No 12883, Saturday 14 Mar 2020, Avtaar

ACROSS
1   Slogan of human traffickers (6) MANTRA (T)
4   You finally give up on this and solve “Wife dropped soap, say” (8) CLEANSER {CLuE}{ANSwER}
9   Did losers hoard rejected stock that is put in the market again? (6) RESOLD (T<=)
10 Union is advising President to replace heads of National Spot Exchange Limited (8) COUPLING {COU(-(nsel)+P)LING}
11 Antonio Shylock Morgan Stanley, say (8,6) MERCHANT BANKER {MERCHANT}{BANKER}
13 100% synthetic leather belts imported from the east (10) ALTOGETHER {LEATHER*} around {GOT<=}
14 A book by Indian rebel (4) ANTI {A}{NT}{I}
16 Kid is hiding black beer mug (4) TOBY {TO{B}Y}
18 Amazing start to Asiad reverberating outside Taiwan’s capital (10) ASTOUNDING {Asiad}{S{Taiwan}OUNDING}
21 March fifteen’s final entry is missing from worn-out Parliament diary (8,6) MILITARY PARADE {PARLIAMEnT+DIARY*}
23 Floods ravaged storefront — old female is killed (8) TORRENTS {SToREfRONT*}
24 “Unlimited Puns” — Eves’ film is open to public (6) UNVEIL {pUNs}{eVEs}{fILm}
25 This hairstyle bends behind (5,3) DUCK'S ASS {DUCKS}{ASS}
26 Loony infamously leaking info about Magdalen (6) ASYLUM {infAMoUSLY*}

DOWN
1   A mealtime tip is added (4) MORE ? {M}{OR}{E} M or E is tip of Mealtime. See comments
2   Garnishing on a thick crust of sweet piece of cake (2,5) NO SWEAT {ON+A+SWeET*}
3   Spooner says temper fuel first — it provides protection in case of a crash (4,4) ROLL CAGE  Spoonerism of {~ COAL RAGE}
5   Go round and round puddle rising over treacherous pothole (4,3,4) LOOP THE LOOP {POOL<=} POTHOLE*}
6   Address shock with injection of drug (6) APPEAL {APP{E}AL}
7   Patch is in operation after introduction of software with bug (5-2) STICK-ON {Software}{TICK}-{ON}
8   Raging red make-up is concerning (9)  REGARDING {RAGING+RED*}
12 Cloud changed start-ups a lot after launch of platforms took off (11) ALTOSTRATUS {STARTUpS+A+LOT*}
13 Tried a charm pocketed by Edward (9) ATTEMPTED {A{T{TEMPT}ED}
15 Corrupted net with diatribes, for starters (8) ENTRANTS {NET*}{RANTS}
17 Zodiac’s simple representation involving constellations, primarily (7) BALDRIC {BALD}{Representation}{Involving}{Constellations}
19 Winds cutting both sides? Fine to remain at home (7) INDWELL {wINDs}{WELL}
20 Shows ways to come back, avoiding traffic at the peak (6) STEERS {S(-t)REETS<=}
22 Top part of plant from which basic elements are formed (4) ?L?M YLEM {xYLEM} See comments

Reference List

Wife=W, President=P, Book=NT, Indian=I, Black=B, Old=O, Female=F
Drug-E

Colour/Font Scheme

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

Dr RKE's TalePiece

A letter from a concerned solver REGARDING today's THC

Dear Avtaar,

I ATTEMPTED today's crossword but the result was not ASTOUNDING. I guess I could not get the right MANTRA to UNVEIL the secrets of the cryptic wordplay. It was not a failure ALTOGETHER, as I could  put the MERCHANT of Venice and the usurious BANKER together to get Morgan Stanley. Having seen the IAF pilots doing  "LOOP-THE-LOOP" during the MILITARY PARADE on Republic Day recently also helped. I was in cloud nine after filling in ALTOSTRATUS, but in a TORRENT of tears as I had to GIVE UP on 4A. Was left wondering how to deBUG 7D and what the KID was HIDING in 16A. Though not a fresh ENTRANT to solving and being well-up on astronomy, I found 17D not at all SIMPLE. The protection of the ROLL CAGE could not prevent the WINDS CUTTING BOTH SIDES in 19D. Wish I'd been able to solve MORE, but I end this letter with an APPEAL to not dumb down your future offerings, as we learn from such toughies, when we look it up on THCC, thanks to the laudable efforts of the Colonel and his dedicated band.

Thanks
Sincerely yours
I am no Mathrubootham