No 13103, Thursday 26 Nov 2020, Arden

Solution to 4A 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.

Tough going today!

ACROSS

1   It prevents dust from getting in — the fancy moustache? (6) MUCOSA {MUCOSA+THE}* = {MOUSTACHE} [CA]

4   Fear capital — restricted to a very short distance (8) ?N?S?R?M (Addendum - ANGSTROM {ANGST}{ROMe} - See comments)

9   One takes middle path, Siemens keep to themselves (6) LONERS {L}{ONE}{R}{S}

10 Order to include Channel Islands event (8) INCIDENT {IN{CI}DENT}

12 Cross over, Newton; trouble may be dead as they say (8) DOORNAIL {ROOD<=}{N}{AIL}

13 Gas inside the new bottle (6) ETHENE [T]

15 Heard Mao, say, was saw toothed, felt pity (12) COMMISERATED (~commie serrated)

18 Pushes to the peak, by decree it’s part of American breakfast (4,8) EGGS BENEDICT {EGGS}{BEN}{EDICT}

21 Love to take up slack, is it a flower? (6) OXALIS {O}{LAX<=}{IS}

22 Every other boathouse to make do with an instrument (8) OTOSCOPE {bOaThOuSe}{COPE}

24 Part of aircraft — standard practice ultimately over use (8) FUSELAGE {F{USE}LAG}{p...cE}

25 Dog to get us back in pristine condition (6) PURSUE {PUR{US<=}E}

26 Farthest spot among others (8) REMOTEST {RE{MOTE}ST}

27 On being pressed between metals, marked by extreme pain (6) AGONAL {AG}{ON}{AL}

DOWN

1   Curse the fellow, he is half a tyrant (8) MALEDICT {MALE}{DICTator}

2   Study a flower, in a way it will be clear (8) CONSOMME {CON}{SOMME}

3   Settling down takes an hour, anyhow love it being very shy (9,6) SHRINKING VIOLET {S{HR}INKING}{LOVE+IT}*

5   Zero for an endless composition (4) NONE NONEt 

6   Simon’s perhaps getting food sent up from city (5,10) SAINT PETERSBURG {SAINT PETERS}{GRUB<=}

7   Smoke jacket (6) REEFER [DD]

8   I bank on trade (6) M?T?E? (Addendum - METIER {ME}{TIER} - See comments)

11 Almost accomplished, lines varied (7) DIVERSE {DId}{VERSE}

14 Look at title, not even the newspaper (7) GAZETTE {GAZE}{TiTlE}

16 What comes from this place in France is neat... (8) LIMOUSIN [C&DD]

17 ... some of the people there always look exquisite (8) ETHEREAL [T]

19 About to give the chest (6) COFFER {C}{OFFER}

20 Said to be a nice-looking coach (6) HANSOM (~handsome)

23 Times, I’m not there in the pictures (4) AGES imAGES

Reference List

Siemens = S, Newton = N, About = C