No 14413, Thursday 20 Feb 2025, Afterdark

Solution to 3D 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   New stem and almost a part of a flower (6) STAMEN {STEM+ANd}*

4   Firm getting a shelter for animals (6) STABLE [DD]

9   High uncles laugh at beginner's dance (4) HULA Acrostic

10 Morons got a bit rowdy, broke vault (10) STRONGROOM {MORONS+GOT+Ro..y}*

11 Say, Williams finishing off fifth contender untroubled (6) SERENE {SERENa}{c..tEn..r}

12 Daughter with ease, as we hear collected money with people for a leather garment (8) DEERSKIN {D}{(~ease)EE}{RS}{KIN}

13 Courier in trouble, keen to leave a note in place (9) MESSENGER {MESS}{E(-a+n)NGER}

15 Butchery by ex-VP (4) GORE [DD]

16 New small tea stall (4) SEAT {S+TEA}*

17 Say, safety drill conducted by top two cricketers (Ash) at match (5-4) CRASH-TEST {CRi...s}{ASH}{TEST}

21 Squash club collects fee (8) MACERATE {MACE}{RATE}

22 Lost a small plate (6) ASTRAY {A}{S}{TRAY}

24 Deputy's corruption on company lease (10) VICEGERENT {VICE}{GE}{RENT} New word for me

25 Flower offered for God (4) IRIS [DD]

26 Identity card? ID card lost by individual (6) ENTITY idENTITY card

27 Magnificent rehearsal showcases focus (6) CENTRE [T]

DOWN

1   Sleep in small shed, I am told (4-3) SHUT-EYE {S}{HUT}{(~i)EYE}

2   A positive tennis serve, fast (5) APACE {A}{P}{ACE}

3   As per report, agitation at CERN, head dismissed by direction (7) E?S?E?N ()

5   Ostentatious with money, steals regularly (6) TINSEL {TIN}{StEaLs}

6   Forbids to construct plant (5,4) BIRDS FOOT*

7   Controversial agenda tabled by Spain (7) EMOTIVE {MOTIVE}<=>{E}

8   Electrical appliance found at foothill, available at Zepto taken by engineer (6-7) FRIDGE-FREEZER {F}{RIDGE}{FREE}{Z}{ER}

14 Worried people enter vacant tenement after society's communiqué (9) STATEMENT {ATE}{MEN} in {Te...nT} after {S}

16 Injured bat, lies immobile (7) STABILE*

18 Upset hero at empty terminal exited entrance (7) STARTLE {STAR}{Te...aL}{Ex...d}

19 Ideas floated in Southern Spain coast (7) SEASIDE {IDEAS}* in {S}{E}

20 Caution in dugout, one taking last wicket (6) CAVEAT {CAVE}{A}{w...eT}

23 Model is not Mark (5) TAINT {T}{'AINT}

Reference List

Money = Rs, Note = N, Small = S, Positive = P, Spain = E, Foot = F, Zepto = Z, Engineer = ER, Society = S, Southern = S, Model = T

No 14412, Wednesday 19 Feb 2025, Vidwan

Solution to 23A 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Two months in the last quarter? Concentrate! (6) DECOCT {DEC}{OCT}

4   Opportunities to head into ship (6) SCAPES {S{CAPE}S}

10 The vile Yemeni, casting malicious look (4,3) EVIL EYE [T]

11 Trained agent putting love behind with rose! (7) TUTORED {T(-o)UT(+o)O}{RED} 

12 Ballot for appointment of a military chief? (7,8) GENERAL ELECTION [C&DD]

13 Ordinary, innocuous spice, most ordered! (13) INCONSPICUOUS {INNOCUOUS+SPICe}*

14 You cannot keep sitting on this instruction! (8,5) STANDING ORDER [CD]

21 Played by all fat fans too! It is not a real competition! (7,8) FANTASY FOOTBALL*

22 Give up control over half of Gallic nation (7) REFRAIN {RE{FRAnce}IN}

23 Clues about a forgotten legend of dribble (7) S?I?T?E (Addendum - SPITTLE {TIPS<=}{TaLE} - See comments)

24 This Greek art could provide rationale (6) EOLIAN [CA] {EOLIAN+ART}* = {RATIONALE} 

25 See southern parts blast (6) DESCRY {DE{S}CRY}

DOWN

1   Basically to delve, remove earth, dig ground, excavate (6) DREDGE Acrostic &lit

2   Life energy's almost gone anyway, by opening of navel and roll of hair on nape of neck (7) CHIGNON {CHI}{GONe*}{Na..l}

3   Ice hero's animated greeting (7) CHEERIO*

5   Some delicate chunks of resin (7) CATECHU [T]

6   Rest inside Alexander's adversary's territory (7) PURLIEU {PUR{LIE}U}

7   Editor going in without chairs (6) SEDANS {S{ED}ANS}

8   Making fresh arrangement by correcting, taking time out for girl (13) RECLASSIFYING REC(-t+lass)LASSFYING

9   Hero's last manoeuvres involved King's decoy (8-5) STALKING-HORSE {HEROS+LAST}* over {KING}

15 Unfelt, universal, kind of musical (7) TUNEFUL {UNFELT+U}*

16 A raga in flowing river (7) NIAGARA*

17 Rope from Spooner's loo (7) RATLINE (latrine to ratline)

18 Tolerant English girl ignoring backside spasm (7) ELASTIC {A}{LASs}{TIC}

19 Disreputable girlfriend or Church? That's some weight! (6) GFORCE {GF}{OR}{CE} Why disreputable? Enu should be (1-5)

20 Inactive agent has cover (6) SLEEPY {S{LEE}PY}

Reference List

Ship = SS, Southern = S, Time = T, Universal = U, Girlfriend = GF, Church = CE, Cover = LEE