The Hindu Crossword 8219 Solutions - by Vinod & Rajagopal

Across
1 Sort of writers touched by hints (4,4) FELT TIPS (touched=FELT, hints=TIPS)
5 It has to be kept untold (6) SECRET (Direct)
9 Amble leisurely in Rhode Island's earthen bank (7) REMBLAI (Amble leisurely=ana. AMBLE=EMBLA, Rhode Island=RI=>Amble leisurely in Rhode Island = R(EMBLA)I)
10 The bulk is for a kind of physics (7) QUANTUM (Double Defn.)
11 Australian port with almost unrestricted cover (9) FREMANTLE (unrestricted=FREE=>almost unrestricted=FRE,cover=MANTLE=>almost unrestricted cover = FRE+MANTLE)
12 Permission to depart (5) LEAVE (Direct)
13 Musical instrument with top portion broken is still a musical instrument (4) LUTE (Musical instrument=FLUTE=>Musical instrument with top portion broken=FLUTE-F)
14 Tara prone to change, as matters are (3,2,4) PRO RE NATA (Tara prone to change = ana. TARA+PRONE)
17 Question that will get fine answer (3,3,3) HOW ARE YOU (Cryptic Defn - FINE is the answer to How are you?)
19 City in which the pace is not so slow (4) OSLO (Container => sO SLOw -- I don't understand which part of the clue is the container indicator)
23 Sibal crushed a herb (5) BASIL (Sibal crushed = ana. SIBAL)
24 Rerun fact to unfold the skill to read magical signs (9) RUNECRAFT (Rerun fact to unfold = ana. RERUN+FACT)
25 Pirate ship (7) CORSAIR (Direct)
26 Ranges apparitions (7) SPECTRA (Double Defn.)
27 Horse going round the top of wasteland is agitated (6) STEWED (Horse=STEED, top of wasteland=1st letter of wasteland=W=>Horse going round the top of wasteland = STE(W)ED)
28 Seized cents had scattered (8) SNATCHED (cents had scattered = ana. CENTS+HAD)

Down
1 Measures by which food is pitched into the mouth? (8) FORKFULS (Cryptic defn. - pitched as in pitch fork)
2 A doctor in a period of fasting is bright (7) LAMBENT (A=A, doctor=MB, period of fasting=LENT=>A doctor in a period of fasting = L(A+MB)ENT)
3 Frigate of model Rajasthan city (6) TALWAR (model=T, Rajasthan city=ALWAR)
4 Mistake of certain types (8,5) PRINTER'S ERROR (Cryptic defn. - types=prints -- excellent clue)
6 Making possible for the sailor to be near the fish after a measure (8) ENABLING (sailor=AB, fish=LING, measure=EN=>sailor to be near the fish after a measure = EN+AB+LING)
7 Draw back on the field (7) RETRACT (on=RE, field=TRACT=>on the field = RE+TRACT)
8 Mean to be among the strongest emperors (6) T_M_E_
10 Quinn, Gore goes round: there are strange happenings (5,6-2) QUEER GOINGS-ON (Quinn, Gore goes round = ana. QUINN+GORE+GOES)
15 Dance and mega circus at a sporting activity (4,4) BALL GAME (Dance=BALL, mega circus=ana. MEGA=GAME -- interesting use of 'circus' as an ana. ind.)
16 Left, it is alleged, for this Egyptian city (4,4) PORT SAID (Left=PORT(as on a ship), it is alleged=SAID)
18 Watch old boy dish up (7) OBSERVE (old boy=OB, dish up=SERVE => OB+SERVE)
20 Has hint about repetitive word in mantra (7) SHANTIH (Has hint about = ana. HAS+HINT)
21 Counter used by some Colaba customers (6) ABACUS (Container => ColABA CUStomers)
22 Approve the account for church payment (6) ACCEPT (account=AC, church=CE, payment=PT=>account for church payment = AC+CE+PT)