No 13407, Saturday 20 Nov 2021, Dr X

 ACROSS

1 Model getting back massage in sack for spasm (8) OUTBURST {OU{T}{RUB<=}ST}
5 Antique is a memento essentially, lined by precious metal (3-3) AGE-OLD {A}{G{memEnto}OLD}
10 Inspired by passion in female director (5) FIRED {F}{IRE}{D}
11 Anger, say, and brouhaha over unexpected delays (6,2) DEADLY SIN {D{DELAYS*}IN} Enu is wrong
12 Exercise during break showing self-discipline (9) RESTRAINT {RES{TRAIN}T}
13 Proceed to certify — Republican lost (5) ENSUE {ENSUrE}
14 Commotion by that woman after marijuana (6) POTHER {POT}{HER}
15 Desires to eat most fresh fruits (7) ACHENES {ACHE{NEw}S}
18 Beguiled by nationalist involved in devious deceit (7) ENTICED {N} in {DECEIT*} 
20 Holding peg, rush back inside (6) TENURE {TE{RUN<=}E}
22 Chaotic situation caused by fiends around university (5) SNAFU {FANS<=}{U}
24 Unionist involved in illicit liaison with associate in American state (9) LOUISIANA {U} in {LIAISON*}+ {A}
25 One erupting in tournament, agitated after losing rook (5,4) MOUNT ETNA {TOUrNAMENT*}
26 Chinese president enthralled by Mao’s revolutionary dictum (5) AXIOM {MAO*} around {XI}
27 Sorry about stealing a string of beads (6) ROSARY {SORRY*} around {A}
28 Ancestor’s robe, torn in agitation (8) FOREBEAR {F{ROBE*}EAR}

DOWN

1 Low-heeled shoe in box for daughter (6) OXFORD (T)
2 Discuss thoroughly when merchants at centre get reckless in trade (6,3) THRASH OUT {T{mercHants}{RASH} OUT}
3 Where panic button might be installed // secretly (5-3-7) UNDER-THE-COUNTER (DD)
4 Last bit of cleanser used is possibly more foamy (7) SUDSIER {cleanseR+USED+IS*}
6 Info about former employee on welfare stealing husband’s large severance pay (6,9) GOLDEN HANDSHAKE {G{OLD}EN} {HAND}{S{H}AKE}
7 Old fool going round English watering holes (5) OASES {O}{AS{E}S}
8 Upset about allowing new head of ensemble to exploit ballerina (8) DANSEUSE  {SAD<=} around {N}+{Ensemble}{USE}
9 Repentant radical clutching Hindu religious text (6) TANTRA (T)
16 Unstable minerals containing oxygen return to standard state (9) NORMALISE {MINERALS*} around {O}
17 British inventor’s mounting confusion, overwhelmed by alcoholic drink (8) BESSEMER {BE{MESS<=}ER}
19 Swell time touring Istanbul on vacation (6) DILATE {D{IstanbuL}ATE}
20 Excursion by Bill to find love bird (7) TOURACO {TOUR}{AC}{O}

21 One sowing fear about accepting hollow reform (6) FARMER {FEAR*} around {ReforM}
23 A lodger abruptly gets fits of shivering (5) AGUES {A}{GUESt}

Reference List

Model=T, Female=F, Director=D, Republican=R, That woman=Her, Nationalist=N, University=U, Unionist=U, Associate=A, Rook=R

Info=Gen, Husband=H, Old=O, English=E, New=N, Oxygen=O, Bill=Ac, Love=O

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Reference list word, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Opposite indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

You are FIRED” thundered Mr. Adam Dickens, the President of BESSEMER Aluminum, an AGE-OLD company in New Orleans, LOUISIANA. At that moment, his comely secretary, Ignazia Vettori, came in waltzing like a DANSEUSE as was her wont, but stiffened up the moment she saw her boss blowing up like MOUNT ETNA in her native Sicily. No one had seen such an OUTBURST from Mr.Dickens. She wondered what DEADLY SIN Mr. Martin Cross, the CFO, had done to be dismissed so unceremoniously. She had heard the office grapevine that something was brewing between the boss and Mr.Cross, but they were only expecting the President and the CFO to sit and THRASH OUT any issues and thought their relations would NORMALISE soon. At the most, Mr.Cross would be eased off with a GOLDEN HANDSHAKE, considering his long TENURE in the company, they felt.

Mr. Cross, who had an MBA (finance) from OXFORD, drew himself to his full height, unfazed by his employer’s lack of RESTRAINT with words, and said, “look, Chief, my morals do not permit me to pay a bribe UNDER THE COUNTER, even if it means we lose the 21-million-dollar contract with the Philippines Government. It is an AXIOM I have followed all my professional life, handed down from my FOREBEARs, that if you are not ENTICED by immediate gain, profits would ENSUE in the long run. On losing my job, I can go back to my FARMER roots and raise cotton and corn in Moreauville. But you would be doomed, when the Federal Trade Commission finds out.” So saying he walked out. There is no need to DILATE on what happened next. Suffice it to say that without the able Mr.Cross at the helm, the finances of the company are in a SNAFU (or a POTHER if you prefer that), its stock has plummeted and Mr.Dickens has the AGUES as the FTC men are here for their assault. When are venal businessmen going to learn that it is not any mystical TANTRA but only simple good old honesty that pays in the long run?