No 14159, Friday 26 Apr 24, Hypatia

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

1   Instructions to cook crepe mixed with maida essentially (6) RECIPE {REC{maIda}PE*} Semi&lit

4   Group looked around ruins (6) WASTES {SET}{SAW}<=

9   Grows older when leaves shed softly (4) AGES pAGES

10 Spoke about old city next to river that's enclosed (10) SURROUNDED {S{UR}{R}OUNDED}

11 Secret cabinet (6) CLOSET [DD]

12 Fine returning to fetch an old gran's knitted jumper (8) KANGAROO {OK<=} over {A+GRAN+O}*

13 Expert setter's books become famous (9) PROMINENT {PRO}{MINE}{NT}

15 Basically bachelors aren't immune to temptation (4) BAIT Acrostic

16 Browse online - it's mostly safe and fine (4) SURF {SURe}{F}

17 Understand one's lost in vehicles behind schedule (9) TRANSLATE {TRAiNS}{LATE}

21 Secure initially high sum on return - it can grow fast (8) MUSHROOM {MOOR}{High}{SUM}<=

22 Value Eskimo men trimming traps (6) MOMENT [T]

24 Crowds welcoming hot and ultimately chic royals (10) PRINCESSES {PR{IN}{chiC}ESSES}

25 Time's endless for nobody (4) NOON {NO ONe}

26 Say, is IT team not even providing network (6) SYSTEM {SaY+iS+iT+tEaM}

27 Kind offer (6) TENDER [DD}

DOWN

1   Right attack left and argue as usual (7) REGULAR {R}{L+ARGUE}*

2   Expenses rising in most societies (5) COSTS [T<=]

3   Afghan president has bad time with global body (7) PASHTUN {P}{HAS*}{T}{UN}

5   For starters, all male orangutans use nimble toes supply (6) AMOUNT Acrostic

6   Essentially customer loan via mobile that's useless (2,2,5) TO NO AVAIL {cusTOmer}{LOAN+VIA}*

7   That woman had to keep a nanny (3-4) SHE-GOAT {SHE}{GO{A}T}

8   Breach of trust by reps, IMO (6,7) BROKEN PROMISE {REPS+IMO}* [RA]

14 Traders gathered orders finally around busy ranch (9) MERCHANTS {ME{RANCH*}T}{o...rS}

16 Queen wearing Indian drapes spurns English suits (7) SQUARES {S{QU}AReES}

18 Like teacher initially checking label for greeting (7) NAMASTE {NAM{AS}{Te...r}E}

19 Spooner's fully cooked dal, say in clay oven (7) TANDOOR (~ done toor to tandoor)

20 Sailor in comics to look after dad (6) POPEYE {EYE}<=>{POP}

23 Dug up jeans from below (5) MINED<=

Reference List

Softly = P, Old city = UR, River = R, Old = O, Books = NT(New Testament), Fine = F, Hot = IN, Right = R, Left = L, President = P, Time = T, Queen = QU

No 14158, Thursday 25 Apr 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 12A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Excessive consumption of alcohol in big dinner parties by star (5,8) BINGE DRINKING {BIG+DINNER}*{KING}

8   Martial arts instructor's endless wisdom (5) SENSE SENSEi

9   Macho male is perhaps taking special pleasure in being dominated (9) MASOCHISM {MACHO+M+IS} over {S}

11 Growing trend of crash dieting is primarily ridiculous (6,4) RISING TIDE* {DIETING+IS+Ri...s}*

12 Stand by one breaking down on retirement (4) ?A?S (Addendum - DAIS {SA{1}D<=}- See comments))

14 New jockey crushed by mistake, getting more jittery (7) NERVIER {N}{ER{VIE}R}

16 Confront prince - chucked cup of tea angrily (7) OUTFACE {CUp+OF+TEA}*

17 Clear the dirty boxes connected electrically to the ground (7) EARTHED [T]

19 Enliven proceedings at premiere with crystal meth in drink (5,2) SPICE UP {S{Pr...s}{ICE}UP}

21 Horseman terrified to tackle rebellious Italian mount (4) ETNA [T<=]

22 Not lucrative to maintain university for bird-rearing (10) AVICULTURE {LUCRATIVE}* over {U}

25 Male star playing lead in Chinatown as a clever dick (5,4) SMART ALEC {MALE+STAR}*{Ch...n}

26 Good deception, snaring Dravid at first slip (5) GLIDE {G}{LI{Dr...d}E}

27 Reason to visit trichologist leads to quibbling (4-9) HAIR-SPLITTING [DD]

DOWN

2   Device improving air quality inside - infection is eradicated (7) IONISER [T]

3   Endlessly kiss lady in darkness? OK! (5,5) GREEN LIGHT {GREEt}{N{L}IGHT}

4   Resign from department over issue (5) DEMIT {D}{EMIT}

5   Cunning shown by unpleasant Aussies finally for victory (9) INSIDIOUS IN(+s-v)SIDIOUS

6   High boot (4) KICK [DD]

7   One enthralled by knocking back drink at a Japanese city (7) NIIGATA {GI{1}N<=}{AT}{A}

8   Eccentricity of one on dope, overwhelmed by tension (11) STRANGENESS {STR{AN}{GEN}ESS}

10 Outstanding work by team with precise moves (11) MASTERPIECE {TEAM+PRECISE}*

13 Error found in minute - it will brighten things up! (5,5) STRIP LIGHT {S{TRIP}LIGHT}

15 Rebuild deep love, making up after a little rift (9) REDEVELOP {DEEP+LOVE}<=>{Rift}

18 Rush with gun, start to attack settlement in Kiribati (7) RUNGATA {RUN}{GAT}{At...k}

20 Escape in mounting commotion, stealing large carbuncle at centre (7) ELUSION {NOISE<=} over {L}{c..bUn..e}

23 Cause of communicable, clinical infections primarily (5) COCCI acrostic &lit

24 Wanting a set of steps for song and dance (4) STIR STaIR

Reference List

Special = S, New = N, Prince = P, University = U, Good = G, Lady = L, Department = D, Victory = V, Dope = GEN, Gun = GAT, Large = L