No 10272, Friday 30 Sep 11, Sankalak

Still on the Jodhpur Express.
ACROSS

1   - Too many being crammed in rendered common bird extinct, we hear (7) - CROWDED {CROW}{DED}(~dead)

5   - A duke participates in dances with romantic songs (7) - BALLADS {BALL{A}{D}S}

9   - Chief officer, erring, relocated clandestinely (8,7) - DIRECTOR GENERAL*

10 - Take cover at home? Certainly! (6) - INSURE {IN}{SURE}

11 - Daughter is possessed, so cut out of the will (8) - DISOWNED {D}{IS}{OWNED}

13 - Periodic event in which politicians may stand (8) - ELECTION [CD]

15 - But for a baker is it thirteen? (6) - TWELVE [CD]

18 - Block dim peer endlessly wandering (6) - IMPEDE {DIM+PEEr}*

19 - It is every year in Latin (3,5) - PER ANNUM [E]

22 - Amjad Ali Khan for one (8) - SARODIST [GK]

24 - Penny causes editor to get organised in stages (6) - PHASED {P}{HAS}{ED}

27 - After a time, shut down accommodation nearby (2,5,8) - AT CLOSE QUARTERS {A}{T} {CLOSE} {QUARTERS}

28 - Like Mt. Everest among peaks (7) - TALLEST [CD]

29 - On the old side a tree, large, beginning to yellow (7) - ELDERLY {ELDER}{L}{Y}

DOWN

1   - Secret message in English for a morphine derivative (7) - CODEINE {CODE}{IN}{E}

2   - Teacher comes back after gold in plant (5) - ORRIS {OR}{RIS<-}

3   - Croat injured in action is given a medal (9) - DECORATED {DE{CORAT*}ED}

4   - Leave the physician with work (4) - DROP {DR}{OP}

5   - Possibly a VIP with outsize toupee (6) - BIGWIG {BIG}{WIG}

6   - Language heard in Berlin golf clubs (5) - LINGO [T]

7   - Of which there is a rush when one senses danger (9) - ADRENALIN [CD]

8   - Spot of dirt seen in a special cottage (7) - SPLODGE {SP}{LODGE}

12 - Run and fall in Karnataka (3) - JOG [DD]

14 - Miracle encompassing Pl debunked, based on experience (9) - EMPIRICAL (MIRACLE+PI}*

16 - You and I, at this place, finally succeeded and got through safely (9) -WEATHERED {WE}{AT}{HERE}{D}

17 - Drops of water said to be expected (3) - DEW (~due)

18 - Kind of coffee for those in a hurry (7) - INSTANT [CD]

20 - Self-effacement seen in my odes revised with time (7) - MODESTY {MY+ODES+T}*

21 - Going up for a small bit of money (6) - ASCENT {A}{S}{CENT}

23 - Medico working with energy makes a monotonous sound (5) - DRONE {DR}{ON}{E}

25 - Absolute quality of nylon perhaps (5) - SHEER [DD]

26 - Think deeply about Zeus's daughter (4) - MUSE [DD]

GRID