No 13443 Saturday 01 Jan 2022, WrdPlougher

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS

6 One guided by Fury, a heartless vice — headless emotion (7) AVENGER {A}{VicE}{aNGER}
7 Gangsters standing back to back, toting unholstered gun in ancient Arabian city (2-3) AL-ULA {AL}{gUn}{AL<=}
9 Man misled by camouflage (4) ISLE (T)
10 Copy of application to be escalated again (10) REPETITION {RE}{PETITION}
11 Setter’s methods too upfront and bold (8) IMMODEST {I'M}{MODES}{Too}
13 Reportedly, day of rest is sweet (6) SUNDAE {~SUNDAY}
15 Scan crossword wordlessly, beam (1-3) X-RAY {Xword}{RAY}
17 To eat in German //  city (5) ESSEN (DD)
18 Setter expresses hurt, making catty remark? (4) MEOW {ME}{OW}
19 Axes financier, losing dinar and rupee, becomes solvent (6) XYLENE {XY}{LENdEr}
20 Always happy in the end, festive occasion is ordinary (8) EVERYDAY {EVER}{happY}{DAY}
23 Fussy about time, firm about basic punctuality, late usually — snobbish upstart (10) METICULOUS {TIME*}{C{punctUality}{Late}O}{Usually}{Snobbish} Anno  ok? Is upstart a valid letter pick indicator?
26 Advisor to assist head of embassy (4) AIDE {AID}{Embassy}
27 Military top official knows all high-level secrets — leaders in retreat (5) SHAKO (Reverse acrostic)

28 Barbaric Brit traps headless jack rabbit to make Welsh rabbit (7) RAREBIT {BRIT*} around {hARE}

DOWN

1 Man walked over at last, made hints of yes and no before judge, finally giving mixed signal? (10) HETERODYNE {HE}{T{madE}ROD}{Yes}{No}{judgE}
2 Silver, gold, agate mined, to reach Greek marketplaces (6) AGORAE {AG}{OR}{AgatE}
3 Do one’s homework before commencement of project (4) PREP {PRE}{Project}
4 Iliad’s central character captured by fiery Spartan soldier (8) PARTISAN {SPARTAN*} around {ilIad}
5 Around borders of Uyghur city, cohort finally sets up tent (4) YURT {citY}{UyghuR}{cohorT}

6 State of emergency Centre launched in Chennai lifted (5) ASSAM Anno not clear (Addendum - {SoS} in {MAA<=} - See comments}
8 Fruit of labour following a job half done (7) AVOCADO Anno not clear (Addendum = {A} and {DO}<=>{VOCAtion}
12 Sample given by artists finally accepted by museum (5) TASTE {TA{artistS}TE}
14 Ambrose Philips using map to return via isle from the south, going all the way north (5-5) NAMBY-PAMBY {MAN<=}{BY}{MAP<=}{BY}
16 People like Eminem’s song briefly, coming back again to fill rafters (7) RHYMERS {R{HYMn}{ER<=}afterS}
17 Will delegate authority — ah, it may finally free up manager briefly (8) EXECUTOR {EXEC}{aUThORity}
21 Make certain men less great to raise 50% of upper class (6) ENSURE Anno not clear
22 Last concert after brief sound check (5) AUDIT {AUDIo}{concerT}
24 Setter is morning person who leads a congregation (4) IMAM {I'M}{AM}
25 Ship returns pre-eminent ring to Lady’s finger (4) OKRA {O}{ARK<=}

Reference List

Gangster=Al, Setter's=I'M, Cross=X, Setter=Me, Axes=XY, Dinar=D, Rupee=R, Firm=Co

Man=He, SIlver=Ag, Gold=Or, Museum=Tate, Isle=Man, Again=Re, Setter is=I'M, Morning=AM, Ring=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