FISH (cold-blooded sort) containing (seen around) I (island) END (terminal)

16d ESTRAGON* - anagram (bum) of GRATES ON; Estragon: a character in Waiting for Godot, a play by Irish writer Samuel Beckett

18d PIGSKIN* - anagram (creatively) of SPIKING

19d LOWERED - double definition: "Let down" and "gave a sullen look"

20d T(WENT)Y - WENT (left) contained in (in the grasp of) TY (Cobb); Ty Cobb: American baseball player

21d CREWEL~ - sounds like (heard) CRUEL (merciless)

24d GOGO|L - L (left) following (behind) GO-GO (disco)

Signing off for today - Falcon