No 12411, Saturday 01 Sep 2018, Dr. X

Across

1. Short skirts put a strain on the priesthood (8) MINISTRY {MINIS}{TRY}
5. Shake hands with character (4-2) MAKE-UP (DD)
10. Saw traveller in empty pub (7 ) PROVERB {Pu{ROVER}B}
11. Extra source of oil in Tehran possibly (7) ANOTHER {Oil} in {TEHRAN*}
12. Beginning to enjoy opening match (5) EVENT {Enjoy}{VENT}
13. Having fever with rash? (9) HOTHEADED (CD&D)
14. Deceit after bickering in rift – This might eventually lead to divorce? (7,5) GROWING APART {G{ROWING} AP}{ART}
18. Hesitate // like a schizophrenic? (2,2,3,5) BE OF TWO MINDS (D&CD)
21. Removes group entering to criticise (9) DISLODGES {DIS{LODGE}S}
23. Taking cocaine and ecstasy across border! It could be organised? (5) CRIME {C{RIM}E}
24. Crooked retailer shifting money to African country (7) ERITREA {RETAIlER*}
25. A poet is high on drugs (7) OPIATES {A+POET+IS*}
26. Ministers harbouring essentially corrupt inclinations (6) TRENDS {T{corRupt}ENDS}
27. Resolute about including someone of exceptional quality (8) STANDOUT {ST{AND}OUT}

Down

1. Foolish person ran across to restrain agitated pup (6) MUPPET {M{PUP*}ET}
2. Perceptions about love — They could be breath-taking? (6) NOOSES {NO{O}SES}
3. Suspected of harassing, a star’s about to run (5,1,3) SMELT A RAT {A+STAR*} around {MELT}
4. If you do this, genie will not appear // to irritate (3,3,5,3) RUB THE WRONG WAY (CD&D)
6. Make amends with a sorry note (5) ATONE {A}{NOTE*}
7. Artfully reshaped evergreen shrubs (8) EPHEDRAS {RESHAPED*}
8. Vessels filled with oriental clear green gemstones (8) PERIDOTS {P{E}{RID}OTS}
9. Method of inventory accounting // that’s the motto of the work-shy employee? (4-2,5-3) LAST-IN FIRST-OUT (D&CD)
15. Craving increasing to snort cocaine (9) ADDICTION {ADDI{C}TION}
16. Unhappily be on diet, following orders (8) OBEDIENT {BE+ON+DIET}
17. Plan to attentively study feature of church (8) CONSPIRE {CON}{SPIRE}
19. Extremely easily abandoned silly sobriety in small tavern (6) BISTRO {SOBeRITy*}
20. Some returned to protest ejection by the wealthy (3,3) JET SET (T<=)
22. Took off, lost direction and had a row? (5) OARED {sOARED}

Reference List
Cocaine=C, Ecstasy=E, Money=L (Pounds)
Love=O, Oriental=E

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID