No 14335, Wednesday 20 Nov 2024, Afterdark

Solution to 1D 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   Fit to steal (11) APPROPRIATE [DD]

9   Say, one from Nigeria can receive fair play (7) AFRICAN {CAN+FAIR}*}

10 Displays a dog's head inside? No, it's dogs (7) SHADOWS {SH{A}{Dog}OWS}

11 Topic of those people - to procure drugs (5) THEME {THEM}{E}

12 Secure right inside, bad debts heartlessly collected (9) HARVESTED {HA{R}VE}{DEbTS*}

13 First lady has book business (5) EVENT {EVE}{NT}

15 Holy man worried, people tense with announcement (9) STATEMENT {ST}{ATE}{MEN}{T}

18 Say, youngsters have support, trouble's overcoming hesitation (9) TEENAGERS {TEE}{NAG{ER}S}

21 Bengali gentleman's at a corner, observe (5) SENSE {SEN}{SE}

22 Quality of tea? Light at the end in stock, right! (9) CHARACTER {CHA}{RAC{l..hT}E}{R}

24 Sisters are full of love for places, things, animals etc (5) NOUNS {N{O}UNS} Definition by example

26 Painful back, one on wear (7) EROSION {SORE<=}{1}{ON}

27 Senior struggling to control one who is more loud (7) NOISIER {NO{1}SIER*}

28 Underground society in a country (11) NETHERLANDS {NETHER}{LAND}{S}

DOWN

1   Statecraft by individuals at Thailand is flat (9) A?A?T?E?T ()

2   Fantastic, super pouch (5) PURSE*

3   Group put fish in box, right? No, the other way round (9) ORCHESTRA {OR{CHEST}{R}A} No Anind for OARfish

4   Estates managed by revolutionary's primarily socialistic (7) RANCHES {RAN}{CHE}{So...c}

5   Asia tour arranged omitting old country (7) AUSTRIA {ASIA+ToUR}*

6   Eradicate cholera selectively, not entirely (5) ERASE [T]

7   Neither partner's article on force pertains to direction (8) NORTHERN {NOR}{THE}{RN}

8   Employed? Outspend frequently (4) USED {oUtSpEnD}

14 Cruel Eva tortured hiding in lift (8) ELEVATOR [T]

16 Key German city on trial to end racism primarily (9) ESSENTIAL {ESSEN}{TrIAL}

17 Arrest Sue distributing fortunes (9) TREASURES*

19 Former lover taking money at cantonment banks terminated (7) EXTINCT {EX}{TIN}{Ca...nT

20 Saint called Chief Executive? It's odd (7) STRANGE {ST}{RANG}{Ex...e}

22 Bolt loses lead in team (4) CREW sCREW

23 The greatest being. oddly dismissed as stranger (5) ALIEN {ALI}{bEiNg}

25 University (Oxford) joins new coalition (5) UNION {UNI}{O}{N}

Reference List

Drug = E, Right = R, Book = NT(New Testament), Holy man = ST(Saint), Tense = T, Corner = SE, Society = S, Old = O, Force = RN(Royal Navy), Oxford = O, New = N

No 14334, Tuesday 19 Nov 2024, Afterdark

Solution to 10A 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

9   A trainee leaves early at Middle English School, say (7) ACADEME {A}{CADEt}{ME}

10 Excavated cheat's dugout (7) C?N?A?E (Addendum - CONCAVE {CON}{CAVE} - See comments)

11 Husband's having food? Exciting (7) HEATING {H}{EATING}

12 State time on medium (7) AVERAGE {AVER}{AGE}

13 It's plain that trees in Georgia are deforested (9) SERENGETI {TREES+IN+GE}*

15 Time to invest money in street (5) STINT {S{TIN}T}

16 Company in Germany gets a Tesla and covering (7) COATING {CO}{A}{T}{IN}{G}

19 Novice director you reported gets sacked, replaced by Master of Arts (7) AMATEUR A(-u+ma)MATEUR

20 Old military leader training in the wide open (5) AGAPE {AGA}{PE}

21 Say, hearing impaired is with elder pair by arrangement (3,6) LIP READER*

25 Scrutinize in first person reportedly, part of over (7) EYEBALL {(~i)EYE}{BALL}

26 Son gambling when bishop's away in surroundings (7) SETTING {S}{bETTING}

28 Fancy that man getting critical care all round (7) CHIMERA {C{HIM}ERA*}

29 Seamen (English) in Orient are serious (7) EARNEST {EA{RN}{E}ST}

DOWN

1   Approach to get Oscar? Primarily suck feeling of sympathy (6) PATHOS {PATH}{O}{Suck}

2   One at South Africa enters pub in market (6) BAZAAR {B{A}{ZA}AR}

3   Food shop at capital? Not hot (4) DELI DELhI

4   Horse egg, E E E, ridiculous (3-3) GEE-GEE*

5   Painful condition for international cast on tour as spies infiltrate it (8) SCIATICA {I+CAST}* over {CIA}

6   Downplay untreated condition without a bit of stress (10) UNDERSTATE {UNTREATED}* over {St...s}

7   Heaven, erstwhile small denomination money in India can secure radios at 50% discount (8) PARADISE {PA{RADios}ISE}

8   Escapee has Gobi, perhaps with pear frequently (8) DESERTER {DESERT}{pEaR}

14 Reason Mike's beaten? He's a clapper (10) NOISEMAKER*

16 To mix fuel's key to gain energy (8) COALESCE {COAL}{ESC}{E}

17 Professor's at media broadcast in American College, Cuba (8) ACADEMIC {A}{C}{MEDIA*}{C}

18 Metal foil (lead alloy) presented in game (4,4) GOLD LEAF {GOL{LEAD*}F}

22 Discreet history of the Spanish (6) PASTEL {PAST}{EL}

23 One operates a vehicle to get a golf club (6) DRIVER [DD]

24 Expression of agreement given by doctor at house taking time (6) RIGHTO {RIG}{H{T}O}

27 Sailor's tense with call girl (4) TART {TAR}{T}

Reference List

Middle English = ME, Husband = H, Tesla = T, Old military leader = AGA, Training = PE, Son = S, Bishop = B, Seamen = RN(Royal Navy), Oscar = O, South Africa = ZA, Hot = H, International = I, Key = ESC, American = A, College = C, The in Spanish = EL, House = HO, Time = T, Tense = T