No 10953, Wednesday 11 Dec 2013, Lightning

4D struck by Lightning!!

ACROSS

1   Retiring intelligence agency chief scientist initially providing explosives (8) WARHEADS {WAR<=}{HEAD}{S}

5   Slowly starts approaching descent on silver moon (6) ADAGIO {A}{D}{AG}{IO}

9   Ornament distorted one’s grin (4,4) NOSE RING*

10 Split the French inside den (6) CLEAVE {C{LE}AVE}

12 Duck — one that is cast back with hesitation (5) EIDER {EID<=}{ER}

13 Idle? See TV broadcast aired (9) TELEVISED*

14 In a party or within four walls? (6) INDOOR {IN}{DO}{OR}

16 Distance from say, garden to an almost empty garage (7) YARDAGE {YARD}{An}{GaragE}

19 Spotted one trickster on the radio (7) CHEETAH (~cheater)

21 Wish to acquire soft, extremely thin rug? (6) CARPET {CAR{P}E}{T}

23 Restarted dissecting rodent (6,3) DESERT RAT*

25 Aid supply about to be cut (5) SERVE reSERVE

26 Very old cry to return fire (6) VOLLEY {V}{O}{LLEY<=}

27 Fragment of sharp lens, for the most part destroyed (8) SHRAPNEL {SHARP+LENs}*

28 Engineer gets opportunity to come back (6) RETURN {RE}{TURN}

29 Impertinence of a royal church head (8) ARCHNESS {A}{R}{CH}{NESS}

DOWN

1   Midfielder, new to replace Gerrard, at first is one likely to be successful (6) WINNER WIN(-g+n)NER

2   I screened new home (9) RESIDENCE*

3   Sin? Or fault? (5) ERROR {ERR}{OR}

4   Silly to tread on blasting cap (7) D?N?T?R Something is wrong here. The clue leads to DETONATOR* but the solution needs a 7 letter word.

6   Cunning devil about to return with energy — final prayer for saviour (9) DELIVERER {DEVIL*}{ER<=}{E}{R}

7   Weed smuggled in Mardi Gras season (5) GRASS [T]

8   Under deposited? On the contrary, pulled out in excess (8) OVERDREW How do we classify this clue of opposites? 

11 Ali once left in a small island (4) CLAY {C{L}AY}

15 We tear our defective jackets (9) OUTERWEAR*

17 Lincoln perhaps, at first reluctantly managed church’s departure from the norm (9) ABERRANCE {ABE}{R}{RAN}{CE}

18 Maybe, a tenth frozen (4,4) ICED OVER {DECI <=} 

20 Experienced boxing repercussions — to begin with its tough (4) HARD {HA{R}D}

21 Church to interrupt supply for Yogi Berra? (7) CATCHER {CAT{CH}ER}

22 Provinces essentially spread charity donations (6) REALMS {spREad}{ALMS}

24 Divide narrow strip of land protecting the border of Lebanon (5) SPLIT {SP{L}IT}

25 Male wearing waistband becomes a big hit (5) SMASH {S{M}ASH}