No 13391, Monday 01 Nov 2021, Dr. X

Solution to 21D 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   Star dies mysteriously in tragedy (8) DISASTER*

5   It crawls and again plunges back (6) SPIDER <=

10 Senseless to exist, accepting daily grind (5) BRUTE {B{RUT}E}

11 Ample soup served around holy time by priests at Centre (9) PLENTEOUS {P{LENT}{priEsts}OUS*}

12 Returning to form with good cut shot (3,6) LEG GLANCE {GEL<=}{G}{LANCE}

13 Nick delivers ecstasy in techno raves (5) NOTCH TeCHNO*

14 Losing no money, as intended (6) FIANCE FInANCE

15 Fellow orchestrating scams across India for authoritarian rule (7) FASCISM {F}{ASC{I}SM*}

18 Rules, say, outlined by crafty miser (7) REGIMES {R{EG}IMES*}

20 Munches noisily, putting bit of meat in the mouth (6) CHOMPS {CHO{Meat}PS}

22 Ultimately detailed book of maps (5) ATLAS {AT LASt}

24 Upset by husband involved in public brawl (9) OVERTHROW {OVERT}{H}{ROW}

25 Bold, nude models around a rave-up (9) UNABASHED {UN{A}{BASH}ED*}

26 Rebellious star consuming drug at southern city in Germany (5) NEUSS {SU{E}N<=}{S}

27 ‘Times’ editor removed (6) ERASED {ERAS}{ED}

28 Consummate in hurry, being nervous (8) FLUTTERY {FL{UTTER}Y}

DOWN

1   Play with couple of boys in valley (6) DABBLE {DA{BB}LE}

2   Illegal activity by band consuming pot at middle of night (9) SMUGGLING {S{MUG}{niGht}LING}

3   Error that a wizard might make? (8,7) SPELLING MISTAKE [DD]

4   Plain old containers on base (7) EXPANSE {EX}{PANS}{E}

6   Make a blunder out of tension, struggling in depression (3,4,4,2,2) PUT ONES FOOT IN IT {OUT+OF+TENSION}* in {PIT}

7   Legal right of director, one involved in corruption (5) DROIT {D}{RO{1}T}

8   Place for the elderly established near hospital in European capital (4,4) REST HOME {R{EST}{H}OME}

9   Concerning this woman upsetting opponent (6) HEREOF {HER}{FOE<=}

16 Request man wanting safe haven to enter (9) IMPORTUNE {IMm{PORT}UNE}

17 Person mixing the curare to kill husband (8) CREATURE {ThE+CURARE}*

19 Pacify man after drunkard steals ring (6) SOOTHE {HE}<=>{SO{0}T}

20 Declare changes relating to statement of religious belief (7) CREEDAL*

21 Turning wicket at India involved in leaving English fretful (6) ?W?S?Y (Addendum - TWISTY {T{W}{I}eSTY - See comments)

23 Place occupied by Chinese personnel has ancient houses (5) LHASA [T]

Reference List

Good = G, Ecstasy = E, No = N, Fellow = F, India = I, Husband = H, Drug = E, Southern = S, Editor = ED, Boys = B, Base = E, Director = D, Established = EST, Hospital = H, Man = M, Wicket = W, English = E

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

Rupa and her FIANCE, Ram, have planned to visit the Drepung monastery, just outside LHASA during their tour of Tibet. It is not a place which one finds easily in the ATLAS. It is located on a vast EXPANSE of land at the foot of Gambo mountain. A TWISTY tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo (we call it Brahmaputra) flows rapidly by the edge of this monastery. There are no hotels and one has to stay in a REST HOME with the aging Lamas. Years after the OVERTHROW by communist Chinese REGIMES, the FASCIST rule has ERASED the Tibetan Buddhist culture, but there is PLENTEOUS evidence of a university that had thrived there during its heydays.  Lobsang Thumpa, the chief monk of Drepung, is the gentlest of CREATUREs. The lower order lamas might IMPORTUNE the visitor for a donation, but Thumpa is above all these worldly pursuits. Being in his company for a few minutes is sure to SOOTHE the restless mind of the visitor. But let not looks belie the facts. He is a man who resolutely upholds his CREEDAL beliefs, no matter how BRUTE its suppression by those in power be. He reminds you of the legendary Robert Bruce’s SPIDER, who re-builds the web around him each time it is taken down but refuses to give up.

 

Rupa, a top NOTCH tour operator herself, has planned the trip meticulously so no DISASTER strikes them till they leave Lhasa. She had DABBLEd in several fields before settling on tour organising as a calling. Her heart is FLUTTERY on reaching Drepung as this is the first uncharted territory in the itinerary. Not just because of the altitude or the breath-taking beauty of the place but because there is a SPELLING MISTAKE in her Tibetan visa. Her name is spelt with 2 ‘O’s instead of a ‘U’ as in her passport. Her mentors in the travel industry had taught her, “check, re-check the spelling of everything in the tour programme, otherwise you might PUT your FOOT IN IT”. Maybe it is the lack of English knowledge on the part of the Chinese army captain who checked the visa, maybe he could not stop UNABASHEDly GLANCing at the lovely LEGs of the girl to notice silly things as spelling errors, maybe he was simply CHOMPing on a momo.  But Rupa thinks it is the blessing of that great soul Lobsang Thumpa that the error goes unnoticed by the captain. So, Rupa and Ram are back and have even managed SMUGGLING out an antique Tibetan Prayer Bell, that sits on the wall of their house in NEUSS, reminding them of the inner peace that pervaded them when they were with the venerable Lobsang Thumpa.