No 13160, Tuesday 02 Feb 2021, Lightning

Solution to 6D 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   Nice of teetotaller throwing streamers for celebration (8) CONFETTI {NICE+OF+TT}*

5   Evaluate hoofed animals at state’s border (6) ASSESS {ASSES}{St..e}

9   Report from Democrat edited at the start by secretary (8) DESCRIBE {D}{Ed...d}{SCRIBE}

10 Top fielder, scratching head in confusion, to drop the ball (6) FUMBLE {Fi...r}{jUMBLE}

12 Establish measure with central facts (5) ENACT {EN}{fACTs}

13 Subdue prisoner of war with hesitation, moving across to the left (9) OVERPOWER {POW}{ER}<=>{OVER}

14 A vice’s all right (6) AGREED {A}{GREED}

16 Chief bartender missing opener to serve good French whiskey (7) BOURBON {Ba...r}{pOUR}{BON}

19 Ship last icebox containing material that is not eco-friendly (7) PLASTIC [T]

21 Hundred flee safe place beside oddly used road (6) AVENUE [hAVEN}{UsEd}

23 Cut off recent tip for a change (9) INTERCEPT*

25 Tent primarily torn by blade (5) TEPEE {Torn}{EPEE}

26 Country’s mark — limitless wide area network (6) TAIWAN {sTAIn}{WAN}

27 Old, quaint engineer resolved mathematical statement (8) EQUATION {O+QUAINT+E}*

28 Missing second support at home area for light detector (6) RETINA {REsT}{IN}{A}

29 Base pedal set all wrong (8) PEDESTAL*

DOWN

1   Caught topless move at liberal club (6) CUDGEL {C}{bUDGE}{L}

2   Doctor lost in Georgia area becomes homesick (9) NOSTALGIA {LOST+IN+GA+A}*

3   Rue letting go royal bird (5) EGRET rEGRET

4   Cut short desk work, returning without one magazine (7) TABLOID {TABLe}{D{1}O<=}

6   Mould society with lifestyle restraining power (9) S?U?P?U?E (Addendum - SCULPTURE {S}{CUL{P}TURE} - See comments))

7   Novel bowler showing what should be straight when bowling (5) ELBOW [T]

8   Saint with jewellery not right for oath (8) SWEARING {S}{W}{EARrING}

11 Medicinal plant for starters highly effective, reducing blisters (4) HERB Acrostic

15 Record ain’t broken providing delight (9) ENTERTAIN {ENTER}{AINT*}

17 Sad to publish building’s final design (9) BLUEPRINT {BLUE}{PRINT}

18 Carve note inside emergency room with piece of wood (8) SPLINTER {SPLI{N}T}{ER}

20 European swapped ordinary bird for team (4) CREW CR(+e-O)EW

21 Tenant I questioned smuggling valuable item (7) ANTIQUE [T]

22 Perception unreal, oddly vacating shelter (6) KENNEL {KEN}{uNrEaL}

24 Tesla is not corrupt (5) TAINT {T}{AIN'T}

25 Follow hint (5) TRACE [DD]

Reference List

Teetotaller = TT, Xemocrat = D, Measure = EN, Good in French = BON, Hundred = H. Old = O, Engineer = E, Second = S, Area = A, Caught = C, Liberal = L, Royal = R, Society = S, Power = P, Saint = S, With = W, Right = R, Note = N, European = E, Ordinary = O, Tesla = T