Solution to 26A 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
5 Disreputable character mostly cheated (6) SORDID {SORt}{DID}
11 Creative people from Dire Straits (7) ARTISTS*
12 Girl is leaving to get hold of cotton thread (5) LISLE [T]
13 Minute amount of cocaine involved in misdeed at work by associate (9) SCINTILLA {S{C}IN}{TILL}{A}
14 By God! Bohr and men designed nuclear weapon (8,4) HYDROGEN BOMB {BY+GOD+BOHR+MEN}*
18 English frown about smooth Brexit finally getting doubly hard in last possible moment (8,4) ELEVENTH HOUR {E}{L{EVEN}{b...iT}{HH}OUR}
21 Risk by man crossing ultimately controversial border in Middle Eastern city (9) BETHLEHEM {BET}{c...aL}{HE}{HEM}
23 Anguish and love in Grammy award winning song (5) HELLO {HELL}{O}
24 Outcry about securing victory by bit of audacious trickery (7) EVASION {E{V}{A
25 Wrong to consume heroin and crack in lively celebration (7) SHINDIG {S{H}IN}{DIG}
26 One steering boat in trouble, overwhelmed by a leaking hole (6) T?L?E? ()
27 Son worries about one nightmare essentially that’s most terrifying (8) SCARIEST {S}{CAR{1}ES}{n.hTm..e}
DOWN
1 Ruins lab coat, spilling a chemical element (6) COBALT {LAB+COaT}*
2 Most exceptional artist on vacation (6) RAREST {RA}{REST}
3 Dashing eyepatch, right for model (9) ARCHETYPE {EYEPATCH+R}*
4 Assists investigator finally in exposing illicit exchange of favours (14) BACKSCRATCHING {BACKS}{C{i...oR}ATCHING}
6 Not a good cottage perhaps for group of eight (5) OCTET COTTagE*
7 Lads running wild outside one cheap bar (8) DISALLOW {D{1}SAL*}{LOW}
9 Where concertgoers might be accepting unpleasant consequences (6,3,5) FACING THE MUSIC [DD]
15 Stood up, suppressing cry of disgust with couple becoming more indecent (9) NAUGHTIER {NA{UGH}{TIE}R<=}
16 Most unconvincing charge by leading barrister in case (8) FEEBLEST{FEE}{Ba...r}{LEST}
17 Food item to munch with slice of bread in plaza (8) MEATBALL {M{EAT}{Br..d}ALL}
20 Disregard fashion model (6) FORGET {FORGE}{T}
22 Large mineral aggregate around one river in Europe (5) LOIRE {L}{O{1}RE}
Reference List
Account = AC, Caught = C, Cocaine = C, Associate = A, English = E, Frown = LOUR, Hard = H, Victory = V, Heroin = H, Son = S, Artist = RA, Right = R, Good = G, Ecstasy = E, Small = S, Model = T, Large = L
10a account:ACC IMO. Caught is ct.
ReplyDeleteHi Prasad, while that works as well, my intention was as Col has annotated.
Delete26 A In trouble ILL, Hole - TEAR ,A leaking out -> TER around ILL TILLER - Boat tiller
ReplyDeleteWell solved VU. Ill (noun) = Trouble.
DeleteNice Grid. Dcotor X. 2A is costly puzzle. COBLAT ....this isotope not easily available in market. Too costly. we use to get for Radiography Testing.
ReplyDelete20 d..could not get anno. for the word Forge. Mechanical term forge we used in workshop. with respect to disregard , refuse /neglect. but unable to derive with forget. doctor. pl. correct me.
Straight syn of Forge as verb = Fashion.
DeleteForge=Make/Fashion.
ReplyDeleteWith T ( Model) it becomes forget which is disregard.
Tajikistan's capital was hard to get,to say the least,though I got the fodder for the anagram. Of course Google is ready to help.
ReplyDeleteIt was a tough grid to solve and waited till noon to ascertain the right solutions for most of the clues. On my own managed to solve only 9 out of 28. All said and done, kudos to Dr. X for this brain teaser..
ReplyDeleteWell tried Mr Panje! Tougher grid yes.
DeleteDr X maintains the difficulty quotient in today's crossword also. 10A Boracic meaning Penniless was new to me. Thanks for the show Dr X.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mr Prasad.
DeleteYes, it was the toughest of the 4 grids, I guess.
I thought of the Lionel Ritchie song :-)
ReplyDeleteYes of course, same here. Adele is what my kids listen to, hence I know 😀. Lionel Ritchie's Hello would be the song that will always come to our minds first. It did not win the Grammy though, I think!
Delete