Sunday Times Prize Crossword 4509 Sunday October 28th 2012

[mercedita]

Hi! for some reason I'm stuck on 8 this time! For starters, here we go!

1 Across: Floor covering exchanged for sack cloth? (7)

9 Across: Starts to show girl clothing for baby (5)

11 Across: Unfriendly person's absurd rationale (9) - - - - - - t - r

4 Down: In strip poker, being completely undressed leads to sex. (3) - - t

I'm hoping I can get the rest when I get the crossing letters! :-/

[dannyk13]

4d.Kit

[kayakamina]

defrock
sprog
alienator
kit

[factor-fiction]

alienator

[mercedita]

Sory tobe so dim, but how did you get defrock, kit & the spro of sprog??

[factor-fiction]

strip = kit
poker undressed is the K (without the outer layers I assume)
sex= IT

[dannyk13]

pro=first letters of programme(show)

[kayakamina]

DECK (covering) anag (exchanged) FOR = DEFROCK - Sack a cleric

SPROG - Baby ...S (start) PRO (for) G (girl)

KIT - (po) K (er) + IT (sex) = strip

[factor-fiction]

deck (floor) + FRO (?)= defrock
Sack a vicar= defrock

[mercedita]

Thanks everyone! Can you explain how you get these last three for me? 1 Down: Trifling in amateur work, not very well (8). How is it 'dismally'? 2 Down: An MP's power, given little in advance (7,8). How is it 'foreign minister'? 22 Across: Regularly issued arrest warrant, lacking initial restraint. (9). How did they get 'reticence'? I get the straight definitions, but not HOW they get there!

[kayakamina]

2d FO REIGN MINI STER....power/ little in advance

[factor-fiction]

DIY in small?

[dannyk13]

small in D I Y
alternate letters of arrest = (l)icence

[factor-fiction]

I meant SMALL (trifling) in DIY (amateur work)

[mercedita]

Loud sighs as pennies come dropping from a great height here! Thanks, everyone, so much. I can get a life now (till next Sunday at least!). Thanks again. :-))