No 14362, Saturday 21 Dec 2024, Afterdark

 ACROSS
1Rural teen mostly knows about software modelled on human brain (6,7) NEURAL NETWORK {RURAL TEEN KNOWs}*
10 Cop and man having a good time, spending half of it on pasta (9) SPAGHETTI {SP{A}{G}{HE}{T}{TIme}

11 Group of musicians becomes outcaste after leaving USA (5) OCTET {OuTCasTE}*
12 Rector's finger cut in the front by a point in compass (5) RHUMB {R}{tHUMB}
13 Ugly, ugly things spend a grand and get a facelift (9) UNSIGHTLY {UgLY THINGS}*
14 Canines growing with support on time, husband easing primarily (6) TEETHE {TEE}{T}{Husband}{Easing}
16 Tips from old brother on enjoying an instrument (4) OBOE {ACROSTICS}
19 Collection of spiles trimmed (4) PILE {sPILEs}
20 Tour over days gets support (6) TRIPOD {TRIP}{O}{D}
25 Drama is on cleaner's work time (4,5) SOAP OPERA {SOAP}{OP}{ERA}
26 Lad has good energy, one over par (5) BOGEY {BO{G}{E}Y}
27 A wooden peg found in window elongating (5) DOWEL {T}
28 Zero scope to get a deal at 50% off for a beverage (9) ORANGEADE {O}{RANGE}{A}{DEal}
29 Greeting gender-fluid person in the door having a hole in wrinkled minis indulging in deliberate act to attract attention (13) EXHIBITIONISM {EX{HI}{BI}IT}{ O in MINIS*}

DOWN
2 People ordered to leave cause Eve is disturbed (8) EVACUEES*
3 Treatment for addiction at bar, he is drunk (5) REHAB*
4 A powder with bright character and soluble primarily (6) LITMUS {LIT}{MU}{Soluble}
5 Ejection of lady in East India, only stopped midway (8) EMISSION {E{MISS}I}{ONly}
6 Order gown, order for sinner (9) WRONGDOER*
7 Spin at the far end? Ball landing on mid-pitch, worried (6) ROTATE {faR}{O}{piTch}{ATE}
8 Liveliness comes with sixth sense, right? (one that's internal) (6) ESPRIT {ESP}{R{I}T}
9 Orders to stop first train; stops (5) STAYS {S{Train}AYS}
15 Hot oil polio treatment by common people (3,6) HOI POLLOI {H OIL POLIO}*
17 Portuguese footballer Ron has a sausage (8) PEPERONI {PEPE}{RON}{I}

18 Notice girls having a telescope (8) SPYGLASS {SPY}{G}{LASS}
21 Opening's gone according to Spooner on couch (3,3) DAY BED {Spoonerism of BAY DEAD}
22 Departure is from an end (5) ASIDE {A}{SIDE}
23 Doctor's aware; unknown secretion (6) EARWAX {AWARE*}{X}
24 Son gets one pound, international sausage (6) SALAMI {S}{A}{LAM}{I}

26 Start to plead at home (5) BEGIN {BEG}{IN}

REFERENCE LIST

Cop=SP, Man=He, Good=G, Time=T, Rector=R, Grand=G, Husband=H, Over=O, Days=D, Work=OP, Energy=E, Zero=O, Hole=O, Character(Greek)=Mu, Lady=Miss, East=E, India=I, Ball=O, Sixth Sense=ESP, Right=RT, Girl=G and Lass, Son=S, At home=In.

No 14361, Friday 20 Dec 2024, Afterdark

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ACROSS

8 Tom first goes to say, Puducherry to get a strong cord (6) CATGUT {CAT}{Goes}{UT}

9 Obsessed with one idea of building a new rocket (3-5) ONE TRACK {A N ROCKET}*

10 Torture comes from hostile guards; to be sacked and swap positions of two characters (8) AGGRIEVE {AGGR{+I-e}{+E}SS{-i}VE}

11 British prime minister almost is at war (6) BATTLE {B}{ATTLEe}

12 Intoxicated son's stress leads to depression primarily (6) STONED {S}{TONE}{Dep.....ion}

13 Prayer at entry, close to the gate is made up (8) ENTREATY {AT ENTRY {gatE}*

15 Tramp in cocktail parties (7) TRAIPSE*

17 Unfortunate one, learner at University of California, knowingly shallow (7) UNLUCKY {UN}{L}{UC}{KnowinglY}

20 Democratic artist over time gets brown sugar (8) DEMERARA {DEM}{RA} over {ERA}

22 Pups identified to have an advantageous aspect (6) UPSIDE {T}

23 Loved a party with radical journo (6) ADORED {A}{DO}{R}{ED}

25 Timidity of firm lad on the fringes? Get a measure (4,4) COLD FEET {CO}{LaD}{FEET}

26 Two pubs having a competition primarily, wild (8) BARBARIC {BAR}{BAR}{I}{Comp.....ion}

27 Person behind stumps is vital, according to report (6) KEEPER {KEE{~KEY}{PER}}

DOWN

1 Child changes cap for amusement (8) LAUGHTER {-d+L AUGHTER}

2 Mostly violent behaviour with a Sikh leader at England and advance (10) AGGRANDISE {AGGRo}{AND}{I}{Sikh}{E}

3 Guard's a railway official, new joined on first of December (6) ATTEND {A}{TTE}{N}{Dec.....ber}

4 Protected company, so almost sued for 50% cut (7) COVERED {CO}{VERy}{suED}

5 Prohibited part of speech shown at 0.10 (8) VERBOTEN {VERB}{O}{TEN}

6 Tailless beast is very dry (4) BRUT {BRUTe}

7 After removing ticks ultimately, treated coolest cat, say (6) OCELOT {COOLEsT}*

14 I reuse film innovatively to make a surface-active agent (10) EMULSIFIER*

16 Normal //flag (8) STANDARD {DD}

18 King's force gets starter-less free food (8) KEDGEREE {K}{EDGE}{fREE}

19 Wireless out of control, bird is on a conical pile in field (7) HAYCOCK {HAYwire}{COCK}

21 Make lovable climax with attention (6) ENDEAR {END}{EAR}

22 1 + 51 + 1000, egghead is distinct (6) ALIKE {A}{LI}{K}{Egg}

24 Polish last variety of mineral stone (4) RUBY {RUB}{varietY}

REFERENCE LIST

New=N, Guards=SS, British=B, Son=S, One=UN,I,A, Learner=L, University of California=UC, Democratic=Dem, Radical=R, Firm=CO, A=I, England=E, Railway offical=TTE.