No 13067, Thursday 15 Oct 2020, Dr. X

PLEASE READ THE ADVISORY ON THE TOP LEFT HAND SIDE OF THIS PAGE THIS IS SPECIALLY FOR ALL THOSE WHO POST AS UNKNOWN.

Solution to 8D 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   Mimic overwhelmed by liquor, becoming impudent (8) MALAPERT {MAL{APER}T}

5   Precisely rotates favourite component in engine (6) TAPPET {PAT<=}{PET} 

10 Crooned with character knocking back alcoholic drink (7) SANGRIA {SANG}{AIR<=}

11 Remove hair from pie cooked fresh (7) EPILATE {PIE*}{LATE}

12 Informed of a fight on base (5) AWARE {A}{WAR}{E}

13 Balding actor essentially seeks advice about performing operation (4,2,3) THIN ON TOP {acTor}{HIN{ON}T}{OP}

14 Model proceeds to approach flirtatiously (4,8) MAKE ADVANCES {MAKE}{ADVANCES}

18 What lovers might do to be closely connected? (2,4,2,4) GO HAND IN HAND [DD]

21 Bird on tower decapitating rodent in retaliation (3,3,3) TIT FOR TAT {TIT}{FORT}{rAT}

23 Angry characters in stir at Eton (5) IRATE [T]

24 Buy and sell cars (7) TRAFFIC [DD]

25 Weak old runner going around in tights (7) MAILLOT {MA{ILL}{O}T}

26 Sew up ruptured uterus (6) SUTURE*

27 Assist artfully, catching ball close to boundary showing equilibrium (8) ISOSTASY* {ASSIST}* over {O} and {b...rY}

DOWN

1   Plan to block his vigorous blow (6) MISHAP {M{HIS*}AP}

2   Capture gold in carriage (6) LANDAU {LAND}{AU}

3   China in hole over onset of Covid-19! Thousands ultimately wiped out, killed (9) PORCELAIN {POR{Co...9}E}{sLAIN}

4   Give vehement warning and retaliate to tackle insanely hot tirade (4,3,4,3) READ THE RIOT ACT {RE{HOT+TIRADE}*ACT}

6   Flotsam in ocean contains a type of acid (5) AMINO [T]

7   Start to powerfully run, overcoming spasm in training (8) PRACTICE {Po...y}{RAC{TIC}E}

8   Wrongdoing by brash revolutionary smuggling bit of smack and dope (8) T?E?P?S? (Addendum - TRESPASS {P{Sm..k}ERT<=}{ASS} - See comments) 

9   Where one reading a newspaper might be old-fashioned (6,3,5) BEHIND THE TIMES [DD]

15 Insinuate misconduct in yearly payments (9) ANNUITIES*

16 Italian model enthralled by semiprecious stones and rocks (8) AGITATES {AG{I}{T}ATES}

17 Need to tackle damage by ultimately destructive insect (5,3) WHITE ANT {W{HIT}{d...vE}ANT} Semi&lit

19 Father and girl making Spanish dish (6) PAELLA {PA}{ELLA}

20 Dope and crack in top drawer (6) GENTRY {GEN}{TRY}

22 Approach rotten husband abandoning woman (5) OFFER {OFF}{hER}

Reference List

Base = E, Old = O, Gold = AU, Italian = I, Model = T, Husband = H