No 13346, Tuesday 07 Sep 2021, Anon

Solution to 18A 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   Wine flask in automobile vault needing no introduction (6) CARAFE {CAR}{sAFE}

4   Rodent ingested, at first, sugary dessert (6) MOUSSE {MOU{Su...y}SE}

9   Doctor sues practices (4) USES*

10 Grown up Earl starts yelling about contaminator (10) ADULTERANT {ADULT}{E}{RANT}

11 Lunatic, one in frenzied surroundings (6) MANIAC {MANI{A}C}

12 Flowers, for example, in bonsai rearrangement (8) BEGONIAS {B{EG}ONIAS*}

13 Frequent drinkers, accountants who give stirring speeches? (9) CAROUSERS {CA}{ROUSERS}

15 Carnivore eats last eggs at European capital (5) MINSK {MIN{eggS}K}

16 Starts to approach big broad ecological yard at cathedral (5) ABBEY Acrostic

18 Strict, severe aunt initially missing (9) ?T?I?G?N? (Addendum - STRINGENT aSTRINGENT - See comments)

22 Plant cover for music medley (8) CAPSICUM {CAP}{MUSIC*}

23 Stop army partly at siesta (6) ARREST {ARmy}{REST}

25 African eagles seen in a riot (10) SENEGALESE*

26 Theory confused aide (4) IDEA*

27 She initially remains with waistbands (6) SASHES {She}{ASHES}

28 Hollow tipsy tirade of despot (6) TYRANT {TipsY}{RANT}

DOWN

1   Accountant on ship has regular actual ice cream (7) CASSATA {CA}{SS}{AcTuAl}

2   Starts to recount individual stories having introduced Indian sage (5) RISHI Acrostic

3   Prospective wives’ accounts missing numbers at first (7) FIANCES FInANCES

5   Lose heart in  indignation during power cut (6) OUTAGE OUTrAGE

6   Tin crushed in spa when running (9) SPRINTING {SPR{TIN*}ING}

7   Almost new sedan crashed into groups of nine (7) ENNEADS {NEw+SEDAN}*

8   Stumped barber could be authorised (13) RUBBERSTAMPED*

14 Superiors in command of prophets? (9) OVERSEERS {OVER}{SEERS}

17 Bread makers consume second meal in mugs (7) BEAKERS {B{mEal}AKERS}

19 Lunatic missing son near Langley outskirts ludicrously (7) INANELY {INsANE}{La...eY}

20 Burgeoning Sodium smell (7) NASCENT {NA}{SCENT}

21 Skin fragment from first ear (6) SCRAPE {SCRAP}{Ear}

24 Tiara fragment in spiced yoghurt? (5) RAITA*

Reference List

Earl = E, Ship = SS, Son = S