No 13330, Thursday 19 Aug 2021, Dr. X

Solution to 23D 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   Improve what one might do to mark a book page? (4,3,6) TURN THE CORNER [DD]

8   Small tantrum by India’s leading model (5) PETIT {PET}{India}{T}

9   Cooking tandoori murgh primarily for boss (9) DOMINATOR {TANDOORI+M}*

11 To begin with, nebulise girl overcome by fit for minute (10) NEGLIGIBLE {Ne...e}{E{G}LIGIBLE}

12 Very short skirt from showroom in Ibiza (4) MINI [T]

14 Get lire exchanged in Venezuelan city (2,5) EL TIGRE*

16 French film is about son showing hostility (7) ICINESS {I{CINE}{S}S}

17 Men burn down fruit garden (7) ORCHARD {OR}{CHAR}{D}

19 Endless saga with a character going around in winged sandals (7) TALARIA {TALe}{A}{AIR<=}

By Unknown author - Engraving in the 1882 Imperial Dictionary, converted to svg format by uploader., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3132625

21 Problems in factories losing money (4) ILLS mILLS

22 Entered into dilapidated urinal having a single chamber (10) UNICAMERAL {UNI{CAME}RAL*}

25 Gold one found in mother’s vault (9) MAUSOLEUM {M{AU}{SOLE}UM}

26 Fancy red tux, trimmed and adjusted accurately (5) TRUED {RED+TUx}*

27 Dismayed by rash teen foolishly conducting scam (5-8) HEART-STRICKEN {RASH+TEEN}* over {TRICK}

DOWN

2   Good time to replace Republican getting edgy (7) UPTIGHT UP(-r+t)TIGHT

3   Tight on rum, revolting chap goes around city in England (10) NOTTINGHAM {TIGHT+ON}* in {MAN<=}

4   One who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca is planning jihad (5) HADJI*

5   Dissatisfaction of maiden, evident in bed (9) COMPLAINT {CO{M}{PLAIN}T}

6   Unpleasant weirdo wants cocaine (4) RANK cRANK

7   Unexpectedly, teen secures victory in twist (7) ENTWINE {ENT{WIN}E*}

8   Uproar caused by fanatic, one cutting man up in a frenzy (11) PANDEMONIUM {DEMON}{1} in {MAN+UP}*

10 Popular son, high, enthralled by grass, getting rehabilitated (11) REINSTALLED {RE{IN}{S}{TALL}ED}

13 Detectives about to receive optimal training to be discreet (10) DIPLOMATIC {CID<=} over {OPTIMAL*}

15 Stops controlling temper and threatens (9) ENDANGERS {END{ANGER}S}

18 Solution to tackle extremely unusual time for society (7) CULTURE {C{Un...aL}{T}URE}

20 Flight in endless spin! Change direction (7) REROUTE {RE{ROUT}El}

23 Rising star in company, most simple (5) C?M?R (Addendum - COMER {CO}{MERe} - See comments)

24 Go-getter in bar, up after consuming ecstasy (4) DOER {R{E}OD<=}

Reference List

Tantrum = PET, Model = T, Girl = G, Film in French = CINE, Son = S, Men = OR, Down = D, Money = M, Time = T, Republican = R, Maiden = M, Cocaine = C, Popular = IN, Detectives = CID, Company = CO, Ecstasy = E

GRID SAME AS YESTERDAY