No 13517, Wednesday 30 Mar 2022, Hypatia

Solution to 10A 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   Look through delightful books (6) NOTICE {N{OT}ICE}

4   Syrups and jams changing hands (8) MOLASSES MO(-r+l)LASSES

9   Can piano master face the other side performing (6) PRISON {P}{SIR<=}{ON}

10 Bats hang only in blossom tree (8) ?A?O?A?Y (Addendum - MAHOGANY {MA{HANG+O}*Y} - See comments))

12 Kate’s carry-out (8) TAKEAWAY {KATE}* [RA]

13 Oddly brown on reflection, like one indoor plant (6) BONSAI {BrOwN}{1+AS<=}

15 You can hold sermons on vacation breaks in religious institution (6,6) SUNDAY SCHOOL {SCHOOL}<=>{SUNDAY} (Addendum - {YOU+CAN+HOLD+Se...nS}* - See comments)

18 Where Staff might not find work taxing? (4-4,4)  DUTY-FREE SHOP [C&DD]

21 Associate cycling just outside posh street (6) AVENUE {A}{(-e}VEN(+e)E} over {U}

22 Terrible Player touring America and England in 2020, perhaps (4,4) LEAP YEAR {PLAYER}* over {A} and {E}

24 Restrain audacious journalist, per Spooner (4,4) HOLD BACK (~bold hack to hold back)

25 Permanent marker? (6) TATTOO [CD]

26 Memsahib’s extremely boring, upset, a little rude and old hat (8) SOMBRERO {SO{Me...iB}RE}{Rude}{O}

27 Game fixed without local backing (6) TENNIS {S{INN}ET}<=

DOWN

1   Relatively advanced placement practice? (8) NEPOTISM [CD]

2   Narrow royal view (8) THINKING {THIN}{KING}

3   Collected letters provided by a secular mob (4,2,1,8)  COOL AS A CUCUMBER Letter Bank

5   Shape often viewed a lot from above (4) OVAL Acrostic

6   Resolving a plea(s) to let working couple in? That’s too much (1,3,2,4,5) A LOT ON ONES PLATE  {A+PLEA+TO+LET}* over {ON}{ONES} There seems to be an extra E in the fodder? (Adendum - {A+PLEAS+TO+LET}* over {ON+ON} - See comments)

7   Rows closer to line that’s thinly dotted (6) SPARSE {SPARS}{linE}

8   Check pen with writer, say (6) STYMIE {STY}{MIE(~me)}

11 Greyest accessories camouflage round gemstone (4,3) CATS EYE [T<=]

14 Place to bottle basil drink (7) SHERBET {S{HERB}ET}

16 Cow starting to trudge over earthen ground (8) THREATEN {Tr...e}{EARTHEN*}

17 Bogus Indian food introduced in France, below (8) SPURIOUS {S{PURI}OUS}

19 Shot hit may be frequently picked up and let down (6) BATHOS {ShOt+HiT+mAy+Be}<=

20 Bachelor picking up man without date in confusion (6) BEDLAM {B}{MAL{D}E<=}

23 Mark runs around pushing drugs (4) SCAR RACeS<=

Reference List

Books = OT, Only = O, Piano = P, Associate = A, Posh = U, America = A, England = E, Old = O, Below in French = SOUS, Bachelor = B, Date = D, Drugs = E