No 12344, Friday 15 Jun 2018, Aspartame

Today being Friday only the blank clues will be posted. All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake someone will correct it with the right annotation.

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers till 2 PM thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

The regular blog will replace the clues at 2 PM after which anyone is free to comment.

Thanks to everyone for the response. Here's the regular blog.

ACROSS
6   Wooden record? (7) LOGBOOK [CD]
7   Abruptly lure and kill a monster (7) DRACULA {DRAw}{CULl}{A}
9   Hospital averted deaths by training substitute (5) STEAD DEAThS*
10 Nobleman headed off to sell bird (9) NIGHTHAWK {kNIGHT}{HAWK}

11 Invigilator gave away good money for preparation of Italian food (7) RAVIOLI inVIgILAtOR*
13 Performed essential honours at resting place having the old... (6) OBEYED {honOurs}{BE{YE}D}
15 ... dashing Asian hitmen put out circulations (2-2-3-6) UP-TO-THE-MINUTE {E+HITMEN+PUT+OUT}*
19 Accessory animal wore at... (6) AMULET {A{MULE}T}
20 ...fancy fur sale gets thumbs down (7) REFUSAL*
23 Duke of Edinburgh needs to choose, recite hate speech (9) PHILIPPIC {PHILIP}{PIC(~pick)}
24 Big styling gel bottles are ultimately removed (5) LARGE {GEL+ARe}*
26 Solider entering bar? That makes sense (7) LOGICAL {LO{GI}CAL}
27 Anxiety to increase threefold during speech (7) TROUBLE (~treble)

DOWN
1   Go away to search for eyeball (4) OGLE goOGLE
2   Heads of Vatican open one doctoral office on religion (6) VOODOO Acrostic
3   Tipsy knights need it put up to be rigid (4-5) SKIN-TIGHT {IT<=} in {KNIGHTS}*
4   Was deal raised by one national full of trash? (8) WASTEBIN {WAS}{BET<=}{1}{N}
5   Without learning, carefully sculpt a yule tree (10) EUCALYPTUS {SCUlPT+A+YULE}*
6   Light from Honolulu's trees... (6) LUSTRE [T]
7   ... reveals tunnels (4) DIGS [DD]
8   Ok, I will take aid to train for martial art (6) AIKIDO {OK+I+AID}*
12 Steamy crows? (10) VAPOURINGS [DD]
14 Cream to be used to bathe... (9)  EMBROCATE*
16 .... old relative using extremely elegant and soft clothing (3-5) ONE-PIECE {O}{N{El...t}{P}IECE}
17 Fish has a large bone (6) CARPAL {CARP}{A}{L}
18 Assert that legal action needs basic evidence (6) ALLEGE {LEGAL*}{Ev...e}
21 Movement of captured criminal is unchecked (6) FALLOW {F{AL}LOW}
22 Manila police about to unearth precious stone (4) OPAL [T<=]
25 Engineer to invite senior inside to give costume (4) ROBE {R{OB}E}

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 63

It is but LOGICAL for one to ask what was happening on the other side of Shangri-la.

The NIGHTHAWKS were enjoying their RAVIOLI and the VAPOURINGS were about the day's happenings.

And the LARGE crowd. Whom did they OGLE?

MARGARITA !  ( New name given to Rita).

Rita enters the floor and removes her ROBE. Claps and whistles are heard  ​after momentary silence.

She is dressed in a skimpy SKIN TIGHT ONE PIECE. There is that resinous LUSTRE from her OPAL AMULET. The fragrance from the French VOODOO perfume that she is wearing permeates around.

The band which UP TO THE MINUTE was getting prepared begin their first number. Marguerita (Elvis Presley).

The adventurous are taken care of by Clement in DRACULA costume who is adept in AIKIDO, Kung-fu et al. and put in their STEAD.

His orders are ​OBEYED and there is no TROUBLE. Only gentle (!) REFUSALS.

What happened next?

Trivia.

1. Marguerita has been plagiarized in the Hindi song Kaun Hai Jo Sapno Mein Aaya (Movie: Jhuk Gaya Aasmaan).