No 13458, Thursday 20 Jan 2022, Dr. X

Solution to 27A 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   Kind son taken in by sponges and wimps (8) MILKSOPS {M{ILK}{S}OPS}

5   Cabins with bags filled with heroin (6) SHACKS {S{H}ACKS}

10 Chance to check equipment in warship (7) FRIGATE {F{RIG}ATE}

11 Lies about receiving small sum of money, mostly as commission (7) LICENSE {LI{CENt}SE*}

12 Use specialist to eliminate president (5) EXERT EXpERT

13 Criminal outside bar meets man getting dope (9) BLOCKHEAD {B{LOCK}{HE}AD}

14 Disfigurement perhaps left permanently in bacterial disease (7,5) SCARLET FEVER {SCAR}{LEFT*}{EVER}

18 Running fast is exercise giving pleasure (12) SATISFACTION {FAST+IS}*{ACTION} 

21 Hot exotic dancer in bar (9) HINDRANCE {H}{DANCER+IN}*

23 Vacation from endless work (5) LEAVE {LEAVEn}

24 Sumo is tense, drinking water (7) MOISTEN [T]

25 Hissing from oxygen canister in corner (7) HOOTING {HO{O}{TIN}G}

26 Pirates, heartily cheerful after capturing grand merchant ship (6) ARGOSY {pirAtes}{R{G}OSY}

27 Ebullient copper nailed by spirited punch (8) ?P?E?C?T (Addendum - UPPERCUT {UP}{PER{CU}T} - See comments)

DOWN

1   Spoiled by money, female enters silly feud (6) MUFFED {M}{UF{F}ED*}

2   Partner needs a bit of Viagra to have sex, causing delay (6) LOITER LO(-v+it)ITER

3   Gladiator in fight cuts vigorously, crushing head of adversary (9) SPARTACUS {SPAR{T{Ad...y}CUS*}

4   Agonising to keep solving algebra, agreeing to a lesser punishment (4,10) PLEA BARGAINING {P{ALGEBRA*}AINING}

6   Slash over E is diacritical mark (5) HACEK {HAC{E}K} 

7   Maintain firm resolution to stay sober primarily (8) CONSERVE {CO}{N{So..r}ERVE}

8   They pay out money, manipulating press to secure objective (8) SPENDERS {SP{END}ERS*}

9   Where merchandise might be displayed in a disorganised state (3,4,3,4) ALL OVER THE SHOP [DD]

15 Unattached fellow, very uplifted by love, enthralled by miss (9) FOOTLOOSE {F}{TOO<=}{LO{O}SE}

16 It primarily leads to myocardial infarction, embodied by terrible aches (8) ISCHEMIA {It}{SCHE{My...l}{In...n}A*} &lit

17 Model basking outside is gorgeous (8) STUNNING {S{T}UNNING}

19 American goes berserk without hesitation in‘Psycho’ (6) MANIAC AMerICAN*

20 Hot moment after wife removed top (6) HEIGHT {H}{wEIGHT}

22 Somewhat clever at escaping taxes (5) RATES [T]

Reference List

Son = S, Heroin = H, President = P, Hot = H, Grand = G, Female = F, Sex = IT, Fellow = F, Model = T, Wife = W

No 13457, Wednesday 19 Jan 2022, Dr. X

Solution to 14A 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   Only watercolours? Somewhat unattractive (2,3,8) NO OIL PAINTING {NO OIL}{PAINTING}

8   Characters in Mensa, extraordinary (5) NAMES*

9   Dreamed about female, most outstanding, having a round visage (4-5) MOON-FACED {MOON{F}{ACe}ED}

11 Dope in Manali, primarily purest, going wild in do (4,6) PASS MUSTER {P{ASS}{Ma...i}USTER}

12 Stuff revealed by mistress to wife (4) STOW [T]

14 Settling with modern woman leaving cheat (7) N?S?I?G (Addendum - NESTING {NEw}{STING} - See comments) 

16 Choose again to rock on ecstasy and cocaine at bar (7) REELECT {REEL}{E}{C}{T}

17 Spiral shaped clip almost cuts patch up (7) HELICAL {HE{CLIp<=}AL}

19 Small jazz band touring most ancient city in Asia (7) COLOMBO {C{OLd}OMBO}

21 Swelling behind head of pancreas (4) BUMP {BUM}{Pa...s}

22 Unusually erotic ads about condoms finally banned (10) OSTRACISED {EROTICS+ADS}* over {c...mS}

25 Reckless criminal and rogue start to shoot (9) DANGEROUS {AND+ROGUE}*{Sh..t}

26 Pleasurable to cuddle sweetheart finally over mattress (5) FUTON {FU{s...rT}{O}N}

27 Blunder by sleepy pro sadly in perilous course (8,5) SLIPPERY SLOPE {SLIP}{SLEEPY+PRO}*

DOWN

2   Diffusion of fluid consequently rises with flowerless plant retaining iodine (7) OSMOSIS {SO<=}{MOS{I}S}

3   They keep staying awake in casinos, desperate to win money (10) INSOMNIACS {IN+CASINOS}* over {M}

4   Interrogates politician overwhelmed by knocking back drink (5) PUMPS {PU{MP}S<=}

5   Erotic maiden is artfully showing type of exercise (9) ISOMETRIC {EROTIC+M+IS}*

6   High-protein food in diet of ultramarathoners (4) TOFU [T]

7   Chick extremely enthralled by bag that is a fashion accessory (7) NECKTIE {NE{ChicK}T}{IE}

8   Stop husband starting to undress in bed, high after consuming beer (3,2,3,3) NIP IN THE BUD {H+Un...s+IN+BED}* over {PINT}

10 Overwhelmed by drink, model at bar seeks joint (11) DOWNTRODDEN {DOWN}{T}{ROD}{DEN}

13 Careless dope climbed and fell, cut badly (10) NEGLECTFUL {GEN<=}{FELL+CUT}*

15 Completely stumped, lost tackling calculus (4,5) GALL STONE {G{ALL}{ST}ONE}

18 All shocked about flimsy mini, barely perceptible (7) LIMINAL {L{MINI*}AL}

20 Blunder by young lady to kiss back (7) MISSTEP {MISS}{PET<=}

23 Discoloured gutter outside small yard (5) RUSTY {RU{S}T}{Y}

24 King left for dead in castle, mysterious (4) DEEP (-k+D}DEEP

Reference List

Female = F, Wife = W, Woman = W, Ecstasy = E, Cocaine = C, Bar = T, Over = O, Money = M, Drink = SUP, Maiden = M, Husband = H, Model = T, Dope = GEN, Stumped = ST, Kiss = PET, Small = S, Yard = Y, King = K, Dead = D