No 13288, Thursday 01 Jul 2021, Karaoke

Solution to 5A 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   Characteristic of extremely scary animals essentially is to chase soft cat (7) SYMPTOM {ScarY}{aniMals}{P}{TOM}

5   Tactical maneuvers initiated by half-dead marshals (7) D?P?O?S ()

9   Intrinsic adrenalin is relating to kidneys (5) RENAL adRENALin

10 He settles taxes on first residence depending on constructed area and type (9) RATEPAYER {Re...e}{AREA+TYPE}*

11 Caring tendency to hide love rejected by nurse (10) BENEVOLENT {BEN{LOVE<=}{EN}T}

12 Hired thug ran away from the capital of Myanmar (4) GOON ranGOON

14 M+OM+ENT? (5,6) SPLIT SECOND Definition by example

18 Comic actors sit on drawers (11) CARTOONISTS*

21 Piece of news comes first in the evening mail (4) ITEM Acrostic

22 Rialto ideally suited (10) TAILORMADE {RIALTO}* [RA]

25 Improving middle of song’s text with permission finally from director (2,3,4) ON THE MEND {sONg}{ THEME}{p...oN}{D}

26 Meal provided by sailor (5) IFTAR {IF}{TAR}

27 One with strong liking missed cuddle occasionally from desperate dry-cleaner (7) YEARNER {dRYclEANER}*

28 I say why no eyeglass designed for one that never looks older? (7) AGELESS EyEGLASS*

DOWN

1   Source of light comes from saint’s apparel (6) STROBE {ST}{ROBE}

2   Food from heaven comes around afternoon tomorrow (6) MANANA {MAN{A}NA}

3   The entertainment provider lacks fundamental decency in grounding violent side (10) TELEVISION {VIOLENT+SIdE}*

4   Extra large mushroom (5) MOREL {MORE}{L}

5   Goes pop over mounting record in engagements (9) DETONATES {D{NOTE<=}ATES} What's the role of 'over'?

6   Asian dish from South, double up (4) PUPU {UP}{UP}<= Asian?

7   No room possibly to accommodate unknowns found missing, maybe? (8) OXYMORON  NO+ROOM}* over {X}{Y} Defintion by example 

8   Song composed about a rending heart (8) SERENADE {SEREN{A}{renDing}E}

13 China regularly enters into Everest dubiously carrying set of utensils (3,7) TEA SERVICE {ChInA+EVEREST}*

15 “Listen! Stop supporting a knight around king” (4,2,3) LEND AN EAR {L{END}{A}{N}EAR}

16 A petty offence at most excuses law’s harshness (8) ACRIMONY {A}{CRIMe}{ONlY}

17 The drink that flummoxed teenager (5,3) GREEN TEA*

19 Courage to sacrifice love for American war (6) BATTLE B(-0+a)ATTLE

20 Red lentil primarily forms part of pulses and granules (6) PEARLS {PEA{R}{Le...l}S}

23 Daily touring an ancient region of Asia Minor (5) LYDIA*

24 Beloved rector retires in favour of new churchman (4) DEAN DEA(-r+n)N

Reference List

Soft = P, Nurse = EN(Enrolled nurse), Director = D, Sailor = TAR, Afternoon = A, Large = L, Knight = N, Law = L, American = A, Red = R, Rector = R, New = N