No 13168, Thursday 11 Feb 2021, Dr. X

Solution to 12A 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   Be stoical and smart, grinding teeth to tackle bovine animal (4,3,6) BITE THE BULLET {BITE}{THE{BULL}ET*}

8   Pester star consuming ecstasy (5) BESET {BES{E}T}

9   Leading intensivist rushed back with nurses behind (2,7) IN ARREARS {In...t}{RAN<=}{REARS}

11 No more playing golf? That’s disheartening (3-7) OFF-PUTTING {OFF PUTTING}

12 Judge ignored big boss (4) ?M?O (Addendum - UMBO jUMBO - See comments)

14 Lying low, abruptly decoy leader (7) LURKING {LURe}{KING}

16 Inability to remember a name is maddening (7) AMNESIA* 

17 Becomes gradually more appealing to boy following girl on-line (5,2) GROWS ON {SON} after G}{ROW}

19 Setter, on reflection stopped and revised (7) EMENDED {ME<=}{ENDED}

21 CBI worred by Mujahideen leader making long-range weapon (1.1.1.1) I C B M {CBI}*{Mu...n}

22 Fidelity, extremely endearing in marriage (10) ALLEGIANCE {ALL{En...nG}IANCE}

25 Versatile stage director prospers (4,5) GETS AHEAD {STAGE*}{HEAD}

26 Extract spinal lesion altogether (2,3) IN ALL [T]

27 What one might do at the end of card games to prepare for action? (5,3,5) CLEAR THE DECKS [DD]

DOWN

2   One fellow involved in arson harassed to such an extent (7) INSOFAR {1}{NSO{F}AR*}

3   Foolishly married in haste — regularly rues eagerness (10) ENTHUSIASM {M+IN+HASTE+rUeS}*

4   Lift controlled by psycho is tumbling (5) HOIST [T]

5   Analysing a win secured by gutsy inspiration (9) BRAINWAVE {BR{A+WIN}*AVE}

6   Learning from role models (4) LORE*

7   Dutch humanist from period with revolutionary problems (7) ERASMUS {ERA}{SUMS<=}

8   Imploring to hide loot made in illegal manufacture of alcohol (11) BOOTLEGGING {B{LOOT*}EGGING}

10 Old staff, a little tardy in covering classroom activity (4,3,4) SHOW AND TELL {O}{WAND}{Ta..y} in {SHELL}

13 Shrewd to keep rebellious journalist in two minds (10) INDECISIVE {IN{ED<=}CISIVE} 

15 Most ungainly team makes up a story on time (9) GANGLIEST {GANG}{LIES}{T}

18 Viva about portion relating to circular path (7) ORBITAL {OR{BIT}AL}

20 Men tortured in sinister country (7) DENMARK {D{MEN*}ARK}

23 Invest in issue and repent right away (5) ENDUE ENDUrE (Correction - {END}{rUE) - Setters intention)

24 Dope seized by CID at Amritsar (4) DATA [T]

Reference List

Ecstasy = E, Judge = J, Girl = G, Fellow = F, Married = M, Old = O, Journalist = ED, Time = T, Right = R