Solution to 17A 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 How thief might enter house using dishonest means (2,3,4,4) BY THE BACK DOOR [DD]
8 Tree in decay, largely discoloured (5) ROWAN {ROt}{WAN}
11 Slaving on base, attempts to get grooming products (10) TOILETRIES {TOIL}{E}{TRIES}
12 Execute tips for judo here? (4) DOJO {DO}{JudO} Semi&lit
14 Carelessly spill catches say in fielding position (3,4) LEG SLIP {L{EG}SLIP*}
16 Popular bit of routine to stay healthy that’s used by asthmatics (7) INHALER {IN}{HALER} (Correction - {IN}{Ro...e} around {HALE} )
17 Lack self-restraint, wasting money (7) A?S?N?E (Addendum - ABSENCE ABStinENCE - See comments)
19 Name enclosure in exterior of airplane — it houses the engine (7) NACELLE {N}{Ai..{CELL}..nE} Semi&lit
21 Director getting out of mini jet (4) INKY dINKY
22 Dirty secret about celebrity finally released in exclusive (10) RESTRICTED {DIRTy+SECRET}*
25 Revolutionary type of music in online medley is unique (9) NONPAREIL {NON{RAP<=}EIL*}
26 Fellow catching thieves, extremely courageous (5) GUTSY {GU{Th...eS}Y}
27 Imprisons that crazy hater of mankind (13) MISANTHROPIST*
DOWN
2 Huge yard with canopy (7) YAWNING {Y}{AWNING}
3 Indicate antelope across river in back-country (10) HINTERLAND {HINT}{E{R}LAND}
4 Son on ecstasy in pub, becoming more depraved (5) BASER {BA{S}{E}R}
5 Standard practice by Republican, one involved in deception (9) CRITERION {C{RITE}{R}{1}ON}
6 Start to drink alcoholic spirit in cask (4) DRUM {Dr..k}{RUM}
7 Having great success in Ohio, raced up to oust President in election (2,1,4) ON A ROLL {O}{-p+ran<=)NAROLL}
8 Helping to rescue old revolutionary by primarily intense counter-attack (11) RETALIATION {R{LATE<=}{In...e}ATION}
10 Flourishing cornfield in sight, mostly green (3-8) ECO-FRIENDLY {E{CORNFIELD*}Ye}
13 Journalist and trendy girl, enthralled by drink, sleeping together (8,2) SHACKING UP {S{HACK}{IN}{G}UP}
15 Model perhaps repented snorting cocaine (9) PRECEDENT {PRE{C}EDENT*}
18 Snide rogue drinking up fine port in Ghana (7) SEKONDI {SE{OK<=}NDI*}
20 Tall stories after consuming drink? That’s an understatement (7) LITOTES {LI{TOT}ES}
23 Roof worker in superstructure, literally upside down (5) TILER [T<=]
24 Buddhist monk in cell, a master (4) LAMA [T]
Reference List
Base = E, Popular = IN, Money = TIN, Name = N, Director = D, Yard = Y, River = R, Son = S, Ecstasy = E, Republican = R, President = P, Trendy = IN, Girl = G, Drink = SUP, Cocaine = C
Money = Tin. Self restraint = abstinence. So lack = abs(-tin)ence
ReplyDelete👏👍
DeleteGood solve.
Delete7 DOWN Seems to be a typo [about P], Col
ReplyDeleteNot understood? I don't see any typo
DeleteHi Col Sir. I think what KKR means is the anno should be written as O + RAN <-- + (-p)OLL
DeleteYes Doc
DeleteIt is Poll-P. This is not made out clearly in the anno.
DeleteIt is O(NAR=<) (POLL_P). Am I right?
I think this is what KKR was trying to say. Election=Poll is not visible in the anno,as given.
I too as col, took it as a replacment. RAN UP replacing P in poll.
DeleteOhio is usually written as OH in the short form. Taking it as O instead is fine?
ReplyDeleteHi Sujatha. Ohio is O as well as OH in The Chambers Dictionary (BRB).
DeleteThank you for the clarification.
DeleteAlthough I felt like a stranded shipwreck, having failed to solve most of the 'Across' and many 'Down' clues, let me hail Dr. X for compiling or setting this quite a tough grid.
ReplyDelete7D After the clarification, I should say, a great clue!
ReplyDeleteI got all again. 😊. But could not parse inky & retaliation (filled based on crossings) COD - CRITERION, HINTERLAND, NONPAREIL.
ReplyDeleteThank u doc.