Independent 7944

[pcoles]

Two left

5ac. Scared at the outset to join army

S-A-Y

28ac. Chap to stop taking an extra tablet for a cold

C-E-K

Cheek? But what's the wordplay?

[Psybbo]

scary
check?

[roslyn251254]

28a ch(chap) (p)ill ?

[pcoles]

Why?

[shooty]

shaky ?

[pcoles]

Chill doesn't fit!

[roslyn251254]

it does if your letters are wrong!

[mike11111]

Check (stop) replace C (cold) with E (tablet).

[mike11111]

So cheek is right (chaps =cheeks).

[pcoles]

I don't think so...

14 down is STRIP-MINE "Dig near the surface for an hour after lunch, Darwin's words ringing" i.e. PM in STRINE, hence the E

17 down is VALE PARK "After so long, pop and rock emptied Midlands stadium" i.e. VALE+ PA + R(oc)K. Hence the K.

[pcoles]

Thank you Mike, I think that's right...

[pcoles]

What about the first one?

[mike11111]

I don't like scary but no other word seems to fit.

[shooty]

hence, why i opted for SHAKY. just cannot parse

[mike11111]

Are we sure that all the given letters are correct?

[pcoles]

I have 5 down SICKENED "Recognise that small sugar-coated parcels were revolting" i.e. KEN with S+ICED, hence S

6 down ADULATORY " A day tour left wags puffing" anag. A+DAY+TOUR+L, hence A

7 DOWN YITZHAK "Israeli Embassy's ending broadcast at 1 KHz", i.e Y+anagram of AT+I+KHZ, hence the Y.

[mike11111]

Yep, looks fine to me.

[Voulez-vous]

6d is Laudatory making 5a) Sally

[mike11111]

Yes, that fits.

[Psybbo]

voulez vous, what a relief!

[pcoles]

Of course!

I'm of course annoyed that there are two anagrams that work for 6 down!