No 10470, Wednesday 23 May 12, Gridman

U in some clues stands for an article of utility

ACROSS

1   - Activists in practice shots, losing initial success, gain force (8) - FIGHTERS (-s+f)FIGHTERS

5   - Doctor wears outer covering in battle (6) - COMBAT {CO{MB}AT}

9   - A less than average current event: I panted horribly at edge of lake (4,4) - NEAP TIDE {NEAP TID*}{E}

10 - Disheartened diver overwhelmed by fish in Arctic plain (6) - TUNDRA {TUN{DiveR}A}

12 - Placid woman at end of confrontation (4) - EVEN {EVE}{N}

13 - U to look for kind of drum (10) - FISH KETTLE {FISH}{KETTLE} Enumeration should have been (4,6)

15 - Oil worker in the studio? (6) - ARTIST [CD]

17 - Wah! Going round to Ratnagiri's top and noisy landing area (5) - WHARF {WAH*}{R}{F}

20 - Sally goes after extremely expensive outfit (5) - EQUIP {E}{QUIP}

21 - Brush in bathroom with initially fine, amber-coloured hair (6) - LOOFAH {LOO}{F}{A}{H}

24 - U cuts insects (10) - CHOPSTICKS {CHOPS}{TICKS}

27 - U has a tub overturned (4) - TAVA {TAV<-}{A}

29 - High-pitched crying noise from Middle East section (6) - MEWING {ME}{WING}

30 - 12 o'clock might bring G (8) - MIDNIGHT {MID}{NIGHT}

31 - Arre, rollicking good man is least encountered (6) - RAREST {ARRE*}{ST}

32 - Lift chicken separated by rowing team (8) - HEIGHTEN {H{EIGHT}EN}

DOWN

1   - U has enjoyment pulling boy up (6) - FUNNEL {FUN}{NEL<-}

2   - U said to be more sizable (6) - GRATER (~greater)

3   - Jiggers for small children (4) - TOTS [DD]

4   - Artist did almost integrate spokes (5) - RADII {RA}{DId}{I}

6   - Early seed causes superior to be caught in tangled love (5) - OVULE {OV{U}LE*}

7   - Pretend to stay still! See saint in bed (8) - BEDSTEAD {BE)(D{ST}EAD}

8   - This even exchange could be rated (5-3) - TRADE OFF {RATED*} {OFF}

11 - Holding bomb, try to reach slum area (6) - GHETTO {G{H}ET}{TO}

14 - Little bit from dear work (4) - DROP {DR}{OP}

16 - Inserted one coin at last with face up (6) - INLAID {I}{coiN}{LAID<-}

17 - Come again with head cover (4) - WHAT {W}{HAT}

18 - Crewmen, moving around, ring a recent arrival (8) - NEWCOMER {NEWC{O}MER*}

19 - Contest of strength that has a great pull among participants (3-2-3) - TUG-OF-WAR [CD]

22 - Wander on to obtain U (6) - GADGET {GAD}{GET}

23 - Hitch female when net unravels (6) - FASTEN {F}{AS}{NET*}

25 - Congestion site wrong for you and me (5) - SINUS {SIN}{US}

26 - U gets king fermented feni (5) - KNIFE {K}{FENI*}

28 - Comfortable rise of professional killers (4) - SNUG <-

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