No 13488, Thursday 24 Feb 2022,Hypatia

Solution to 14A 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   Sailor starting to holiday in Dubai’s modern city (3,5) ABU DHABI {AB}{UD{Ho...y}ABI*}

5   Collecting say, advance for key (6) LEGEND {L{EG}END}

10 A soft line cut inside garments (7) APPAREL {A}{P}{L} over {PARE}

11 Copper in refined state’s most critical (7) ACUTEST {A{CU}TEST*}

12 Love starter of salad and dips (5) DUCKS {DUCK}{Sa..d}

13 Former daily covering morning’s test (4,5) EXAM PAPER {EX}{PAPER} over {AM}

14 Smuggler keeps forging America’s classic notes in sequence (7,5) ?U?I?A? S?A?E (Addendum - MUSICAL SCALE {MU{A+CLASSIC}*LE} - See comments)

18 Opportunist’s tender covering prized land with Government (6,6) CARPET BAGGER   {CAR{PET}{BAG}{G}ER} Tender/Carer? See comments

21 Betrays sponsors hosting clubs from the East (9) BACKSTABS {BACK{BATS<=}S}

23 On account of number zero (3,2) DUE TO {DUET}{0}

24 Decorated and loved all around (7) ADORNED {ADOR{'N}ED}

25 From the start kids are enthusiastic about artist’s fine entertainment (7) KARAOKE {Kids}{Are}{En...c} over {RA}{OK}

26 Say Indians in London, closer to West end (6) DESIST {DESIS}{wesT} Wouldn't Indians in Londan be Pardesis?

27 Artistic representation of unfinished cryptic puzzles in The Hindu (8) TRIPTYCH {CRYPTIc}* in {TH}

DOWN

1   Drawback in a school’s grants? (6) AWARDS {DRAW<=} in {A}{S}

2   Remove thick cap nurses brought up to cover (6) UNPACK [T<=]

3   Cook has a crude topping for desserts (4,5) HARD SAUCE*

4   Student given permission to climb into vehicle in public places with posts (8,6) BULLETIN BOARDS {BU{L}{LET IN}{BOARD}S}

6   Fit English Queen meets India’s president (5) EQUIP {E}{QU}{I}{P}

7   Illustration of old Marple novel (8) EXEMPLAR {EX}{MARPLE*}

8   Does hoarding bar with wine get discouraged? (8) DETERRED {DE{T}ER}{RED}

9   She sang sargam with Late Khan’s training (4,10) LATA MANGESHKAR {SARGAM+LATE+KHAN}*

15 Traffic assistant went between lines going around (5,4) SPEED TRAP {PEED} in {PARTS<=}

16 Cover vehicle parked in society by poet (8) SCABBARD {CAB} in {S}{BARD}

17 Kind of cougar roughly grabbing one sheep’s head (8) GRACIOUS {GRAC{1}OU*}{Sh..p}

19 Why do lemurs restrict circulating air? (6) MELODY [T<=]

20 Biblical shepherd’s sweetheart joining husband after a month (6) JOSEPH {JO}{SEP}{H}

22 Carols about grand children (5) SONGS {SON{G}S}

Reference List

Sailor = AB, Soft = P, Line = L, Government = G, And = 'N, Artist = RA, School = S, Student = L, English = E, Queen = QU, India = I, President = P, Bar = T, Wine = RED, Society = S, Sweetheart = JO, Husband = H, Grand = G