No 13776, Tuesday 31 Jan 2023, Gussalufz

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.

Someone to identify the theme and the theme words.

ACROSS

1   "Fabric is certainly from Germany" — king, maybe while clothing queen (8) JACQUARD {JA}{C{QU}ARD}

6   After backing explosive claims, Gujarat's leader has a problem (6) ENIGMA {M{Gu...t}INE<=}{A}

9   Recess on the counter in office space (4) APSE [T<=]

10 Article with murky origins leads to speculation (10) THEORISING {THE}{ORIGINS*}

11 Desperately tries to chase married man (6) MISTER {TRIES}*<=>{M}

12 Garbage recycled, say, after moving to small waste bins (8) A?H?R?Y? 

13 Dr. X's Y? That's it! (3,2,5) END OF STORY {Y is end of story)

15 Hollow, easily forgotten past promise (4) BOND BONeD

17 Labour blocks its second candidate's aspiration (4) SEAT SwEAT

18 Get rid of water, honey, urn, myrrh (items devotees originally used during worship) (10) DEHUMIDIFY {Ho..y}{Urn}{My..h}{It..s}{De...s} in {DEIFY}

20 Korean vote surprisingly expresses no new change in leadership (8) TAKEOVER {KOREAn+VoTE}*

22 Warden and Woburn, for example, getting bowled for fifty twice in back streets (6) ABBEYS A(-ll+bb)BBEYS

24 Engineer random changes in parent note (10) MEMORANDUM {E}{RANDOM*} in {MUM}

26 A bit of nerve, taking clothes off in taxi in use! (4) AXON {tAXi}{ON}

27 Go through dessert, skipping one staple food item (6) PIERCE {PIE}{RiCE}

28 Screamed after suppressing a cry of anguish and turned pale (8) YELLOWED {YELL{OW}ED}

DOWN

2   Can I mash in fruit blender? (9) APPLIANCE {CAN+I}* in {APPLE}

3   Seeking technique studied secretly (5) QUEST [T]

4   Habits of extremely affluent bores (7) ATTIRES {Af...nT}{TIRES}

5   Prescribed food, not timepass! (3) DIE DIEt

6   Sensual and without reservations when out of India, husband moves lower (7) EARTHLY (-h)EART(+h)HiLY

7   "Angry Birds" — nice, impressively written (9) INSCRIBED*

8   Penny perhaps king's taken from fool (5) MONEY MONkEY

12 A different one, found in America, not here (7) ANOTHER [T]

14 Regularly worn hot Nehru cap of officials (2,3,4) ON THE HOUR {HOT+NEHRU+Of...s}*

16 New gas masks gain approval for military manoeuvre (2-3,4) NO FLY ZONE {N}{O{FLY}ZONE}

18 Married woman had to stray (7) DEVIATE {DEVI}{ATE}

19 Foul-smelling salami that's spoiled after a month (7) MIASMAL {SALAMI}*<=>{M}

21 Asian jazz genre — it's covered frequently (5) AZERI {jAzZ+gEnRe+It}

23 A couple of slices of bread, and eggs over well done (5) BRAVO {BRead}{OVA<=}

25 Period and comma, say, basically? (3) DAY Tail acrostic

Reference List

Certainly in German = JA, Queen = QU, Married = M, Easily = E, Bowled = B, Fifty = L, Engineer = E, India = I, Husband = H, King = K, New = N, Month = M

No 13775, Monday 30 Jan 2023, Avtaar

Congrats to Avataar for his Half Century in The Hindu.

Solution to 1A 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.

ACROSS

1   One among every other feline gets lost (7) ?O?L?R? (Addendum - FORLORN - {F or L or N} - See comments)

5   Nobleman in Paris who visits another planet (7) MARQUIS {MAR{QUI}S}

10 Flatness, oddly, in propellers (4) FANS {FlAtNeSs}

11 Veteran international loads semi-automatic pistols just right (10) GOLDILOCKS {G{OLD}{I}LOCKS}

12 Revolutionary work in alternative medicine (6) POTION (OP<=TION)

13 Moderate leader of India welcomed by comrade recently (8) PALLIATE {PAL}{L{In..a}ATE}

14 Flatland in Palo Alto, almost completely destroyed (9) ALTIPLANO {IN+PALO+ALTo}*

16 Peasant from backward district in Maharashtra (5) KISAN<= 

17 Quick! Say,"Cheese" before start of filming (5) BRIEF {BRIE}{Fi...g}

19 Squad captivated by how Detective Sergeant cracked murder cases (9) WHODUNITS {UNIT} in {HOW+DS}*

23 Iron strap reflecting "L" carried by beginner (4-4) GOLF-CLUB {FLOG<=}{C{L}UB}

24 Very old, large bird echoing sound (6) VOLUME {V}{O}{L}{EMU<=}

26 Long off? (10) SABBATICAL [CD]

27 Division backing king (4) FORK {FOR}{K}

28 Sex joints getting aired, apparently (2,5) IT SEEMS {IT}{SEEMS(~seams)}

29 Squeeze lock to eavesdrop, says Spooner (4,3) BEAR HUG (~hair bug to bear hug)

DOWN

2   Where one may find films enjoying a good run (2,1,4) ON A ROLL [DD]

3   Unlimited vintage drink (5) LASSI cLASSIc

4   Trendy, majestic clothes of the Queen (7) REGINAL {REG{IN}AL}

6   Commercial featuring carefree life away from home (6) AFIELD {A{LIFE*}D}

7   Incomplete citation by Indian nationalist put out in daily (9) QUOTIDIAN {QUOTe}{InDIAN}

8   African politicians drink at Hampstead bars (7) INKATHA [T]

9   New black sat phone? Congratulations! (4,2,3,4) SLAP ON THE BACK*

15 Story by popular English fellow is beyond description (9) INEFFABLE {FABLE}<=>{IN}{E}{F}

18 Warning to stop terrible, unending atrocity (4,3) RIOT ACT ATROCITy* Semi&lit

20 Delegate's review of electric vehicle - much adored (7) DEVOLVE {EV}{LOVED}<=

21 In the Philippines, wild buffalo is detained by gnu - a ram attacks from below (7) TAMARAU [T<=]

22 Donald Thomas, after cutting hands badly, drops a drink (3,3) OLD TOM {dOnaLD+ThOMas}

25 Long-time prisoner initially locked-up in farmhouse escapes resourcefully (5) LIFER Acrostic

Reference List

Who in French = QUI, International = I, Detective Sergeant = DS, Very = V, Old =O, Large = L, King = K, Sex = IT, Trendy = IN, Commercial = AD, Nationalist = N, Popular = IN, English = E, Fellow = F, Electric vehicle = EV