The Hindu Crossword 8169 Solutions - by Vinod, Ganesh & Rajagopal

Across
1 Deceitful appearance made before a month was out (7) PHANTOM (ana. P(for before??)+A+MONTH)
5 Maybe one who travels by rail — or coach (7) TRAINER (one who travels by rail=one who travels by train=TRAIN-ER)
10 In truth, East needs to compose (6) SOOTHE (in truth=SOOTH, East=E => SOOTH+E)
11 Freedom I'm giving a large number by mutual agreement (8) IMMUNITY (I'm=IM, large number=M, mutual agreement=UNITY => IM+M+UNITY)
12 Go berserk to avenge in Switzerland (6) GENEVA (ana. AVENGE)
13 Renegade to change garment to disguise (8) TURNCOAT (to change=TURN, garment=COAT)
14 Horseshoe found in wooden serving bowl (6) TUREEN(horseshoe=U, wooden serving=TREEN => T(U)REEN)
15 Tempt one to lead astray (6) ENTICE (Double meaning)
18 Not referred to any musical scale — not to the French arrangement (6) ATONAL (
20 Pound Pete's exchange with another pound (6) (ana. PETE'S + L for pound)
23 Party member who went to pot? (8) DORMOUSE (ref. to the character named DORMOUSE from Alice in Wonderland??)
25 Concurred somewhat because of a greed (6) AGREED (A+GREED)
26 Living organism packed with information of a mournful character? (8) PLANGENT (living organism=PLANT, information=GEN => PLAN(GEN)T)
27 Offer rented accommodation (6) TENDER (ana. RENTED)
28 Series of actions by commander during the squeeze (7) PROCESS (commander=OC, squeeze=PRESS => commander during the squeeze= PR(OC)ESS)
29 Commanded to make proper arrangement (7) ORDERED (Double meaning)

Down
2 Nosey owl? (6) HOOTER (hooter is slang for nose)
3 Profit made by receiver who runs in to take the service (3,6) NET RETURN (Cryptic defn. => service as in tennis)
4 Work in the theatre? (7) OPERATE (Cryptic defn. => theatre as in Operation Theatre)
6 Some err badly and show regret (7) REMORSE (ana. SOME ERR)
7 Charged particle in charge of part of Greece (5) IONIC (charged particle=ION, in charge=IC => ION+IC)
8 The right of admission to charm (8) ENTRANCE (Double meaning)
9 In a favourable position for hearing fair? (7,6) SITTING PRETTY (hearing=SITTING, fair=PRETTY)
16 To cut around royal insignia shows a democratic spirit (9) TOLERANCE (To=TO, cut=LANCE, royal insignia=ER => To cut around royal insignia = TO+L(ER)ANCE)
17 A wanderer takes to swagger on road with hesitation (8) STROLLER (road=ST, swagger=ROLL, hesitation=ER => ST+ROLL+ER)
19 Somehow all sure that honours would be gained (7) LAURELS (ana. ALL SURE)
21 Call for silence, then treat bad break (7) SHATTER (Call for silence=SH, treat bad=ana. TREAT=ATTER => SH+ATTER)
22 About to give in and go back (6) RECEDE (About=RE, to give in=CEDE => RE+CEDE)
24 Person in charge has mental illness (5) MANIC (Person=MAN, in charge=IC => MAN+IC)