No 13371, Thursday 07 Oct 2021, Neyartha

Navaratri begins

Artwork by Prasanna Rao

Solution to 21A 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   His cot length’s designed to fit some sleepwear (12) NIGHTCLOTHES*

8   Some eat lantanas to get to the American city (7) ATLANTA [T]

9   Sugar-rich foods get the husband to replace wife’s linen (6) SHEETS S(-w+h)HEETS

11 Goes to the other side again after making scorers circle the London district (9) RECROSSES {SCORERS}* over {SE}

12 Court story from the criminal — one to accept as true in hearing? (5) ALIBI {AL}{1}{BI(~buy)}

14 Umpire’s decision possibly linked to the collapse of one of the engine’s operational phases (9) OUTSTROKE {OUT}{STROKE}

16 Plans made with audio gear on stage, after initial turmoil (4) MAPS {A<=>M}PS

18 Look back at the castle structure (4) KEEP<=

19 Ambiguous earmarking leaves knight with a butter substitute (9) MARGARINE EARMARkING*

21 Acquisition resulting from repeated exposure over time? (5) T?S?E (Adendum - TASTE [CD] - See comments)

22 Victor drops resistance after taking in the revolutionary talk by the old Native American tribe (9) WINNEBAGO {WINNEr}{GAB<=}{O}

23 Drops some presentation components (6) SLIDES [DD]

25 Informal British police statement after the indifferent opener’s dismissal (3,4) OLD BILL {BILL}<=>{cOLD}

26 Drunk Terry hates admitting the French into the work location of some London doctors (6,6) HARLEY STREET {TERRY+HATES}* over {LE}

DOWN

2   Sick situation involving a silicon chip with the computer department shows malfeasance (11) ILLICITNESS {ILL{IC}{IT}NESS}

3   Sought rewrite after grasping article on popular social spots (8) HANGOUTS {H{AN}GOUTS*}

4   Anchors drawn up after fight’s cut short in a place for learning (9) CLASSROOM {MOORS<=}<=>{CLASh}

5   Pleasing site for some parched throats? (5) OASIS [CD]

6   Donkey’s call made by hack covering the Greek character after the temperature turns hot (3-3) HEE-HAW {HE{E(-t+h)HA}W}

7   Finally gets to meet the rehabilitation candidate (3) SOT Tail acrostic

8   Poke racist in disguise, resulting in causes for turbulence in flight (3,7) AIR POCKETS*

10 Careless orderlies leave luxury car after cutting short the tie-up for a paint ingredient (7,3) LINSEED OIL {OrDErLIES}*<=>{LINk}

13 Fantastic to gain time via reformation (11) IMAGINATIVE*

15 Upset certain, considering the run out when pinching a single to get off the mark (9) ERRONEOUS {ER{R{ONE}O}US<=}

17 Machine with rollers reportedly making a schedule of events (8) CALENDAR  (~calender)

20 Student out for a run with the chief lecturer (6) READER (-l+r)READER

22 Refuse to misuse (5) WASTE [DD]

24 Note from Sir Galahad (3) LAH [T]

Reference List

Husband = H, Wife = W, Criminal = AL(Capone), Knight = K, Resistance = R, Old = O, The in French = LE, Silicon Chip = IC,  Temperature = T, Hot = H,  Luxury car = RR(Rolls Royce), Run out = RO, Student = L, Run = R