Solution to 14A 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
8 Regularly taking gun to protest, turned persuasive (6) STRONG {GuN+tO+pRoTeSt}<=
9 Mice running around sink returned with English plague (8) EPIDEMIC {E{DIP<=}{E}MIC*}
10 Arrest students behind Tehran explosion (8) ENTHRALL {TEHRAN*}{LL}
11 Sick greeting left by husband (6) AILING hAILING
12 Oof I tire partly holding back drink (8) APERITIF [T<=]
13 Stupidity of bridal vow to cherish one clearly gutless (6) IDIOCY {ID{1}O}{Cl...lY}
14 Make little Sita reflect about chant at temple’s exit (7) ?T?M?S? (Addendum - ATOMISE {AT{OM}IS<=}{t...lE} - See comments
17 Take one woman to break small egg (7) INHERIT {1}{N{HER}IT}
20 Develop weapon having no edge (6) EVOLVE rEVOLVEr
22 Story about fine female abducted by traitor in sailor’s last resort (4,4) LIFE RAFT {LI{F}E{RA{F}T}
26 Struggling to drop son for schooling (8) TRAINING sTRAINING
27 After 2, sweetheart meets Insurer, with bit of ancient earthenware (8) MAJOLICA {MA}{JO}{LIC}{An...t}
DOWN
1 Brought up suggestions about pitch — it might contain rocks (5,3) STONE PIT {S{TONE}PIT<=}
2 More anxious about the short bear (6) MOTHER {MO{THe}ER*}
3 Scared of a phantom leaving for a ball (6) AGHAST {A}{GH(-o+a)AST}
4 Talk fluently about the Spanish coffee (from 2-4) (4,3) REEL OFF {RE}{EL}{cOFFee}
5 Mention something positive about sex-appeal (8) CITATION {C{IT}ATION}
6 Slash rent, said Spooner, It’s unbearable! (8) HELLFIRE (~fell hire to hellfire)
7 Choose jug picked up for trip (6) PICNIC (~pick nick}
15 Say, movable asset that provides liquidity? (5,3) MILCH COW [CD]
16 Strategy of Southern boss hiring lady in Delhi (8) SCENARIO {S{CE{NARI}O}
18 Soldiers kid rarely at the borders (8) INFANTRY {INFANT}{Ra..lY}
19 Junk initially found almost at sea (7) FLOTSAM {Fo..d}{ALMOST*}
21 Travel document containing University student’s image (6) VISUAL {VIS{U}A}{L}
23 Prospective partner sanctioning new funds (6) FIANCE FInANCE
24 Celebrity store now neatly stocked (6) RENOWN [T]
Reference List
English = E, Student = L, Husband = H, Fine = F, Female = F, Small = S, Church = CH, Son = S,Sweetheart = JO, Insurer = LIC, About = RE, The in Spanish = EL, Sex appeal = IT, Southern = S, Lady in Hindi = NARI, University = U, New = N
18d online version
ReplyDeleteSoldiers kid rarely at the borders (8)
(Bruno): Really? I saw Forces fat Ryan?
DeleteThe printed edition had Forces fat Ryan.
DeleteSita reflect = atis
ReplyDeleteChant = om
Temple's exit = e
At(om)is(e) = atomise = make small.
In 27A, how do you get ma? I found the answer but couldn't figure this out. Could someone please explain? Thanks.
ReplyDelete2 refers to clue 2d.
DeleteI stand corrected. As said by others, 2 refers to 2 down here. Hence 2 is mo( mother).
DeleteThank you.
DeleteAfter 2 down, mother - ma
ReplyDelete20A. Should it not be "edges" in the clue? Visual, scenario, fiance and infantry are my favourites.
ReplyDeleteNo in the sense of "not any" ( edge).
Delete2d what does (from 2-4) mean.
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain please
Places 2,3,4 ( 2 to 4) in coffee
DeleteThe clue and the solution to 14A happen to be an ideal brain-teaser.... Hats off to Hypatia, the compiler of this grid as well as whoever solved it...
ReplyDeleteLikewise, is 22A. A fantastic clue...
ReplyDeleteSorry it is 4d.
ReplyDeleteClean bowled!!
ReplyDeleteRather difficult for beginners.
ReplyDeleteIf all Crosswords are of beginner standards then what will veterans do? You have to have Crosswords of varying levels of difficulty to suit everyone's needs
DeleteMy COD is 13 ac.
ReplyDelete